Artists & Musicians: Here’s How to Build a Portfolio Website That Gets You Hired
If you're an artist or musician, your portfolio website is often your first impression. Whether you're applying for grants, gigs, collaborations, or freelance work, people want to see what you do—and they want to see it fast.
A clear, professional, mobile-friendly portfolio helps you stand out. Here's how to design one that gets attention and gets you hired.
1. Start With a Simple, Navigable Homepage
Your homepage should tell people three things:
Who you are
What you do
What action you want them to take
Use a headline that includes your discipline, e.g. "Melbourne-based visual artist and muralist” or “Jazz vocalist and composer”. Use SEO keywords that reflect how you want to be found: “illustrator for hire,” “soundtrack composer,” “freelance saxophonist.”
Add a short paragraph, a strong image or video, and a button that links to your work.
2. Organise Your Work into Categories
Make your portfolio easy to scan. Group your work into sections:
Live performances
Studio recordings
Paintings
Commissions
Music videos
Collaborations
Use tags and filters if your work spans different mediums. This helps people find what they’re looking for—quickly. Squarespace portfolio pages are perfect for this.
Include:
High-resolution images or embedded video/audio
Short context (what it is, where it was featured)
Tools or collaborators if relevant
3. Keep File Sizes Fast—Mobile Speed Matters
Mobile users and curators won’t wait for a 10MB image to load. Compress your files without losing quality. Use TinyPNG or Squoosh to optimise images. You want load times under 2.5 seconds to keep users on your site and improve your Google ranking.
Make sure all media works well on phones, tablets, and laptops.
4. Add a Bio That Builds Trust
People want to know the person behind the work. Include a short, clear artist or musician bio that covers:
Where you're based
What kind of work you do
Career highlights
Awards or media mentions
Collaborations or clients
Link to your CV if needed. Keep it updated.
This section also helps with SEO. Use keywords like:
“freelance illustrator Sydney,” “Australian jazz artist,” or “contemporary artist for exhibitions.”
5. Include a Clear Call to Action
Don't make people guess how to contact you. Include:
A contact form
Email address
Links to social media or streaming platforms
Press kit or download link if relevant
If you're available for hire, say so. Use phrases like:
“Now booking for 2025 exhibitions”
“Available for composition and film scoring”
“Open to commissions and collaborations”
These signals help people know what to do next.
Final tip:
Keep it current. A portfolio with your last update from 2021 won’t inspire confidence. Add new work, news, and press coverage regularly.
