Why Your Best Work Stays Hidden (and How to Get it Seen)
For most web designers, it’s sitting in:
a Figma file
a Notion board
a shared drive folder
or a private launch link you sent the client once
…instead of out in the world doing its job – attracting more of the right people.
I see this pattern all the time:
Studios with insanely good projects that no one outside their client roster ever sees
A backlog of “we really should case study this”
Social feeds that only show finished work, and almost never how you think and work
And yes, I know the reason: You’re running a real business and there’s a lot going on.
But keeping it quiet is costing you.
The Silent Portfolio Problem
Here’s what happens:
Client work fills the week
Admin eats whatever’s left
Life needs the rest
By the time you have energy to promote yourself, the project feels old. You’ve moved on. The moment passes.
Meanwhile, people who would happily pay for this level of work never get to see it.
The Real Reasons Your Best Work Stays Hidden
From what I’ve seen (and lived), a few themes show up over and over.
1. You only share “finished” things
If the project isn’t fully launched, approved, perfect, and mockup-ready, it doesn’t see daylight.
You tell yourself:
“I’ll post this when the client signs off.”
“I’ll write the case study once things slow down.”
“We’re redesigning our site – I’ll wait and do a big reveal there.”
Then something else comes along. A new project. A rush deadline. Another “I’ll share this later.”
2. You treat marketing like extra work
When you hear “marketing,” it sounds like:
More content. More time. More pressure.
So you quietly put it in a different bucket than “actual work.”
Client work = real work.
Marketing = optional if-there’s-time work.
And there’s never time.
3. You’re not fully proud of what you’re doing right now
Maybe:
The client’s brand isn’t your dream aesthetic
The budget didn’t let you go as far as you wanted
You’re mid-transition with your positioning
So you decide you’ll share “later” – when the work reflects who you really are as a designer.
But “later” keeps moving. And the work you are proud of never really has a chance to build momentum.
The Reframe: Transparency is the marketing
Here’s the shift:
You don’t need a separate “content machine” or to turn yourself into an influencer.
You just need to let people see what you’re already doing.
Not just at the end, but while it’s happening.
Think of every project as having three natural phases:
Before – the engagement starts
During – the messy middle
After – launch and results
If you only ever share the “after,” you’re leaving two-thirds of the story on the table.
And honestly, the “before” and “during” is where most of the trust is built.
A Simple Before / During / After Framework
Pick one current or recent project and ask:
“How can I let people in on the journey instead of just dropping the highlight reel at the end?”
1. Before – “Here’s what we’re about to work on”
When a new project kicks off, make a small habit:
One short post or email:
“We just kicked off a new project with [type of client]. Here’s what we’re excited about and what we’re trying to solve.”
You don’t need designs yet.
You’re just:
Naming the type of client
Naming the problem
Naming the opportunity
That alone:
Signals what kind of work you’re doing now
Affirms the kinds of clients you want more of
Gives your current client an early shout-out
2. During – “Here’s how we think”
This is the part designers tend to skip.
In the middle of the project, share small pieces of your process:
A quick Loom walking through two directions you considered
A screenshot of a site map with a line like:
“We’re simplifying navigation for a product line that was overwhelming customers.”
A short story:
“They came in asking for a redesign. What they really needed first was clarity on their offer.”
You don’t have to give everything away. We just want people to see:
You think strategically
You make thoughtful decisions
You care about outcomes, not just aesthetics
This is what makes future clients say,
“Oh, that’s why they charge what they charge.”
3. After – “Here’s what changed”
This is the launch moment.
Instead of only posting pretty screens, answer:
What was going on before this project?
What choices made the biggest difference?
What’s now possible that wasn’t before?
Even a short “before / after” caption does more than a portfolio entry that just says: “Client: Website redesign.”
“I don’t have time for all of this…”
You’re not running a content studio. You’re trying to ship client work and run a business. Fair.
So don’t try to overhaul everything.
Start like this:
Pick one project.
Not the whole backlog. Just one thing you’re genuinely proud of.Share it three times.
One “before” moment
One “during” moment
One “after” moment
That could be:
Three IG posts
Or three story frames
Or three short emails
Or three LinkedIn posts
Give yourself one hour a week.
Drop in a couple screenshots, write like you talk, hit publish.
Prompts you can steal
Pick one project and drop it into one of these:
“We just kicked off a new project with a [type of client] who was struggling with [problem]. Here’s what we’re aiming to change…”
“In this build, the hardest part wasn’t the visuals, it was [hidden challenge]. Here’s how we approached it…”
“Before this redesign, [client] was dealing with [messy reality]. Now they can [new capability].”
Don’t overthink the wording. Just answer the blanks and post it.
So… is your best work hidden?
You probably already know which project I’m talking about:
The one that changed the way you see your own skills
The one that felt like, “We should be doing more of this”
The one you quietly launched and then never really talked about again
That’s the one to start with.
You don’t need a rebrand and you don’t need to wait until next quarter.
Just take one project you’re proud of and let more people see it – before, during, and after it comes to life.
Want help with this?
Every Monday at noon ET, I run the Digital Alchemy Lab – a weekly coaching call where we work through exactly this kind of shift. How to turn the work you're already doing into assets that compound. How to position what you have instead of waiting for what you think you need.
It’s for Squarespace designers who are done trading all their time for money and ready to build something that doesn’t need you in every transaction.
