Your 8-Step Guide To Creating An Incredible Digital Marketing Portfolio

If the current job market could be described using only a single term, it's 'competitive.' Out of the 100+ average applicants for job listings, only 20% get an interview. What makes these individuals stand out? A combination of preparedness and quality presentation. And no other industry values a quality presentation more than the marketing world.

Marketing portfolios have become more critical than ever. Recruiters don't want to sift through resumes and CVs; they want to see what you have to offer in a single, easily accessible place. Of course, we aren't talking about a few sheets of content printed out and paper-clipped together. What's truly valuable in the job market today is a strong digital marketing portfolio. Today, we'll explain in ten easy steps how you can create your own portfolio.

What Is A Digital Marketing Portfolio, And Why Do You Need One?

A digital marketing portfolio is fairly straightforward in concept. It's a website that showcases all of your experience, history, and future capabilities. Instead of having to sift through link after link, everything is organized and compiled together in a way that's visually appealing.

For those who are breaking into the marketing industry, having a portfolio is a necessity. It showcases to potential employers that you're serious about the business, and it makes a strong case for hiring you onto their staff.

But a digital marketing portfolio is also essential for those already working in the marketing business! Why? To put it simply, just in case. You never know when you'll need to switch jobs, and you'll curse yourself internally for not having something ready to go when the time comes.

Not to mention, it can also be a point of pride! Having all of your marketing samples showcased together gives an aura of professionalism that proves your dedication and commitment to the industry.

Step 1: Understand Your Target Audience

The first step in creating your digital marketing portfolio is understanding who it's specifically intended for. This varies depending on whether you're looking for freelance work, a full-time position, or an internship. Initially, you might think that this is straightforward: "I want to make my portfolio stand out to people who align themselves with my work!" Sure, but what kind of person do you anticipate will align with that work?

• Targeting Marketing Agencies: Your portfolio should showcase a wide range of digital marketing skills. Use succinct descriptions and high-quality images of your projects to emphasize your versatility and capability to foster business growth.

• Impressing Marketing Professionals: To attract a specific marketing professional or digital strategist, showcase how your innovative marketing strategies have enhanced brand identity and led to project successes. Incorporate work that resonates with the target employer's sector or principles, and bolster your portfolio with client testimonials for added trustworthiness.

• Freelancers and Independent Service Providers: For those creating a portfolio to promote their freelance services or their own digital marketing business, your website itself is a reflection of your abilities. Highlight your proficiency in content creation, web design, and managing social media campaigns, ensuring your portfolio's design and content demonstrate your skills effectively. Remember to add a contact page for easy communication with potential clients.

Remember, the essence of a solid digital marketing portfolio lies not just in the projects you choose to display but also in how those projects are presented. Through the lens of your target audience---be it a potential employer, client, or agency---craft a narrative that showcases not only your technical skills but also your understanding of creating compelling, client-centered marketing strategies.

Step 2: Choose A Reliable Hosting Website

After identifying your target audience, the next step is choosing a hosting website. While this may seem arbitrary, it's actually one of the most important steps. You have to maintain the delicate balance between a highly customizable website and one that is not too complex. You're a marketer, after all, not a computer engineer.

For example, websites like Journo Portfolio utilize a combination of drag-and-drop features with optional HTML coding. This allows the site to be as personalized or simple as you'd like.

It's best to shop around for a while before selecting which host website is suitable for your portfolio. A useful way to determine whether something will be a good fit is to examine portfolio examples from others using the same site.

Step 3: Select Your Best Work Samples

Now, it's time to decide what work will be featured in your digital marketing portfolio. Compile the most successful marketing campaigns you've worked on, with a preference for more recent project samples.

If you feel you shouldn't include a particular project, it's okay to omit it. However, more is always better, as a proven track record of consistent success will separate you from the competition in the eyes of your potential employers.

Should I Niche Down or Have a Diverse Portfolio?

The question of whether or not your portfolio should follow a particular niche is an age-old one. While honing in on a niche can provide you with more lucrative opportunities, niching down can also lessen the total number of opportunities for which you're qualified.

In the end, it depends on what you're looking for. Do you want to work only with like-minded clients who all want the same kind of campaigns? Or are you searching for a variety of different projects? If you still feel stuck, you can always create a separate portfolio page for a given niche and still have your general, broad portfolio on another.

What Should I Do if I Don't Have Marketing Experience?

If you don't have experience in digital marketing, either due to a career switch or because it is early in your career, don't panic! Luckily, many digital marketing skills overlap with other communication jobs. Some ideas for what you can include in your portfolio without prior marketing experience are:

• Projects that you completed in internships or while you were still in school.

• Client work samples that don't necessarily fall into the marketing realm but still showcase communication skills.

• Marketing work for your own brand and social media that has driven results.

• Anything that showcases your graphic design skills, writing ability, or ability to think outside the box.

Step 4: Develop And Highlight Your Personal Brand

If you know a thing or two about how creative marketing can be, then it should come as no surprise that you need to prove just how unique you are to be considered by potential employers. This comes in the form of developing a personal brand, which is sometimes easier said than done. Below are three key ways that you can convey your personal brand on your marketing portfolio website.

