the brand
branding resources
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branding resources *
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๐ https://www.canva.com/
๐ค What is it?
A simple, drag-and-drop website builder built right inside Canva. You can design and publish single-page or multi-page sites that feel branded and visual โ no coding or extra tools needed.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs perfect for creatives who live inside Canva already. You can turn existing designs (like pitch decks, link pages, or event invites) into live, shareable websites in minutes โ all while keeping your fonts, colors, and brand visuals consistent.๐ธ Price range:
Free to start; Pro plan with custom domains and brand controls starts at $12.99/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Use Canva Websites for quick launches โ think digital resumes, campaign recaps, or link-in-bio pages. You can even embed video, forms, and buttons directly from your design canvas. -
๐ https://cargo.site/
๐ค What is it?
A minimalist site builder made for visual artists, designers, and studios. Focused on beautiful grids and clean typography.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs effortlessly cool โ the go-to for creatives who want a quiet, editorial-style portfolio.๐ธ Price range:
Free basic plan; premium around $14โ$19/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Explore their Members Showcase โ you can see how others design their Cargo sites and borrow layout inspiration. -
๐ https://contra.com/
๐ค What is it? A freelancer-first platform where you can showcase your portfolio, connect with clients, and get paid commission-free.
๐ Why we love it: It makes freelancing feel empowering, not transactional. You can link case studies, show off your projects beautifully, and get discovered by brands looking for creatives like you.
๐ธ Price range: Free to join โ paid upgrades start around $9โ$29/month for premium features like custom domains and analytics.
๐ก Pro tip: You can take your domain name and use it to replace your portfolio name on Contra (only works with paid accounts). -
๐ https://www.framer.com/
๐ค What is it?
A sleek, code-optional site builder for designers who want their portfolio to feel like a digital experience.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs crisp, fast, and beautifully minimal. You can build animated layouts that make your portfolio stand out instantly.๐ธ Price range:
Free plan available; paid plans start around $10โ$20/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Use Framerโs pre-built templates to save time โ theyโre designed by top creatives and easy to customize for your brand. -
๐ www.journoportfolio.com
๐ค What is it? A minimalist online portfolio builder designed for writers, journalists, and copy-based creatives. It lets you showcase your articles, case studies, or blog posts with ease.
๐ Why we love it: Itโs quick, professional, and distraction-free โ the best option when you need a link-ready portfolio without design overwhelm.
๐ธ Price range: Free basic plan; premium plans around $5โ$10/month for custom domains and advanced customization.
๐ก Pro tip: Use the โimport articleโ feature โ it automatically pulls the headline, image, and snippet straight from your published work. -
๐ https://mixo.io/
๐ค What is it?
An AI-powered website builder that helps you launch landing pages or product ideas in minutes.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs fast, simple, and great for creative testing โ think idea validation without the tech headache.๐ธ Price range:
Free basic plan; paid plans start around $9โ$15/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Use it for quick MVPs (like a waitlist or beta signup) before committing to a full website build. -
๐ https://www.notion.com/
๐ค What is it?
A workspace for organizing your creative projects, clients, content ideas, and templates โ all in one clean dashboard.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs both practical and aesthetic. You can build project hubs, content calendars, and even your own mini creative library.๐ธ Price range:
Free plan available; Pro plans around $10/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Use gallery view or embed your PDFs and visuals โ it instantly makes your Notion dashboards feel like creative portfolios. -
๐ค What is it?
A creative storytelling platform for building interactive presentations, lookbooks, or digital magazines.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs built for designers who think in narrative โ perfect for passion projects, campaign case studies, and brand storytelling.๐ธ Price range:
Free to start; paid plans around $20โ$40/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Use keyboard navigation (arrows or spacebar) to make your Readymag projects feel like immersive experiences. -
๐ www.linkedin.com/in/sstruan/
๐ค What is it?
A career strategist and creative recruiter who shares transparent, actionable advice on building strong portfolios, resumes, and personal brands on LinkedIn.
๐ก What they do for creatives:
Sam breaks down what hiring managers actually look for โ from crafting creative case studies to structuring portfolios that sell your value.Perfect for creatives who want to present their work strategically and confidently.
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๐ https://showit.co/
๐ค What is it?
A fully visual site builder with drag-and-drop freedom โ perfect for designers, photographers, and studios who want total creative control.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs like designing a website inside Canva โ every element is movable, editable, and flexible.๐ธ Price range:
$19โ$34/month, depending on hosting and blog options.๐ก Pro tip:
Pair Showit with a WordPress blog for the best of both worlds โ design freedom + blog SEO power. -
๐ https://www.squarespace.com/
๐ค What is it?
A design-driven website builder that offers stunning templates, built-in analytics, and e-commerce tools โ all in one place.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs the most polished option for building a personal brand site or portfolio. You can drag, drop, and publish without ever touching code.๐ธ Price range:
$16โ$36/month, depending on plan and domain setup.๐ก Pro tip:
Use the โIndex Pagesโ or โSectionsโ feature to turn your site into a scrolling visual story โ great for portfolio storytelling. -
๐ https://www.wix.com
๐ค What is it?
A flexible drag-and-drop site builder perfect for beginners who want creative freedom and quick setup.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs easy to use and surprisingly powerful โ you can design freely, add animation, or test different layouts fast.๐ธ Price range:
Free basic plan; premium starts at $17โ$32/month.๐ก Pro tip:
Turn on โDev Modeโ to customize advanced layouts or interactions (even if you donโt code much). -
๐ https://creativemarket.com/
๐ค What is it?
An online marketplace for digital design assets โ from website templates and fonts to mockups, stock photos, and social media kits.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs like a treasure chest for creatives. You can find high-quality templates made by designers for designers, and everything is ready to customize for your next project, pitch, or client deliverable.๐ธ Price range:
Pay per item (most templates range $10โ$60) or subscribe to the Pro plan starting at $15/month for unlimited downloads.๐ก Pro tip:
Search by niche (e.g. โwellness brand templatesโ or โagency portfolio kitโ) โ Creative Marketโs filters help you find exactly what fits your aesthetic or industry. -
๐ https://www.etsy.com/
๐ค What is it?
A global marketplace where independent designers sell digital downloads โ including Canva templates, Notion dashboards, planners, resumes, and brand kits.๐ Why we love it:
Itโs full of personality and variety. You can discover hidden-gem creators who make beautifully branded, ready-to-edit templates that save hours of design time.๐ธ Price range:
Most templates cost between $5โ$30, depending on complexity and license type.๐ก Pro tip:
Filter by โInstant Downloadโ and โCanva Templateโ to find editable files that you can start using immediately โ great for quick refreshes or client deliverables.