When you're a content writer, your portfolio is the key that unlocks the door to paid work. But how do you build a portfolio? A lot of writers ask me for writing samples, but they often don't know what to include in their sample collection.
I recently did an interview on a podcast about content writing samples, and I thought it might be useful to share some of my thoughts from that interview here. In particular, I wanted to explain:
What content writing samples are
Which types of content samples are worth collecting
How to organize them
Why they matter
What makes a good writing sample
And how to present your samples online
Content Writing Samples Defined
Content writing samples are pieces of writing that demonstrate your skills as a writer. They can include both published and practice pieces, like blog posts, social media posts, email marketing copy, website homepage text, case studies, etc. They show clients how you research, structure, and write. And they're the primary tool that writers use to win paid work.
Having a personal website also makes a writer feel instantly more professional. It's hard to imagine hiring someone who doesn't have a website. Plus, it makes it easy for anyone to review your work.
In general, writers should collect samples for each type of content they plan to write. That means if you're going to write blog posts, you need blog post samples; if you're going to write emails, you need email samples; etc. The categories of content that writers typically produce fall into three broad media types:
Earned Media — This includes things like magazines, news outlets, and other publications where your content is written by you and then published elsewhere.
Paid Media — This includes things like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads.
Owned Media — This includes your own website, email list, newsletter, etc.
Need samples for each category you write in. For example, if you're writing for a company’s blog (which would count as owned media), you’ll need to write blog post samples. If you’re writing ad copy for a client, you’ll need to write ad copy samples. If you’re writing for a magazine or news site (earned media), you’ll need to write magazine article samples.
The specific content types that are worth collecting as samples depend on which of these media types you're targeting. Here are the ones I think are worth collecting:
Blog Posts — Blog posts are great because they allow you to show off your knowledge of a topic while also demonstrating your ability to structure and write a compelling piece of content.
Homepage Copy — This is one of the most important types of content a website has, so having a good homepage copy sample is very helpful.
Case Studies — Case studies are among the most persuasive types of samples you can have. They show tangible value, and they help build trust and credibility.
Email Copy — Email marketing is a big deal, so it’s important to have good email samples.
EBooks — EBooks are a big deal too, especially if you’re planning to ghostwrite any. Having samples or case studies will show that you’re an expert in the subject.
SEO Articles — SEO content writing is a strong market right now, so it’s definitely worth having dedicated SEO content writing samples.
Social Media Posts — Social media posts are a bit tricky to showcase in a portfolio. But there are ways to do it effectively.
Podcast and Video Scripts — Podcast and video scripts are another way to show your skills. They establish you as a candidate for those project types.
PDFs — PDFs work well for email copy samples when the emails are visually appealing.
Each of these content types serves a distinct conversion or trust function. For example, the homepage must balance brand storytelling with conversion-focused direction. It needs to answer the question “What can I do here?” and guide the user to the next logical step.
Strategic blog posts demonstrate your understanding of customer pain points and industry trends. They build trust and drive qualified leads.
Case studies are among the most persuasive samples you can have. They show tangible value, and they help build trust and credibility.
SEO content captures long-tail keyword traffic from users seeking specific answers.
Website words function as a 24/7 lead salesperson, brand storyteller, and customer service specialist.
There are certain craft qualities that separate strong samples from weak ones. These qualities include:
Power Words in Trust Category — Power words are words that evoke emotion and create a sense of urgency. In the trust category, power words include accredited, expert, reliable, exceptional, etc. A social media platform uses “expert” in its headline and “proving” in its intro line.
Conversational Tone — Conversational tone is important because it helps readers feel comfortable and at ease. When you write in a conversational tone, you’re able to anticipate questions your reader may have and address them in subsequent sentences.
Grammar Girl — Grammar Girl is a great resource for common writing mistakes.
Title Case Converter — Title Case Converter is a free tool that helps you format your headlines properly.
Presenting Your Samples
Finally, when presenting your samples, it’s important to consider how to organize them. Some people prefer to put all their samples together in one place, while others prefer to have them separated by category. Either approach works, but I recommend putting them together in one place so that potential clients can easily see what you’re capable of doing.
A freelance content writer has a great portfolio that demonstrates how to do this effectively. Her portfolio includes clickable project thumbnails that open up PDF samples in a new tab. Creating an online portfolio is one of the best ways to showcase your samples.