Almost everyone who is seriously choosing a contractor opens the work section. And they often find a gallery of pretty images without a single word. Images show taste, but they do not answer the visitor’s main question: can you handle their task?
Below is how to turn a portfolio into case studies that help people decide, and what to do when there is not much to show yet.
What a case study consists of
- Who the client is and what task they came with, in a sentence or two
- What stood in the way and what the constraints were: deadlines, budget, old solutions
- What you did and why you did it that way
- What changed afterwards: in the client’s words or facts they agreed to share
- Photos or screenshots of the result
A case like this takes a couple of minutes to read, and the visitor recognizes their own situation in it. That works better than any text about what professionals you are.
Before and after photos
For renovation, design, cleaning, landscaping, and many other services, the best argument is a before and after pair. Shoot from the same spot in similar light, and the difference shows at once. Agree with the client in advance that the photos can be published.
How to prepare images so they do not slow the site down is covered in the note on images for a website.
Reviews people believe
A review without a name or details looks made up. It is better when a review has a name, a company or city, and tells a specific story. Even better when it can be checked: a link to a maps listing, the client’s site, or a screenshot of a conversation shared with permission.
Order and quantity
You do not have to show everything you have done. A few well-described cases are more useful than a long gallery. Put the work most like what you want more of at the top. If you have several lines of business, split the cases by them so people find theirs quickly.
When work is scarce or under NDA
- Describe the task and approach without the client’s name or recognizable details
- Show the process: drafts, stages, how you make decisions
- Make a practice or personal project and label it honestly as one
- Ask your first clients for a review right after delivery, while the impression is fresh
To see how we present our own projects, visit the work section. Where case studies sit on a landing page is covered in the note on landing page structure. If you want to discuss your site, use the contact form.