How to Build a WordPress Website Portfolio That Will Showcase Your Work
While building my own blog, I’ve quickly learned that there is always more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak. I’ve also been blessed with an abundance of creative talent which I’ve been able to put to good use in creating this blog. Having said that, I know there will be those who read this page and wonder, ‘how does he get away with just saying that?’. I’m not implying that you, dear reader, are not talented – far from it – but, building a wordpress website portfolio can be tricky. Especially when you’re just starting out. There are a myriad of details and pitfalls that you need to watch out for. Hopefully, this article will help you avoid the most common pitfalls and mistakes so that you can successfully build a wordpress website portfolio that will showcase your work. Let’s get started.
Understand The Value Of A WordPress Website
Since launching my blog, I’ve become increasingly aware of the various benefits of using WordPress for building websites. Not only does it make the process of building a website easy and fun, but it also provides various tools and features that can significantly enhance your experience as a webmaster or content creator. One such feature is the ability to create your own website portfolio. Let’s examine the value and importance of having a wordpress website.
The Growth Of Blogging
In case you’re wondering, blogging is a form of content creation that is quickly gaining popularity. According to HubSpot Blogs, blogging was ranked as the second most popular content marketing strategy among business owners, executives, and marketers. Keep in mind that not all blogs are created equal, so it’s important to understand what makes a good blog and how to write engaging content for your target audience. Once you have a decent amount of content on your blog, you can then utilize various affiliate marketing tools to monetize it. You could also try selling and displaying ads on your site.
WordPress websites also provide you with the opportunity to build a community. Not only do you get to engage with your audience through a steady stream of content, but you can also encourage engagement through various social media platforms. If you play your cards right, you could even become a go-to resource for people seeking content on your specific niche. Ultimately, a wordpress website can help you build a brand, increase your credibility, and make money online without any of those things being remotely difficult or expensive. All in all, it’s a pretty amazing platform for building a website portfolio.
A Few Words On Affiliate Marketing
An affiliate marketing program is a method of monetizing a website by essentially running ads on your site. In exchange for showing ads, you’ll get a commission when someone clicks on a monetized link or purchases a product that’s promoted on your site. There are several reputable affiliate marketing networks such as Choozle that provide a useful tool for tracking and analyzing your performance, as well as researching and recommending products that you may use or sell on your site.
The nice thing about affiliate marketing is that you don’t necessarily need to own a website to get started. In fact, you could start an affiliate marketing program with just a few clicks of the mouse and a credit card. You’ll need to pick a niche, pick your affiliate partners, and track your earnings. Believe it or not, building a presence on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can also be profitable when done correctly. Even YouTube can be monetized through affiliate marketing.
Choosing The Right Niche
When choosing a niche for your website, you obviously want to pick a subject matter that you’re passionate about. That being said, it’s important to not go too far off the beaten path in terms of choosing a niche just to build a website. You don’t want to limit yourself to a single subject matter to the exclusion of all others. If you’re comfortable playing it safe, you could consider blogging about general life topics such as money management or fitness. Alternatively, you could also opt for a more obscure niche such as paleontology or vintage fashion. Ultimately, you need to pick a niche that you feel comfortable enough with to be able to tackle in depth. Although, if you have a specific area of interest such as fashion, you might end up covering a lot of ground in terms of the size of your content library. Keep in mind that your blog’s content will be more useful to your target audience if you cover a subject matter that they are actually searching for. For example, if you’re a vegan blogger, you might want to consider branching out and writing on animal rights or environmental issues as well. It’s only natural for your target audience to want to know more about what you personally stand for and what you believe in, but oftentimes, the topic matter that you choose for your website will dictate the content that you produce. Having said that, being unique is always a good idea, even if the content that you produce is general in nature. If you’re looking to build a more general site, you could consider starting a blog on a personal basis rather than using a pre-made theme since they can often be extremely limiting. It’s important to remember that while uniqueness is always a good idea, you don’t necessarily need to be completely unique to be able to build a successful blog. For example, let’s say that you’re passionate about fashion. Instead of just focusing on the uniqueness of the clothes that you wear, you could also explore topics such as style tips or show us how to combine different fashion styles to form a look that is totally unique to you. Not only will this make your blog interesting and engaging, but it will also improve your chances of getting some organic traffic. When selecting a niche for your blog, bear in mind that the more specific you can be, the more successful you’ll be able to build your blog. Another important point to make is that you don’t necessarily need to be limited by your niche. For example, if you’re a personal trainer with a blog on nutrition, you could very well write about fashion tips as well since many people who seek out fitness guidance also happen to be big fans of style.
Deciding On A Blog Name And Logo
If you’re just starting out, it’s entirely possible that you don’t have a solid idea of what your blog is or isn’t going to be about. In that case, it may be a good idea to choose a blog name that isn’t completely unrelated to your personal interests or hobbies. For example, if you like to cook and bake, you could name your blog “deliciously simple” and then use a graphic that is associated with food images – such as a chef’s hat, kitchen sink, or cutting board. Alternatively, if you love to travel, you could name your blog “vacationmode’ and then use a travel-related image – such as a travel itinerary, map, or airline ticket – as the blog’s logo.
A lot of thought goes into choosing a logo for your blog. A strong logo will not only serve as a memorable symbol of your blog, but it will also help grab a reader’s attention right away. To that end, it’s a good idea to keep things simple yet effective. If possible, you could design a logo yourself, or if not, find a graphic designer that is willing to work with you on creating a logo for your blog. Ultimately, the decision on what type of logo to use and its design should be based on the subject matter of your blog and what you intend on using it for. For example, if you’re a personal finance blog, you might want to keep things simple and elegant, choosing something along the lines of an old-school typewriter or desktop computer since these devices have been around for a while and are associated with high-quality, trusted information. Alternatively, if you want to build a community of people interested in zombie fiction, you could choose a symbol that is commonly associated with the genre – such as a skull or crossbones – and then design the rest of your website’s branding and blog posts around it. In any case, it’s important to keep in mind that your blog’s branding and design is a reflection of you as an individual, your personality, and what you want to communicate to your audience. It should not be overly complicated, but it should also not be too plain or simple either.
Pick A Theme
The first thing that you’ll need to do to get started is to choose a theme for your blog. A theme, in the context of a website, is a set of standards and design templates that your web host will provide. Some websites, such as Squarespace, offer completely customized designs that are as good as it gets when it comes to user-friendliness and visual appeal. That being said, it’s highly recommended that you choose a theme that is already established and, in some cases, pre-designed. The advantage of doing this is that you don’t have to go through the painstaking task of designing your blog from scratch. Instead, you can just adapt the theme to fit your needs and preferences. Some popular themes are Blox, Bonjoro, and Garden Blogs.