People who make creative work often think that their work can speak for itself and sell their services themselves. While I would love for that to be the case, it simply isn’t. Website visitors need to be told a story and understand the transformation creative services can make.
This was no problem whatsoever for our first Squarespace 7.1 website design client!
Our client Johnny Wolf is a photographer who understands the power of story (because that’s what he does with his camera every day) and his website expresses that ethos as well. Instead of simply showing off work, Johnny educated his audience about the power of brand and event photography and clearly addressed the transformation this tool that he provides can have.
You can learn so much about the flow and messaging on a successful portfolio website from Johnny’s Squarespace 7.1 website:
- A problem-solution equation is clearly expressed
- The work has context
- There’s a clear point of view
- Case studies are more effective than simple galleries (put these in a blog, folks!)
- The list goes on…
Speaking the customer’s language is the name of the game for a conversion-powerhouse of a creative services website.
My personal favorite phraseology on this site is “headshots aren’t just for LinkedIn.” It’s one of those magic phases that magic lightbulbs come on and sells Johnny’s services. This was all Johnny and I bet it’s something he says to clients all the time!
The modern typography, vibrant but professional colors and generous white space also serve to showcase both the work and message. This can be tricky for photographers and artists because these elements can compete, but in this case, they work harmoniously together.
Want to learn more about successful portfolio websites? Snag free access to my talk on portfolio style websites right here!
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