Digital Portfolios: Marketing Portfolios

An introduction to the tools, best practices, and how to's of online portfolios.

The Madison College Libraries offer a comprehensive suite of multimedia equipment to help you as you build your digital portfolio. Here are just some of the resources you can use:

  • Adobe software including Photoshop and InDesign
  • Digital Audio Recorders
  • Multimedia Viewing rooms (with large flat-screen computer monitors)
  • Flipcams 
  • Scanners

Tutorials on LinkedIn Learning

Note: To access LinkedIn Learning content, you should never have to sign up for a free month, or enter any payment information. For more information on how to create your free Madison College LinkedIn Learning account, visit: https://libguides.madisoncollege.edu/LiL

Get a job in marketing thumbnail

Visuals are an important component of your portfolio. Even if your work product doesn't directly produce visual elements you can still incorporate graphics into your portfolio. Check out this article for tips and visit our Copyright and Fair Use guide for free image resources.

Students working on a computer

Find Inspiration

Take a look at portfolio examples in your field using your chosen platform. You need to establish your own voice, but you can use the examples to consider what works and what doesn't, and why. Here are some real life examples that will help you get started with your search:

 

Getting Started

You can use a digital portfolio to land a job in marketing. It's a great way to collect all of your work in one place and demonstrate that you are skilled at putting together an effective communications package. More importantly. it demonstrates that you can produce news content and tell stories across multiple platforms and mobile applications. Take a look at The Creative Group's Salary Guide to see what creative and marketing skills can mean for your starting salary.

1. Assemble your samples and artifacts

Work samples you could highlight:                                                Creative book and personal items

  • Writing 
  • Photography
  • Video editing
  • Delivering on mobile devices
  • Linking social media platforms to web content
  • An integrated marketing campaign
  • An activity with measurable results
  • A new or innovative idea

2. Target your audience

Clarify your professional aspiration and then build your portfolio with a specific audience or position in mind. Think about what your audience wants to see:

  • Familiarize yourself with the companies in the area you'd like to work in
  • Note their overall presence, website, social media, news coverage and audience demographics. 

(You can try a search in the library's Business databases for news about various companies, and information should be available on the organization's website.)

3. Focus on your strongest work

Showcasing a few of your best examples is superior to long list of unconnected work:

Computer user looking at photo and computer screen

  • If you don't have strong samples, get to work on developing them.
  • Show relevancy and curiosity tied to your talent, hard work and skill set.
  • Give your work a reality check. Does it show emotional maturity, well-formed relevancy and critical thinking?
  • You'll stand out from the crowd of job seekers by highlighting professional-grade work instead of samples that call you out as a recent college graduate 

 

4. Explore platforms and choose wisely

Select a web-based platform and/or template that...

  • is well known by your target audience (to be found by potential employers)
  • allows for timely changes (to keep your portfolio current)
  • has cloud-based backup and is portable (to save your work and take it with you wherever you go)
  • is easy to navigate and can handle multimedia formats (to showcase your strongest samples)
  • supports multiple media formats
  • includes a mobile version and multiple media integration (to edit and view on the go)

You will also want to consider whether you want to go beyond free resources and create a Website with your own domain name (you can also do this with a blog like WordPress) to establish a more lasting professional identity. 

Behance                                    Tumblr                                                                                                    

Clipings.me                                Weebly

Google Sites                              Wix

Pressfolios                                 Wordpress 

5. Tell your story

Employers want to see you demonstrate your ability to tell a story and interact online.  You need to be a storyteller and you'll want to use your portfolio to tell your unique story using work examples. Start by organizing your portfolio into simple sections: a homepage, an "about me" section, resume, examples of your work and contact information.

Your home page should be clean and simple with

  • Your name. If you are a William and go by Wills, use William (Wills) Windsor.
  • Easy navigation to other sections of your portfolio. Make it easy for potential employers to explore your work.
  • A photo of you in action in your professional setting.
  • Buttons for LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and/or Facebook. Social media links demonstrate your social media savvy only if you are using these platforms. Be certain that your social media accounts demonstrate you are an aspiring professional.

Your work examples are the heart of your story. You should

  • Tell your story through your best work, so only include your best samples.
  • Come up with an organizational strategy that makes sense for you. Don’t worry about chronological order. Instead, think thematically.
  • Highlight your aspirations. You should show versatility, but if you are looking for work as a reporter make sure your writing samples are up front.
  • Go beyond coursework. Transform your portfolio (and work experience) with freelance projects to start building your professional identity.

Your “about me” section should include

  • Contact information: You shouldn’t provide a physical address. Use a professional e-mail address.
  • A professional photo that you would use on a LinkedIn page.
  • A brief bio statement about your professional identity and aspiration. Write your bio in the first person. Use your bio to market yourself as a curious and inquisitive person.
  • Mentioning personal or side interests can work in this area if they are not political, religious or too personally revealing.
  • Being a recent graduate or marketing major doesn't distinguish you. Don't focus on this accomplishment when all of your competitors have the same credential.

Your resume should

  • Highlight your most relevant experience and skills.
  • Check out this guide for resume and cover letter examples

6. Evaluate, refine and revise

Think about your personal brand, and why a hiring manager should hire YOU, as opposed to the other applicants that have applied.

So keep the "why me" question in mind as you evaluate your portfolio. Also, proofread your work carefully and get feedback from others (like a career adviser, faculty, and internship supervisors). You'll need to continually revise it and keep it up to date to ensure your experience is relevant to the job market.