Website Design Chicago Strategy #4: Showcase Your Work With a Results-Driven Portfolio
In a city as competitive as Chicago, showing is often more effective than telling. Strategy #4 for successful website design in Chicago is to include a strong, results-driven portfolio that highlights your capabilities and builds instant credibility with potential clients.
Whether you’re a creative agency, contractor, service provider, or consultant, visitors want proof that you can deliver. They want to see your past work, understand the quality of your results, and feel confident in your process. A great portfolio does all of that—and more.
Your portfolio isn’t just about pretty pictures or name-dropping past clients. It’s a strategic tool to show potential customers that you’ve solved similar problems and delivered real results for businesses like theirs. In Chicago’s crowded marketplace, it’s your chance to stand out and earn trust fast.
Start by choosing the right projects to showcase. Don’t just list everything you’ve ever done—curate your best work that aligns with your target audience. If you’re a web designer serving small businesses, show websites you’ve built for Chicago-based restaurants, service companies, or shops. If you’re a contractor, highlight before-and-after photos of renovation projects in local neighborhoods.
For each project, go beyond the visuals. Include a brief case summary that covers:
For example, instead of saying:
“Designed a website for a dentist.”
Say:
“We partnered with Lincoln Park Dental Studio to redesign their outdated website. Within 60 days of launch, their new site increased appointment requests by 43%. The clean, mobile-first layout and integrated booking system made it easier for patients to schedule services.”
This format is story-driven and results-focused, which makes it far more persuasive to a potential client than a generic project summary. It also helps your visitors imagine what it would be like to work with you—and what kind of results they can expect.
If you serve multiple industries, consider organizing your portfolio by category. Add filters or tabs like “Retail,” “Home Services,” or “Healthcare” so visitors can quickly find relevant examples. This improves user experience and gives your site a more professional feel.
Your portfolio should also be easy to find. Include it in your top navigation bar as “Our Work,” “Case Studies,” or “Portfolio.” Add links to individual projects on your service pages, and use strong visuals to draw attention. Each featured item should be clickable and lead to a detailed breakdown with images, descriptions, and outcomes.
Visuals are key—especially in design-heavy industries. Use high-quality screenshots, mockups, or photos to highlight your work. Optimize all images for web to maintain fast load speeds and ensure a responsive experience on mobile devices.
If possible, include video testimonials or walkthroughs of your projects. A quick 60-second client interview or a narrated screen recording of a web design project can add a human element that builds trust quickly. Plus, video content keeps visitors on your site longer, which benefits your SEO.
Make sure your portfolio is updated regularly. A stale portfolio with projects from 2018 gives the impression that you haven’t done much lately—or worse, that you’re no longer active. Aim to add new case studies or featured projects every quarter, especially when you complete work for recognizable brands or businesses in Chicago.
Also, leverage your portfolio for marketing purposes. Share new project launches on your blog and social media. Run ads that direct users to your best case studies. Include portfolio links in your email signature and newsletter campaigns. A strong portfolio isn’t just content—it’s a lead-generation tool when positioned correctly.
Remember: Chicago clients are smart, selective, and used to being pitched. A results-focused portfolio gives them the confidence they need to take the next step with you. It moves them from “maybe” to “let’s talk.”
Want to see how a strategically built portfolio can transform your website and drive more Chicago leads? Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration today and we’ll show you how we design high-performing portfolios that not only look great—but convert curious visitors into paying clients.
Whether you’re a creative agency, contractor, service provider, or consultant, visitors want proof that you can deliver. They want to see your past work, understand the quality of your results, and feel confident in your process. A great portfolio does all of that—and more.
Your portfolio isn’t just about pretty pictures or name-dropping past clients. It’s a strategic tool to show potential customers that you’ve solved similar problems and delivered real results for businesses like theirs. In Chicago’s crowded marketplace, it’s your chance to stand out and earn trust fast.
Start by choosing the right projects to showcase. Don’t just list everything you’ve ever done—curate your best work that aligns with your target audience. If you’re a web designer serving small businesses, show websites you’ve built for Chicago-based restaurants, service companies, or shops. If you’re a contractor, highlight before-and-after photos of renovation projects in local neighborhoods.
For each project, go beyond the visuals. Include a brief case summary that covers:
- The client’s name and industry (with permission)
- The problem they faced
- The solution you provided
- The measurable results achieved (if available)
- A client testimonial (bonus points for quotes from recognizable Chicago businesses)
For example, instead of saying:
“Designed a website for a dentist.”
Say:
“We partnered with Lincoln Park Dental Studio to redesign their outdated website. Within 60 days of launch, their new site increased appointment requests by 43%. The clean, mobile-first layout and integrated booking system made it easier for patients to schedule services.”
This format is story-driven and results-focused, which makes it far more persuasive to a potential client than a generic project summary. It also helps your visitors imagine what it would be like to work with you—and what kind of results they can expect.
If you serve multiple industries, consider organizing your portfolio by category. Add filters or tabs like “Retail,” “Home Services,” or “Healthcare” so visitors can quickly find relevant examples. This improves user experience and gives your site a more professional feel.
Your portfolio should also be easy to find. Include it in your top navigation bar as “Our Work,” “Case Studies,” or “Portfolio.” Add links to individual projects on your service pages, and use strong visuals to draw attention. Each featured item should be clickable and lead to a detailed breakdown with images, descriptions, and outcomes.
Visuals are key—especially in design-heavy industries. Use high-quality screenshots, mockups, or photos to highlight your work. Optimize all images for web to maintain fast load speeds and ensure a responsive experience on mobile devices.
If possible, include video testimonials or walkthroughs of your projects. A quick 60-second client interview or a narrated screen recording of a web design project can add a human element that builds trust quickly. Plus, video content keeps visitors on your site longer, which benefits your SEO.
Make sure your portfolio is updated regularly. A stale portfolio with projects from 2018 gives the impression that you haven’t done much lately—or worse, that you’re no longer active. Aim to add new case studies or featured projects every quarter, especially when you complete work for recognizable brands or businesses in Chicago.
Also, leverage your portfolio for marketing purposes. Share new project launches on your blog and social media. Run ads that direct users to your best case studies. Include portfolio links in your email signature and newsletter campaigns. A strong portfolio isn’t just content—it’s a lead-generation tool when positioned correctly.
Remember: Chicago clients are smart, selective, and used to being pitched. A results-focused portfolio gives them the confidence they need to take the next step with you. It moves them from “maybe” to “let’s talk.”
Want to see how a strategically built portfolio can transform your website and drive more Chicago leads? Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration today and we’ll show you how we design high-performing portfolios that not only look great—but convert curious visitors into paying clients.