Choose where the portfolio will live
A no-code builder is the fastest route, WordPress on your own hosting gives you the domain and the files, and hand-coded HTML gives full control at the cost of time. Choose by who will update the site after launch, not by which editor looks better on day one.
| Route | What you control | Time to first publish |
|---|---|---|
| No-code builder | The pages, not the platform | An afternoon |
| WordPress on your hosting | Files, domain, plugins, database | A day |
| Hand-coded HTML and CSS | Everything | A weekend or more |
A free builder plan usually publishes on the builder's own subdomain. A custom domain is a paid feature there, so price the domain before you fall for a template. Hand-coding is worth it only when the code itself is part of the portfolio.
Collect the work before you design anything
Open a folder and put three to five projects into it before you touch a template. Fewer strong pieces read as judgement; twelve average ones read as a hard drive.
- Choose the work you want more of, not the work that was easiest to deliver.
- Keep one strong image per project, at least 1600 pixels wide.
- Write your exact role, especially on team projects.
- Add a result only if you measured one.
- For client work under NDA, describe the problem and your process without the client's name.
With no client work yet, use a self-initiated project, a course brief or a volunteer job, and say plainly that it was self-directed. A labelled student project is honest. A dressed-up one is not.
The five sections every portfolio needs
Five sections carry the whole site. Anything else, including a blog or a shop, can wait until the first five are finished.
| Section | What goes on it | The job it does |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Your name, your discipline, one line, three thumbnails, a contact link | Says who you are in five seconds |
| Work index | Every project with one image and one line | Lets a visitor choose |
| Project page | Brief, constraint, action, result, artefacts | Proves the claim |
| About | How you work, the tools you use, a photo | Answers who is behind the work |
| Contact | A form, an email address, one social link | Makes the next step obvious |
Put the contact route on every page, not only the last one. A visitor who has to hunt for an email address often leaves instead.
Publish on your own domain, not a builder subdomain
The portfolio link gets pasted into CVs, email signatures and WhatsApp messages. yourname.com survives a change of platform; yourname.builder.com does not, and the old link dies with the account.
- Register the domain and keep the registrar login, not just the hosting login. Prices by extension are listed on the domain registration page.
- In the DNS zone, add an A record for @ pointing at the host's server IP.
- Add a CNAME record for www pointing at the hostname your host gives you.
- Lower the TTL to 300 seconds a day before a change, so a mistake is quick to undo.
- Wait for propagation, then load both the bare domain and the www version.
You know it worked when both addresses load the site with a padlock and no redirect loop. Common failure: only www resolves, because only the CNAME was added, and the bare domain shows the host's default page. Add the A record for @ and re-check.
Write the project page so it wins the next job
A project page is a short case study. Keep it between 150 and 250 words and lead with the best image, not a paragraph of thanks.
- Brief: what the client or the assignment asked for, in one line.
- Constraint: the budget, deadline, brand rule or technical limit that shaped the work.
- Action: what you personally did, in plain verbs.
- Result: a measured change, a launch outcome, or a quote you have permission to use.
- Artefacts: two or three more images, a link to the live site if it is public.
Write the result only when you can defend the number. A vague claim of growth is weaker than a clear statement of what shipped.
Launch check: speed, mobile and indexing
Most portfolio visits now start on a phone. Test there before you send the link to anyone whose opinion matters.
- Export images at 1600 pixels wide, in WebP, under 200 KB each.
- Open the site on a phone over mobile data, not office Wi-Fi.
- Check that each page has one H1 and that every image has descriptive alt text.
- Submit sitemap.xml in Google Search Console and request indexing for the home page.
- Send the link to two people and watch where they click first.
You know it is ready when the home page loads in about three seconds on 4G, every thumbnail opens a project page, and a test message from the contact form reaches your inbox.
What a portfolio costs in India
Two bills, not one. The domain is priced by extension and renews every year; hosting or a builder subscription renews monthly or yearly. A free builder plan avoids the second bill but publishes on the builder's subdomain.
On WebJi®, WordPress portfolios run on WordPress Unlimited at ₹400 a month before 18% GST, with LiteSpeed, free SSL and one-click WordPress. The domain is separate, and its price depends on whether you choose .com, .in or another extension.
Where WebJi® fits
WebJi® hosts WordPress hosting on Linux plans with cPanel, LiteSpeed and free SSL. The same account can run a portfolio, a small blog and a contact form without a second subscription.
If you would rather not build it, the website design service quotes the work by email before payment. Moving an existing portfolio across is free when it is approved, and subject to terms. Email our team with the domain and the platform you are leaving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a portfolio website cost?
A builder subdomain can cost nothing. A domain plus WordPress hosting at WebJi® is ₹400 a month before 18% GST, with the domain priced separately by extension. Paid builders charge their own subscription on top of the domain.
What should a portfolio website include?
A home page with your name and discipline, a work index, one page per project, an about page and a contact route. That is enough to be taken seriously; a blog or shop is optional.
Do I need a custom domain for a portfolio?
Yes, if you send the link to clients or employers. A domain you own survives a platform change, keeps the email address, and reads as a business rather than a draft.
How many projects should a portfolio show?
Three to five finished pieces. Choose the work closest to the jobs you want. With no client work, use self-initiated or course projects and label them as such.
Can I build a portfolio without coding?
Yes. A no-code builder or WordPress with a page builder covers the five sections. You still write the project text yourself; no template supplies that.
How long does it take to make a portfolio website?
An afternoon for a one-page template with images already prepared. A week is realistic when each project gets its own page and a proper case-study write-up.