As a digital marketer, your portfolio is a proof of your skill, a testimonial to your experiences. But portfolio creation always looks like a monumental task, and millions of questions pop up in the mind, starting with the basic questions like:
Are portfolio and a resume different?
What content should I add in the portfolio? Should I repeat whatever I am adding in my resume?
Should it showcase all my work? What if my work is copied and pasted by others in their portfolio?
Which platform should I select? Are they expensive?
How will the portfolio help me? Is it worth the effort?
These are just few questions to start. To answer all these questions, here is a comprehensive guide to help you craft a portfolio that gets you that dream job or that high-paying client that you are chasing:
Simple PowerPoint Deck with all the details of your past work with screenshots.
Google Drive with a dedicated Folder with well-organized documents, screenshots and creatives.
You can definitely create a website, which is the best way to showcase your portfolio professionally, but it will require some investment based on the platform you select. You can consider choosing from a huge number of platforms available, like Wix, WordPress, Webflo, 10Web.io, etcetera. Even hosting service providers like Hostinger or GoDaddy provide website development platforms powered by AI.
Online Portfolio platforms like Behance, Dribble, or specific portfolio websites designed for digital marketers are great choices too. These offer ease of use and pre-built templates.
Social Media accounts like Instagram or LinkedIn can be a great way to showcase your portfolio.
Focus on Quality over Quantity showcase your best work, not everything you’ve ever done, this will ensure the attention of the reader will not dwindle.
Target Your Audience that means doing doing research on who is going to be your portfolio reader. Example, you are planning to use the portfolio for job searches, then hiring managers with designations like Marketing Heads or Manager will be your Target Audience. Or, if you are planning to develop a portfolio to start your freelancing journey, then business owners or marketing managers’ of businesses could be the ones checking your portfolios. Understand your target audience and write the content on your website.
Tell a Story: For each project, provide context, outline your role and responsibilities, explain the challenges addressed, and showcase the achieved results. Use visuals, data, and metrics to demonstrate success.
About: In this section, talk about yourself, your skills, roles, and responsibilities that you have undertaken, the companies you have worked with, and what your career goal is. Introduce yourself, highlighting your skills, experience, and career goals.
Work Samples: This is the most important aspect of your portfolio. In fact, I would say this is your portfolio. Present your portfolio in a well-categorized manner. For example, all your social media work is grouped together, all your SEO work is grouped together, and so is your Google Ads, website development, email marketing, etcetera. Remember to add screenshots of results, examples of ad copies you created, and screenshots of the web pages, especially the landing pages that you used during their campaigns.
Case Studies: Having dedicated sections or pages on specific projects is a great idea, giving the reader a deep dive into the individual project. Ensure your case study mentions the brief of the project in terms of it’s goals and challenges, the solutions that you devised and the results you got. Quantified results are super impactful. It could be like a percentage increase in website traffic, or how you improved conversions, etc.
Skills & Tools: List your proficiency in relevant digital marketing tools and platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, social media management tools). Remember to add AI based tools.
Testimonials (Optional): If possible, add the positive feedbacks that you got from your client. If you do not have any, then start collecting them from your ex-bosses, senior colleagues, etc.
Contact Information: Make it easy for potential employers or clients to reach you.
Professional Design: Ensure your portfolio looks neat, clean, professional, and has a user-friendly design, it should represent you and your style.
Mobile-friendliness: Make sure your portfolio displays well on all devices, as many employers will likely view it on their phones.
Easy Navigation: Structure your portfolio for easy navigation with clear labels and intuitive menus.
High-Quality Images & Videos: Use visuals that are visually appealing, relevant to your projects, and optimized for the web.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): If you have a website portfolio, optimize it with relevant keywords so potential employers can find you through search engines.
Social Media Promotion: Share your portfolio link on relevant social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.
Networking: Bring your portfolio (online or a printed version) to industry events or networking opportunities.
Keep it Updated: Regularly update your portfolio with new projects and achievements to showcase your ongoing growth and expertise.
By following these steps and personalizing your portfolio to reflect your unique skills and experience, you’ll create a powerful tool to impress potential employers and land your dream digital marketing job.
To really make your online portfolio shine in search results, check out our other blog post on “The Do’s and Don’ts of SEO in 2024” for tips on optimizing your website content.