Quick Online Portfolio Solutions

[Updated in 2022] Once upon a time, in a decade long, long ago, I hand coded my own freelance writer website. To save money. (You’ve probably already heard that time is money, but apparently I hadn’t.) Back then, the site looked pretty good–for somebody who did it via HTML for Dummies. Problem was that I forgot to anticipate that I would need to put up new clips. I did the cumbersome updates for a while. Then I got busy, and I didn’t.

Eventually, I realized that my site was not under construction, but had become a virtual archeological dig. I didn’t want anyone, especially a new-to-me editor whom I was trying to woo, or a potential source who was trying to evaluate if I was trustworthy, to see it. By then, some quick and dirty online portfolio alternatives had emerged, and I used a couple of them as stopgaps while I redid my website. An unexpected bonus: once I optimized the information in these profiles, more clients began finding me and reaching out with offers of work as well. The video below explores how to use keywords to help attract the right kind of attention.

Don’t let not having your own website be an excuse when it comes to pitching editors or otherwise hold you back.

If you’re starting out, it’s probably not the best use of your time to spend hours developing a WordPress site—rather focus on pitching and writing articles that you’ll showcase in your portfolio. If you’re a veteran journalist who has sidestepped a website for a decade or more, these options are quick and easy.

Each of these sites has its own unique attributes, and each has a free option. Watch the video for details about how to choose the best one/s for you.

www.linkedin.com – powerful networking capabilities

www.contently.net – content marketing middleman

www.pressfolios.com – conceived and designed just for journalists [no longer has a free option]

www.clippings.me – most similar to pressfolios

www.muckrack.com/journalists – offers connections to PR pros

www.authory.com – newer option for collating various media. Free trial only.

These portfolios are not a true substitute for having your own website, which remains the gold standard for freelancers (and for most staffers with an eye to the future). Having yourbyline.com gives you complete control and ownership over how you present your clips. If one of these companies updates its terms in a disagreeable way, or folds overnight, you could lose everything. And ultimately, each time you share the URL they provide you with, you are promoting their online brand rather than your own name. So if you haven’t already done so, register yourbyline.com, and develop your website when you can.

In the meantime, these solutions each let get your clips online in a professional manner very quickly. Watch the video to find out what unique properties each one offers, and which has the best look and feel for your needs.

If you’re not sure what info to include, download this free PDF cheat sheet with tips to enhance the possibility that editors will find you when they’re looking for someone with your unique skills and experience: