Elements of a Killer Digital Portfolio

I recently dove headfirst into the world of digital self promotion and started a Squarespace website to house my digital portfolio. There are lots of great platforms available to creative professionals, and if Squarespace isn't for you, check out Behance, Coroflot and Carbonmade.

After a lot of research into how to make a killer digital portfolio, these are the 8 must-haves for digital portfolios:

1. Claim Your Vanity URL. It is so easy to acquire vanity URLs there's no excuse for not pointing one at your digital portfolio. To be easy, make your URL your name if possible.
2. Showcase Your Creative Style. Your digital portfolio should reflect your style and personality, so make sure you choose a design template that you feel comfortable with. Text, colors and images can be used to convey your personality as well. This is a great way to stand out against other applicants.
3. Be Consistent. I hadn't quite pulled all of the pieces of Top Shelf Digital Marketing together when I decided to launch a digital portfolio and it inspired me to create a logo to give all company materials a unified theme with a cohesive look and feel.
4. Create Clear Categories. Some people organize their work by brand, something that works well if you've got renowned clients. Some people organize their work chronologically, which is great if you're an entry-level applicant without much to show. Since I'm not currently targeting global brands or a specific industry, I decided to showcase each skill with a variety of projects from several clients.
5. Be Your Own Client. Remember that a well-organized digital portfolio will be easier for potential clients and companies to view, ultimately making a better first impression for your personal brand. Treat your digital portfolio as you would a client project, identify your target audience and be strategic about how you'd like them to experience your work.
6. Use Your Latest and Greatest. Choose the very best samples of your work, from the biggest brands you've supported over the last five years. Exceptions can be made if you have an exceptionally impressive campaign or project that is older.
7. Show Versatility and Adaptability. For each skill you'd like to showcase, show versatility, breadth and depth by giving several different examples. For example, try to use examples of your work from a variety of clients, unless you're targeting one specific industry. Also, don't stick to one kind of example, copywriting could include press releases, advertorials, infographics, marketing materials, website text, etc. 
8. Use Strategic Copywriting. Yes, digital portfolios are heavily reliant on visuals. But text is also a powerful tool and should be used to convey additional details such as e-newsletter open rates, website analytics, social media engagement statistics, etc. 

Find The Right Voice For Your Brand

As a millennial, I have been crafting my image on social media for longer than I've been of legal US drinking age.  Finding the right voice for a brand comes relatively easily for me, and there are a couple of things you think about to help you find the right voice for your brand.

1. Define your target audience - Are you talking to men, women, children, or a combination of all three?  Do you want your brand to appeal to males, females or both?  Do you want to target people in a specific geographic location?
2. Set your tone - Are you having a serious conversation or is your brand lighthearted?  Even if you're dealing with sensitive or professional issues, it's good to try to lighten the mood in a tasteful and appropriate way when you can.
3. Provide value - fans of your brand do not want to hear you talk about how great you are on your social media platforms just like you don't want to hear your friends brag about how great they are.  If you think you might be getting annoying, take a step back and evaluate your brand.  Are you posting interesting, relevant industry information?  Useful tips?  Short cuts?  How To videos?  Make your social media platforms a place that your target audience wants to go.
4. Treat your fans like friends - No, you should not (in most cases) offer to take your social media followers out to happy hour.  But you should talk to them in the same way that you'd talk to your friends, in an authentic and genuine way.  
5. Be consistent - all of your posts should sound like they are coming from the same person... the persona of your brand!  You want your fans to know what to expect when they come to your social media platforms so be sure that your team knows the brand's voice so everyone is working toward the same cause.  

If you follow these five steps you'll be well on your way to creating a voice that reflects the personality and values of your brand that will help drive engagement with your fans.