On this age of on-line every part, your internet presence could make or break your freelance profession, particularly when you’re simply beginning out as a contract author.
If potential purchasers don’t know you by fame, they want a fast, straightforward solution to suss out your work, your fashion and your degree of professionalism. Whereas social media accounts can do wonders (having just a few thousand followers by no means harm a freelancer’s credibility), you’ll want greater than that as your on-line calling card.
That’s the place your on-line portfolio comes into play. Even when you’re not fairly able to begin a weblog, a easy portfolio web site that promotes your freelance writing can do rather a lot that will help you land purchasers.
This Article Options 10 Portfolio Web sites to Contemplate
No matter which of those portfolio web sites you resolve to go together with, it is best to intention for these two issues:
1.Straightforward-to-read clips: If somebody is seeking to rent you, their predominant purpose in coming to your web site is to learn your work and see in the event that they prefer it. Make it easy for them!
2. Uncluttered design: If a potential shopper can’t discover what they want in lower than 10 seconds, you’ve bought an excessive amount of happening. You’ve misplaced their consideration… and a possible shopper.
Straightforward-to-use Portfolio Web sites to Showcase Your Work
A web-based portfolio that fulfills these two fundamental standards doesn’t should be sophisticated to create. You’ve bought a number of good portfolio design instruments that will help you get there! And when you’re searching for free portfolio web sites, we’ve bought you coated there too.
While you’re able to land your subsequent freelance writing job, listed here are some easy-to-use portfolio web sites to select from.
1. Squarespace
Squarespace is a simple drag-and-drop web site builder that provides a stellar visible expertise. Whereas this isn’t a standard portfolio web site (neither is it focused solely at writers), it’s a extremely sensible choice when you incorporate design or graphics into your work.
Their templates give off a clear, minimalist and complicated vibe. And their responsive design is rock stable—an vital issue when potential purchasers need to view your writing on their telephones or tablets. Whereas there are a lot of web site constructing instruments—like Wix and Weebly—Squarespace comes out forward for its smooth visible design.
Cool Function: Caught on a design difficulty whereas constructing your portfolio at 3 a.m.? Squarespace’s 24/7 shopper assist (through electronic mail or reside chat from Monday to Friday) is top-notch. With the ability to talk with an actual human being when you’ve a query or difficulty could make freelance life that a lot simpler.
Free model: No however there’s a free trial
Improve possibility: It prices $12 monthly for a private web site with a free customized area. For enterprise and commerce variations, which embody search engine marketing options, superior analytics, fully-integrated e-commerce and limitless storage, it prices $18 to $40 monthly.
2. Clippings.me
Clippings.me was created explicitly for freelance journalists. It offers you a fast and straightforward solution to exhibit your favourite clips, and add simply sufficient element about your self to make you appear human. Like Journo Portfolio, you’ll be able to add hyperlinks, add PDFs or embed multimedia items, together with podcasts. And when you get caught discovering the correct phrases to promote your self or when you want some design steering, try their Writing Portfolio Information.
Clippings.me additionally gives an open journalism listing the place you’ll be able to browse journalists primarily based on beats or by nation to search out potential interviewees for the tales you cowl You would (hopefully) use it to achieve entry to extra potential purchasers.
Cool Function: Simplicity is the secret. have the naked minimal technical expertise however nonetheless need a refreshing structure to your on-line portfolio, it is a nice selection.
Free model: Sure! It’s free for the fundamental model, which permits as much as 10 articles.
Improve possibility: The professional model prices $9.99 monthly, which incorporates limitless clippings, downloadable resume on profile, contact types, search engine marketing (search engine marketing) and portfolio privateness, password-protected portfolio and options like Google Analytics integration so you’ll be able to measure views.
3. Muck Rack
Muck Rack is a media database that helps join journalists and PR professionals—and their platform offers writers a slick solution to simply showcase their work.
It creates and maintains the portfolio for you by robotically compiling articles, shops, and social media profiles, which is likely one of the best choices by way of each set-up and upkeep. You possibly can customise your web page by including a bio, itemizing your beats and spotlighting your greatest items.
