Last updated on May 4th, 2022 at 05:47 pm
Having a copywriter portfolio is a powerful way to leverage your career in 2022 and beyond.
Whether you are scaling up to become a full time freelance copywriter or you want to land an agency role, publishing samples of your work online helps you build your like, know and trust factor with potential clients and employers.
Here’s why you should put your best copywriting samples into an online copywriter portfolio.
Attract the clients you enjoy working with
By loading up examples of your best copy to a portfolio page on your copywriter website, you can really show clients what you are capable of and how it fits with their niche and brand. Your examples can include stats of how successful the copy was.
Top tip – always try to remember to ask the client for stats on your copy, so that you can use this information to demonstrate to other clients, how your help improved a company’s performance.
If you enjoy working with coaches to help launch their courses, be sure to include a section of launch materials and how you approached the project.
If you haven’t got any clients as yet, create your own pieces for brands and show off what you can do in the brand tone and voice of the company.
For example – a product description for a dog harness for Pets at Home.
Pro tip – these will be spec pieces, so ensure you clearly state SPEC on each one. This avoids issues and confusion with the brand itself and ensures you are honest with potential clients/employers.
Build your like, know and trust factor
Chances are if you have your pieces online, especially as part of a copywriter website of your own, people are more likely to feel some kind of bond with you before they even meet you on a zoom call.
They will have been able to get a sense of what you do, what you excel in and also who you are as a person.
Pro-tip – have a link to your about page on your portfolio page, so people can read your back story if they want to find out more about you.
Stay competitive
Say for example a client or creative director wants to hire you or another copywriter. If you have an online copywriter portfolio as part of your copywriter website, and the other copywriter doesn’t, which do you think they will contact?
It also saves an employer or potential client time if you already have a link to your online portfolio and they can just click to look.
They no longer have to request samples, because you’ve already thought about that by loading them up online.
Again, who are they going to contact?
The copywriter who has samples and they’ve had a look already?
Or the copywriter who has sent no evidence at all with their pitch email?
Having a copywriting portfolio online to link back to really is a no-brainer!
Advertising your work
Your portfolio page can be part of what I call your whole advertising campaign – your copywriter website. Think about it for a minute.
What better way to demonstrate that you can write conversion copy, than to write a complete website yourself.
Don’t be afraid of using all the copywriting techniques you have learned, to reall sell yourself in a classy, non-salesy way.
Your copywriter portfolio can be part of your overall customer journey that will take them from being a stranger to you, to booking a call with you and then working with you time and time again.
Be more visible online
If you build your copywriter portfolio and the rest of your website, using good search engine optimization strategies from the beginning, you will be more visible online to potential clients or hiring managers.
It’s usually called SEO for short and it is the practice of getting search engines to understand what your site is about.
Keywords are words and phrases that people look for when searching on the internet.
You need to choose keywords for your site that are specific to you as a copywriter. The next step is to write as naturally as possible, including that keyword.
Pro-tip – Choose one keyword for each blog post or article. Don’t be led by it – write naturally.
Does it all sound overwhelming?
I’ve got you covered – click here for my FREE SEO training for copywriters.
Demonstrate how professional you are
Anyone can potentially say they are a copywriter or a freelance content writer. All freelance roles, potentially someone could say they are. But what makes you stand out from the rest?
A clearly branded, high-quality copywriter website, complete of course with your online copywriter portfolio – filled with impressive pieces of work.
This will set you apart because it will demonstrate a professional attitude and distinguish you from the newbies or the wannabes.
It will show how serious and committed you are to your work.
You’ve made the effort to create something awesome right?
So a client or marketing manager is far more likely to consider your services over someone who hasn’t done the same thing.
Do you need help with where to start on setting up your copywriter website and portfolio?
Reserve your seat for my upcoming training, where you can get the inside scoop on:
- How to set up your website quickly without getting stuck
- What platform is great to do this
- Why you DON’T need to hire an expensive graphic designer or web developer
- How to avoid the 3 classic mistakes copywriters make when setting up their website.
Hi Helen,
Thank you very much for your newsletter and your super useful articles.
I’m struggling to find copywriting jobs, as I still work full time and I trying to do as much as I can but it is a constant battle to be able to do everything.
As you said, it is important to have a portfolio website, which I did myself using Squarespace. Now, you have mentioned in your story that you’re a website builder yourself and, as per my understanding, this helped you massively in progressing with copywriting. I can used basic WordPress and Squarespace, I had a go with S.E.O but I didn’t think much about it because if you are familiar with CCA Academy they teach you not much about S.E.O.
Do you think I need to become proficient in Website building too?
Thank you
Laura
Hi Laura,
I really get where you’re coming from – it’s so hard to fit everything in when you’re working full time isn’t it. Having a clear roadmap to follow and developing the necessary skills is enough – you don’t need to be an expert. But then you know enough that you can save money too!
I have a masterclass coming up where I will cover exactly how much I think you need to know about your website platform. Here’s the link xx https://helennuttall.com/webinar-register/ Also I’ll be doing a Q and A – it will clear up any other questions you have about this x
SEO can be really useful to get your copywriter website seen on Squarespace too. The platform is getting better and better in terms of SEO. I’ll email you with a couple of links to some SEO advice for Squarespace. My expertise and preferred platform is WordPress – so most of what I teach right now is WordPress based.
Hope that helps and I’m going to email you now x
All my best,
Helen