Build A Copywriting Portfolio: For Beginners With No Experience

Summary

In this video, Jesse from startcopywriting.com shares expert advice on building a compelling writing portfolio, crucial for freelance writers seeking clients. Despite having no prior clients or experience, Jesse outlines the essentials to include in a portfolio and offers practical strategies for creating impressive samples. He suggests starting a blog, writing about beloved brands, or offering free services for testimonials. Jesse also recommends platforms like Google Drive, clippings.me, and muckrack for uploading portfolios and emphasizes the importance of having a personal website to showcase one's work.

Takeaways

• 😀 A writing portfolio is a collection of your best writing samples that showcase your skills to potential clients.
• 🔍 Clients prefer to see 3 to 5 relevant, high-quality examples from their industry rather than numerous unrelated samples.
• 🎯 To create a compelling portfolio, focus on the type of work you want to be hired for in the future and intentionally create samples in that area.
• ✍️ Starting a blog is an easy and free way to create portfolio content, especially on platforms like Medium or WordPress.
• 🔥 Writing about products and brands you're passionate about can provide authentic and knowledgeable content for your portfolio.
• 🆓 Offering to write for free for businesses or individuals you're interested in can help gain experience and build your portfolio.
• 📁 Google Drive is a simple and free platform to upload and share your portfolio with potential clients.
• 📑 Clippings.me provides an easy-to-use interface and templates for creating a professional-looking portfolio.
• 📰 Muckrack is a platform that allows writers to create simple portfolios that can be shared online.
• 🌐 Having your own website gives you the most control over how you display your portfolio and allows for easy updates.
• 📝 The video also mentions a blog post with additional tips and examples for creating an outstanding writing portfolio.

Q & A

What is a writing portfolio and why is it important for freelance writers?

A writing portfolio is a collection of a writer's best work samples that showcase their writing quality. It is crucial for freelance writers as it serves as a sales tool to convince potential clients of their writing abilities, allowing them to assess the writer's skills and relevance to their industry.

What should be included in a writing portfolio to make it effective?

An effective writing portfolio should include three to five high-quality, relevant examples from the industry or type of writing the writer wishes to be hired for in the future. It should avoid including random or irrelevant samples to keep it focused and impressive to clients.

How can a beginner writer create a portfolio if they have no clients or experience?

Beginner writers can create a portfolio by starting a blog, writing about products or brands they are passionate about, or offering to write for free for friends, family, or acquaintances' businesses in exchange for testimonials and permission to use the work in their portfolio.

What are some platforms recommended for uploading and sharing a writing portfolio?

Recommended platforms for uploading and sharing a writing portfolio include Google Drive, Clippings.me, Muckrack, and having one's own website for ultimate control and presentation of work samples.

Why is it beneficial for a writer to start a blog for their portfolio?

Starting a blog allows a writer to create content on topics they are interested in and can showcase their writing skills. It's an easy, quick, and often free way to build a portfolio and demonstrate their expertise in a particular industry or niche.

How can a writer find popular and trending topics to write about for their blog?

Writers can find popular and trending topics by using Google's autosuggest feature when typing in an industry or niche they are interested in. This will provide a list of suggested topics that are currently popular and could be good content for their portfolio.

What is the advantage of writing about products or brands one is passionate about for a portfolio?

Writing about products or brands one is passionate about allows the writer to leverage their existing knowledge and enthusiasm, making it easier to create compelling content. This can also demonstrate their ability to write engagingly about specific industries or products to potential clients.

Why might offering to write for free be a good strategy for a beginner writer building a portfolio?

Offering to write for free allows a beginner writer to gain valuable experience and create portfolio pieces without prior experience. It can also lead to testimonials and potential future paid work if the client is satisfied with the work, as seen in the example of the speaker's uncle who became a sports writer.

How can a writer ensure their portfolio is easily accessible to potential clients?

A writer can ensure their portfolio is easily accessible by uploading it to platforms like Google Drive or Clippings.me, which allow for easy sharing of links, or by having it on their own website where they can control the presentation and update it with new work samples.

What additional resources does the speaker offer for creating an outstanding writing portfolio?

The speaker offers a blog post with more tips and examples from other freelance writers on how they created their portfolios. This can provide inspiration and guidance for those looking to build their own impressive writing portfolio.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Building a Writing Portfolio for Freelancers

In this video, Jesse from Start Copywriting.com introduces the concept of a writing portfolio, which is essential for freelance writers to attract clients. He explains that a portfolio is a collection of a writer's best work samples, serving as a powerful sales tool to demonstrate writing quality. The video emphasizes the importance of including only three to five relevant, high-quality examples tailored to the client's industry, rather than an overwhelming number of random samples. Jesse advises viewers to create intentional examples that align with their desired future work, such as blog posts for the personal development industry. He also shares three strategies for creating a portfolio: starting a blog, writing about loved products or brands, and offering to write for free to gain experience and testimonials.