Muck Rack boasts it’s the best, most limitless solution to construct your portfolio, develop your following and quantify your influence. The most effective half? It’s all free.
Cool Function: Do you ever marvel how huge your attain is? With Muck Rack’s Who Shared My Hyperlink device, you’ll be able to immediately see the overall variety of social shares to your article and which different journalists shared your tales.
Free model: Sure! It’s free for all customers. Further options are unlocked for journalists Muck Rack verifies—try the standards to develop into a verified journalist.
4. The Freelancer by Contently
The Freelancer by Contently is a portfolio web site particularly for freelance writers and journalists. Along with serving as your on-line portfolio, it could function a spot to search out work and join instantly with purchasers. Listed here are its prime three compelling options:
It makes use of a easy and single-page portfolio interface the place you’ll be able to show a vast variety of tasks or weblog posts
Potential purchasers can filter tasks primarily based on the purchasers you’ve labored with, subjects and expertise, that are nice for writers that work in a number of industries
Freelancers with skilled expertise may even be contacted for freelance alternatives with purchasers like Marriott, Microsoft and Walmart
Cool Function: Contently has a charges database so you’ll be able to see what different freelancers earn, and a contract charges calculator that will help you decide the quantity it is best to cost for every shopper.
Free model: Sure! It’s free for writers. (Purchasers pay to faucet into that community.)
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5. Journo Portfolio
On Journo Portfolio, you’ll be able to create a contemporary, no-fuss on-line portfolio. The dashboard is straightforward to make use of: customise your web site’s look with six distinct themes, and kind your clips into any variety of pages or content material blocks.
One other helpful function is the vary of the way you’ll be able to share supplies: hyperlink on to clips (simply sort within the URL and Journo Portfolio will seize the title, publication, date, and content material), or add nearly any form of multimedia, together with PDFs, movies and pictures.
Cool Function: That will help you hold observe of your metrics, Journo Portfolio’s built-in analytics present you what number of guests your web site has had, how lengthy they spent on the location and the place they got here from. Wanna go the additional mile? combine your dashboard together with your non-public Google Analytics account so you’ll be able to entry all of the uncooked knowledge out there.
Free model: Sure! It’s free for a reputation.journoportfolio.com URL, and you may host as much as 10 articles.
Improve possibility: For the professional model, pay $5 to $10 monthly. That features limitless pages, article back-ups, and the flexibility to make use of your individual area, like www.yourname.com.
6. WordPress.com
WordPress is the grandfather of content material administration platforms. Whereas not particularly geared in direction of on-line portfolios, the enjoyment of WordPress is that you are able to do just about something you need with it. It’s out there as a completely free, no-frills weblog; a paid model with extra bells and whistles; or the “install-it-yourself-and-do-whatever-the-hell-you-like setup.”
Your normal WordPress themes aren’t all ideally suited for portfolio work, however search Google for “WordPress portfolio themes” and also you’ll have every part you can ask for—WordPress even gives this devoted portfolio splash web page! This can be a nice platform for individuals who need a number of choices and whole inventive management (and who don’t thoughts fussing round with just a little CSS).
Cool Function: Since WordPress is so adaptable, it may be a great place to start out when you suppose it’s your decision one thing past a portfolio web site someplace down the road. That approach, whenever you notice that you simply need to be each a contract author and photographer, you’re not caught on a platform the place you’ll be able to’t exhibit your different expertise.
Free model: Sure! For a fundamental weblog.
Improve possibility: For extra management over how the location seems to be and capabilities, some freelancers select to improve to the $8-per-month premium possibility. That provides you entry to advertising and marketing and monetization instruments, limitless premium themes and superior web site design customization.
