Every time I mention digital portfolios to a tradie, I get the same look. Half scepticism, half amusement. “Mate, I’m a sparky, not a graphic designer.”

Fair enough. But here’s the reality: the trades professionals who are winning the best jobs — the high-value residential projects, the commercial tenders, the repeat clients who never haggle on price — they all have one thing in common. They can show their work, not just talk about it.

And in 2026, that means having some form of digital portfolio.

Why It Works for Trades

The trades are inherently visual. A completed kitchen renovation, a rewired switchboard, a landscaped backyard — these are tangible results that photograph well and speak for themselves.

Most trades professionals already have the raw material for a portfolio sitting in their phone’s camera roll. They just haven’t organised it into anything useful.

A basic trades portfolio does three things:

1. Builds trust before the first meeting. When a homeowner is choosing between three quotes, the tradesperson who can link to a gallery of completed work has an immediate advantage.

2. Justifies premium pricing. If your work is genuinely better than the competition, showing it side-by-side proves that. You stop competing on price and start competing on quality.

3. Generates referrals. When a happy client recommends you to their friend, they can share a link instead of trying to describe your work verbally. The portfolio does the selling for you.

What to Include

Keep it simple. Trades clients don’t want to read long essays. They want to see your work and trust you.

Before and after photos. This is the backbone of a trades portfolio. Side-by-side images showing the transformation are incredibly persuasive. Take “before” photos at the start of every job — make it a habit, even when you forget why you’re doing it.

Project descriptions. Two or three sentences per project is enough. What was the job? What was tricky about it? What was the outcome? “Complete bathroom renovation in a 1960s Thornbury home. Challenges included asbestos removal and non-standard plumbing layouts. Completed on time and within budget.”

Licences and certifications. Display your trade licence number, any specialist certifications, and relevant insurance details. This is table stakes for trust in the Australian trades market.

Client testimonials. Ask happy clients for a short quote. Most people are delighted to help. Even a one-liner like “Excellent work, showed up on time, left the site clean” goes a long way.

Contact details and service area. Make it obvious how to reach you and where you work. “Servicing Melbourne’s inner north and eastern suburbs” helps potential clients self-qualify.

Platform Options for Trades

You don’t need a web developer. Here are the easiest options:

Google Business Profile. If you don’t have one, set it up today. It’s free, it shows up in local search results, and you can add photos, reviews, and contact information. For many tradies, this is the only portfolio they need.

Instagram. A dedicated business Instagram account works surprisingly well as a visual portfolio. Post your best work with short descriptions and relevant hashtags. Many trades professionals in Australia are getting consistent leads from Instagram alone.

A simple website. Services like Squarespace or even Canva’s website builder let you create a clean portfolio site in an afternoon. No coding required. Your own website looks more professional than social media alone and gives you a permanent URL to share.

HiPages or Oneflare profiles. If you’re on these platforms, treat your profile as a portfolio. Upload your best photos, fill out every section, and actively collect reviews.

Tips for Better Project Photos

The quality of your photos directly impacts how people perceive your work. A few easy improvements:

• Clean the site before shooting. Remove tools, packaging, and debris. The finished product should be the star.
• Use natural light. Open curtains and blinds. Turn on all the lights in the room. Avoid using flash, which flattens everything.
• Shoot from the corners. Standing in a doorway or corner gives you the widest angle and the most context.
• Take multiple shots. Wide shots for context, close-ups for detail work, and specific shots of anything custom or challenging.
• Be consistent. Same approach, every job. After a month, you’ll have a library of professional-looking project photos.

Getting Over the “I’m Not a Marketing Person” Hurdle

You don’t need to be. A trades portfolio doesn’t require marketing language or brand strategy. It requires photos of good work, honest descriptions, and a way for people to contact you.

Set aside one Saturday morning. Go through your phone photos from the last year. Pick your ten best jobs. Upload them somewhere with a sentence or two each. That’s your portfolio. It doesn’t need to be perfect — it needs to exist.

The tradies who do this consistently tell me the same thing: they wish they’d done it years ago. Better clients, fewer price arguments, and a steady stream of referrals. That’s worth a Saturday morning.