In the dynamic world of freelancing, a striking online presence can be your most potent tool.

Creating a portfolio website is essential for showcasing your work and attracting new leads.

Today, we’ll guide you through building an effective portfolio website using Carrd.

Why You Need a Portfolio Website?

A portfolio website is not just an online catalog; it’s an extension of your brand.

It should be an immersive experience for prospective clients, showcasing your work and leading them to engage with you. The website should reflect your expertise, entice visitors to explore, and, most importantly, facilitate an easy way for them to take action.

The last point is key. Think of the action you want people to take (book an appointment with you?) and lead people into taking this action.

Who Can Benefit?

Essentially, any freelancer seeking to showcase their work can benefit. Some examples include:

• Photographers: Display your photographs and allow visitors to book consultations.
• Web developers: Showcase your web projects and provide an easy way for prospects to get in touch.
• Videographers: Exhibit videos, offer packages, and accept payments for your services.

Introducing Carrd: A Simple Website Builder

Carrd is a user-friendly platform that’s ideal for building single-page sites. It’s particularly effective for portfolio websites, given its ease of use and affordability.

Carrd offers different pricing plans:

• Pro Lite: $9/year
• Pro Standard: $19/year
• Pro Plus: $49/year

Note: Prices may change.

The platform boasts features like custom domain URLs, high-quality images, and no branding, among others.

However, Carrd mainly supports one-page websites, which might be limiting if you want to create a more extensive site.

Getting Started with Carrd

1. Choose a Template: Carrd offers a plethora of templates, including specific ones for portfolio websites. You can also explore landing page templates if you’re service-oriented. Remember, templates are just starting points; you can customize them later.
2. Customize Your Site: The editor in Carrd is intuitive. You can add elements like text, images, and forms. You can also connect your site to email marketing services like MailChimp.
3. Create Engaging Content: Your website should contain engaging content that highlights the benefits of working with you. Include a variety of elements such as images, videos, or audio to keep the visitor engaged.
4. Add Calls to Action: This is crucial. Make it easy for visitors to take the action you want them to take, such as signing up for a newsletter or contacting you for a consultation.
5. Incorporate Widgets: Carrd allows you to add widgets like Gumroad, Stripe checkout, or PayPal for payment processing. If you’re selling services directly from your site, these can be very handy.
6. Brand Your Site: Make sure your site aligns with your branding. Customize colors, fonts, and other elements to create a cohesive look.

Hosting and Domain

Carrd offers hosting for your website. You can choose a subdomain (yourname.carrd.co) or buy your custom domain and point it to Carrd.

Having your domain is beneficial as you can always switch to another service if needed and just redirect the domain there.

A Note on Blogging

Carrd is primarily designed for one-page sites.

While it offers solutions for incorporating blogs, if blogging is central to your portfolio, consider alternatives like Wix or Squarespace.

Before You Go Live

Before publishing, share your website with friends or web design experts for feedback. Ensure all links and forms are functional.

Wrapping Up

Carrd is an excellent tool for creating simple yet powerful portfolio websites. While the platform specializes in one-page sites, its simplicity, affordability, and features make it an attractive option for freelancers looking to build an online presence.

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