Answer:
1. For all creative professions, a portfolio website is essential to kick-start (or simply digitalize) your creative business and freelancing.
First, you need to assemble a portfolio and collect all related portfolio items. Try to include only the best work, as the purpose of the website is to emphasize outstanding work. Listing all your work items can be overwhelming and irrelevant to visitors.
Afterward, you should clearly state what your services include and how you can modify your services. This is extremely important for website visitors, as they usually want to see what you are able to do both verbally and visually (or via any other multimedia).
Finally, contact info is also essential, as this helping visitors reach you. You can choose between a contact form, provided e-mail, phone...
2. Although each portfolio should speak for itself, it is great practice to back it up with relevant recommendations and reviews. For example, if a particular company praised your web design template in terms that it helped them increase the e-commerce conversion rate, that's a fact that would make your portfolio stand out.
You should find what level of specialization works for your portfolio (and your job/career in general). For example, if you are an architect that has tackled interior design, skyscraper construction and contemporary housing during your career, carefully decide which portfolio items are relevant for your future career affinities and target group.
