Copywriting Portfolio for Beginners

Andrea Corona
1 day ago
3 min read

You might already have a portfolio, whether physical or digital, or have heard of them by now. It is an important aspect of one’s career as it encompasses everything you have done during that time and demonstrates one’s skills and expertise within that field for potential employers or clients that cannot be displayed on a resume. A portfolio is an important asset in one’s copywriting career.

Whether you’re starting your career in copywriting or are switching fields, you’re probably wondering what to showcase, so I will provide basic information on what is necessary. This applies to anyone who plans to work for agencies, companies, or decides to go the freelancing route.

Researching Skills

Don’t you love conducting research on a topic before developing ideas of what or how to write about said topic? Well, that is part of copywriting and takes up a lot of time! You need to know exactly what you are writing about. Is there work in which you were involved in such as a report, news article, or online publication? Well, those are good examples of utilizing research skills and can be displayed in your portfolio as it shows your understanding of that one, or multiple, topics.

Writing Samples & Critiquing Existing Copy

Even if you don’t have much to show, there is always something to do. For your portfolio, create a couple pieces like emails, ads, or landing pages. Search around for existing examples and write your own version on pre-existing ones and see what could be improved from the original or have a go at creating something new. You can explore different industries first before finding a niche to focus on. These pieces will help showcase a variety of skills:

Display your understanding of the topic and creativity
Show your skills in creating compelling and engaging content in various formats
Showcase your writing style in different tones and voices depending on the project
Show your keen ability in grammar, punctuation and spelling
Demonstrate your thinking and developing processes

Each writing sample should include the client’s company name, target audience information, content type such as blog, script, product description, etc., and a content brief that explains the project, which should be about 1-3 sentences.

Tip: watch videos or read articles on copywriting to develop and improve your writing skills and continuously apply them to your writing samples.

The Portfolio Itself!

Now, to create your portfolio! For copywriting, I would recommend creating yours digitally through any website that allows you to do so, some examples being Canva, Wix, or Squarespace. Make sure the website’s interface is simple and organized to navigate through.

Format:

Introduction/Overview: think of this like a cover letter. It not only serves as an introduction to yourself but will help employers or clients get to know what skills you possess and your background on what you work on.

The Writing Samples: include your samples in your portfolio! Make sure they are organized and easy to read Note: you can make use of hyperlinks if you cannot include the entire sample.

References: even if you’re new/switching careers to copywriting, having someone set as a reference can help elevate your credibility.

Contant Page/Card: Including a specific place for your information is nice as it makes it easier for employers and clients to quickly get in contact with you.

Conclusion

Starting out can feel daunting and scary, but these simple steps will help you by setting a starting point, which you can then continue expanding your knowledge and skills. Hone into those skills and your efforts will pay off. I hope this helps you land those first steps into your new career in copywriting and best of luck.

Check out Andrea's copywriting video where she compares different career paths as a copywriter: https://youtu.be/IZrlZ8D6irA

About the author: Andrea Corona writes multiple stories told in different genres, from historical fiction to fantasy. Beyond writing and constantly researching, she enjoys drawing, embroidering, being with her cat, and listening to music while staring at the ceiling. She is currently expanding her writing skills outside of the fictional realm to apply them into the workplace.

Here is her portfolio of her creative work: https://andreacorona286.wixsite.com/helios-1