We’ll tell you how to build a copywriting portfolio even without any commercial experience, recommend the best copywriter portfolio websites, and explain how to make your portfolio work for your rates. All of that, giving you impressive copywriting portfolio examples along the way!
Copywriting portfolios – what makes them special
Copywriting is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of written content created by a company’s marketing team and designed to engage the audience. A broad scope of specialization is what distinguishes copywriting from other freelance professions. No two copywriting jobs are the same, having specific requirements, length, tone, format, and style.
Copywriting is often used interchangeably with content writing and marketing writing, so if you want to do a content or marketing writer portfolio, our tips will also do the job.
Depending on their skills, a professional copywriter can offer social media writing, SEO writing, UI/UX writing, e-commerce writing, branding, email copy, technical writing, advertising, script writing, and stories for adults or children. Moreover, there are copywriters with expertise in a particular business sector, e.g., lifestyle, clothing, education, fintech, or legal services, to mention just a few.
We encourage you to define your distinct offer and showcase relevant experience and skills in your copywriting portfolio. You don’t need to limit yourself to a single niche if you seek diversity and many growth opportunities. You can showcase both humorous and serious pieces, as well as customer-oriented and business writing – the only limit is your freelance career goals!
The purpose of your freelance copywriter portfolio
As any other piece of content, your writing portfolio should serve specific purposes. It should reflect 3 things:
- your current state of skills and experience – it’s crucial to keep your portfolio page up-to-date and include only your newest and best texts;
- niches and types of writing you’re good at – your portfolio website should highlight your versatility or narrow specialization(s);
- projects and clients you appreciate – showcase only types of texts you enjoy writing and clients you want to work with.
Keeping that in mind, assess whether a piece of content is suitable for your copywriting portfolio. No matter if you run a company or freelance without your own business, having a robust portfolio will help you grow your writing career.
Recipe for a perfect copywriting portfolio + copywriting portfolio examples!
If you’re wondering how to build a copywriting portfolio, you should start by outlining its sections. Writing samples are not enough to make it outstanding and convince your potential clients to trust you with their writing projects. Here’s what a top-notch freelance copywriting portfolio should include:
1. Home page
It’s the starting point for most portfolio visitors and your digital first impression. Keep the design eye-pleasing and include a navigation menu for the best user experience.
Check the home page of Kelsey O’Halloran’s portfolio. It’s minimalistic, shows a compelling copywriter’s claim, gives the user a quick glimpse into the portfolio’s contents with the navigation menu, has a striking call-to-action button, and – importantly – it’s smiling at you!
2. About me page
This is your marketing section, where you’re the company, and your copywriting services are the product. Introduce yourself to your target clients, mentioning what you specialize in, what distinguishes you from other freelance copywriters, and what you’re looking for in future projects.
You can also present your background and stages of your freelance career that have brought you to where you are now. In her copywriting portfolio, Pip Christie goes back to her early years, cleverly showing her knack for storytelling:
You can also share a bit of your personal life, like Alaina Thomas in this copywriting portfolio example:
3. Writing samples
If writing is choreographing, this section is your dance floor. Demonstrate experience in various niches and text types, organizing them. Look how Savannah Fonseca and Farhan Razlan divided their work into categories:
Don’t paste whole texts to your portfolio – use cover pictures and link to your writing pieces, like in Emma Dodds’ portfolio example:
We further explain what projects to include in a copywriting portfolio later in this paragraph of our article.
4. Copywriting services
Your copywriting portfolio should highlight your past projects and state your present offer. Do a separate page to list your writing services. You don’t have to set rates just now. Look how The Copy Canary delivers her offer while highlighting the client’s benefits:
5. Contact page
Copywriting portfolios first have to attract potential clients and then lead them straight to contact you. You can prepare a separate portfolio page with all necessary contact details (and possibly social media profiles). You can also insert a scheduling link with a video call or a contact form, like Kayla Hollatz:
Or just simply provide your business email address in the footer, like Copy Kat Creative:
6. Testimonials
Potential clients rely on what others say about your work ethic and skills. Testimonials offer an unbiased perspective on your experience and the value you deliver. Never say goodbye to a happy client without asking for feedback and permission to quote it in your copywriter portfolio.
Look how beautifully Lumen & Fox’s presents client testimonials:
Start working for a glowing review – check our article on how to nurture your client relationships.
Marketing copywriting portfolio – what projects to include
Let’s go through projects you can include in your marketing copywriter portfolio. Each type of portfolio sample illustrates a different part of the writing skill set. You don’t have to offer all of them, but it’s good to be aware of what’s in demand.
Blog articles
Engaging long-form content is a valuable marketing asset, allowing companies to shift the focus from pushing products to providing useful information and insights. By showcasing your blog writing skills, you demonstrate your ability to craft extensive content that requires structure, research, and often storytelling gift. True blog masters can dig really deeply into the mysteries of the business sector of their current freelance project.
Social media posts
Including a curated selection of posts demonstrates your understanding of brand voice, platform-specific writing styles, and the art of grabbing attention with limited characters. If possible, highlight posts that achieved strong results to emphasize the impact of your copywriting skills.
Ad copy
Short-form advertising copy is used for pay-per-click (PPC) ads displayed on websites, social media, or in search results. As an ad copywriting expert, you know how to do “language gymnastics” and grab readers’ attention on the spot. Ad copy needs to be eye-catching and have a compelling headline. At the same time, it has to be extremely concise because of the character limits and suited for the medium it appears in.
UI/UX writing
UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) writing have bloomed alongside UI and UX design. UI/UX copywriters focus on the micro-interactions within a digital product or website, writing texts for button labels, error messages, instructions, or tooltips. Including UI/UX copywriting samples in your copywriter portfolio demonstrates your ability to guide users through a website or app and make interactions smooth and intuitive. It also proves you stay up-to-date with current copywriting trends.
E-commerce writing
Product descriptions for online shops demonstrate your understanding of the e-commerce landscape and the importance of clear, persuasive, and product-centered writing. Crafting informative and engaging descriptions that are optimized for search engines showcases your ability to balance user needs with SEO best practices. Consider including descriptions for a range of products to display your versatility and ability to adapt your writing style to different categories.
SEO copywriting
Search engine optimization is necessary for any business that wants to reach clients through Google search. To do so, they want their website copy to be both user-friendly and SEO-friendly. It’s not easy to find a copywriter who’s attentive to both readers’ needs and requirements imposed by SEO specialists. If you can prove this ability in your portfolio, you’ll open the door to many copywriting opportunities.
Website copy
Some freelance writers are devoted only to blog sections or product descriptions, while other copywriters offer exhaustive website copywriting. For your portfolio, consider including professional website copy samples that prove your ability to craft a cohesive narrative across various website sections. This reveals your understanding of user flow and how different types of copy work together to achieve a website’s overall goals.
Email copywriting
Including email copywriting samples in your portfolio can be a strategic move that sets you apart. Website copy usually dominates copywriting portfolios, but email marketing remains a powerful communication channel. Highlight emails designed to nurture leads, drive sales, or boost customer engagement. Email campaigns can involve a range of content, from subject lines to welcome messages and promotional offers. Different email copywriting styles in your portfolio demonstrate your ability to cater to diverse marketing needs.
Copywriting projects behind the scenes – show your work process
A strong portfolio goes beyond the final products of your writing efforts. Include context about your writing process to demonstrate how you translate the client’s needs into effective copy.
Describe the client, their target audience, and the specific goals you wanted to achieve with the text. Share your research methodology to illustrate your commitment to crafting well-informed copy. This transparency and complexity allow clients to see the thought process behind your work, building trust and confidence in your skills. Check how Antonina Venzhynovych broke down her writing process:
By including behind-the-scenes elements of each project, you present your copywriting services as a professional, comprehensive offer. As a result, it’s easier for you to validate higher rates because you sell the whole copywriting package, not only a final copy.
One-page copywriter portfolios vs. complex websites
All the portfolio sections we described above – Home, About me, Services, and so on – can be presented in two ways:
- on one scrollable webpage (see examples of one-page portfolio designs),
- on a website with several pages.
You don’t need to invest time and money in your own domain with multiple pages, especially when you’ve just started freelancing. One-page portfolios can be just as effective, aesthetic, and transparent – visitors can see everything you want them to see on a single, scrollable page. No need to click around and lose their train of thought. We’ll give you examples of one-page portfolio builders in the next chapter.
Copywriter portfolio websites – where to build a writing portfolio
There is no one go-to place to build a stunning portfolio. You have different options depending on your needs and budget. However, some copywriter portfolio websites don’t require any payment or website-development skills. Let’s start with the most advanced solutions.
1. Copywriter portfolio website – your own domain
Browsing through copywriting portfolio examples, you’ll see that many were programmed from scratch or done on WordPress. A custom domain like “[yourname].com” establishes professionalism and allows you complete control over design and content. However, you need to have web-building skills or have your online portfolio page created by a web developer.
2. Portfolio builder tool
Platforms such as Squarespace, Clippings.me, or Copyfolio offer pre-designed templates specifically geared towards showcasing copywriting samples. This saves you valuable time and design expertise, allowing you to focus on curating your best work and crafting compelling descriptions for each project.
Additionally, some no-code portfolio tools offer features like client testimonial sections and contact forms, making your portfolio a one-stop shop for potential clients seeking your writing services. You can find a website builder that doesn’t impose paid subscriptions. For example, Copyfolio offers a free plan with limited web pages for your portfolio site.
3. Canva
Every freelance copywriter who wants an online portfolio without a hint of programming will love the Canva website builder. It allows you to create a beautiful, transparent, and functional one-page portfolio with copywriting work. Moreover, you’ll find there plenty of portfolio examples for inspiration. You can check out a Canva-made website in our previous portfolio example of a senior copywriter, The Copy Kat.
4. Useme
You can also combine your copywriting portfolio with your financial service and reach prospective clients with a complex freelance tool at hand. On Useme, freelance copywriters handle all aspects of their collaborations with clients worldwide – from posting their copywriting portfolios for and client hunting to invoicing and receiving payment.
Here’s a breakdown of what you do next:
- Sign up and create a copywriter portfolio for free in your Freelancer profile. Check other copywriting portfolio examples.
- If you don’t have a client currently: look for a new copywriting job here.
- If you’re already working on a project: invoice your current client here to avoid formalities, paperwork, and operational tasks – Useme handles all of them.
- Enjoy the writing process with peace of mind and security of a transaction. You’ll get paid after you upload your copywriting sample to Useme.
How to build a copywriting portfolio with no experience
Portfolios are not reserved for seasoned writers with dozens of past clients and years of experience. You should build a copywriter’s portfolio now, even if you haven’t sold a single piece of writing yet.
The question is how to build a copywriting portfolio with no experience. Luckily, we’ve covered this in our article, where we give creative and practical 3 ideas for portfolio positions you can do without paying clients. Check it to start working on your copywriter’s portfolio with a ready-made plan ahead.
To get more helpful resources for copywriters, check our article on freelance email templates.
Copywriting portfolio – extra tip
Imagine you’d really like to write social media posts. Typing Instagram captions for a nutrition influencer would be your dream project. You keep increasing your marketing awareness and learning how to craft compelling SoMe content, but you still haven’t got any real experience.
How do you deal with that? Do your dream project with a fake client! Invent their business needs and the target group they want to reach. Come up with a creative brief that aligns with your personal and professional interests to have fun and satisfaction working on it. This way, you’ll have a new copywriting example of personal projects for your portfolio and more experience and practice as side effects.
You can also try websites like fakeclients.com that generate briefs with writing ideas. As you can see, there are many ways to build a copywriter portfolio, even if you’re starting with no piece of writing to show off. No excuses left!
