Pursuing a career in graphic design and unsure if you should invest in a website for your portfolio or marketing efforts? To cut to the chase: every graphic designer should build a website to showcase work, network with potential clients, and meet other professionals in the industry. The graphic design field is estimated to grow by 3% through 2030, meaning there will be over 20,000 new openings each year. Having a sleek and eye-catching website gives potential clients or employers an idea of your unique style and increases your chance of securing a position.
Every graphic designer has a different skill they focus on or area of expertise, which is why it’s an excellent idea for designers to build their own website. It allows the designer to showcase their strengths and reach a target audience looking for these specific services. Many designers assume that social media or freelance networking sites are enough to secure clients. While this works for some, it’s more efficient and adds to your authenticity as a professional in the field. The Freelance Forward 2020 estimates that nearly 1 in 3 Americans works as a freelancer, highlighting the importance of designers building a site to help them stand out from other designers in the industry.
Market Your Brand
Whether you are a graphic design freelancer or a full-time design employee, marketing your personal brand as a professional in the field can help you to secure additional clientele. It’s common for people to hear the word “brand” and immediately think of a specific company. Still, creative professionals also benefit from building a clear message of your purpose to a target audience.
Some of the most effective ways to market your unique brand include staying active on social media, keeping online information up-to-date, having a functional website, and active networking. Don’t overlook traditional print marketing such as business cards or flyers, as these methods can help reach an even broader base of potential clients.
Showcase Your Personality
As a graphic designer, building a website is one of the best ways to showcase your unique personality to potential clients through previous work. LinkedIn has excellent tips for showcasing personality in a professional portfolio, such as completing passion projects, being honest, and keeping things simple. Adding a passion project to your portfolio is one of the most efficient ways to add a pop of your personality to the site, as these are typically completed independently and solely from a creative vision. Remaining honest in your website credentials and ‘about me’ section is also important and will add to your reputation as an authentic designer in the field.
Create Your Reputation
Breaking into the graphic design industry can feel overwhelming for those who are new to the field, but creating a solid reputation is a great way to excel as a new professional. When designers are new to the job search or professional field, it can be challenging to find your niche if you have no reputation or experience to back up your skillset.
Building an online portfolio with an ‘about me’ section puts you in control of what clients and potential employers know about your skills. It’s easier for an employer or client to reach out to you when they have a clear idea of your mission, services, and who you are as a professional designer. If you want to build a website with advanced elements like plugins but have no coding experience, taking a quick live online WordPress class helps to teach the fundamental skills of creating a site.
Networking Opportunities
Many graphic designers use platforms like LinkedIn or Dribbble to network with other professionals, but using social media to drive traffic to your website is another great way to connect with different designers. It allows designers to showcase their capabilities crafting posts for social media and will provide a link for traffic to reach your specific website. Another popular way designers use social media to increase website traffic is through posting regular blogs or updates. Be sure to remain active on platforms like Instagram to engage with followers and build your online identity.
Popular Hosting Platforms
One of the most popular platforms for graphic designers to host their site is Adobe Portfolio, as it provides both hosting and unlimited pages for users. This option is not only comprehensive, but it also offers integration with other software, optimization for any device, and requires no prior knowledge of coding like HTML or CSS. There are different templates available to showcase your work, as well as usability with Adobe Fonts and Lightroom.
WordPress is another popular platform for graphic designers to build their websites, as it has both user-friendly options and more advanced selections for those with coding knowledge. One main advantage to choosing WordPress is the vast selection of plugins available to truly customize your website and showcase your unique personality.
In addition to these popular sites, many graphic designers choose options like Dribble or Behance. Each platform has its own set of advantages and drawbacks to using its hosting services, which is why every designer should research to determine which option will align best with their professional goals.
Final Thoughts
Creating a website is important in order to reach a wide range of clients, network with other professionals, and build a reputation in the graphic design industry. If you want to refresh your skills before marketing your skills on a new website, signing up for graphic design classes provides an opportunity to brush up on techniques and ensure you are up-to-date on all the latest software practices.
Live online graphic design bootcamps are a great way to touch up on fundamental skills in the field without having to leave home or commute through traffic after a long day of work. These immersive courses are great for those who want to switch their career into graphic design without having to commit to a four-year degree. You can search for graphic design bootcamps in your area to see what classes are available and determine which course is best for your goals as a professional graphic designer.