What to put on a personal website (and what to leave off)

A good personal website answers four questions fast: who you are, what you do, why someone should believe you, and how to reach you. Everything else is optional, and most of it can wait.

People often put off making a site because they think it needs to be big. It doesn't. A single page that answers those four questions does more for you than ten half-finished pages.

Start with one clear sentence

The top of the page should say who you are and what you do in plain words. "I'm Ana, a wedding photographer in Vilnius" works. "Passionate creative capturing life's moments" does not, because it could be anyone.

Read your sentence out loud. If a stranger would still have to ask "so what do you actually do?", rewrite it.

Show proof, not adjectives

Words like "experienced", "reliable" and "creative" don't convince anyone. Proof does. Depending on what you do, proof can be:

• three or four examples of your work, with a line about each
• a short list of places you've worked or clients you've helped
• one or two real quotes from people you worked with, with their name
• numbers that are true and easy to check, like years in the trade

Pick your best few examples. A visitor will look at three things carefully. They will skim thirty.

Make contact easy

Put a way to reach you on the page itself, not only behind a "Contact" link. An email address or a short form is enough. If you take bookings, say how. If you reply within a day, say that too, because it removes a reason to hesitate.

A photo of you helps

People like to know who they're dealing with. A clear, friendly photo of your face builds more trust than a logo. It doesn't need a studio. Daylight from a window and a plain background are enough.

What to leave off

Some things look like they belong on a personal site but mostly get in the way:

• A blog you won't keep up. A blog with one post from two years ago makes the whole site look abandoned. Add one when you have something to say, not before.
• Long lists of skills with bars or stars. Nobody knows what "80% Photoshop" means.
• Your full life story on the front page. Keep the first screen short. A longer "About" section further down is fine.
• Social media feeds. They slow the page down and send visitors away from you.
• Personal details you wouldn't tell a stranger. Your home address, your date of birth and your phone number usually don't need to be public.

Keep it current

An out-of-date site is worse than a short one. Once every few months, check that your job, your prices and your contact details are still right. Put a reminder in your calendar, it takes ten minutes.

Getting it online

You don't need to know how to code. If you want to try it, Vibitely's personal site builder asks you a few questions in a chat and builds the page from your answers, and you can change anything afterwards. One site on its own vibitely.com address is free.

Whatever tool you use, start small. A short page that is live this week beats a perfect one you are still planning next year.