Video content is taking the digital world by storm, and there’s no reason why you should be left behind. Now, 55% of people feel more interested in video. It’s changing the way most of us see, perceive, and understand online things. And that essentially means that if you want to be noticed or stand out from an amassing crowd – you need an online video portfolio.
But the bigger question is, how do you even create one? Or, more importantly, what actual benefits will it bring you other than becoming a part of the video trend?
The answer lies in this ultimate comprehensive guide to online video portfolio creation. From the advantages of an online portfolio to the resources you can use to make it finally happen, we’ve covered everything.
So sit tight and get ready to roll because this will be one crazy ride – as should be your video portfolio!
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need An Online Video Portfolio?
If you’re a freelancer or even a creative agency thinking, I already have an online portfolio, and it’s great, it’s time to re-think.
Why did you feel the need to create an online portfolio in the first place? The most probable answers would include one of the following:
- Getting more accustomed to the changing trends of everything becoming digital.
- Making ourselves/myself easier to approach and available.
- Reaching out to more people online.
- Well, it’s just so much easier to use and maintain than a traditional portfolio.
And these are the exact reasons why you should be opting for a video portfolio now. On an average site, 82% of traffic comes from video content because the audience wants real interaction or the illusion.
The aftermath of an ongoing pandemic has also added to this trend, and more people are now inclining towards video content creation. That is also one reason why video-focused applications like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are becoming more and more popular. In fact, actual career options are coming out of them.
And all of this is just the tip of the iceberg – you need a video portfolio because it will earn you more traction now. Believe it or not, but that is where most people are heading towards.
6 Benefits of an Online Video Portfolio
So, to make a choice much clearer for you, here are 6 actual benefits that a video portfolio brings. This, coupled with numerous other advantages, as discussed above, can ace your game exponentially!
Benefit # 1: Captivating and lasting first impression
You must have heard or read the phrase somewhere that the first impression is the last. But now it’s time for you actually to believe in it.
Think of it this way – most employers or prospective clients are flooded with several portfolios. Given that scenario, they don’t really have time to go through each one of them, which is why your portfolio needs to stand out among the rest.
Now, you can either have a remarkable set of achievements that no one can turn down. Or you can opt for a video portfolio, which would inarguably make you stand out among the rest.
On top of it, if your video portfolio is high quality and rightly made (something that we’ve discussed below), it will surely leave a lasting first impression.
And often, that is all that’s needed to land an opportunity – a great impression that shows dedication and hard work.
Benefit # 2: Video is becoming the newest content King (and you should master it!)
The second one is more in line with the recent industry trends. Ever since the rise of video-oriented applications in the last decade, video is on its successful way to becoming the newest content King.
If you’re a creative agency or a marketing team, it’s high time that you start investing in video content. More importantly, leverage social media platforms for better marketing strategies. And that will work better if you have an awesome video portfolio of your own to showcase.
Even if you’re a freelancer, your portfolio stands as one of your most valued marketing tools. And like most marketing strategies, you have to keep it updated to gain maximum traction and visibility.
Benefit # 3: Video portfolio helps build trust
Answer this simple question for me. Which of these is more likely to earn your trust or persuade you to buy a service/product?
A flyer or brochure with all the information or a video with human appeal and interaction?
I’d take a wild guess here and say that it’s the latter for most people.
Now, we’re not suggesting in any way that written content has lost its value. That would be counterintuitive. What we’re saying instead is that different types of content have different purposes. For instance, you’re reading this blog because you want a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the subject.
However, assuming that you already have that, you’ll most likely skim through or not read at all.
Similarly, video content is more suitable for earning quick trust and developing a relationship with the viewer. So if you want to stand out from your competition, a video portfolio is one of the ways to do so!
Benefit # 4: Allows you to be more than just a cover letter or resume
This is by far the most important benefit of a video portfolio.
Do you ever feel that you could have convinced a client or a prospective employer better if there was an in-person meeting? Don’t worry. The feeling is mutual to many. And the most prevalent reason for that is that most people feel that a cover letter or resume restricts their personality.
After all, you can’t put in your personality’s appeal in a CV focused on your experiences. Yes, it’s great proof of your professional experience and worth. However, it doesn’t entirely encapsulate the other relevant skills that you might possess. These could include a strong work ethic, dedication to your craft, or even something as minute as keeping the client involved in the process throughout.
On the other hand, a video allows you to interact more freely and showcase your expression perfectly. You can actually talk as you would in a meeting. Most importantly, it makes it easier for you to persuade the person watching the video – something that a CV might not be able to do.
Benefit # 5: Flexible and creative
The next benefit of a video portfolio is an extension of the previous one but equally important.
A CV or traditional portfolio is more focused on the professional side, as should be the case. However, it also eliminates the creative and fun element making every other CV or portfolio appear the same and mundane.
So to avoid that and stand out from hundreds of other creative agencies or freelancers, you can craft a personalized video.
The best part? It would be flexible to the skills you want to highlight as part of your career.
Benefit # 6: Increases your online visibility and presence
And finally – at a time where the world is literally going digital, you can’t risk staying on the traditional route entirely. An online portfolio ensures that you become a part of the search engine’s database. That means that if an employer searches you up after a meeting, your online portfolio is very likely to pop up among the result.
This gives them insight into your career and increases your visibility for people searching for similar freelancers or agencies but not specifically for you.
This is also where you can optimize your online portfolio for search engines by incorporating industry-related keywords and content. This way, if someone searches for a graphic designer, your portfolio can also pop up among the search results.
Hence, increasing your online presence and visibility.
So, How Can You Covert Your Basic Portfolio into a Video Portfolio?
There are several ways you can convert a portfolio design into an online video portfolio. These can also include specific website templates and tools (which we’ve mentioned below, so do check those out.)
However, in this section, we will focus on leveraging your existing data and converting it into a video you can share online.
So, let’s jump right in with the following 4 easy steps!
Add background music or audio.
This is by far the most important yet tricky way to add life to your portfolio. We would, however, advise you to select audio that best goes with your portfolio type. For instance, if you’re a marketing agency and want to flaunt your awesome work, the music should be upbeat.
Similarly, if you’re a beauty product designer, try going for more serene music or audio.
You can also choose to go for narration or voice-over for your portfolio.
But whichever option you decide to go with, make sure that the sound quality is great. Otherwise, it can take down your entire video.
A montage of still images and graphics
You must already have a lot of graphics or images in your portfolio, right? These could include templates of your work, designs, or mockups.
Don’t think that these images or customized designs will be wasted because you have to make a video. Instead, get creative and make them a part of your video portfolio.
Use the existing backlog of images to create graphic montages representing sections of your work.
Create a page-turner or add other effects
Another cool way to highlight your work in your video is by adding effects and transitions.
One of the transitions that we’d personally suggest is the page-turner one. You can customize the video to appear as if you’re turning a page after each slide. This way, you’d be combining the traditional and the modern!
Categorize your video into different parts
And most importantly, don’t forget to compartmentalize the video into relevant categories. This is especially for creative agencies and marketing teams.
Don’t give your client visual chaos with your projects going haywire. Instead, make your video organized by adding different subsections in it. Each subsection could be dedicated to an individual project or one of your services.
This way, you make your video easier to follow and approachable.
Check out our expertly curated list of Top 7 Online Proofing and Collaboration Tools for Remote Teams
7 Things To Remember While Creating An Online Video Portfolio
How will you know that you’re headed in the right direction?
Creating a video might not be like climbing an Everest for you, especially if you have experience in videography or filmmaking. However, the difficult part is to navigate your progress and ensure that you’re headed in the right direction.
Don’t worry, and we’re getting to that with our 7 things to keep in mind while creating your video portfolio.
And now that you’re aware of the creative tools and websites you can leverage to make an online video portfolio, let’s cover the last part of this article.
Make it personalized
We can not emphasize this enough! Your video portfolio is not just a compilation of your skills and work but also a testimony of your personality. So make sure that you take full advantage of this and make it personalized around yourself.
Now, this doesn’t mean creating a narcissistic video where you’re all praise for your work. That’d be counterintuitive.
What we mean by making it personalized is to focus on your USP. Instead of filling it with common and generic ideas, get creative and emphasize what benefit or value you can bring to the table.
Optimize it for the search engines
We’ve mentioned this before as well. Search engines crawl on any online content, but you should focus on optimizing your video to ensure that you rank higher or for the relevant search.
This is also important if you want newer clients to find your online portfolio. You can choose to do this yourself. Or if you’re building your portfolio on website-builders like Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace, they come with several built-in tools that can help you out.
Include social proof or reviews
Have you ever thought about what compels you the most to trust an online brand?
The answer is social proof. You’re more likely to buy a product or service (even if it’s new) if other people have had a good experience with it. That is specifically true if the previous people fall in your demographic.
The same applies to an online portfolio as well. To truly earn a new client’s approval or an employer’s favor, you need social proof. But don’t just add reviews for the sake of adding them.
Instead, only add relevant reviews. For instance, if you’re a freelance website designer, you should be adding reviews of your previous website design clients. This would help the potential client or employer connect with you better. Hence, increasing your chances of getting selected.
Focus on a clean interface
There’s nothing worse than a messy and chaotic portfolio. You don’t want your clients to run away from you – you want to welcome them. And this should reflect in your layout.
Make sure that you don’t select an overwhelmingly complex structure for the video. Keep it intuitively simple and easy to follow.
You can also look into color theory and font selection to make this easier for you! By selecting a palette or typography style that best matches your portfolio and personal statement, you can ensure a clean interface.
Show off your best work.
This one is obvious, isn’t it?
The very purpose of a portfolio is to present your best work. However, we mean here to add the works that best showcase your growth and skill in your profession.
The quality should be mad-high
This is the most important thing to keep in mind while creating your video. If the quality isn’t high, the chances are that people won’t even bother watching the complete video, and you don’t want that.
To ensure that your video is watched and appreciated for its creative effort, don’t compromise on the video quality, whether it’s the sound quality or using HD images. Make sure that everything is top-notch.
Have a strong CTA that compels people to contact you!
This is a rather important thing to keep in mind because, without a strong call to action, the chances of converting a lead or client would be very few.
There are several ways that you can make your CTA stand out. A few of them include:
- Free consultation (but remember it has to offer value regardless of their decision to do a project with you).
- A sample writeup or mockup to start with.
Also, remember to put your contact email or phone number clearly. You can also reach out to people who viewed your portfolio but didn’t respond via email.
Proof it with GoVisually
And the last but most important thing – review your video portfolio before publishing it.
If you think that this would take much longer or difficult since it’s a video you have to prove, you’re mistaken. With GoVisually’s blazing fast video review features, you can even get other people to review it alongside you. This would work especially well for remote teams or even freelancers who need advice from their peers.
So go ahead and sign up today for a seamless proofing experience!
Here’s A List Of The 20 Simple Ways To Easily Share Video Files Online
Final Word
The digital world is becoming more competitive than ever because everyone’s jumping in on it. But that doesn’t affect your work and skills. So choose to demonstrate that you’re different and better with a professional and solid online video portfolio.
Get your work the recognition and visibility it deserves!
