A personal site can be simple, but it should never feel empty. The right pages give shape to your ideas, make your work findable, and help the right people reach you. Whether you write, design, code, speak, coach, or just want a professional home on the web, a clear set of pages turns that blank theme into something you can share with pride.
This guide is written with solo creators and professionals in mind, and it works well for WordPress sites like hbaek.dk that are just getting started. You can start with the basics today, then layer in depth over time without breaking your structure.
The essential set at a glance
Here is a practical overview of the pages that cover most needs, with a short description and the must‑have elements that make them useful right away.
| Page | Purpose | Must‑have elements |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Snapshot of who you are and what you offer | Clear headline, brief value statement, primary call to action, featured work or posts |
| Start Here | Onboard new visitors with a guided path | Who this site is for, curated links, quick bio, next steps |
| About | Tell your story and philosophy | Photo, concise bio, credibility markers, personal angle, links to press or talks |
| Portfolio or Projects | Show your best work | Project cards, outcomes, your role, visuals, links to live work or repos |
| Blog | Share ideas and demonstrate thinking | Topic overview, featured posts, categories or tags, subscribe option |
| Services or What I Do | Explain problems you solve | Service list, outcomes, pricing or ranges, inquiry link |
| Resume or CV | Chronological career details | Roles, dates, key results, tech or skills, downloadable PDF |
| Testimonials | Social proof in one place | Short quotes, client names or contexts, headshots where possible |
| Contact | Make outreach easy and safe | Form, email, availability, location or time zone, privacy note |
| Newsletter or Subscribe | Build a direct line to readers | Simple opt‑in, promise of value, frequency, archive link |
| Resources or Tools | Curated value beyond your work | Guides, templates, tools you use, affiliate disclosures |
| Speaking | Promote talks and workshops | Topics, reels or slides, past events, organizer info |
| Media Kit and Press | Make coverage painless | Bio versions, photos, logos, brand colors, press quotes |
| Privacy Policy | Legal trust and compliance | Data you collect, cookies, third‑party services, contact for requests |
| Terms of Use | Rules for using your site | Content rights, disclaimers, acceptable use, governing law |
You do not need to launch all fifteen on day one. Start with five or six, then grow into the full set over a few weeks.
Identity pages set the tone
Your Home page, Start Here, and About pages do most of the heavy lifting for credibility. They set expectations and direct attention.
On the Home page, aim for a one‑screen clarity test. A visitor should know what you do, who you do it for, and how to take the next step without scrolling. Keep it crisp, avoid clever but vague lines, and place one strong action above the fold. If you have no projects yet, feature your best idea or a promise of what is coming.
A Start Here page calms choice overload. New visitors rarely know your catalog, so curate a short path for each type of reader. You might show three tracks, like “hire me,” “learn from me,” and “get to know me,” each with two or three links. This page pays off even for small sites, since it nudges attention where it matters.
About pages often drift into autobiography. Keep the story, but tie it to outcomes. Explain what you believe about your field, the change you aim to deliver, and proof that you can deliver it. A friendly photo and a line or two about life outside work helps people remember you.
Show the work, not just the output
Portfolio, Services, and Resume form your professional core. They answer “Can this person solve my problem and communicate the value?”
Portfolios work best when they combine the artifact with a short narrative. Describe the problem, your role, the constraints, and the result. Add a visual and one clear metric or testimonial to anchor the story. Three strong projects beat twelve weak ones.
Services pages should focus on outcomes, not jargon. Clients hire you for a result. Lay out a few services with who they are for, what’s included, and a price or range to set expectations. If your work is bespoke, share sample packages so buyers can self‑qualify.
Your Resume or CV can be brief on the site and full in a PDF. Lead with recent roles and measurable wins. Add skills in context rather than a raw keyword list. If you are early in your career, focus on projects, internships, or volunteering with concrete results.
Trust signals matter more than you think
Testimonials, Speaking, and a Media Kit turn a good site into one that converts. People believe people.
Collect testimonials that speak to outcomes and character. Specifics beat adjectives. Pair quotes with a name, role, and headshot when you have permission. A dedicated page lets you showcase more, while you can also sprinkle one‑liners on Home, Services, and Portfolio pages.
If you speak, a Speaking page with topics, reels, and organizer notes saves a lot of back‑and‑forth. Include a short intro bio, A/V needs, and formats you offer. Link to past events or recordings.
A Media Kit removes friction for journalists and podcast hosts. Provide two bios in different lengths, downloadable photos in light and dark backgrounds, logo files, brand colors, and a pronunciation guide for your name. Add a short list of approved press quotes with links.
Keep the conversation going
Contact, Newsletter, Resources, and Blog create a loop between your site and your audience. They also give you momentum as a creator.
Make it easy to reach you while managing noise. A Contact form with a few required fields guides better inquiries. Add your email for those who prefer it, plus your time zone and typical response time. A short privacy note builds confidence.
A Newsletter page should sell the value, not the format. Share what people will get, how often, examples of past issues, and a promise not to spam. If you use a provider like MailerLite, ConvertKit, or WordPress plugins, embed the form and link to your privacy policy.
Resources pages are magnets. Curate the best tools you use, templates you offer, and guides that answer common questions. If you include affiliate links, keep disclosures clear and concise. This page also pairs well with the Start Here page.
Your Blog is where your thinking shows up. Even one or two cornerstone posts can carry a lot of weight. Organize by themes, add a short intro on the Blog landing page, and link posts to relevant services or portfolio items.
Legal pages signal care
Two legal pages, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, may feel dull. They are anything but.
A clear Privacy Policy outlines what data you collect, why you collect it, and how people can request deletion. Mention analytics tools, email providers, forms, and embedded content. Keep the language plain.
Terms of Use cover the rules of your site. Include content ownership, acceptable use, disclaimers, and contact info. If you publish code or templates, add license details. Templates from reputable sources can help, and a lawyer can review language if your work carries risk.
Architecture that helps visitors choose
Information architecture sounds fancy, yet it boils down to a clean menu, obvious actions, and consistent labels. Limit your top‑level navigation to six or fewer items. Use the footer for legal links and secondary items like Resources and Press.
Many creators tuck the Start Here page in the first position on the menu. That one move improves orientation for new visitors.
Keep CTAs consistent. If your primary goal is inquiries, your top buttons should match that goal. A Home page offering three different actions splits attention.
Here are a few quick wins you can ship in an afternoon:
- Single primary CTA: Pick one action you want most visitors to take and repeat it across pages.
- Consistent labels: Use the same words in the menu and on-page headings, avoid cute variations.
- Readable type: Choose a base font size of 16 to 18 px and a generous line height for long posts.
- Scannable sections: Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and callouts to guide the eye.
- Real photos: Favor your own photos over stock, even if they are simple.
Content polish and accessibility
Good content is not just clear writing. It is structure, voice, and respect for every visitor.
Write for skimmers. Start pages with a clear promise, keep paragraphs short, and use descriptive subheadings. Plain words win. Avoid filler and buzzwords. Replace vague claims with numbers or quick stories.
Make accessibility a habit, not an afterthought. Contrast needs to be strong enough for easy reading. Links should look like links. Images deserve alt text that describes function or content. Forms need labels people can tab through with a keyboard.
Common pitfalls to avoid:
- Bloated menus that try to show everything
- Overusing sliders and carousels
- Wall‑of‑text pages without scannability
- Vague project write‑ups with no outcomes
- Forms that ask for too much too soon
Measure, learn, and refine
A personal site improves fastest when you watch a few key signals. You do not need complex dashboards. Start small, review monthly, and make one or two changes at a time.
Pick metrics that match your goals:
- Contact submissions: Are the right people reaching out and mentioning the services you offer
- Time on Start Here: Do new visitors spend time on your curated paths or bounce quickly
- Project page views: Which portfolio items get the most attention, and from where
- Newsletter signups: Where do subscribers come from and what content attracts them
- Referral sources: Which posts or platforms send qualified visitors, not just traffic
Small tweaks compound. Rewrite one headline. Add an outcome to a project card. Merge two thin pages into one strong one. Replace a vague CTA with a clear ask. Over a few cycles, your site will feel sharper and more focused.
A practical launch plan
You can launch a credible personal site in a weekend. Start with the Home, About, Portfolio, Services, Contact, and Privacy Policy pages. Add the rest in the next few weeks, beginning with Start Here and Testimonials.
If you are building on WordPress, pick a clean theme, keep plugins light, and focus on content before decoration. Draft every page in a simple document first, then move it into the editor. Treat the first publish as version one, not a finish line.
The result is a home on the web that introduces you, proves your value, and invites the right kind of contact. That is the point of a personal site, and these pages get you there.
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