Ideas For Design & Copy!

Trust me when I say that coming up with an original idea for a personal website can be mentally excruciating! This is especially true if it’s your first time creating a website for yourself or your brand.

You don’t have to settle for what everyone out there is doing just because doing something outstanding is challenging. Heck! Anything that doesn’t challenge and make you think creatively probably isn’t worth doing at all.

The good news is there are tons of personal website design examples all over the internet that can inspire and nudge you in the right direction, whether you are creating a new site or updating an existing one.

Best Personal Websites

Because there are many great personal website examples out there, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel creating a pro-level site. You can garner ideas from some of the excellent personal website examples I’ve put together on this page to create or update your website.

Plus, you can make money from your blog or personal brand website, even if you are a complete novice. Here’s the thing, though. Monetizing your website is a great idea (and usually the ultimate goal for many people), but all of that starts with creating a site that sets you apart from the crowd.

If done correctly, your website will shape the right online personality you want to create, and your audience will perceive you as an expert in your field.

By the way, if you would like to learn a ton of ways to make money from your website, I recommend you check out this post.

Enough said. Let’s get the ball rolling already!

1. Charli Marie: Website Designer

Charli Marie is a New Zealand-born web designer with a passion for side projects… and cats! She is the Creative Director at ConvertKit, an audience building, and email marketing software company.

Her site, Charli Marie, is nothing short of a stunning work of art. Charli’s name is stylishly animated (as if she’s signing it) when the site loads. It’s a bit tricky adding neat animations in site designs, but Charli is not an amateur when it comes to designing websites.

Right before the social media bar at the site’s footer, there’s an invitation for visitors to sign up for email updates. That’s a straightforward way to build your email list.

As a side note, if you have a dead email list that you’ll like to revive and monetize, I strongly suggest you read this post.

Okay, back to Charli Marie.

Just as the site loads with Charli’s name appearing first, it also ends with her signing off in the same neat and consistent style.

Takeaway: Animations can add the “wow” factor to your website, but you want to use them sparingly because they are notorious for slowing down web pages.

Who says you can’t create a website to showcase your hobby or passion? Tobias Becs’ sleek site is a glaring example of this.

Becs brings his passion for street soccer to the world through his personal website that loads to a full-screen image of the world champion in action. With that homepage, you’re not left in doubt as to what Becs’ website is about.

The site uses smooth scrolling motions to navigate the different sections, giving an illusion of a one-page website.

Besides impressive football freestyling moves, Tobias is a highly successful social media influencer and vlogger. The website displays his major social media channels, with each one showing a large number of followers when visitors hover over them.

Takeaway: If possible, use a homepage that clearly tells visitors what you or your brand is all about.

3. Simply Tabitha: Lifestyle Blogger

Simply Tabitha is an excellent personal website example for those looking for inspiration on how to combine a lifestyle blog with an online store for their favorite products.

The lifestyle blogger shares her love for motherhood, beauty, healthy recipes, home décor, and more in a simple but chic website that is easy to navigate.

The overall baby-pink look of the website gives it a soft feel without being shouty. Plus, the custom-made, handwritten blog logo gives her site a unique look.

Instead of a salesy approach, Tabitha’s online store leverages her personal stories to share and recommend her favorite products. Visitors are not likely to feel compelled to buy.

Like most other great personal website examples featured on this list, Tabitha made sure her site’s footer include links to the various social media platforms where visitors can find her.

Takeaway: Your online presence should not be limited to your website. Link your social channels back to your website to make it easy for people to find and connect with you wherever their online journey takes them.

4. Matthew Barby

Here’s a masterpiece of a personal branding website. Matthew Barby blends a compelling tagline with a simple but outstanding large image to capture visitors’ attention. Right underneath that are logos of renowned media where he’s featured.

Anyone looking to learning SEO from a professional will immediately be drawn by Matthew’s simple text, which reads “Learn SEO from a Pro.”

But Matthew is not all talk. His lightweight website and portfolio example actually showcases several SEO blogs and case studies.

Visitors can see his speaking schedules and topics at a glance. This is a great way to get traffic to your webinars and live events.