05:02

💼 Strategies for New Writers to Gain Portfolio Experience

The second paragraph delves into strategies for new writers to gain experience and build their portfolio. It suggests writing for free as a way to gain valuable experience and collect portfolio pieces, with the added benefit of obtaining testimonials. Jesse shares his personal experience of writing a sales page for a company, which led to future paid work. The paragraph also recommends uploading portfolio examples to platforms like Google Drive, clippings.me, and muckrack for easy sharing. Lastly, Jesse encourages viewers to have their own website to showcase their work professionally. The video concludes with an invitation to read a blog post for additional tips on creating an outstanding writing portfolio, offering inspiration from other freelance writers.

Keywords

💡Writing Portfolio

A writing portfolio is a collection of an individual's best writing samples, serving as a showcase of their skills and abilities to potential clients. In the context of the video, it's emphasized as an essential tool for freelance writers to attract clients. The video suggests that a strong portfolio can be more convincing than mere claims of being a good writer, as it provides tangible evidence of one's work quality.

💡Professional Copywriter

A professional copywriter is an individual who writes promotional content for various media, including advertisements, websites, and marketing materials. In the video, Jesse, who introduces himself as a professional copywriter with 18 years of experience, shares his expertise on building a writing portfolio, indicating the importance of this role in the field of writing and marketing.

💡Relevant Examples

Relevant examples refer to writing samples that are specific to the industry or type of work a client is interested in. The video stresses the importance of including only three to five high-quality, industry-relevant examples in a portfolio. This approach is more effective than providing a large number of unrelated samples, as it demonstrates the writer's understanding and experience in the client's specific field.

💡Freelance Writer

A freelance writer is a self-employed individual who offers writing services to clients on a project-by-project basis, rather than being employed by a single company. The video is aimed at freelance writers, providing them with guidance on how to build a compelling writing portfolio that can help them attract clients and succeed in their freelance careers.

💡Blogging

Blogging is mentioned in the video as one of the ways to create portfolio examples without prior experience or clients. Starting a blog allows writers to practice their craft, explore different topics, and build a body of work that can be included in their portfolio. The video suggests using platforms like Medium or WordPress to start a blog, which can then be used to demonstrate one's writing abilities.

💡Google Trends

Google Trends is a tool that analyzes the popularity of search queries over time. In the video, it's recommended that writers use Google Trends to find trending topics within their desired industry to write about. This strategy helps in creating content that is timely and likely to be of interest to potential clients, thus enhancing the value of the portfolio.

💡Product Review

A product review is a form of writing where a product's features, benefits, and overall value are assessed. The video suggests writing product reviews as a way to create portfolio content, especially if the writer is knowledgeable about and passionate about certain brands or products. This type of writing demonstrates the writer's ability to engage with a product and communicate its unique selling points effectively.

💡Offering to Write for Free

Offering to write for free is presented in the video as a strategy for new writers to gain experience and build their portfolio. By providing writing services at no cost to friends, family, or small businesses, writers can accumulate real-world examples of their work. This approach also helps in building relationships and potentially leads to paid work in the future, as it did for the video's presenter early in his career.

💡Clippings.me

Clippings.me is a platform mentioned in the video for creating and hosting a professional-looking writing portfolio. It offers various templates and an easy-to-use interface, allowing writers to showcase their work in a polished manner. Using such a platform can help writers present their portfolio in a way that is accessible and appealing to potential clients.

💡Personal Website

A personal website is recommended in the video as the ultimate place to display a writing portfolio. It provides the writer with full control over the presentation of their work and the ability to update it with new examples as they become available. Having a personal website also establishes the writer's online presence and professionalism, which is crucial for attracting clients in the digital age.

Highlights

Introduction to the importance of building a writing portfolio for freelance writers.

Definition of a writing portfolio as a collection of best writing samples.

The necessity of a writing portfolio for attracting clients.

Best practices for building a writing portfolio: less is more.

Recommendation to include only three to five relevant high-quality examples.

The strategy of creating intentional examples for future desired work.

Advising to decide on future industries and types of writing to create targeted portfolio pieces.

Starting a blog as an easy and free way to create portfolio content.

Using Google's autosuggest feature to find trending topics for blog posts.

Writing about products and brands you're passionate about to build a portfolio.

The benefit of writing about topics you're knowledgeable about.

Offering to write for free as a strategy to gain experience and portfolio examples.

The importance of gaining valuable experience even if it means writing for free initially.

Recommendation to only write for free once or twice to gain experience.

Uploading portfolio examples to Google Drive for easy sharing.

Using Clippings.me for creating a professional-looking portfolio.

Muckrack as a platform for journalists and writers to create simple portfolios.

The significance of having your own website to display and update your portfolio.

Invitation to read a blog post with more tips and examples for creating a writing portfolio.

