With 34 percent of the U.S. workforce now involved in some form of freelance work, creatives are undoubtedly wondering: How can I beat out the competition? You can’t control how much competition you have, but you can control how you appear by making sure you have the best online portfolio possible to present your work.
Clients on freelance marketplaces must sort through hundreds of profiles to find the right matches for each opportunity. To do that they must use specific criteria and rigorous standards to cut through all the clutter and find the matches they’re looking for. Your online portfolio is how you stand out.
Why online portfolios are a big deal in freelance marketplaces
The portfolio section of freelance marketplaces let clients determine if someone is qualified for a job. When a body of work is missing a crucial example of the experience or expertise they’re looking for, there’s a good chance the client will keep on moving in their search process.
Which is fine. Don’t sweat it. Your goal should be to find the right clients for you — not to pass yourself off as all things to all people.
We’ve put together all of our professional insights over here at Skyword to give you a detailed outline of the essential things you will need to create the best online portfolio for your specific industry — whether writing, photography, video, or graphic design.
Creating the best online portfolio for a freelance writer
Freelance writers play an important role in the gig economy. You create the original content that connects with a target audience and effectively relays a brand’s purpose.
Freelance writers need exceptional online portfolios to set themselves apart. When a client seeks a new contributor to craft a story for their brand, they need to see that the writer understands how to properly tell their own story. Having the best online portfolio that you possibly can keeps you in the running.
After all, if you can’t convey the merit of your own brand through your work, how will clients be able to trust you with theirs?
It’s worthwhile ensuring that your portfolio reflects the following:
Portfolio tip 1: Show ultimate professionalism
Writing professionally requires a mind that challenges the status quo and presents concepts in unique ways. This creative trait typically plays to a writer’s favor, but it can also be a liability if taken too far.
When you are creating an online writing portfolio, remember that every element — headshot, font, website name, social handle — should express a personal brand image and showcase a high level of professionalism. Consider yourself an extension of an enterprise-level company that requires attention to every detail.
Portfolio tip 2: Have a defined niche
Companies are getting particular about choosing their ideal storytellers. In some cases where clients don’t require an extensive writing portfolio of industry-aligned samples, they instead seek out practitioners — individuals who live and breathe in a specific space.
Brands want authenticity and they want assurance that the stories they produce will truly resonate with their target audiences.
For this reason, the majority of companies request subject matter experts and avoid generalists who boast an ability to cover a variety of topics, but none in great detail.
Clients want prolific writers with authoritative bios and industry experience that goes beyond what anyone can learn through a day’s research.
Not sure if you’re a subject matter expert? Fake it ‘til you make it.
If you don’t yet have the best online portfolio that you possibly can, then launch a blog that explores the latest industry trends and develops your own thought leadership.
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Portfolio tip 3: Showcase representative samples
Defining your niche with a strong bio shows the client you can talk the talk. But adding a variety of samples that flesh out your areas of expertise demonstrates that you’re an experienced writer in the space.
Quality and quantity go hand-in-hand. Bylines featured in reputable magazines, websites and industry publications make for the best online portfolio, of course. Samples from these reputable independent sources showcase the ability to write to a specific journalistic standard and topic. And they show that a company was willing to associate your name with their brand.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a recently published TechTarget or Time Magazine article. Understandably, that takes time and networking. Continue to post regularly as an expert on your own blog and others until the opportunities arise.
Portfolio tip 4: Demonstrate a strong social presence
A significant following and strong presence on social media isn’t a must for every client, but it’s a competitive edge that keeps writers on top of their game. Clients love to see contributors share their latest articles and engage in social conversations tied to their brand.
Pro tip: Avoid adding social handles to your online portfolio unless you plan on devoting the time to keeping them current, professional and relevant. You won’t reach influencer status overnight, but by engaging with others and sharing content that’s relevant to your niche, you add one extra selling point to your online portfolio.
The Pitfalls: If you think you have the best online portfolio you are capable of, take the time to double-check that your spelling and grammar are flawless and that all of your links work. You want to make it as easy as possible for recruiters to review your writing samples.
And don’t necessarily settle for one universal document. You may need to revise your online portfolio to position yourself effectively for different marketplaces.
Creating the best online portfolio for a freelance photographer
With the popularity of cheap, high-quality equipment for still photography, there are more professional freelance photographers around than ever before. Standards are high, and so is the competition. Having the best online portfolio that you possibly can is critical to succeeding as a freelance photographer.
Portfolio tip 5: Use unique angles and color grading
Much to the bewilderment of professional freelance photographers (and the advantage of many budding up-and-comers), Instagram has changed the way talent is found and vetted.
A photographer with a good eye will take note of interesting viewpoints and color grading. It’s easy to shoot from a trendy, but overdone perspective and throw an Insta-filter onto an image.
But using your own style of color grading and setting up unique and sensible angles for your shots will do wonders to make your portfolio stand out.
Clients take notice when a photographer couples a distinctive style with a consistent look in multiple lighting settings and locations. The best online portfolios will show the world from your eyes.
Portfolio tip 6: Demonstrate versatility
With many wonderful wedding photographers out there, the bliss of matrimony can be captured in an unforgettable and truly beautiful way.
But not every situation should be shot with the sentimentality of a wedding ceremony.
Demonstrating your versatility is necessary for creating your best online portfolio. Make sure to showcasing a wide variety of photos, including:
- Product shots
- Portraits
- Architecture
- Studio freestyles
- Anything that makes you unforgettable
This diversity will allow you to claim a much wider array of gigs.