Instead of the typical request to subscribe to an email list, the website shows the massive number of clients with access to Matthew’s exclusive marketing tactics. He even goes further to add the logos of a few big names to show visitors they are in good company. With this strategy, visitors interested in learning SEO are more likely to sign up for his email list.

Takeaway: Besides an attractive homepage design, strategic wording can help you build an enviable email list.

5. Gary Vaynerchuk: Serial Entrepreneur

If you want to be daring, Gary Vaynerchuk is one of the shining personal website examples to inspire you.

Gary is the bold and in-your-face CEO of VaynerMedia, a full-service digital advertising agency servicing Fortune 100 companies in the US. You can’t miss his authoritative and daring personality oozing from the website.

His homepage features a 9-minute long video that gives visitors an unmistakable insight into what Gary and his brand are all about.

The serial entrepreneur is not shy about his endorsements (and you shouldn’t, too, if you want to attract tons of clients online). When you scroll down a bit, you’re greeted with all the big names that feature this highly successful businessman – social proof.

In addition to features and mentions, Gary’s website allows visitors the chance to connect with him through nearly all social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and more. Plus, visitors can send direct messages via text to his number at the top of the website.

Want to learn how to build a massive social media following? Check out this post.

Takeaway: If you have a video that showcases your accomplishments, consider featuring it on your homepage, as it can set you apart from the crowd. But it should be a high-def video with pro-level editing and not a lousy phone video.

6. Cynthia Johnson: Entrepreneur, Marketer, Author, & Speaker

Cynthia’s website is a sharp contrast to the last example we just reviewed, but it is a great style for entrepreneurs who don’t like going overboard with their accomplishments right on the homepage.

The site opens to a high-definition professional photo of Cynthia, giving the homepage a simple but polished look.

The site’s navigation includes a speaking resume, blog post, press bio, and an impressive “About” page highlighting her work and accomplishments.

If you don’t want to be perceived as coming on too strong (at least initially), Cynthia’s site is perhaps one of the best personal website examples to glean ideas from.

Takeaway: A crisp personal bio highlighting your accomplishments will make your “About” page more informational and helpful to visitors.

7. Nia Shanks: Fitness Trainer

If a minimalistic design is your thing, Nia Shanks’ personal website is a great example. Nia is a fitness trainer with a particular focus on women.

Her website is not noisy. The neat and straightforward headline communicates her message directly, so visitors get value instantly.

The classic webpage design comes with easy-to-use top navigations that include submenus, a clear indication of Nia’s organizational skills.

I love how Nia summarizes what she does with short, direct sentences, easy-to-read fonts, and eye-catching icons. This is simplicity at its best!

Takeaway:  Your personal website doesn’t necessarily have to be noisy to convey value.

8. Helena Bowen: Speechwriter, Speaker, and Coach

Helena Bowen is a speechwriter and coach. Her personal website has a simple black and white homepage and two main navigations dedicated to her blog and hiring her services.

No photo. No Background image. Nada!

Yet, the three-line text on the homepage is powerfully captivating.

But the main attraction is the massive stats lining the bottom of the page. With the impressive statistics (and other testimonials on the site), industry leaders looking to communicate ideas more effectively know exactly what they get when they hire her.

Of course, visitors get to see Helena’s photo just as they start scrolling down the page.

Nothing says “I’m good at what I do” better than giving visitors a taste of your expertise, and that’s what Helena brings to her website in a fun way. She writes: Hey, I’m Helena! Pronounced HELL-in-uh, like “Damn, that girl can write a HELL of a good speech!”

Takeaway: Got testimonials? They should be right on your website!

9. Scott Santens: Writer

Writer and basic income advocate Scott Santens has an impressive personal website design that deserves to be on this list. Of course, being a writer, his website serves as an online channel for spreading his advocacy message.

Whether or not you agree with his unconditional basic income (UBI) proposition is not the main point here. His well-designed website is our primary focus.

Visitors can access everything on the site right within the main page, including an email subscription option, a search bar, social media channels, and links to all the navigations. That’s all in addition to the “About” page that actually is a two-line intro on the main page just below his photo and name.

Takeaway: Create a website that is easy for visitors to navigate… that is, if you ever want them to come back!

