For copywriters, the work samples of today are often easy to find on the internet and only a click away. However, if you’re looking to secure future clients like your designer counterparts, it’s best to have an online portfolio with examples of all the different kinds of writing you have completed.
Some may choose to use a more traditional, hosted portfolio sites like Behance, Coroflot, Creative Hot List, or Krop. But if you’re looking to create your own website of work, there are some important elements to consider:
- Include an example of each kind of writing that you do—whether it is long-form articles, websites, instruction manuals, catalog copy, or blog posts, be sure to include at least one high-quality example of each genre of content that you produce.
- Links—A list of links is not enough to be called an online writing portfolio. However, make sure you include links to other published pieces. An interested client might want to see any comments or discussions that came from your original publication.
- A summary—If your crown jewel is a 14-page in-depth interview, a client might want an overview before diving into the whole piece.
- Purpose—A potential client wants to know what you set out to accomplish with your piece so that they can evaluate how well you did, as well as how well you wrote it.
- Scans of printed work—If your work was not published online, scan the printed article, and post it as a PDF or image. Better yet – try to obtain the original PDF files from the designer.
- Publication and Date—Don’t forget to give clients information about where and when your work was published. If you are able to share the client and/or agency – even better.
- Add images—Your writing is the focus, but you are still trying to get people to read further so make your portfolio is visually as well as verbally interesting and compelling.
Although it is still a good idea to have a printed writing portfolio (or at least a collection of print and/or packaging pieces of your work), no copywriter should be without an online portfolio as well. Don’t forget to put the web address of your portfolio on your resume and business cards as well. Make it as easy as possible for clients to decide you are the best copywriter for their project.
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative