Case studies on a website: how to describe a project so it sells

A portfolio answers the question "what have you done." A case study answers the question "how do you solve problems like mine." For a client choosing a contractor, that answer matters more. Below - how to put together a case study that helps sell.

How is a case study different from a portfolio?

A portfolio is a gallery of work: photos, mockups, screenshots. It shows what the result looks like.

A case study is the story of a project: what the client came with, what you did and what came of it. It shows the line of thought, not only the picture. A person recognizes their own situation in the case study and understands that you will handle it.

What does a good case study consist of?

A good case study reads like a short story:

Client - who they are and what they do.

Task - what problem they came with.

Solution - what you did and why you did it that way.

Process - how the work went, what difficulties there were.

Result - what the client got in the end.

Review - the client's words, if they are ready to give them.

The points can be short, but without the task and the result a case study turns into a picture with a caption.

How do you describe the client's task?

The task is what the reader of a case study will compare themselves with. Describe it in the client's words, not in professional terms: not "we need conversion optimization," but "people visit the website and do not leave inquiries."

Add the starting situation: what was there before you, what they had already tried and why it did not work. This makes it clear what problem you were solving.

What should you show in the solution?

The solution is the heart of a case study, because it shows how you think. Show:

Key decisions - what you suggested and why.

What you turned down - which options you considered and why you did not take them.

Visuals - screenshots, photos, mockups, if you have them.

Photos and screenshots should be real. I wrote about why stock images do not work here in the article Website photos: your own or stock images.

How do you write about the result without made-up numbers?

Numbers convince, but only real ones. If you have confirmed data - growth in inquiries, sales, traffic - show it and say where it comes from.

If there are no numbers, do not invent them. Describe the result in words: what the client got, what changed in their work, what they can do now. An honest result without numbers is better than a nice figure that will not stand up to the question "where is this from."

Should you ask the client before publishing a case study?

Before publishing, ask the client whether you can show the project, the company name and the details. The client may not want to disclose specifics.

If the client objects to the name, make an anonymized case study: "a furniture store in Tashkent" instead of the company name. The story and the solution stay useful even without a name.

How do you show case studies on a website?

People read case studies if they are easy to find and understand:

Card in the list - the project name, the niche and a short summary of the task.

Separate case study page - the full story with visuals.

Link to services - on a service page, it is worth showing case studies for that particular service.

Review nearby - the client's words strengthen the story. I wrote about how to collect reviews in the article Reviews on a website: how to collect and show them honestly.

How much does a website with case study pages cost?

A landing page - from $190, a multipage website - from $490, a complex project - on request. Case studies with separate pages are easier to build on a multipage website. The article Landing page or multipage website: what your business needs will help you decide on the format.

If you have projects but are not sure how to describe them, write to me - I will look at the materials and suggest a case study structure.