The Pitfalls: Make sure your freelance photography portfolio is easily navigable by organizing your different shot varieties by topic or style.
If you must have watermarks on your photography, then make them clean, small and subtle, rather than the massive, gaudy logos we often see. Those “handwriting fonts” will also distract your audience from what you’re trying to showcase.
Related reading — Profiles of freelance photographers . . . and samples from their portfolios!
How This Independent Photographer Took the Plunge to Full-Time Freelancing
A Freelance Documentary Photographer Talks “Getting Out There”
How Cultural Photography Became This Freelance Photographer’s Niche
Freelance Portrait Photographer Describes His Start As A Photographer’s Assistant
How A Landscape Photographer Is Transitioning to Full-Time Freelancing
Creating the best online portfolio for a videographer
Some people think videography is as simple as pointing and shooting. But now, more than ever before, telling stories through video is a great unknown — and in the best way possible.
It’s up to the creative to lay the groundwork for unique video content that gets brands noticed. You have show off a creative eye, a solid foundation and a genuine vision for your work in all of your online portfolios.
Portfolio tip 7: Demonstrate the basics of style
As with with any profession that requires a unique skill set, creating quality video content requires a sound understanding of “the basics.” The subconscious eye of the viewer is the conscious eye of the videographer — and, ultimately, the client.
The best online portfolio for a freelance videographer will showcase smooth motion and clear image quality. Professional color grading is also very important and in many cases distinguishes high-quality video from lackluster bunk.
When freelance videographers have comparable skill sets, the ability to tell a story through their portfolio makes the creative stand out.
Also, make sure that clients and recruiters know that you have invested in the right software and plugin bundles and a professional-grade camera.
Portfolio tip 8: Have a cohesive narrative
Simply put, to take video is to tell a story.
The right 30-second visualization of a flower blowing in the wind can be more effective than an entire three-and-a-half hour epic film about space travel. The freelance videographer reel must showcase a variety of your best work, but it’s also important to show specific examples that tell concrete stories from beginning to end.
Unless a client is extremely open minded and looking for surreal, outside-of-the-box adventures, leave your wildest content out of your online portfolio. You can share that later when you know more about their interests.
Instead, put your best, most well-rounded foot forward. Tailoring your level of experimentation to a client’s brand is a very important consideration.
The Pitfalls: Poor color grading may go unnoticed and not concern lower-level productions, but it sets a bad precedent. Shaky camera work also raises serious concerns if not used for stylistic purposes.
Poor editing and bad timing must be avoided at all costs — particularly where sound is concerned. Many videographers underestimate the importance of this element. Watching television with grainy video is annoying, but doable. Viewing perfect picture quality with static-y, low-quality audio? Almost unbearable.
Related reading
Finding Success in Freelance Video Production and Still Prioritizing Family Life
How to Build a Freelance Video Production Business from the Ground Up
Creating the best online portfolio for graphic designers
Brands understand the power of eye-catching graphics more than any other content. Infographics, illustrations and other effective visual components go hand-in-hand with well-written articles.
Designers can be tasked with a wide variety of projects and must be able to stand out in a sea of unique styles. It takes more than just a good drawing hand. Make sure you show off the best online portfolio you can with these important characteristics:
Portfolio tip 9: Have lightning-fast turnaround
Freelance graphic designers are often up against well-oiled agency machines. Make sure it’s clear in your online portfolio that you work well under pressure and have a quick turnaround time.
Portfolio tip 9: Show off your technical capabilities
The best online portfolio for a freelance graphic designer will show that you work effectively in a number of distinct styles.
If your hand-drawn work is good, make sure it translates into a complex build file online. Point out in your freelance portfolio that you can provide multiple versions of different build files to a client and accommodate them with high-quality work in as many ways as possible.
In addition, highlight which software programs you own and are proficient in — the more the better.
The Pitfalls: Variety is key for a freelance design portfolio. Too much repetition gives the sense that designers haven’t mastered different styles.
Show that you can work within a brand’s guidelines, but express your openness to putting your own spin on your designs when asked. If you cannot do this, you are just like everyone else.
Related reading
Freelance Graphic Designer Uses Low Overhead To Give Clients What Agencies Can’t
9 Ways Website Designers Can Get More Freelance Development Work Fast
The best online portfolios take the opportunity to shine
Regardless of what area your freelance career is in, there are elements that every effective online portfolio should feature.
If you truly have the talent clients are seeking and you showcase it in a professional manner, it’s likely that your portfolio will serve as a gateway to many new opportunities.
If you’re still concerned that you don’t have the best online portfolio you possibly can, consider asking a third party (or a brutally honest friend) to critically review it before publishing. Convincing yourself that everything looks great is easy, but pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone challenges your thinking and buffs out overlooked flaws.
Editor’s Note: This article was a collaboration between four members of Skyword’s Creative and Community Management Team: Lauren DiZazzo, Molly Berry, Tom Sanford and Colin Eldridge.
Tools for building your own portfolio website
- Flexjobs – job board where you can freelance help
- 1&1 – general purpose hosting service
- WP Engine hosting service especially for WordPress sites
- StudioPress – premium WordPress themes
- Weebly – website builder
- OptinMonster – email capturing tool
- Wideo – Online video creation and editing software
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The Skyword Community Management & Creative Desk
Skyword’s Creative and Community Management teams work closely with a wide variety of freelancers, including writers, designers, videographers, and photographers from around the world. Using the Skyword Platform, the teams engage freelancers, connecting them with the top-tier brands to create breakthrough stories.
