If you want to become a successful content marketer you will need a strong content marketing portfolio that showcases your skills and introduces you to prospective clients and employers. A strong portfolio highlights your best projects in a way that will pique their interest, impress them, and prove to them that you’ve got what it takes to help them reach their goals.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to build an impressive content marketing portfolio, including a step-by-step guide and content marketing portfolio examples to help you get inspired. Let’s get started.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing involves creating, publishing, and consistently sharing online content like videos, podcasts, blog posts, social media posts, and using other forms of media to draw in, engage, and maintain an audience. With content marketing, you promote brand awareness and increase customers’ interest in a company’s products or services.
Do You Need a Content Marketing Portfolio?
Yes, if you are serious about a career in marketing, especially content marketing, you need a portfolio. Prospective clients will want to know your skills and how competent you are in your profession. Your content marketing portfolio is an excellent way to show them that you are qualified for the job and show off your marketing experience.
There is always something you can offer in content marketing, whether you specialize in copywriting, social media, email marketing, or any other aspect of digital marketing. A portfolio can help you stand out as a content marketer by allowing you to reach out to more prospective clients and showing that you’re worthy of being considered for their projects.
Elements of a Strong Content Marketing Portfolio
- Content: Because strong content creates a good portfolio, the overall material of your portfolio must appeal to your target audience. Work samples, context, results, and contact details are essential elements to present in your portfolio. It should match the design of any print or digital identity materials you use, such as business cards and letterheads.
- Personality: Letting your personality and soft skills show in your content or digital marketing portfolio is a good idea. You may include some of your hobbies, or personalize the graphic design of your content marketing portfolio to reflect your interests. Giving your portfolio a personal feel could give you an advantage over the competition.
- Organization: You should have a well-organized portfolio. An organized content marketing portfolio implies that you can cohesively portray various aspects of your work. Organize your portfolio so that prospective clients can easily navigate it and learn more about the projects you’re showcasing.
- Results: Present the projects you’ve completed along with an introduction of what the project entailed and the results you obtained. Seeing hard facts about the results of your innovative ideas will likely motivate prospective clients to work with you.
How to Make a Content Marketing Portfolio
Building a strong content or digital marketing portfolio takes a lot of time and effort, but it is the best way to demonstrate to prospective clients that you actually have the skills to succeed as a creative marketing expert. Here are the steps you can take in order to build a strong portfolio that attracts your ideal clients.
1. Choose an Online Platform
While some content marketers may opt to create a custom website, most content marketers who are just getting started will search for a hosting platform with design templates. Some of the popular platforms for portfolio content management include Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, and Mural.
2. Outline, Design, and Write Your Content
The main objective of your portfolio is to attract an audience, which is why its content should be planned, detailed, and written as efficiently as possible. Using templates to select a stylish design that suits you is the easiest way to manage your content types.
Your home page should highlight your professional experience in a way that distinguishes you from other marketing professionals. You could also include testimonials to enhance your credibility.
3. Feature Your Best Work Samples
Your work samples make up the meat of your online marketing portfolio. It is important to remember that you are not required to include all the successful projects you have completed.
Instead, focus on quality over quantity, carefully selecting the best work samples that show your skills, positive results, creative ideas, and work approach. You can also give a detailed description of these work samples.
4. Describe Your Work Process
Describe the context behind each content marketing project you’ve completed after you’ve chosen your work samples. You could describe your role, duties, goals, challenges met, how you overcame them, a review of the start to end process, and the result. This will teach prospects what to expect if they decide to work with you.
5. Make it Easy for People to Contact You.
To encourage people to reach out to you, make sure you include your contact information in your content marketing portfolio. You may also include a contact form on your website so that people can send you a direct message. Your contact information makes it easy for your target employer or client to find you if they’re interested in your skills.
Content Marketing Portfolio Examples
Many content marketers make their portfolios available online in order to attract new clients and showcase their skills. A great way to get ideas for your own portfolio is to look at existing ones available online. Below you will find some examples to help you get started.
inCast
Influencer marketing organization inCast partners with brands and social media influencers to enable brands to develop strong strategies through social media marketing, branded live experiences, and performance tracking.
Best Parts of inCast’s Content Marketing Portfolio
- The online portfolio is simple to navigate and lets you learn about their work without navigating to a different page.
- To show their achievements, they combine both appealing pictures and persuasive data.
- inCast also provides details on some work they have done.
