{"id":20390,"date":"2018-10-30T09:01:30","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T14:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=20390"},"modified":"2019-07-02T11:53:39","modified_gmt":"2019-07-02T16:53:39","slug":"best-wordpress-portfolio-plugins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/best-wordpress-portfolio-plugins\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 WordPress Portfolio Plugins"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a creative person who wants to show off your work, you\u2019ll be hard-pressed to find a better way to do it than combining the power of WordPress with a top-notch <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugin<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right out of the box, taking advantage of <\/span>managed WordPress hosting<\/span><\/a> allows you to add images and create basic galleries to your WordPress site, but the overall functionality is a bit limited. If you truly want to show off your work to impress potential clients, then you\u2019ll want a professional WordPress website portfolio plugin behind you. <\/span><\/p>\n

With WordPress, creating your dream portfolio site doesn\u2019t have to be that difficult. WordPress is a very beginner-friendly platform, and most plugins also include extensive documentation to help walk you through any tough spots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below you\u2019ll learn what <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> are, the benefits that using one of these plugins will bring you, the kind of features that are absolutely necessary, and finally, the top portfolio plugins we recommend. <\/span><\/p>\n

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What Are <\/span>WordPress Portfolio Plugins<\/span>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re familiar with WordPress, then you know there are about a million <\/span>popular WordPress plugins<\/span><\/a> you can choose to help customize your site. It\u2019s easy to get overwhelmed throughout the plugin search. But that\u2019s why posts like this exist-to help you find the absolute best plugin for your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

But'\u00a6what are <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span>? Glad you asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> will help you easily present your creative work in the best light. So, if you\u2019re looking for a <\/span>graphic designer theme<\/span><\/a>, photographer, videographer, or any other kind of visually-oriented creative theme, a portfolio plugin will help you put your best foot forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> will help you easily create one-of-a-kind displays. Trying to do this yourself would take some immense coding skills. But, with a plugin, you can do it in a few hours.<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on the portfolio plugin you choose you\u2019ll have a variety of different features and layouts to choose from. Most portfolio plugins exist to help you accomplish the same goal-showcasing your creative work in a beautiful and enticing manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> may be best suited for different types of media, so make sure you pay attention to the individual plugin feature sets we\u2019ve highlighted below. <\/span><\/p>\n

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What Are the Benefits of Using a <\/span>WordPress Portfolio Plugin<\/span>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Any creative who\u2019s looking for a unique way to present their work can benefit from a  portfolio plugin. While visually oriented creators will probably get the most benefit from a <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugin<\/span>, even freelance writers can use a portfolio plugin to showcase their past writing clips.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re <\/span>building a portfolio website<\/span><\/a> to help you get hired by more clients, then a portfolio plugin is a no-brainer. Simply uploading your photos to a basic WordPress site page without any styling won\u2019t give that much of an effect-and clients won\u2019t be impressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best of all, <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> are incredibly easy to use. You simply install the plugin, upload your media, add various effects, and press publish. Plus, most of the top <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugins<\/span> out there include documentation that will walk you through any points you might get stuck on.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to save yourself some time, while building a beautiful portfolio you can show off to potential clients to help you land a new gig, then you\u2019ll want to use a <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugin<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Using a <\/span>WordPress Portfolio Plugin<\/span> vs. a <\/span>WordPress Portfolio<\/span> Theme<\/span><\/h2>\n

A lot of WordPress themes already have built-in portfolio features. If you already have a <\/span>WordPress portfolio <\/span>theme, then why would you want to install a portfolio plugin? Don\u2019t they accomplish the exact same thing?<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the main reasons concerns what each element of WordPress is supposed to address. Generally, <\/span>WordPress portfolio<\/span> themes should handle the visually oriented elements of your site, while plugins exist to add more features to your site.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adding a portfolio to your site falls under the functionality portion, so you\u2019ll usually want to handle this with a <\/span>WordPress portfolio plugin.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, let\u2019s say that you decide to change themes, but your portfolio was created with the built-in theme features. Once you switch themes all of this data will be lost, and you\u2019ll be stuck having to re-create your portfolio from scratch.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you take the plugin approach you\u2019ll not only get more control over the final appearance of your portfolio page but if you ever want to switch themes you can bring all of this data with you. <\/span><\/p>\n

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What to Look for in a <\/span>WordPress Portfolio Plugin<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most portfolio plugins have a similar set of features. This can be a good thing, as it makes the selection process a little bit easier. But still, there are a few must-haves you should look out for. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n