Is it possible to work entirely online? And if your writing samples mostly include your own blog content, can you use those blog posts in a portfolio?
That’s what freelance writer, Sarah, wanted to know when she reached out. Fortunately, working entirely online (and in the professional blogging space) is something I have plenty of experience with. Hopefully my advice to Sarah can help you too.
Can I Use My Own Blog Posts in a Portfolio?
I’ve cut some of her initial question to preserve privacy because I didn’t receive a response when asking what she was and wasn’t OK with me sharing here. So we’re sticking to first names only, I’ve removed the reason why she works entirely on the computer / online, and the specific blogs she referenced.
If I receive a later response giving consent, I’ll add this information at that time.
I am Sarah, and… I have little I can do except to be on the computer. And so I have a lot of time on my computer, but no money to spend. So I’m wondering if I can do an online portfolio because I’m going to have to do all my work online.
I have three blogs that I write, working on them is how I keep busy. My question is how do I use these posts for my portfolio, or should I do that?
Think of Your Own Blogs as “Living” Portfolio Pieces
First, no matter what your reason is for working entirely online, that’s perfectly fine when it comes to business writing. I’ve operated this way for over 20 years. Almost all of that work has been done asynchronously, usually via email. And it can work very well.
That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with cold calling, in-person meetings, and the like. But they’re not requirements for success as a freelance commercial writer. You just have to go in knowing the types of clients you want to work with, then weed out the prospects who might not be open to working that way.
I wasn’t always that way. But I went this route for a few reasons:
- I prefer it.
- It cut out off-hours calls and texts, especially given I worked largely with clients in different time zones.
- It also kept everything in writing at all times, which I often find helpful.
Side note: I find even prospects who prefer working over the phone are suddenly very happy to work over email when they learn my hourly rate for calls beyond an initial consult.
So there’s nothing wrong with working entirely online, asynchronously, however you prefer. You don’t need a lot of clients to fill a freelance schedule, and you’ll learn how to find and land the types of clients who work well with you in whatever ways you prefer.
As for blog posts in a portfolio…
There is no reason you can’t use posts from your existing blogs as portfolio pieces, especially if you’re just getting started.
Here’s the thing though…
Don’t just send links to your blogs to potential clients. Instead, set up a portfolio page on a professional website (and if you don’t have one yet, get one set up).
On that portfolio page, link to a select group of posts you would consider your best. Ideally, they’ll be in a specialty area related to your target clients. Even if they’re not, make sure they’re some of your best writing samples.
No one has time to comb through a freelancer’s blog (or three blogs in this case). They’re not there to become regular readers or subscribers. They want to know if you can write, and they want a feel for whether or not you’re a good fit for their project.
Your blog is like a “living” portfolio. As you continue to update it, you can add or update the posts you choose to feature in your professional portfolio. It will keep improving as you grow as a writer.
If these are the only samples you have so far, I would pick one or two from each blog. This way you’re showing samples across a few different properties.
Setting Up a Simple Portfolio
There’s nothing complicated about setting up a portfolio, especially if you work entirely online. A page with a list of links to publicly-available blog posts is fine. You can add a brief summary describing the work if you prefer.
I’d recommend against republishing them on your professional site (potential Google indexing issues), but you could also take a screenshot or make .pdf versions available in your portfolio.
That said, I see no reason to overcomplicate things. If it’s live online, the title, publication, and a link is plenty.
Along these lines, think about projects you might want to take on beyond blogging. Create similar projects to promote your own business or blogs. Then share them as early portfolio pieces. This could be landing page copy, more general web copy, newsletters, and so much more.
In the beginning, be your own best client.
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