How to make a copywriting portfolio

Talk to any creative person about building their portfolio and they’ll tell you: copy is the hardest part.

Which means copywriters have a portfolio superpower.

That gives you a head start on your website. Copy can make even the ugliest portfolio beautiful, if you’re good at it. You already know how to write well. Now you just have to put your skills to work with your portfolio. Here’s how:

1. Start with a strong headline

You do the same when writing copy for a product. In this case, you are the product. Tell us what you offer in one clear, concise statement at the top of your portfolio. Bonus points if it’s also funny.

2. Don’t stress over images

As a copywriter, you may or may not have strong images that represent your work. It’s OK if you don’t.

Instead of stressing over visuals, lead with big, bold typography. Write compelling headlines and project summaries for your homepage, just like you would for a marketing page. Make us want to click.

✨ P.S. If you can access good visuals from a project you worked on, use them! As the copywriter, you are just entitled to do so as the designer or photographer would be.

3. Give us context

We may not understand your banner ad unless you tell us it’s targeting a niche audience of balding Norwegians. We may be confused by the tone of your email copy until you explain the brand voice is snarky. We won’t know your UX copy increased conversions by 200% unless you tell us.

You don’t have to pen a novel. Just write a few sentences setting the scene, just like you would with an article.

4. Don't overthink it

Your portfolio’s about the work you’ve already done. So don’t try too hard. Focus on setting your existing work up well, giving us the context we need and letting the copy you’ve already written speak for the rest.

Ready to get started? Thousands of copywriters use Carbonmade for their portfolio. You can design a beautiful portfolio in minutes using Carbonmade, and you don't need design skills to do it. Start by dragging our “Fullscreen cover” block onto your page and replacing the headline. Worry about the images later – or even delete them. We’re all here to read your beautiful copy.

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