Your personal site is like an extension of your personality, allowing you to create a space that reflects who you are as a creative professional. It showcases your portfolio, highlights your skill set, and describes your professional experience to potential clients, helping you land more gigs doing what you love.

There are no limitations to building a personal website — this hub is what you make of it. Read on for personal website examples to get you started.

Why do you need a personal website?

Having profiles on LinkedIn, Behance, and Dribbble is important, but a personal website is a one-stop shop where you can establish and control your professional online presence.

Here are a few reasons why you should have one:

• Curation — A personal site is a curated gallery of your skills, projects, and social proof, allowing you to display your best work in an organized and professional manner.
• Customizability — Unlike social media platforms and third-party portfolio websites, you gain full control over how you present your work and brand.
• Visibility — This site is your dedicated space on the web, meaning more clients, employers, and collaborators can find you through search engines.
• Reach and accessibility — Ideally, a website is accessible 24/7. This availability lets you expand your reach and allows people from different time zones to view your work.
• Direct communication — Your site will likely include contact forms, an email address, and links to social media so people can reach out.

14 unique personal website and portfolio examples

Here are 14 compelling personal websites and portfolios showcasing multiple design styles.

1. Jey Austen

Senior product designer and illustrator Jey Austin primarily uses white text and simple graphics on a black background for their personal site. While it may initially sound plain, vibrant colors like teal and orange pop in the thumbnails of different sections, with each 2D element taking on a 3D-like appearance when hovered over.

The gothic Pirata One font for the headers and unique imagery like crystals, swords, and butterflies add mystery to the website design and represent Jey’s personal style. With a picture and a short “Who is Jey?” bio, the website informs visitors of its creator’s originality while providing an enjoyable, aesthetically pleasing browsing experience.

2. Arlen McCluskey

With moving color gradients sandwiching a primarily white layout, Arlen McCluskey’s personal website adopts a minimalist design approach. It sticks to a couple of fonts and is generous on whitespace, giving each project room to breathe and stand out.

Despite the streamlined mockups and colors, Arlen uses serif text, going against the typical minimal mindset of flat, clean designs. Arlen balances personality with professionalism with a Work section that boasts his designs and an About page that outlines everything from his superpowers to his favorite books.

3. Mack & Pouya Photography

Photography portfolios are typically image galleries showcasing previous work. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but seeing a photography business putting a spin on the norm with a heavily branded site is refreshing.

U.S.-based wedding photography duo Mack and Pouya show their vibrant personalities through their website, with maximalist design, interactive buttons, and parallax effects. Loud color combinations and bold text make this website feel like a celebration in itself, reflecting the business’ line of work perfectly.