Comments on: What You Should Include in Your Copywriter Portfolio

By: Amber Morris

Amber Morris — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 22:26:41 +0000

In reply to Lauren B.

Hi, Lauren:

I understand your concern. You can write sample pieces specifically for your portfolio. Consider the industry/niche you’re interested in, and write content with that in mind. Often, employers or companies will state what kind of sample they are looking for, so you can use that as a starting point.

Best of luck!

Amber

By: Lauren B

Lauren B — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 19:10:42 +0000

I have a quick question…I am looking to explore copywriting, but it is a totally different field than where I’ve been working—I’ve been an English teacher for 13 years! I know I have the skills and lots of experience with writing & editing, but I’m not really sure what I should try to put into a portfolio. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much!

By: Amber Morris

Amber Morris — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 21:59:16 +0000

In reply to Julie.

Hi, Julie:

This is a great question. Yes, your portfolio can work against you. It’s tempting to include everything you’ve ever written, but clients won’t spend the time to look through everything and may become overwhelmed if your portfolio is too vast. You want to control what potential clients or employers see, so pick only your best work to include in your portfolio. Make sure you have enough variety to showcase your range. It’s OK to indicate that you can provide additional samples of your work upon request. If a potential client/employer wants to see more, you can have a conversation about what they are looking for, which will allow you to pick the best samples to showcase.

Best of luck!

Amber

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 23:12:57 +0000

Hi Amber! Thank you for this article. I’m a senior content/copywriter. Along with the Labor Day holiday, I decided to take the rest of the week off from work, take a step back, and organize certain aspects of my life. Am now up to updating/streamlining my professional material. Question is, how long should you hold on to samples of your work? I have over 20 years of print and digital experience, with writing samples ranging from original word docs to final design. I’m fortunate to have worked in the publishing, healthcare, and hospitality industries, have a lot to show for it, and switch things up depending on the industry I’m applying to. However, for a while now, I’ve been asking myself if I really need to show a brochure, product description, e-blast, or script from 2004. I mean, could it work against me? Plus, it’s a drag to store it all… lol… I appreciate your input. Regards.

By: Amber Morris

Amber Morris — Mon, 24 May 2021 18:23:13 +0000

In reply to Brian.

Definitely! A portfolio is just meant to highlight your writing skills. You can even include pieces for fake clients. Of course, some companies will put more weight on published material, but any writing sample helps.

Best of luck,

Amber

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 22 May 2021 14:50:48 +0000

Is it acceptable to include copywriting you did for your own entrepreneurial ventures as samples in a copywriting portfolio?

By: Amber Morris

Amber Morris — Sat, 01 May 2021 19:46:04 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth.

Hi, Elizabeth:

You’re smart to tread carefully here. The best move is to ask your current employer for permission to share your work in a portfolio. This only serves you if you’re allowed to freelance outside of work. If you cannot ask for permission, do not use the content in your portfolio.

Best of luck!

Amber

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 06:21:00 +0000

Hi there-

I’m curious. I’m currently an e-commerce b2b copywriter for a textile/home goods company and I’m looking for another job (hopefully also in a writing/editing field). I’ve created a portfolio and started building pages for freelance work as well as my blog that I’ve been writing for years. I started building a page for copywriting where I had hoped to include the 3+ years of writing and experience I have from my current employment. However, these are not my products. I’m just an employee and don’t own the rights to the products or images.

I wanted to be able to just upload the URL links for specific listings shown on various markets (eBay, Target, Amazon, Walmart, etc), but for legal reasons, I obviously want to handle this in the correct way to display my abilities. What are the best approaches/practices for this? Any suggestions? Thanks!

By: Amber Morris

Amber Morris — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 02:05:54 +0000

In reply to Tressa. Thanks for catching that, Tressa! Amber

By: Tressa

Tressa — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:18:27 +0000

In reply to Amber Morris. Hi Jon. Thank you for the post. Valuable information as I research what to add to my portfolio as I'm about to graduate design school and would love to include copywriting in a professional, intelligent way. Also, there is a spelling error in your paragraph above the wishpond example, FYI. Studies is missing the "i" ... Best!