Define Your Unique Voice and Tone

Your personal brand should reflect a unique voice and tone that resonates through your digital marketing portfolio. Whether it's professional, innovative, witty, or sincere, this voice should be consistent in your portfolio's content. This distinct voice helps you stand out to potential employers by showcasing your personality alongside your marketing skills.

Showcase Your Specialization with Content

Utilize your portfolio website to highlight the specific areas of digital marketing in which you excel, such as social media marketing, email marketing, digital advertising, or another niche. By featuring client work, successful projects, and case studies within these areas, you will emphasize your expertise.

Incorporate Visual Branding Elements

Your online portfolio's design, including the color scheme, typography, and layout, should reflect your personal brand. These elements work together to create a visually appealing experience on your portfolio site, which will make a good impression on visitors.

Step 5: Design Your Portfolio Website

Now it's time for the fun part (or the boring part, if you aren't a fan of design): creating the rest of your digital marketing portfolio website. You might be thinking, "The rest? I already listed out my content!" Unfortunately, that's half the battle. Your website's portfolio section is only one of the features it should contain.

Sections To Include On Your Portfolio Website

What other sections should be on your website? It depends on your marketing style and the kind of attention you want to attract. You should begin by following marketing portfolio examples that align with your work. Not every digital marketer is alike, which is good---standing out is always better than fitting in! But, as a general guideline, here are some of the most popular pages people might include in their online portfolio.

About Page

Your portfolio website will mainly concentrate on your work. But what about who you are? It's handy to develop a separate page for your background and general history, professional and otherwise. Don't be afraid to really let your personality out in this section---it's all about you, after all!

Services Page

This might be omitted in some cases, especially if you already have a full-time gig and are using your digital marketing portfolio as a passive display. However, a page dedicated to your services can help attract client work if you're a freelancer or contract-based marketer.

Contact Page

No portfolio website, regardless of industry, is complete without a contact page. It might seem like a no-brainer, but some simply forget to include a dedicated space for their contact information. As a marketing professional, you're supposed to specialize in communication; make sure people know how to contact you!

Step 6: Leverage Your Social Media

Once your page has been crafted, it's essential to spread the word as much as possible. The best way to do so is to share it with those you know. Make sure that you include your social media handles on your website and vice versa. This way, those who find your LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter can easily click the link to discover the information they need.

As a digital marketer, you must have the ability to market yourself! If you can't do that, then how can potential employers trust you to market their company/their clients? Aside from simply including the link in your bio or email signature, here are some other ways to leverage social media posts to market your online portfolio:

Create Engaging Social Media Campaigns

Launch social media campaigns that highlight pieces of your portfolio. For instance, you could share success stories from your most impactful marketing projects or behind-the-scenes looks at how you achieved certain results. To increase visibility, use hashtags related to digital marketing, content marketing, and your personal brand.

Utilize Content Marketing Strategies

Write and share articles or blog posts that reflect your expertise in digital marketing. Topics could include case studies from your portfolio, insights into successful marketing strategies, or advice on building a strong digital marketing portfolio. Sharing these posts across your social media platforms can drive traffic to your website and establish your authority in the field.

Feature Client Testimonials and Work

Regularly post about your past work and client testimonials. Sharing these can build credibility with your audience and showcase the breadth of your experience. Highlighting specific projects from your portfolio, especially those that demonstrate your skills as a creative marketer or social media manager, can attract potential clients interested in similar results.

Step 7: Optimize For Discoverability

You didn't think we'd get out of this without discussing SEO, did you? SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a crucial way to get your digital marketing portfolio into the right hands (or, rather, the right screens). There are several ways you can implement SEO strategies into your marketing portfolio website, but here are some examples.

Use Relevant Keywords Throughout Your Site

Incorporate keywords related to digital marketing, marketing portfolio examples, email marketing, and your specific areas of expertise throughout your website's content, including titles, headers, and meta descriptions. This will help improve your site's visibility in search engine results for those terms.

Optimize Your Portfolio's Content

Ensure each project or case study on your portfolio includes concise descriptions rich in relevant keywords. This will help with SEO and help potential clients understand your value.

Make Use of Alt Text in Images

When selecting images for your portfolio, include descriptive alt text that incorporates keywords. This is especially important for showcasing marketing work, client projects, or personal projects. Alt text helps search engines understand the images' content, contributing to better SEO.

Ensure Your Website is Mobile-Friendly

With the increasing use of mobile devices to browse the web, having a mobile-responsive design is crucial for SEO. Check that your personal website and portfolio display correctly on various devices and screen sizes.

Step 8: Scale And Update When Needed

As your client list grows and as you begin to develop more in the digital marketing space, your portfolio will grow alongside these new connections. It's important to be active on your portfolio website and regularly update it. Feature client work that you've been crafting, marketing services you've begun developing, and any other great idea you might come up with along the way. Once you've gone through the (sometimes tedious) process of creating your digital marketing portfolio, it's there to follow you through the rest of your sparkling career!

Ready To Build Your Own Digital Marketing Portfolio?

Now that you have the steps, all you need to do is begin creating your marketing portfolio! While you're here, why not consider utilizing Journo Portfolio as your portfolio hosting option?

Journo Portfolio prides itself on balancing ease of use and potential for customization, making it one of the best portfolio builders online. It's in the name, after all! Check out our full list of features, and get started with your free account today.