Carving out a successful career as a freelance writer is a dream opportunity, but dreams require taking the proper steps to get to where you’d like to be. Successful freelance writers understand that portfolios are one of the ultimate marketing tools to share skills and expertise with clients.
It’s an effective way to sell your skills, and with today’s resources, making a portfolio has never been easier. Knowing where to start can be a road map that leads to more clients and longevity as you build the foundation of a writing career. Here’s a look at the steps you can take to stand out from the pack as a beginner freelance writer.
What is a freelance writing portfolio?
A freelance writing portfolio is a collection of your best work samples. It’s best to choose samples that highlight your writing skills and areas of expertise. Writers can use their portfolio in lieu of a traditional resume or CV. Clients prefer portfolios because they demonstrate concrete proof of a writer’s quality.
View your writing portfolio as your elevator speech, or your brief introduction with clients. It is your opportunity to shine and sell these companies on your ability to provide them with excellent content.
Choose your niche
Choosing a niche can help you find direction within your freelance writing career. A niche is an area in which you have extensive knowledge and expertise. Some examples of niches to consider as a beginner freelance writer include cryptocurrency, finance, eCommerce, healthcare, and travel.
If you have preexisting experience with any niches, look at ways to create content focused on those niches to build the base of your portfolio. It’s an excellent way to allow your writing skills to shine through while sharing beneficial information with readers.
Create writing samples
The best writing portfolios feature multiple samples that showcase diverse writing styles and expertise within specific niches. Potential clients will also use the samples within the portfolio to judge the experience within the niche and the depth of the content.
When choosing samples to add to the portfolio, pick articles and pieces that are free of errors. Read through your options to find the best articles to put your best foot forward. It’s a good rule of thumb to find three to five polished articles.
Freelancers for Words of Worth write up to 80 articles each month on various subjects. It’s a fantastic way for beginner freelance writers to start building a portfolio.
Start a blog
Depending on your niche, you can start a blog as a way to build a portfolio and gain more experience as a beginner freelance writer. Being able to analyze the effectiveness of posts and keywords is one of the top benefits of starting a blog.
The posts you write and publish will have the opportunity to rank on Google. Depending on the sites chosen, you can also add plug-ins that will optimize the page for search engine optimization.
Include the best pieces you’ve written for the blog in your portfolio. Consider adding the statistics and analytics behind them to demonstrate their high ranking on Google to impress potential clients. You can also post the best articles to LinkedIn for increased exposure to a broad audience.
Find paying clients
The final challenge after building a comprehensive writing portfolio is to start finding reputable paying clients. There are several resources online that beginner freelance writers can use to find job postings that match their areas of experience and writing niches.
Potential clients post the details of the types of content they’re seeking, with the hope of finding the ideal fit for the job. It’s beneficial because you are aware that these clients are actively seeking a writer to help them with content creation. These clients are also likely to explain in detail what they expect, which eliminates the stress of figuring out the details on your own.
Marketing agencies are another excellent option when building a writing portfolio and finding your first clients. Agencies provide consistent work, clear expectations, and reliable pay. Options like Words of Worth are always seeking talented writers to apply and develop their skills while creating engaging content.
A complete portfolio is an invaluable tool for a beginner freelance writer. Use the above tips to build a portfolio and start gaining your first clients today.