Working as a professional web designer is possible whether you choose to work for a design firm or on your own as a freelancer. Increasing your visibility as a web designer is essential when building your client base and maintaining a steady workflow. Knowing how to properly promote your skills and abilities as a professional designer is a way to outshine competition while maintaining success.
Here are some online web design communities that will help you get identified.
Dribbble
Dribbble is an online design community that allows web designers and creative professionals from all walks of life the ability to promote and share their best works. Dribbble is one of the leading design communities that is useful to both designers themselves as well as individuals and business owners who are searching for a professional to hire regarding an upcoming project they have in mind.
Find Clients
Dribbble allows web designers to find clients by sharing portfolio pieces and latest projects with the use of search terms and relevant keywords. Sharing your work using Dribbble is a great way to promote your official website while simultaneously getting more exposure while maximizing your reach to potential clients.
Hire Designers
Those who are interested in hiring a professional designer can also do so with Dribbble. Search for and compare designers along with their abilities, techniques, and overall style before making a decision. Communicate directly with designers you are interested in hiring to learn more about pricing and to receive a personalized quote.
How to Use Dribbble
Using Dribbble is free for professionals and only requires a few minutes to create an account. Once you have an account, complete your profile and begin researching top trending keywords and phrases that are most relevant to your own work (to boost the amount of exposure you are able to receive).
Behance
Behance is another portfolio-centric online community that helps designers connect with other professionals, whether you are a web designer or if you work in illustration or traditional graphic design.
Portfolio Exposure
Behance is an ideal platform to upload and create a portfolio of your own that is as detailed as you prefer. One of the biggest draws of Behance is the layout and user experience provided by the platform itself. Browse and compare portfolios seamlessly and keep all of your work organized and easily accessible with your own free Behance profile and account.
How to Use Behance
Once you have registered an account on Behance you can immediately begin creating your own albums to store your portfolio’s best pieces and presentations. Uploading is possible whether you prefer to upload one piece at a time or an entire folder of files. Label your Behance folders and share links to your Behance profile within resumes and when reaching out to potential clients for a professional appeal whenever you are showing off your work and web design abilities.
DeviantArt
DeviantArt is one of the oldest and most popular art communities that is available online today. DeviantArt was originally launched to showcase photography and other mediums of art using digital portfolios and various communities and groups within the site itself. Today, DeviantArt is an ideal platform to show off any type of art while also providing resources for other designers from around the world. Using DeviantArt is free of charge, although there is a paid premium service available for those who are interested in additional customization options when developing an online portfolio and presence for any web design work that is being presented.
How to Use DeviantArt
Using DeviantArt is possible whether you are a designer or if you are dabbling in web design and looking to expand and grow your online presence and portfolio. DeviantArt is free of charge and allows you to begin uploading files into your portfolio immediately upon activating your account. DeviantArt is also useful if you have designs you wish to sell in print or poster format, which is available with a professional service that is directly connected with DeviantArt itself.
Search DeviantArt for various keywords, styles, and even resources that are most relevant to your own work to gain inspiration and to generate new ideas for various design projects you have in mind for current clients. Interact with and befriend other users on DeviantArt to network professionally and to help grow the number of personal resources you have available to you as you continue to build your professional reputation within the industry.
Community Factor
A massive factor in the success of DeviantArt stems from its organic and ever-growing online community and following. The DeviantArt community helps keep users active and engaged with sharing, commenting, and encouraging other artists from around the world with praise and constructive criticism. Thousands of groups are also available within the DeviantArt community, allowing anyone to find other individuals and designers who have similar interests, tastes, and styles when it comes to web design and developing new creations.
Final Thoughts
Learning more about various online portfolio sites and communities is one of the most beneficial methods to gain traction while maximizing your exposure online working as a professional web designer. Whether you are new to web design altogether or if you simply want to expand your potential client base, having an online presence with different design-centric communities and portfolio sites is a must. The more actively and engaged you become with updating your portfolios and various professional profiles, the easier it becomes to generate leads that can ultimately lead to loyal customers for years to come.
