Whether you want to take your career to the next level, increase visibility for job opportunities, and land new clients, having your website will help expand your professional horizon.

While it’s essential to have your site, generating great personal website content is much more important. At this point, you may be wondering, “What are the essential features my website needs?”

Read on and learn some practical personal website content ideas. In this article, we are all out to show you what to include on a personal website.

What Content Should I Put on My Personal Website?

1. About Page

One of the critical elements that constitute a good personal website is your “About Page” or “Home Page”. Most people use their “About Page” to briefly talk about who they are, what they have, and what they can offer. Whether it’s a business or personal website, your “About Page” helps give your visitors a great first impression of your credibility and potential. Ideally, an “About Page” should include:

  • Your qualification/education
  • Your skills and expertise
  • A major achievement you are most proud of
  • The latest project you worked on

You can spice it up with a little info about your personality. It could be your values, philosophies, or even hobbies. More importantly, keep your “About page” as simple and short as possible. It isn’t an autobiography, just two to three paragraphs are enough. It is one of the most effective personal website tips you must keep in mind.

2. Portfolio

A personal website is a great place to feature the best samples of your work, especially in visual fields such as designing, photography, or even writing. These samples show your artistic prowess and hands-on experience. Of all personal website pages, your hiring managers are most likely to jump to your “portfolio” section upon landing on your site.

If you are a writer or freelancer, you can share links to your articles, research papers, or books published online or display a collection of photos of print articles.

As a marketing or sales expert, you can include samples of your marketing campaigns and other promotional activities in your portfolio. You can even talk about how a specific skill of yours helped boost conversion rates.

However, you don’t have to include all your past experiences in the portfolio. Instead, just showcase a few outstanding events, particularly those with glowing reviews that highlight your brand.

3. Resume

Most jobs will require you to submit a resume to bid for them, and many employees would still love to see your resume.

Having a conspicuous section in your personal information website dedicated to a resume makes it easy for your potential hiring managers to have a look at the following details about you:

  • Education/qualification
  • Expertise & skillset
  • Notable work experiences
  • Honorary achievement

Also, it wouldn’t hurt to include a downloadable version of your resume in PDF format. It makes it easy for HR managers to download your resume without stress during the hiring process.

4. Portrait Photo

While you may feel like your prospective employers are only concerned about what you can offer them, they also want to see the person behind the scene. That’s why you must ensure you leverage this to use an impressionable photo of yourself. Make sure you upload a high-quality and professional photo capable of humanizing your profile.

You can spice up your picture with the creative use of illustrations and icons. However, avoid using casual photos you have shared on your social media platforms.

5. Professional Blog

You may be wondering why you need to include a professional blog in your personal website content. A personal blog is a great avenue to share your thoughts, ideas, and insights relating to your field.

Whether it is a tip, nugget, case study, or your perspective on the latest trends, continually share things that would keep people entertained and engaged while exploring your site. An up-to-date and engaging blog will establish you as a thought leader in your field and drive more visitors to your site.

More importantly, a personal blog portrays you as a dedicated professional who is keen on consistently exploring happenings and opportunities in their field.

6. Testimonials

Another critical website content you need to leverage your online presence has to do with testimonials. The positive things people say about you can go a long way to

build your credibility in the marketplace and increase your chances of attracting potential clients.

Testimonials speak volumes of your robust work ethic, sound character, skills, and expertise. Beyond your personal rhetorics of “I am a gifted and experienced writer” or “I am a much sought-after photographer,” testimonials from reliable sources speak directly about real-world projects and situations you have handled.

To enhance authenticity, try using direct quotes from your LinkedIn profiles. Link up with your former clients or employers on LinkedIn and ask them to drop a brief comment about how your specific qualities and skills have helped them.

7. Contact / Social Media Info

Contact information is a page on your website for visitors to get in touch with you. The page can feature one or more of the following ways:

  • A contact form for inquiry or text message
  • A telephone number
  • An email address
  • A postal address (you can add a map showing your location)
  • Links to your social media handles

It’s a great idea to provide your visitors with more than one method to get in touch with you. Some may prefer talking to you via live chat or on the phone. Others may want to fill out a contact form. Just give them a variety of options to choose from. If you are looking forward to local opportunities, including your phone number and address is a great idea.

Personal Website Content Mistakes you Should Avoid

  1. Avoid making your “About Page” too long and detailed.
  2. Don’t add an overwhelming collection of your works to your portfolio.
  3. Don’t put videos that are too long.
  4. Avoid social media links that are irrelevant to your services and brand.
  5. Don’t add low-quality or stolen photos.
  6. Avoid being inconsistent with your blog posts (an up-to-date blog will give an impression that your site is very active).
  7. Avoid using testimonials full of vague and vainglorious statements (specific and simple review is advisable).
  8. Avoid poorly researched and written blog posts (you can run your write-up through free grammar checker tools.

Final thoughts

Now your question “What do I need to put on my website?” has been addressed. Don’t sleep on it — give your career the much-needed leverage. With the personal website content ideas discussed in the article, you can gain more visibility and attract life-changing opportunities.

About the Author

author photo

Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.