在专业网络(professional networking)方面，LinkedIn是每个人的首选社交网络。但是，如果您是创意专业人士，特别是平面设计师，您可能需要一个更具启发性的平台，在这里您可以展示您的作品并展示您所有的创意才能。
我们为平面设计师整理了一份顶级社交网站列表，您可以在其中放置您的设计组合并与其他设计师在线建立联系。
最适合：(Best for:)可视化您的想法和项目。
Pinterest最初是一个视觉书签工具。随着它的普及，它变成了创意专业人士的社交网络，也是任何设计师的绝佳工具。
作为设计师，您可以通过多种方式专业地使用Pinterest ：
- 通过您的插板展示您的作品。
- 关注(Follow)并与您觉得有趣的其他设计师建立联系。
- (Get)从其他用户以情绪板的形式分享他们的作品获得灵感
- (Exchange)在线与其他平面设计师交流专业联系和教育资源。
- 将(Use)促销图钉用于营销目的并引起注意。
Pinterest 入门(Getting started with Pinterest)很容易。您只需填写网站上的注册表单，即可开始建立网络。
最适合：(Best for: )快速交换一口大小的信息。
如果说Pinterest以图钉的形式运作，那么Dribbble的货币就是“截图”——用户在平台上分享他们设计的截图或小图，并通过发表评论相互反馈。Dribbble以前被命名为“设计师推特”，因为这里的一切都是一口大小。小图片，简短的评论——网站的整个概念非常精确和直接。
网站上有名为“童子军”的成员——人们为一个项目寻找设计师，这使得 Dribbble 对创意专业人士来说更加有利可图。
最适合：(Best for: )让您的工作受到关注。
Behance 是最广为人知的作品集网站之一，供设计师展示他们的作品并发现有才华的专业人士。
由于网站上有大量设计师和其他创意专业人士组成的社区，您的作品更有可能在这里受到关注。如果您正在寻找曝光率并想要获得工作或项目，Behance是您的最佳选择。但是，一定要展示你最好的作品的例子。否则，您可能会在竞争中迷失方向。
最适合：(Best for: )获得你的第一个设计演出。
如果Dribble是设计师的Twitter，那么 99designs 就是设计师的Upwork（远程工作板(a remote job board)）。99designs 并不是要与其他设计师分享您的作品示例。该网站更侧重于将平面设计师与希望雇用他们进行项目的人联系起来。
要成为 99design 的活跃成员，您需要在网站上创建一个平面设计作品集，然后参加创意竞赛，一组设计师完成一个小项目，获胜者将获得奖金。
最适合：(Best for: )让您的投资组合脱颖而出。
(Cargo)对于那些希望创建真正开箱即用的图形设计组合的人来说，Cargo是一个完美的网络平台。该平台允许您使用Cargo(Cargo)模板之一使用您自己的URL设置您的投资组合网站。最好的部分是您可以免费注册并开始使用。
Cargo还拥有一个由创意专业人士组成的网络，他们可以关注您并就您的工作留下反馈，以帮助您改进您的投资组合。
最适合：(Best for: )使用排版。
Fontli并不适用于广泛的平面设计师，而是适用于那些使用字体并称自己为 Typholics 的人。整个应用程序的组织方式与Instagram相似：用户创建他们的个人资料，在其中分享他们创建(the fonts they’ve created)的字体或遇到的喜欢的字体的示例。
使Fontli脱颖而出的一个功能是能够识别某种字体或字体。您可以上传字体图片并使用照片标记来让应用程序上的更多人注意到它，并获得识别字体的帮助。然而，由于排版相比之下相当小众，所以社区没有其他平台那么大。
最适合：(Best for: )寻找和分享最佳颜色组合。
COLOURlovers 是一个面向插画家、平面设计师和其他创意专业人士的网络网站，他们可以在其中分享颜色模式和调色板、讨论最新趋势并尝试颜色。
COLOURlovers 是一个有用的在线资源，适用于从事任何类型的设计项目的人，无论是作品集、网站设计还是小册子。您可以直接在网站上创建您的设计并从其他用户那里获得反馈。您还可以使用其他用户在网络上创建和共享的一些颜色图案和形状。
最适合：(Best for: )寻找教育内容。
与此列表中的其他网站相比， SlideShare(SlideShare)似乎是一个不同的品种。SlideShare是一个专业人士以幻灯片形式分享不同领域知识和经验的平台。该网站有一个专门的设计部分(dedicated Design section)，任何平面设计师都会发现它很有用。
对于初学者来说，SlideShare可以提供大量的成长机会。网站上有很多教育材料和其他经验丰富的设计师可供学习。对于希望获得更多曝光并开始销售他们的作品的设计师，SlideShare可以极大地促进业务和品牌认知度。您还可以在SlideShare上创建或上传您的作品集，并关注您想要联系的其他用户。
是时候开始联网了 (Time to Start Networking )
智能网络可以为您提供所需的联系人以及您的第一个大项目。展示您的作品是其中的重要组成部分，也是获得曝光和开始为自己出名的好方法。当您将作品放到网上时，不要忘记保护您将与其他用户共享的 任何受版权保护的内容。(protect any copyrighted content)
您使用哪些平台进行网络连接？您(Are)是否使用相同或不同的服务来展示您的投资组合？在下面的评论部分分享您的网络经验。
The 8 Best Social Networking Sites for Graphic Designers to Showcase Their Portfolios
When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn is everyone’s go-to social network. However, If you’re a creative professional, specifically a graphic designer, you might need a more inspirational platform where you can showcase your work and display all your creative talents.
