How to Build a Portfolio That Drives Your Freelance Business

Many writers try to make it in the freelancing world without a portfolio. That’s a huge mistake. Your digital portfolio is, in fact, one of the greatest assets you can have as a freelancer. Think about it, would you buy a car from a salesperson who says they have a lot full of cars without actually seeing their lot full of cars? Similarly, if you can’t prove you have the ability to your prospective clients, they may not take your word for it, and if you’re going to charge anything over $25/hour, they really shouldn’t. Built well, your website essentially becomes your business card. It will promote your freelance business and find clients for you – all while you sleep.

Building a good portfolio that converts views and drives traffic, is fairly easy. Seriously, it really is, which is why it is always so surprising when freelancers don’t take the time to put one together.  You just need to know what clients will be looking for and what exactly your portfolio should look like. This post will help you learn how to properly create a digital portfolio that drives business for your freelance business.

Building the Body of Work

If you’ve been writing for a while then you probably have a wide variety of articles, blogs, and posts to include in your portfolio. But what if you’re just starting out? So many freelancers don’t have a portfolio because they haven’t had a lot of work, yet they can’t get work because they don’t have anything to show for themselves. You can avoid this predicament by including quality essays, blogs, and other writings you’ve done – even if they haven’t been published anywhere. For new copywriters, I often tell budding freelancers to do mock up print ads. Clients looking for freelancers want to see your abilities, whether or not the ads were actually used is secondary.

You can even include personal projects in your portfolio. Passionate about gardening? Animal welfare? Fitness? Throw in anything you’ve done towards your passion, because if you can keep a personal project going with regular blog posts, you will pointedly improve your exposure. Then, whether you are blogging for yourself or getting exposure through a byline, the more content you put out, the more people will begin to notice you. As a result, you’ll notice your work progressively getting shared more and more. Potential clients will come to you because your work will literally sell itself. This will always lead to high paying work, which of course leads to consistently new pieces for your portfolio, which again will lead to more and more paid work and more exposure.  Once you get the ball rolling, your portfolio will consistently grow, so be sure to regularly update it and put more recent pieces on top.

Showcase the Best Work

It’s important to keep in mind that a portfolio is only as good as the work you present. Meaning, keep it clean and well-organized with work that showcases your best work. If you have a particular niche, your portfolio should spotlight that fact if you would like to be considered a professional in that field.  In essence, make the type of work you concentrate in clear. Whatever work you want to be known for, curate your portfolio around that. If you’ve written on a lot of different topics, you can make that apparent too. Clients love writers that have the ability to be diverse and have a changeable voice.

If you regularly use Upwork, or any other freelancer site, you might be drawn to take on every odd project that comes your way just for the sake of “building your portfolio.” However, know that compromising on your values will only be doing you a disservice in the long run. This type of cheap work is also completely obvious to clients. They know you got paid pennies for it and it makes them want to pay you the lowest rate possible, or not work with you at all. If you want to make money as a freelancer, don’t accept jobs that don’t pay well. Yes, even for the sake of your portfolio. You must constantly and consistently curate your work that allows you to be seen as an expert in your field. This will drive the right clients to your website, and your work will persuade them that you’re the right person for the job.

How to Build Your Digital Portfolio

For many, these is the intimidating part. But it’s extremely important, so you don’t want to cut corners at all here. Your website will become your number one asset, so take your time setting it up and even be willing to spend money on a good website. Some are free, some are not. Decide which avenue will work best for you. Remember, you get what you pay for.

For those who don’t want to spend any money or are just getting started, you can easily set up a free account on Contently.com, this site itself is also a great place for new clients to discover you.  And, as far as free goes, you can even use your LinkedIn or Instagram account as a portfolio. I don’t recommend that, but it is a free option. To get the full benefit of a free portfolio, be as clear as you can about what you do and who you are. Because your options are limited in terms of what you can choose to display, be precise and particular about what you share.

As far as paying sites go, Crevado.com is a great site. You can start for free but if you want any kind of space you will need to dish out about $70/month. Still pretty good when it comes to return on investment.

However, if you’re really serious about your digital portfolio and aren’t afraid to spend some real money on it, then it’s time to invest in a website. There are numerous websites these days that will do all the design and set up for you, so if you lack the skills and experience to design your own site, don’t worry, sites like Wix.com and Squarespace have you covered.

Taking it to the Next Level

You have your work built up, and your site looks great, how are you going to get the most from your work? For starters, quality imagery will always make a great first impression. Sure, sure, you are a writer, but don’t be afraid to throw in some imagery. Clients see words all day long, a picture or two will help break up the monotony and make your portfolio memorable. You could even add a picture of yourself, especially in the “About Me” page. This page is crucial because it clarifies who the person is behind all the work, which is extremely valuable to a client. A picture puts a face to a name so they know who they will be working with. This is especially important for freelancers who plan on working remotely. You may never get to meet your clients in person, so a picture is a nice way to say “hello.”  

Once you have your work and profile online, ask a friend or fellow freelancer to look it over.  Doing this can help you get an idea of the first impression and is a perfect way to discover what things you need to improve. From updating images to rewording copy, a second pair of eyes can help you with this.  

Get Your Portfolio to Work for You

Aside from a portfolio, what can you share to look professional and legit? While a wide range of work, definitely helps, going above and beyond by adding something like an ebook or whitepaper will set you apart and generate buzz to your site. By doing this your website has the potential to turn that traffic into something more. Here are absolute must-haves for your site:

?About Me page to give clients a look at your experience and writing background.

?Work Process page to give clients an in depth look into how you work and your process.

?Case studies presenting you have the ability to offer and deliver solutions

?Blogs/Articles/Essays, etc. showcasing and referencing the type of work you do

Unique content pieces are what specifically drives traffic and surges conversions. If you’re wondering how, just remember that Google is everything. Once you start getting your name out, Google will start picking up your website and every place your name appears on the web in a byline, etc. So by proving you’re an expert, you better your chances at a prospective client getting in touch with you for work.

If you don’t put yourself out there, no one will know you exist. So get started, organize and produce quality content, creating your portfolio, and successfully getting your name out, the sooner your freelance business will turn into a viable career.