Using an Online Portfolio

When you are involved in a particular industry and wish to break that industry, then people will want to see exactly what you can do before they employ you to undertake such work. One way in which you can provide them with this information is to create a portfolio. A portfolio highlights the best that you have to offer. They are also a very useful tool for advertising your online business.

A portfolio should contain a sequence of your work examples. The work examples that you select to show should not be chosen haphazardly. It is important that each one represents something about you and your business.

It is always a good idea to include published work in your portfolio. These do not necessarily have to be jobs that you were paid for, but if a piece of your work was accepted or shown in a particular place, then it should be included in the portfolio. You should also include any bylines that you have acquired. When doing this, customers can see that you are not the only person who is interested in your work.

Many people in the world have portfolios that they carry around with them. Well, an online portfolio is exactly the same, only you don’t need to carry it. All pictures and descriptions that are included in your portfolio need to be clear and to the point. If your business has more than one area of concentration, then focus on displaying something from each different area. It is important for potential customers to be able to see everything that you can do.

It is not absolutely necessary for your portfolio to contain a picture of yourself; however a picture will help a customer to connect with you. It will show them that a real person runs the business. Include any testimonials that you may have received for products that you have sold and/or articles published.

You will have the chance to inform people of the best things about yourself in an online portfolio. You may provide details of your background as well as experience that you have in the area of the service that you are offering, which customers will be very interested in. Also include any awards that you may have won for your published work.

Save any photos or clips as a PDF file. These can be downloaded for better viewing. If the photos are located somewhere else on the Internet, then you must ensure that you include copyright information for each one, so that there are no legal implications.

It is always advised to add links to other work that you may have sold, or that you have been published. Never forget to state that all work is protected and cannot be used on other sites without permission. It is also vital that you check with the owner of the work, to seek permission to use it on your website.

It is always worth adding a link to your online portfolio to enable others to view it and locate your website. The portfolio containing published work or work that has been sold is a testimonial to your business and proves how much effort you have put into it. This will certainly make a customer feel more confident about purchasing from you.

photo credit: Thiru Murugan