Hey and welcome back to a new week!

In this issue:

• Stop Stabbing Into The Dark When Optimizing Your Portfolio: If you want to know what’s actually working and what is not, read on.

• Vibe Code With Me: I’m running my Lovable workshop again. Make sure to RSVP as it’s selling fast.

• Thomas’ Portfolio: An absolutely clean and great example of a portfolio that just needs that tiny push to make it onto most shortlists.

Thank you for reading!

🏄‍♂️ VIBE CODE WITH ME!

Start your vibe coding journey with me in a fun workshop building a small fully functional app

Microsoft has started to put Lovable as a prototyping tool into their job description requirements. Many others did or will be doing the same in 2026.

And it really hasn’t been any easier to build fully functional prototypes and apps these days. Especially for designers! It can still be a scary thing to start out with. It involves the word “code” after all.

But don’t fret. I’m here to take your fear away and instead hand you one of the most powerful tools we can wield these days. We’ll start from absolute scratch to build a small functional app for you to keep experimenting on after the workshop. I’ll run through everything you need to know.

As part of the workshop you will get a full month of Lovable Pro (including 100 credits) for free so you can experiment and build freely.

My workshops on Lovable are always popular and usually sell out so make sure to grab your spot.

How to Know What to Optimize in Your Portfolio 🔎

Most designers assume their portfolio isn’t even being looked at.

In reality, it usually is.

It gets opened.

It gets scanned.

And then it gets closed.

Sometimes after a few seconds on the homepage.

Sometimes halfway through a long case study.

Sometimes right after someone scrolls past your first section.

The painful part is not that people leave. It’s that you don’t know where you lost them. So you start changing random things.

A new hero section.

Another case study.

Different typography.

More process.

Less process.

But without insight, you’re optimizing blind. And in a market where most designers struggle to land interviews, that’s a massive disadvantage.

The good news: you can actually see what’s happening.

Why Analytics Matter for Your Portfolio

Adding analytics to your portfolio turns it from a static showcase into something you can actively improve.

You can see:

• How many people open your portfolio

• How long they stay

• Where they scroll

• Where they click

• Where they drop off

• Which pages they never reach

And if you take it a step further, you can even track which applications lead to visits.

This is not about spying.

It’s about understanding friction.

There are obvious reasons a portfolio fails: poor visual craft, weak hierarchy, unclear storytelling.

But there are also subtle reasons:

• Case studies that are too long

• Key insights buried too far down

• Navigation that confuses people

• Important content below the fold

• A homepage that doesn’t communicate value fast enough

These are hard to diagnose on your own.

Analytics makes them visible.

What You Can Actually Learn

Here’s what becomes clear once you start tracking:

1. Are people even reaching your case studies?

If 80 percent of visitors never scroll past your intro section, your problem is not your final solution. It’s your opening.

2. How far do they scroll?

You might think your case study is beautifully structured. But if most visitors leave halfway through, it’s too long or not engaging enough.

3. Which case studies get attention?

You may believe your strongest project is Project A. Analytics might show that everyone spends more time on Project B.

That’s signal.

4. Do people return?

If a recruiter comes back multiple times, that’s usually a strong sign of interest.

Instead of guessing whether your application “went into the void,” you get real indicators.

Which Tools to Use

If you have a website portfolio built with Framer, Webflow, Wix, or similar, adding analytics is straightforward.

Good beginner-friendly options:

• Microsoft Clarity (free, very solid, session recordings + heatmaps)

• Hotjar (great UX, strong heatmaps, generous free tier)

• Smartlook (similar to the above)

If you already know what you’re doing, you can also use:

• Google Analytics

• Mixpanel

But for most designers, Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar are more than enough.

If you’re using Notion and have a paid plan, you’ll get some built-in analytics. They’re basic, but better than nothing. Otherwise, consider moving to a standalone site if you want full control.

