What can damage user trust on your portfolio website? (How to fix them)

Your portfolio website speaks for you before you ever say a word. If something feels off or unprofessional, visitors might leave without reaching out. Trust is built not just through your work, but also through how it’s presented. 

In this article, you’ll find the most common issues and how to fix each one.

Outdated work samples

Your portfolio should show what you’re capable of today, not what you were doing years ago. When visitors see that your latest project is from 2020, they may assume you're no longer active, haven’t worked with recent clients, or haven't kept up with current trends. Even if you’ve been busy, an outdated portfolio sends the wrong message.

To avoid that, it’s a good habit to review your portfolio every few months. You don’t need to include everything you’ve worked on. Focus on selecting a few recent, high-quality projects that show your current skills and direction.

If you choose to keep older work, give it some context so visitors know it’s not meant to represent your latest capabilities. You can:

• Add a short note like "Early project from 2020, focused on branding for small businesses"
• Group older work under a section labeled "Past Projects" or "Archived Work"
• Briefly explain what you learned from those projects or how your approach has evolved since
  

Missing or weak contact page

If someone is interested in your work but can't find a clear way to reach you, the opportunity often ends there. Your portfolio might look great, but without a simple way to start a conversation or understand who you are, it feels incomplete. This isn't just about having a contact form. It's about showing that there’s a real person behind the work.

To fix this, you can:

• Create a page labeled “Contact” in your main menu. Include your email address or embed a basic form using Retable’s Form Builder or your website builder’s contact block. 
• Add social profile links where people can explore your background or work further. LinkedIn is useful for sharing experience and testimonials, while platforms like Behance or GitHub are helpful for creatives and developers. These links work well in your contact page or footer.
• Include a profile image to make the page feel more personal. A clear, professional-looking photo helps visitors feel more connected. If you don’t have one, you can use AI headshot generators like BetterPic to turn a casual photo into a polished profile image suitable for your portfolio.

These small details help your site feel more human and trustworthy, and they make it much easier for potential clients or collaborators to take the next step.

Broken links or missing pages

When visitors click on something and land on a 404 error or a dead link, it immediately breaks the flow of trust. It gives the impression that your site hasn’t been maintained or that important details have been overlooked. Even if the rest of your content is strong, just one broken link can make the site feel neglected. 

To avoid this, set aside time regularly to test your links and pages. You can:

• Manually click through your site every few months to spot issues
• Double-check links after you update or delete any project, page, or blog post
• Use free tools like Ahrefs’ Broken Link Checker to automatically scan your site for dead or outdated links.

Making sure everything works as expected gives your site a polished, professional feel and shows you’re paying attention to the details that matter.

Fake or overly generic testimonials

Testimonials are meant to build trust, but if they sound vague or made up, they can do the opposite. A line like “John was great to work with. Highly recommend!” doesn’t tell anyone what you actually did or why you were valuable. And if the name has no context or the testimonial feels copied from a template, it may even raise suspicion.

Instead of using filler quotes or inventing feedback, focus on including real comments from real clients. Even short messages from an email or LinkedIn message can work — what matters is that they sound genuine and specific.

To improve this, you can:

• Ask past clients for a short quote about what it was like to work with you or what outcome you helped them achieve. For example, instead of “Great job,” ask something like: “What part of the project helped you the most?” This can lead to more meaningful feedback like: “She helped us clarify our messaging, and the new site brought in more leads within the first month.”
• Include the client’s name, company, or project title if they’re okay with it. Even just a first name and business type adds credibility. For example: “– Alex R., Founder of Coastal Studio.”
• Use direct quotes from real messages (with permission) that sound natural and specific. If a client says something like “Thanks again for redesigning our site. The new layout is much easier for our team to manage,” you can use that exactly as it is.
• Avoid over-editing the language. It’s better for the testimonial to sound real and casual than overly polished.

Writing mistakes that make visitors leave

Misspellings, awkward phrasing, or incomplete sentences may not seem like a big deal, but they can make visitors question your attention to detail — especially if you're offering services that involve communication, design, or content creation. It’s not about sounding perfect. What matters is that your writing feels clear, natural, and professional.

These days, many people use AI tools to help write their website content. That’s completely fine — but raw AI-generated text often sounds robotic or overly formal. Visitors can usually tell when something feels too generic or unnatural, and it creates distance instead of trust.

To avoid this, you can:

• Use free tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to clean up grammar, spelling, and overly complex sentences.
• Ask someone else to read your site, especially if you’re not confident in your writing. A friend or peer can help spot things you might overlook.
• "Review all the text on your site carefully, especially if you used an AI writer. If anything sounds too robotic or stiff, try to humanize the language so it feels more natural and personal.

Polished writing shows that you care about how you present yourself. Even if your skills are visual, technical, or strategic, strong, natural-sounding text helps build trust and makes your portfolio feel complete. These days, it’s easier than ever to improve every part of your portfolio — from writing to visuals — using AI tools. Platforms like Siteefy, Internet Tools, and others make it easy to discover a wide range of helpful resources.

No HTTPS or visible security warning

If your portfolio website doesn’t use HTTPS, most browsers will flag it as “Not Secure.” Even if you’re not collecting personal data, this warning can instantly raise doubts about your site’s reliability. It makes the site feel unfinished or poorly maintained, which can turn visitors away before they even see your work. 

Visitors often look for the padlock icon in the browser address bar without thinking about it. When it’s missing, they may feel unsure about browsing your site, especially if you're asking them to download files, fill out a form, or click through project links.

To fix this, you can:

• Enable HTTPS by installing an SSL certificate through your hosting provider. Many hosts offer free SSL with just one click in the dashboard. If you're unsure, check the provider’s help section or contact their support team.
• Use website builders like Wix, Webflow, or Squarespace, which usually include SSL automatically — but double-check that it’s active.
• After switching to HTTPS, update your internal links to use the secure version so visitors aren’t redirected or shown mixed content warnings.
• Look for the padlock icon in your browser when visiting your live site. If you don’t see it, your SSL might not be properly installed.

Bonus tip: Unorganized workflow that delays fixes

Visitors don’t see how you manage your files or handle updates behind the scenes, but they often notice the results. If your device is slow or your workflow is unorganized, small tasks like fixing typos, updating projects, or replacing broken links can get delayed or overlooked.

A well-organized workflow makes it easier to keep your portfolio clean, up to date, and professional. Here are a few practical ways to improve it:

• Uninstalling unused apps helps keep your device running smoothly. Windows users can quickly find the app using the Start menu and uninstall it. If you're a Mac user, you can drag the app to the Trash or use an app cleaner to fully remove it with a few clicks.
• Organize your files into clear folders by year or project type, such as “Portfolio 2024” or “Client Logos”
• Use a project management or smart spreadsheet tool like Retable to track site updates, review schedules, and content ideas. Retable helps you organize tasks in a spreadsheet format with smart features like automation, filtering, and AI — great for a more data-driven workflow.

• Set calendar reminders to review your site monthly and catch anything that needs refreshing.
• Create a simple checklist with routine tasks like checking mobile view, fixing broken links, and uploading new work.
• Store important assets in the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) so they’re always backed up and easy to access when you need to update something quickly.

Final words

Your portfolio doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should feel clear, current, and easy to trust. A few small fixes can make a big difference in how people see your work. 

There are plenty of tools out there to help you keep things updated without much effort. As you grow, your website should grow with you.