Transcripts

welcome back to the channel in this

video you'll discover how to build an

impressive writing portfolio even if you

have no clients and no experience hi I'm

Jesse from start copywriting.com I've

been a professional copywriter for the

last 18 years and in this video you'll

learn what is a writing portfolio and do

you need one the three things you must

include in your portfolio if you want

clients to take you seriously three ways

that you can start creating a portfolio

today even if you have no experience and

of course the best places to upload and

share your portfolio with the world so

what is a writing portfolio well it's a

collection of your best writing samples

it's something that every client is

going to want to see because they want

to assess the quality of your writing a

writing portfolio is your best sales

tool because it's so easy for me to sit

here and say I'm an amazing writer but

if I'd actually show you with examples

of my work then that's going to be way

way more convincing so having a riding

portfolio is an absolute must if you're

a freelance writer wanting to attract

clients so what are the best practices

you should follow when building your

writing portfolio well first of all know

that less is more clients are not

interested in Wading through hundreds of

examples of everything you've ever

written they don't want to see the

article that you wrote for your local

newspaper or the poem that you shared

with a friend what clients would rather

see is three to five relevant high

quality examples from their industry if

you can show to a client that hey I've

written for your industry before and

here's the examples that's going to be

way more impressive than hundreds of

random examples that aren't relevant to

the client's business or their industry

so less is more what I recommend you do

is intentionally create the type of

examples that you want to be hired to

write for in the future let me explain

if I've decided that I want to write for

the personal development industry and

that I would like to write blog posts in

the future then I can intentionally

create three to five blog posts about

popular topics in the personal

development industry add them to my

portfolio and when it comes to time to

go out and Market my services to clients

in the personal development industry

I'll have relevant examples to share

with them that show I have experience in

writing for their industry and that's

going to be way more effective at

selling my services than hundreds of

random writing examples so I recommend

to you is sit down and decide who do you

want to work with in the future what

industries and then what type of writing

do you wish to be hired to write and

then intentionally create those and add

them into your portfolio the first way

is to start a blog anyone can start a

blog nowadays it's easy it's quick and

it's free to set up especially if you're

using websites like medium.com or even

just building your own word press

website blog both a free quick and easy

to do once you've done that you then

want to decide what topics am I going to

write about now one easy way to find

some popular trending topics to write

about is to go over to Google head over

to google.com type in the industry or

Niche that you would like to blog about

and then Google will serve up to you

through their order suggest feature a

whole bunch of ideas that you could

write about the second way to create

portfolio examples without experience or

clients is to write about products and

Brands you love so what products

businesses or brands are you obsessed

with maybe you're really knowledgeable

about them maybe you own all of their

products whatever those products or

brands are you already have a lot of

knowledge and first-hand experience if

you own their products already and an

understanding of what they are and what

makes them unique you might write a

sales page a product review an article

about that product or brand that's going

to be easy for you to create my uncle

became a sports writer because he was

obsessed with sports he was already

knowledgeable about all of the different

teams he was showing up and watching all

of the games and became a really

enjoyable career for him that spanned

over 30 years so what products or brands

are you obsessed about you could easily

write about because you're already

knowledgeable about the Third Way of

creating a portfolio without experience

or clients is to offer to write for free

that's where you approach friends family

members colleagues or people that you

know that have businesses that you would

like to write for and approach them and

offer to write for them for free now

it's very simple way to do this you

simply are honest and you say hey I'm a

new freelance writer looking to gain

more experience writing for your

industry I would love the opportunity to

write something for you for free that

would be valuable for your business if

you like what I've written you don't

need to pay me and feel free to use it

all I ask in return is that you will

give me a testimonial and it will allow

me to use what I write for you in my

online portfolio now that's an

irresistible offer to so many businesses

that need content written for their

business or brand this is what I did in

the very beginning of my career now a

lot of people said you shouldn't write

for free you should value your writing

and I 100 agree but as a beginner with

no experience it's important that you

gain that valuable experience now I will

say I only did this one or two times in

the beginning and then I started

charging for my services so it's not

something you do forever it's something

you do initially to gain that valuable

experience and that portfolio example

now the first company that I wrote for

free I wrote a sales page and as a

result they used that they actually got

some amazing results they went on to

hire me in the future so it's a really

valuable experience so now that you've

created three to five portfolio examples

where do you upload them where do you

share them online the first place I

recommend is Google Drive Google Drive

is free it comes with both Gmail

accounts and it's very easy to Simply

create a new folder and then upload

either PDFs Word documents or any other

files to Showcase your work online then

in the click of a button you can share

that link with potential clients that

might request to see your portfolio

examples the second place is

clippings.me clippings.me has an easy to

use interface and many portfolio

templates making it easy to create a

portfolio that looks professional to

potential clients the third place is

muckrack and muckrak gives journalists

and writers a free way to make a simple

portfolio which they can share with

other people online it's quick easy and

simple to set up and the last place the

most important place I believe is your

own website your website gives you

ultimate control on how you display

those examples you can also update it

very easily whenever you have a new

example that you want to show off well I

hope you enjoyed watching this video and

before you go I want to let you know

that I recently published a brand new

blog post that includes even more tips

for creating an outstanding writing

portfolio and it includes lots of

examples from other freelance writers on

how they created their portfolios to

give you inspiration for doing the same

if you want to read that blog post just

scroll down and click on the pinned post

below this video you can get access to

it right away thanks for watching and

I'll see you in the next video