Framer also has built-in analytics now which can uncover a lot of these things too although they don’t go as deep as seeing heatmaps or session recordings which can be incredibly helpful.

How to Set It Up

The setup is simpler than most people think.

1. Pick a Tool

Sign up for one of the tools above. Microsoft Clarity is free and easy to start with.

2. Install the Tracking Code

Every platform provides a small code snippet.

Framer and Webflow both allow you to paste analytics code into the site settings. It usually takes less than five minutes. The tools provide step-by-step guides.

3. Let It Run

You don’t need thousands of visitors. Even small traffic volumes can reveal patterns.

Take It Further: Track Specific Job Applications with UTM Links

This is where it gets powerful.

You can create a unique tracking link for each job application you send out.

That way, you can see:

• If a specific company visited your portfolio

• When they visited

• Which pages they looked at

• How long they stayed

Step 1: Create a UTM Link

Use a free UTM builder like this one from Google: https://ga-dev-tools.web.app/campaign-url-builder/

Fill it out like this:

• Website URL: your portfolio link

• Campaign Source: company name (e.g. stripe)

• Campaign Medium: application

• Campaign Name: product-designer-role

It will generate a custom URL with tracking parameters.

Example: yourportfolio.com/?utm_source=stripe&utm_medium=application&utm_campaign=product-designer

Step 2: Use That Link in Your Application

Instead of pasting your standard portfolio URL, paste the generated one in:

• Resume

• Cover letter

• Application form

• Email

Now, if someone from that company visits your portfolio through that link, you’ll see it in your analytics tool.

Step 3: Observe Patterns

If five companies visit and all drop off after the first section, that’s a structural issue.

If one company visits three times and reads everything, but you still get rejected, your portfolio probably wasn’t the problem.

That alone can save you weeks of overthinking.

Privacy Considerations

If you’re in the EU or UK, you may need:

• A privacy policy mentioning analytics

• A cookie banner

If you’re in the US or Canada, requirements are usually lighter, but still check local guidelines.

Most analytics tools provide simple instructions for compliance.

This Is About Clarity, Not Control

You can’t force someone to like your work.

You can’t force an interview.

But you can remove guesswork.

Instead of wondering:

“Is my portfolio bad?”

“Are recruiters ghosting me?”

“Should I redesign everything again?”

You’ll have real signals.

And in a market where many designers struggle to get interviews, flying blind is the worst position to be in.

Having analytics doesn’t guarantee success.

But it gives you leverage.

And that’s a lot better than guessing.

💭 MAKE SENSE OF AI

Become An AI Expert In Just 5 Minutes

If you’re a decision maker at your company, you need to be on the bleeding edge of, well, everything. But before you go signing up for seminars, conferences, lunch ‘n learns, and all that jazz, just know there’s a far better (and simpler) way: Subscribing to The Deep View.

This daily newsletter condenses everything you need to know about the latest and greatest AI developments into a 5-minute read. Squeeze it into your morning coffee break and before you know it, you’ll be an expert too.

Subscribe right here. It’s totally free, wildly informative, and trusted by 600,000+ readers at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and beyond.

👀 Portfolio Showcase

Today: Thomas McCluskey

Thomas McCluskey is a recent graduate of NYU, with experience at CNN and BNY Mellon. He’s currently looking for a role, and overall, he brings something valuable to the table: the ability to take complex systems and make them understandable.

His portfolio is extremely simple. No flashy distractions. No unnecessary visual clutter. Just work, presented cleanly, with a clear focus on impact and clarity. And in many ways, that simplicity works in his favor.

Let’s break it down.

That’s it for this week—thanks so much for the support! ♥️

Do you want your own portfolio reviewed in-depth with a 30-minute advice-packed video review? Or do you require mentoring to figure out a proper strategy for your job search?

I got you!

• Book an in-depth portfolio or resume review with me

• Book a mentoring session with me

• Book a quick 15 min chat to ask a question and see if we vibe

Keep kicking doors open and see you next week!
- Florian