10. Sean O’Connor: Freelance Marketing Strategist

Are you into marketing and advertising? You may want to get some inspiration from this neat personal website by Sean O’Connor.

Sean’s website adopts a minimalistic design with a concise description of what he does: “I’m a marketer that likes driving ideas into the market.”

The site uses only two main navigations dedicated to Sean’s blog and an in-depth “About” page that outlines his journey over the years in different yearly sections.

The overall site design is a black background with contrasting white text – nothing fanciful or noisy, but it gets the message across.

Sean’s professional marketing and coaching services and his products and projects are listed on the site. This gives visitors a clear idea of what he does and what they can expect from him.

Takeaway: Help visitors to remember you and your brand with a concise statement that sticks. It might not be easy to pull off, but start by asking yourself, “How would I describe what I do in one short sentence?”

11. Joel Runyon: Athlete and Entrepreneur

Okay, I get it.

Not everyone can summarize what they do in “one short sentence,” especially if they do many things.

If that’s you and you’ll like to create a website that’s not too shouty, I invite you to take a quick look at Joel Runyon’s website. You will likely find some inspiration there.

Runyon enjoys pushing his limits and teaches people to do the impossible through his website. He has a lot of things going on at the same time, but he manages to narrow them to just three on his homepage: traveling, running, and building businesses.

This personal website example uses a handful of navigation, but each section opens with the homepage image intact. This gives the feel of a one-page website design, so visitors don’t feel as if they are “lost” in the maze of your website.

Takeaway: Listing everything you do on your main page might be off-putting to many site visitors. If you do a little bit of everything, it is best to list only about three on your main page.

12. Frankie Ratford: Entrepreneur and Business Coach

Bright, vivid colors and crystal-clear images distinguish Frankie’s personal website from the crowd.

Frankie Ratford is a business coach and founder of The Design Kids. Her personal website exemplifies how entrepreneurs can combine their all of their undertaking into one vibrant website.

The colorful site showcases coaching sessions, talks, featured interviews and podcasts, and even road trips.

You will notice that not every element on the website moves at the same speed. That’s because the site uses a parallax scrolling effect that enhances the overall vibrancy of the captivating website.

If you think Frankie’s site exudes enthusiasm, it’s because she is full of zest in real life, and the testimonials on her website say so, too.

Takeaway: Vibrant colors can work to your advantage if you know how to blend them with exciting content.

13. Simon Sinek: Author and Inspirational Speaker

Simon Sinek is a renowned British-American author who also teaches industry leaders how to inspire people.

His website is one of the best personal website examples you can find when it comes to embracing white space. Plus, the site uses a clean typeface that is incredibly easy to read (after all, the goal is to get visitors to read your message).

A short paragraph on the main page summarizes Sinek’s goal and personally signed statement. To drive the message home, there’s a 43-seconds video embedded.

The site makes good use of top navigation, but one notable thing is the use of call-to-action buttons that are not pushy but effective.

Takeaway: You don’t have to fill up every space on your site to make it captivating. White space (negative space) can enhance the overall look of your website.

14. Ellen Skye Rilley: Designer and Illustrator

Ellen Skye Rilley is a multi-talented visual storyteller who combines the fine art of photography, illustration, designing, and presentation into her simple website.

Skye does an impressive job of showcasing her amazing design skills on her website. Her visual work is presented in grid format, beautifully animated to catch visitors’ attention.

The site homepage employs Skye’s cartoonish image on a plain background, illustrating her artistic prowess.

But the main attraction is the content itself.

The site is very informative and extremely fun to read. There’s simply no dull moment for visitors. Plus, the use of vibrant colors and catchy illustrations keep site visitors engaged for a long time.

Takeaway: Keep things interesting and captivating. That’s the best way to make visitors enjoy browsing through your website. Of course, the more time they spend on your site, the higher their chances of becoming your clients.

Personal Website Ideas

Now that you have seen these amazing personal website examples, are you ready to build your own?

You can go online and find a personal website template you can use along with a WordPress theme and blog examples to get more inspiration for creating your own personal portfolio website. When you choose to create a personal website, you can gain a competitive advantage, remain active in online communities, and grow an online influence.

A personal site is something any creative professional should consider.