We’ve put together a list of the top social networking sites for graphic designers where you can place your design portfolio and network with other designers online.
Best for: visualizing your ideas and projects.
Pinterest started as a visual bookmarking tool. As it gained popularity it turned into a social network for creative professionals and a great tool for any designer.
There are multiple ways that you can use Pinterest professionally as a designer:
- Showcase your work via your pinboards.
- Follow and connect with other designers whose work you find interesting.
- Get inspiration from other users sharing their works in a form of mood boards
- Exchange professional contacts and educational resources with other graphic designers online.
- Use promoted pins for marketing purposes and getting noticed.
Getting started with Pinterest is easy. All you need is to fill out the signup form on the site and you can start networking.
Best for: quickly exchanging bite-sized information.
If Pinterest operates in the form of pins, Dribbble’s currency is “shots” – users share screenshots or small images of their designs on the platform and give each other feedback by leaving comments. Dribbble was previously named “Twitter for designers” as everything here is bite-sized. Small images, short comments — the whole concept of the site is very precise and straightforward.
There are members on the site called “scouts” — people looking for designers for a project, which makes Dribbble even more lucrative for creative professionals.
Best for: getting your work noticed.
Behance is one of the most widely-known portfolio websites for designers to showcase their work and discover talented professionals.
Thanks to a large community of designers and other creative professionals on the site, your work is more likely to get noticed here. If you’re looking for exposure and want to get a job or a project, Behance is your best choice. However, make sure to put the examples of your best work on display. Otherwise, you might get lost in the competition.
Best for: getting your first design gig.
If Dribble is Twitter for designers, then 99designs is Upwork (a remote job board) for designers. 99designs isn’t so much about sharing examples of your work with other designers. The site focuses more on connecting graphic designers with people looking to hire them for a project.
To be an active member of 99design, you need to create a graphic design portfolio on the site, and then take part in creative contests where a group of designers completes a small project and the winner gets the prize money.
Best for: making your portfolio stand out.
Cargo is a perfect networking platform for those looking to create a graphic design portfolio that’s truly outside the box. This platform allows you to set up your portfolio website with your own URL using one of the Cargo templates. The best part is that you can sign up and get started for free.
Cargo also has a network of creative professionals who can follow you and leave feedback on your work to help you improve your portfolio.
Best for: working with typography.
Fontli is not for a wide range of graphic designers but for those who work with fonts and call themselves typoholics. The whole app is organized in a similar way to Instagram: the users create their profiles where they share examples of the fonts they’ve created or the fonts they’ve come across that they like.
A feature that makes Fontli stand out is the ability to ID a certain font or typeface. You can upload a picture of a font and use photo tagging to get it noticed by more people on the app and get help identifying the typeface. However, since typography is rather niche in comparison, the community is not as large as on other platforms.
Best for: finding and sharing the best color combinations.
COLOURlovers is a networking website for illustrators, graphic designers, and other creative professionals where they can share color patterns and palettes, discuss the latest trends, and experiment with colors.
COLOURlovers is a useful online resource for people working on a design project of any kind, whether it’s a portfolio, a website design, or a booklet. You can create your designs right on the site and get feedback from other users. You can also use some of the color patterns and shapes that other users created and shared on the network.
Best for: finding educational content.
SlideShare might seem like a different breed compared to other sites on this list. SlideShare is a platform where professionals share their knowledge and experience in different spheres in a form of slides. The site has a dedicated Design section that any graphic designer will find useful.
For beginner designers, SlideShare can offer plenty of growth opportunities. There’s a lot of educational material and other experienced designers on the site to learn from. For designers looking to get more exposure and start selling their work, SlideShare can offer a great boost for business as well as brand recognition. You can also create or upload your portfolio on SlideShare and follow other users that you want to connect with.
Time to Start Networking
Smart networking can get you the contacts you need, as well as your first big project. Showcasing your work is a big part of it, and a great way to get exposure and start making a name for yourself. When you put your work up online, don’t forget to protect any copyrighted content that you’ll be sharing with other users.
What platforms do you use for networking? Are you using the same or a different service to showcase your portfolio? Share your experience with networking in the comments section below.
