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Table of Content:
Why do you need a marketing portfolio and what does it exactly entail?
What should be represented in your portfolio for digital marketing?
Step-by-step instructions for making a marketing portfolio
Why do you need a marketing portfolio and what does it exactly entail?
An online presence that displays the greatest work for potential clients or employers is known as a marketing portfolio. The portfolio should include three or more compelling case studies that beautifully demonstrate current marketing expertise as well as a summary of the professional background. The website is also an element of the portfolio that showcases how people employ digital media, copy, and design. Although people may draw inspiration from UX and UI design portfolios when creating their own, they might believe that portfolios are only for designers. In reality, they are just as significant in the marketing industry.
What should be represented in your portfolio for digital marketing?
All digital marketing portfolios must have these three elements:
In your "About" page
This portion includes a summary of who you are as well as the value you contribute along with a description of your educational and professional experience. Additionally, this gives potential employers and clients a glimpse into the personality. Try to describe a few aspects of your personal life that show your inventiveness or work ethic. Additionally, try to provide a professional photo of yourself to help website visitors connect with you. Either a formal headshot or a lifestyle picture may be appropriate which depends on the position and industry you are applying for. Although it doesn't have to be taken by an expert, it should have nice lighting and not appear pixelated or blurry.
Samples of work and case studies
The most crucial components of any marketing portfolio include the work samples & case studies and website visitors could skip past your bio and head straight to this section.
Contact details
It's crucial to have a section that includes your contact information that is obvious and simple to access. This section must have a quick-reply email address or a form field made using the website builder that will route emails to you. List only your city and do not include your home address. Your phone number is optional.
Depending on your objectives, you could also want to include a resume, blog, reviews, or a services page when you offer freelancing services, as well as connections to any social media profiles. It is crucial to show in marketing that you are capable of using various social media platforms.
Step-by-step instructions for making a marketing portfolio
Although building a marketing portfolio requires a lot of time and effort, it's a wise investment for your future. Let's look at some of the few stages that will show you how to create your first marketing portfolio.
Select a hosting platform
You are initially required to choose a location for the hosting of the marketing portfolio website. While some marketers are skilled enough to create a unique website, the majority who are just starting will search for a web host with design templates. Some of the well-recognized content management systems for portfolios are described below:
WordPress
It is the most adaptable open-source content management system on the web, powering 39.5% of all websites. With upgrade options available, you may begin with a basic self-hosted website and customize it using a variety of plug-ins and portfolio themes.
Wix
Some of the features such as drag-and-drop templates, analytics, and plugins are available with Wix's user-friendly, reasonably priced content management system. It includes several designs designed for marketing or resume portfolios.
Squarespace
Wix and Squarespace both provide functionality through the use of templates, themes, & plugins. All Squarespace templates are responsive, meaning that even a unified version of the site adjusts to mobile and desktop forms, in contrast to Wix's website builder, where users are required to construct a desktop and a mobile version.
Google Sites
It provides a free template-based website builder that is simple to use, and quick to construct but may have limited customization choices. It works nicely with Google's web product lineup, including Analytics, Ads, and other services. Users can construct a simple website with such a subdomain using any one of these options, which they can later upgrade if necessary. Although it is not required for job seekers, a custom domain name—typically your name for just a portfolio website—makes a website look more professional and polished.
Create a content plan
Spend some moment in outlining the site map, including your page titles, before you begin writing and creating your work examples. The majority of portfolio websites have a straightforward layout with only three to five pages. The simplest method to do this while using a content management system is to start with a template. To find templates with appealing designs, look through "portfolios" or "marketing portfolios" searches. Although you are not restricted to the page titles or layouts of a template, take into consideration that doing so will save you time and start with something that is near what you desire.
Related article: What is Content Marketing? Content Marketing Definition
Write the content
Only a single chance is available to captivate the reader's attention in the introduction section with concise, captivating text and a powerful statement outlining your qualifications and accomplishments. It doesn't matter if you have experience or not what matters the most is the language you use in this part. Be succinct, use active verbs, stay away from adverbs, and avoid hyperbole for optimum outcomes. Try to pick at least three projects that display your greatest work and a range of your skills for the portfolio area. Depending on your area of expertise, this can include a digital advertising campaign, a social media campaign, a blog post, YouTube videos, website content, or email marketing and a sample of graphic design.
A picture, either from the campaign materials or a screenshot of the campaign analytics, should be included with each project example. To enable the user to read the text, the photos must be able to be enlarged. Active web content or campaigns can be connected by referencing them and by just keeping in mind that links in digital marketing content should be checked frequently because the content is frequently updated.
Receive feedback
Try to Ask a few people and receive feedback from those who are interested in your success for user testing before publishing your site. Send the link to the test site to a mentor, a peer, and several marketing professionals. Don't forget to request that they assess the website on both a desktop and a mobile device. Request specific comments; "Looks wonderful!" won't help you improve it. You can request one person to thoroughly proofread or send particular queries. Add feedback to the website as you iterate by trying to address as many issues as you can.
Publicize and publish
For anyone who is creating a marketing portfolio for the first time, clicking the "Publish" button is a scary but exciting moment. Try to resist the impulse to hold off on publishing your portfolio until it is flawless. It should be polished and error-free, but it's a living document that can be continually updated and refined.
Share it widely with the networks on LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media sites when it has been published. For more exposure, include the link in your email signature and profile. To monitor user behaviour on your website, set up Google Analytics or utilize the analytics provided by your content management system. Maintaining a current marketing portfolio demonstrates your commitment and engagement and may open doors to new relationships or employment offers.