Brad approached me for help with designing an online portfolio that could easily grow and evolve with his career. Brad had several active social media profiles, but hadn’t set up a website for himself before.
As a soon-to-be PhD graduate, he needed a website that would establish his expertise to future employers. He had lots of material and the tech chops to set up a site on his own, but wanted an expert’s input on design, marketing, and web standards.
The Process
We started by exploring professional portfolio sites by some of Brad’s peers to get a sense of the landscape. Then, we developed a content strategy for presenting Brad’s academic research to a non-academic audience.
We customized a modern, responsive theme to match the branding Brad already had and edited some existing photos to make the homepage stand out. The consistent look and feel of the site with Brad’s other marketing materials helps create the unified online presence that’s key for an educational technology professional. The responsive design lets him share his site at conferences and know his network will have a great experience exploring it on their phones.
I designed the site with a keen eye towards search engine optimization. It was important to Brad that his site stand out among educational technology professionals and that clients looking for a consultant find him easily. So I implemented SEO standards that will help the right people get to his site.
Once they do come to his site, we highlighted contact information right on the homepage so people are encouraged to reach out and get in touch.
Here’s what Brad had to say about our work together:
I feared hiring out for skills I thought I could apply in a DIY fashion. That fear did not come true, instead it made the process of putting together a website more about the content than the technological hurdles. It was a great collaboration.
Alex has a great focus on the deliverable and the client needs. Her skills will help you to focus on your content without getting stuck on the technology.