7. Author’s Residence
Run by Monica Shaw and Tim Harding, a author and programmer duo within the UK, Author’s Residence portfolios have two easy targets:
To make it hassle-free for writers to showcase their greatest work with a lovely web site
To provide writers a helpful device that they will use to market their careers
Whether or not you’re an aspiring freelance author or a printed creator, Author’s Residence understands {that a} nicely designed web site highlights your professionalism and makes it straightforward for editors to see your work. Carry your individual area or use certainly one of theirs, get inventive with their number of templates and use their “brain-dead easy system” to have your web site up and operating in half-hour.
Cool Function: No HTML expertise? No biggie! While you create a portfolio with Author’s Residence, they care for the design so you’ll be able to stick with your experience—writing. Right here, you’d construct your web site with plain textual content utilizing their easy types. And when you do need to get fancy, customization is an possibility, too.
Free model: Sure! All accounts include a 30-day free trial.
Improve possibility: After the trial, proceed managing your web site for $8.99 monthly (or £5.49) on this straightforward platform that permits you to add a vast variety of writing samples and offers immediate and private buyer assist.
8. Writerfolio
The writing business is extremely aggressive—make your writing stand out with an interesting {and professional} Writerfolio portfolio to go away a terrific first impression with purchasers and editors. That’s certain to land you your subsequent writing job!
On this platform that additionally requires no laptop expertise, you’ll be able to construct a portfolio with limitless writing samples with attachment uploads, a wide range of themes to select from, a simple fill-in-the-blanks portfolio setup and extra.
Cool Function: They’ve a 100% satisfaction assure—when you’re not 100% completely happy, they’ll refund you with no questions requested.
Free model: No, however you’ll be able to check out a free demo with out night signing up!
Improve possibility: Memberships price $4 monthly and include a whole on-line writing portfolio at yourname.writerfolio.com (however you should utilize yourname.com, when you already personal it).
9. Format
Any form of artist can discover a house right here, from photographers and designers to writers and illustrators. Format offers a powerful collection of curated themes to suit your distinctive model, giving you a stunning digital canvas to point out off your greatest work.
Your portfolio with Format shall be robotically optimized for cell—so purchasers can view your work from any gadget—and you may get pleasure from limitless bandwidth and weblog posts, copyright safety for any picture you add, plus social media integration. Format may also provide you with a free area identify for a 12 months!
Want some design inspo? Take a look at these author portfolios utilizing Format’s themes.
Cool Function: For when that you must make a change on-the-fly, Format’s iOS apps make it straightforward so that you can exhibit your portfolio, handle your menu gadgets and create and write weblog posts anyplace you go.
Free model: No, however you’ll be able to strive it free for 2 weeks to see if it’s a match!
Improve possibility: With the Professional, Professional Plus and Limitless plans, creatives can tailor their web site with dozens of themes, customized code modifying, 24/7 assist and search engine marketing instruments. A bit on the expensive aspect, month-to-month membership prices vary from $12 to $25
10. Carbonmade
Carbonmade has been constructing portfolio instruments for creatives since 2005. Fifteen years later, they provide a whole lot of options particularly constructed for creatives:
They will personalize your place to begin layouts particularly to your career
Carbonmade is robotically responsive and optimized for all units so your web site at all times seems to be nice
You possibly can hyperlink your individual area or select from those included in all plans: identify.carbonmade.com, identify.portfolio.web site or identify.gfx.work choices
Audio and PDF add assist
Cool Function: As a substitute of sticking to a sure theme or structure, Carbonmade permits you to use dozens of versatile structure blocks to design your web site—simply drag and drop to create your dream portfolio. No limitations right here.
Free model: No, however try the free trial!
Improve possibility: Month-to-month membership prices vary from $8 to $18. For the price of two espresso cups monthly, writers sometimes benefit from the $8 plan for entry to eight tasks and limitless pictures and movies.
Examples of on-line portfolio web sites
Now that you simply’ve bought a number of portfolio web sites to select from, need to see a few of them in motion?
We’ve compiled a listing of on-line writing portfolios to encourage you. Right here’s the place to take a look at some on-line portfolio examples.
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The unique model of this story was written by Annie Rose Favreau. We up to date the submit so it’s extra helpful for our readers.