How to Make a Portfolio: The Basics

Any creative looking for a career in advertising is going to need a portfolio.

Simply put, a portfolio is a website that shows off what you can do. If this is new to you or you’re starting from scratch, no worries! Let’s start with the basics:

Step 1: Pick a website builder

There are a ton of options out there. Here are a few I recommend.

Step 2: Build your project pages

To show off your work, you’ll want to create a page for each campaign or project you’re featuring. Each of these pages should include:

• A brief setup - The point of this is not to tell the entire story of the campaign. That’s the job of the work itself. Instead, use this quick intro to explain any necessary context the viewer will need to understand or fully appreciate the work. It could be the business problem or objective or even the cultural insight that led you to the creative concept.

• The work - Where the magic happens! You can include videos, gifs, print ads, billboards, digital banners, social posts, photographs, mockups of in-person experiences - pretty much anything and everything goes.

  • A good rule of thumb is to start with a key visual that represents the campaign/project as a whole. You want to give the viewer the best representation and snapshot of the idea upfront, then get into the details later.

Step 3: Organize your homepage

Most people create a homepage that consists of a grid of thumbnails - each thumbnail representing a different campaign or project page that can be clicked on.

With that said, you can do whatever you want! Feel free to get creative with it or just keep it simple. The key is just keeping it organized and easy to navigate.

Step 4: Make the “About Me” page

Think of this page like a dating profile. What are the most interesting things about you (not work-related) that could convince someone to bring you in for an interview? Some ideas for what to talk about on this page:

• Fun facts about you

• Your hobbies

• Favorite foods/movies/books/etc

• Unique opinions (More like silly “hills to die on” and not anything controversial)

That’s it! Just a few steps and you’ll have the beginnings of a great portfolio.