Murad Murad
Murad Murad is a freelance digital marketing consultant specializing in content marketing, social media, search engine optimization, and website design. Her website proves her skills in a wide range of marketing strategies.
Best Parts of Murad Murad’s Content Marketing Portfolio
- The marketing portfolio is colorful, fun, and appealing.
- The first-person introduction, unique graphics, and custom avatar attract readers and creates a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
- Murad Murad’s portfolio includes a PDF of project samples that clients can view and download easily.
Dayana Mayfield
Dayana Mayfield works in the SaaS (software-as-a-service) market as a copywriter. Her portfolio is an excellent example of identifying a niche and mastering it. Dayana emphasizes the company’s benefits over her credentials across her website, using value-based copy.
Best Parts of Dayana Mayfield’s Content Marketing Portfolio
- Dayana takes a different approach to her portfolio by making videos where she showcases her projects before and after and explains her work process.
- She organizes her digital marketing portfolio by using the available space.
- She adds strong testimonials to her portfolio as social proof to increase her credibility.
Bailey Cargill
Bailey Cargill is an experienced social media manager, graphic designer, and content creator with experience working for Nickelodeon, Lemonaid, All Maven, and the Olympic bid for Istanbul 2024.
Best Parts of Bailey Cargill’s Content Marketing Portfolio
- With precise, simple descriptions of her role, she brings the case studies of her projects to life.
- To make it simple for clients to contact her, she adds a contact form on her website.
- She includes social media buttons to make it easier for others to find her.
Adapting Social
Adapting Social is a team of creative marketers who help businesses worldwide with branding and marketing. Their Internet portfolio, among other things, displays their vision and what they do.
Best Parts of Adapting Social’s Content Marketing Portfolio
- The beautiful graphics on the homepage of Adapting Social’s website are the first thing that attracts their target audience.
- Their portfolio page is organized into different categories for potential clients to view different projects based on their interests.
- The portfolio has a professional feel about it that gives the viewer confidence in their abilities.
Best Content Marketing Portfolio Project Ideas
If you are new to the content marketing game, you may not have many projects to add to your portfolio. Below are some ideas to help you create projects you can use to showcase your skills.
- Create a video: In today’s world of content creation, videos are engaging, interesting, and simple to consume as marketing strategies. Adding an introductory video to your portfolio can be a great way to introduce yourself and add a personal touch, as well as show your command of this media.
- Create social media ads: A social media presence is a must for any business. To show your ability to create content for these platforms, you can pick a brand and create spec ads for Facebook or Instagram. This will be a valuable piece in your portfolio and show that you understand the principles of advertising through social media.
- Create infographics: Less can be more, especially in marketing. Pick a topic that you are interested in and can create a few infographics showing key information about the topic to add to your portfolio. This will demonstrate your ability to represent information in an attractive and concise way.
- Create a magazine ad: Traditional forms of marketing are still relevant today. Many successful businesses opt for print advertising, so a great project to add to your portfolio is a magazine ad promoting a product that you like. You can always create spec ads of your favorite brands if you label them as such when adding them to your portfolio.
- Create and maintain a marketing blog: Blogs are one of the most popular content marketing strategies. They are educational, free, and can boost traffic to your website. Quotes, expert influencer viewpoints, relatable stories, graphics, and other elements can all be included in your marketing blog, which can be a great project to add to your portfolio.
Content Marketing Portfolio FAQ
The purpose of a content marketing portfolio is to show prospective clients the type of work you can create and the skills you have as a marketer. It allows you to build a brand for yourself, increases your credibility, reveals your creative side, and provides context for clients to make informed decisions about your services.
Include a handpicked sample of your best work and projects in your marketing portfolio. You can also include an ‘About’ page, a blog, client or employer testimonials, or a contact form.
Because portfolios are all about marketing and promoting yourself, be sure that everything you include in it offers value and helps you advance in your job or expand your reach.
Keep things concise and to the point as you create your marketing portfolio. Select only your best work, and make sure you plan the layout of your portfolio beforehand so it is easy to navigate and showcases your strengths. Include customer reviews, testimonials, ratings, awards, and recognitions to show potential clients that others have commended your work.
You’ll need to build a website to host your portfolio online once you’ve picked some of your best projects and devised a strategy for how you want your portfolio to look. You could also use other platforms such as Squarespace, WordPress, or even LinkedIn to create your content marketing portfolio if you don’t have coding experience.
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