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Let’s get started!
Before I start with today's post, I wanted to start the post by informing you about the 2 releases we made this last weekend and another cool thing I’ve been waiting for a few days to share with you guys:
Firstly, the creation of the new Instagram account. I've been really into photography for quite some time now, and relatively recently I decided to upgrade my photography equipment, I opted for a Sony A7III with a 50mm F1.8 and an 85mm F1.8. I grabbed my backpack and went out to take some pictures. And well, I'm quite satisfied with the result, I've got back the desire to do some more photography. I leave here the Instagram account in case you want to follow it :)
On the other hand, I can finally announce the publication of the website of my typography book "Typography is For Everybody", where you will be able to see it:
- What the book is about
- Benefits of the book
- Features of the book
- All chapters
- Pre-Order Link
- Etc
And we have finally bought the domain for our website - we can announce that we officially have a website! It will no longer be webflow.io. We now have our own domain and hosting.
This means that we have purchased a Webflow plan, specifically the CMS plan. This will allow us to centralise the whole blog on the website, be able to have multiple pages and above all have full access to the code of the website!
Let’s get started!
As a designer, you spend countless hours perfecting your craft and showcasing your work online. But have you ever stopped to consider how potential clients or collaborators find your website in the first place? The thing is, it’s okay to have a beautiful designed website portfolio, but who is going to find it in first place (unless you have an audience or any sort of traffic already built).
Here is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in, is basically a set of practices aimed at boosting your website's ranking on search engines like Google.
If you're new to SEO, don't worry! Here are 5 simple yet effective techniques you can use to help your portfolio get discovered. These ones are simply the ones that worked for me the best:
01: 🔎 Choose the Right Keywords
Keywords are the words and phrases that people type into search engines when looking for something specific. By including relevant keywords in your website's content, you can increase your chances of appearing in search results for those terms.
To find the right keywords, start by thinking about the types of projects you specialize in and the services you offer. Then, use a keyword research tool (such as Google Keyword Planner) to see what terms are being searched for and how competitive they are.
In addition, nowadays you can use tools that help you automate keyword research with good performance in Google, such as Chat GPT and AI tools.
Once you've identified your target keywords, make sure to include them in the following areas of your website:
- The page title
- The page's URL
- The headings and subheadings
- The body text
But beware of keyword stuffing - this is the practice of overusing keywords in an attempt to manipulate search rankings. Not only does it harm your website's usability, but it can also result in search engines penalizing your site.
probably didn't use keywords before, because they would be things you would never have considered. Try entering some of them on the sites mentioned above and, in principle, it should be enough.
02: 🖼 Optimize Your Images
Images are a crucial component of any designer or photographer's portfolio, but they can also slow down your website's loading time and make it harder for search engines to understand what your pages are about.
To avoid this, make sure to follow these best practices for image optimization:
- Use descriptive file names for your images (e.g. "landscape-photography-new-york.jpg")
- Compress your images to reduce their file size without sacrificing quality
- Include relevant alt tags for each image that describe what it is
By doing these simple steps, you'll not only improve your website's usability and accessibility but also help search engines better understand the content on your pages.
03: 👑 Build Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more credibility and authority your website has in the eyes of search engines.
In another words: A backlink is like a "vote of recommendation" for your website from another website. When another website links to your site, it's telling search engines that they think your site is valuable and relevant, which can help improve your search engine rankings and increase visibility for your site.
To build backlinks, consider reaching out to other websites in your industry and asking for a link back to your portfolio. You can also participate in online forums or communities related to your area of expertise, and include a link to your website in your forum signature or profile.
Another way to get backlinks is to create high-quality content that other people will want to link to. For example, you can write blog posts, create infographics, or even offer freebies like stock photos or design resources.
04: 💨 Improve Website Loading Speed
Website loading speed is a crucial factor for both user experience and search engine rankings. If your website takes too long to load, visitors are likely to bounce (leave) and search engines will see it as a sign that your site is low quality.
To improve your website's loading speed, here’s what worked for me so far:
- Use a fast and reliable web host (You can use Webflow itself).
- Minimize the use of large and high-resolution images. Try to optimize your images as much as possible. Images are normally what makes a website load slowly.
- Minimize the use of plugins and scripts that slow down your site.
- Enable browser caching to speed up repeat visits.
05: 📱 Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets, it's essential that your website is optimized for mobile devices. Not only will this improve the user experience for your visitors, but it can also have a positive impact on your search engine rankings.
To make your website mobile-friendly, consider using a responsive design that adjusts the layout of your site to fit the size of the screen. You can also use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website is mobile-friendly and get tips on how to improve it.
By following these 5 great practices, you'll be well on your way to maximizing your web portfolio's visibility and attracting more potential clients or collaborators to your work.
Cheers, Jordi Espinosa.