Portfolio Presentation Tips For Attracting Bloggers

by Natalie Tyler, November 9, 2011

Lately we’ve seen an increase in the amount of Redbubble artists who are gaining coverage on blogs across the interweb, so we thought it might be handy to whip up a few hints and tips for making your portfolio more enticing and inviting to bloggers. The following advice is based on some of the feedback and discussions we’ve had with a few of the technological wordsmiths who are often keen to grant you a little more exposure. If they happen to drop by your portfolio, these tips will ensure everything is looking ship shape.

Consistency

You’re probably familiar with the mantra about only uploading your best work. This is a good example of why we think it’s important. When someone looks at your profile, they’re gaining an impression of whether your work is of a consistent standard. This can impact upon whether they choose to venture further. The higher the overall quality, the higher the expectation that the rest of your portfolio will contain more hidden gems, so focus on showing off the work you’re really proud of.

_{Zoe Trap utilizes the selections from one of her collections at the top of her profile page.}

Originality

Bloggers are generally looking to feature work and artists that are unique. There are millions of blogs on the interweb and it goes without saying they want their blog content to be interesting, striking and original. Portfolios with high quality and original works are more likely to catch their eye. Consider picking works that are more unique for your profile page or for collections cover images.

_{Works from Swin’s Profile Page}

Thumbnails

When looking at some of the most eye catching profiles, it’s clear when artists have given consideration to how works appeared in thumbnails and collection cover images. You have a lot of control over your profile page so spend some time fine tuning its appearance. Pick images that compliment each other in terms of subject matter, color and composition. Not everything will crop well when it comes to thumbnails, so if you have a choice between an image that crops well and one that doesn’t, consider which will have greater impact or look more visually appealing.

_{Image: Randi Antonsen’s Profile Page}

Use your profile description

Bloggers are often looking for a story, an angle or a little bit of information about an artist. A couple of lines is enough to give a glimpse into your personality, interests, weapons of choice or art and design influences. And we know some of you are likely to be posting more regularly on your blog or Tumblr so link us up! Include links to your website, Twitter, Facebook page or blog. While a blogger may wish to focus on your work on Redbubble, they’re still interested in knowing more about you and if you catch their eye, they’ll want to do more reading and research. Make this as easy as possible for them by linking to other places you hang out on the web.

Consider creating a series

We’re increasingly seeing series of works featured on blogs. Your entire portfolio may be varied in style or subject matter and you may dabble in a number of mediums or use different methods to express yourself, but developing a series of works means you can avoid limiting your creative output while creating something a little meatier for bloggers to write about. A series of works on a theme or in a particular style makes the job of describing who you are and the story behind your work much easier for bloggers. Don’t forget to use your descriptions or journals to include things like your motivations for the project, what you set out to do and what the subject matter means to you.