Every copywriter needs an online portfolio. This is how we prove to clients we know how to write copy. But most of us aren’t web developers or designers (those are entirely different careers!). The good news is you don’t need to have these skills as a copywriter. And you don’t need to pay a professional or learn the skills yourself to create your portfolio. We’ve compiled a list of the best portfolio sites for copywriters that help you built your own site, mostly with super-easy drag-and-drop functionality.
Some of these are free and some of them have a small monthly fee, but even with the cost of your own URL (usually about $15/year or so), they’re all pretty sweet deals for creating your very own, completely customized websites. (And definitely much cheaper than hiring a designer!)
So, without further ado, here’s our list.
1. Squarespace
This drag-and-drop website builder offers good looking templates that are all optimized for mobile, free custom URLs, unlimited storage, and lots of other features.
Among Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students, this tends to be the favorite. There are several templates you can start with that are specifically designed to show off your work. Just filter by “portfolio” in the templates section of the site.
2. GoDaddy
If you’re looking to get started for free, GoDaddy offers the option to create a website and add premium features when you’re ready. Of course, if you want a custom domain (like, [yourname].com), you’ll need to purchase at least the basic plan.
3. Wix
This site has hundreds of templates to choose from, which can be a little overwhelming. The quality of the templates, though, is very impressive.
4. Weebly
This is another solid choice with plenty of happy customers and a solid track record of reliability. Now backed by Square, its messaging focuses on e-commerce but don’t be fooled: it’s still a great option for building non-ecomm copywriting portfolios.
5. IMCreator
The templates on this site tend to be a little more modern and edgy and the functionality can take a bit of work to figure out, but the end results are very impressive.
For the Tech Inclined: WordPress
OK, we’re going to be honest: we hesitated even putting WordPress on the list. But in terms of customization options, WordPress can’t be beat.
That said, it requires a bit more tech savvy than the other options. You certainly do not need to know how to code or become a web developer to make WordPress work for you. But, if you’re looking for easy, straightforward, drag-and-drop functionality, one of the other options on the list is definitely a better fit.
So, given the learning curve with WordPress, we recommend having insider support to ensure you can make your site do what you want it to do.
That’s where graphic designer extraordinaire Emma Kate comes in.
(Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students: you may remember Emma Kate from the 2023 Summer Freelance Summit! Catch her session by going to Special Events > Summer Freelance Summit > Summer Freelance Summit 2023)
Emma Kate is a graphic designer turned WordPress web developer. And she’s created the go-to online course for designers that is *equally* valuable for copywriters who want to use WordPress to build their own websites.
Get all the details about Emma Kate’s WordPress course right here >>
Which Portfolio Site is Best for You
This is just a sampling of sites and more are being added everyday, but that only means that there is no excuse for you not to get your online portfolio up and live right away!
Try a few options out to see which one is easiest for you to use. Choosing a website platform is entirely personal and the best choice is the one that’s going to allow you to get your website up and going the fastest.
Just be careful: resistance is sneaky and while spending hours upon hours scrolling each option doing your research may feel like progress on your goals, it’s often a delaying tactic from the real work. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes per site getting a feel for the options. Really, set a timer. Then narrow down your focus to your top option.
And now it’s your turn: What do you think is the best portfolio site for copywriters? Let us know in the comments below!
Need to build your portfolio? Here’s more info to help:
- How to Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition
- The Biggest Print Portfolio Mistake
- 3 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Portfolio Site
- One Tactic to Set Your Online Portfolio Apart
- Why You Need a Standalone Portfolio Site
Last Updated on January 11, 2024
I have just read your comments about the objective section of the Resume and while I agree with some of your comments I do not agree with all of them. One should be familiar with a prospective client/employers stated mission and also be at least knowledgeable in the gendre of what the Company is producing or in business with or for. What is the service or product. What is the Market and also where and the size of the area of influence. Is it international in scope or simply local. Can it become in any way international. Having said all ths in the objective section of the resume one should put as ones aim in Bullet Form what he/she intends to do in the way of furthering the Company’s mission and goals. In this part too you can let them know that you have researched the company. But keep it brief. Personnel or Management do not have enough time to read long and wordy missives. IN All communication respect their time BUT do not appear to be mousey or submissive.
Hi John! Actually, I don’t think you and I are disagreeing at all: I agree that you need to be familiar with the company’s objectives—that needs to be part of your overview; specifically, how you can help that company meet those objectives. Your overview should be exactly as you’re saying: what you can do for the company. Unfortunately, many people write overviews that are more about what they want the company to do for them and miss out on an opportunity to really sell themselves.
Thanks for commenting!
– Nicki and the Filthy Rich Writer team
Virb? Wix? Are you kidding me? No no no…. (with the greatest of respect)….
If you want a good website, well designed then you must (to start with atleast) go to WordPress.com using a custom domain. It’s good for most non technical writers, but if you want to go a step further then a custom site built on WordPress.org platform is the way to go.
If all of this is above your head then hire a dude to do it for you.
Regards, Larry
Hi Larry,
Well, we’ll have to agree to disagree. 🙂 Wix and Virb (and a few other sites like them) actually have very robust capabilities in terms of allowing people to create attractive and even flexible portfolio sites. While I’m certainly a fan of WordPress.org, the steep learning curve can turn people off and keep them from creating a site at all, which is a terrible situation since a portfolio site is so essential for a copywriter. The problem, too, with hiring someone to build a site for you means that you need to then re-hire someone every time you want to add to samples to your portfolio or, really, change any element at all about your site. It may be that once copywriters have been in the business for a while, the may choose to change the platform of their site (or not – they may never need to), but I’ll still stand behind the statement that Virb and Wix can be great options for building terrific portfolio sites.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Carbonmade is not free.
https://carbonmade.com/pricing
Hi Bart,
Thanks for that! It was free when I originally wrote the post; I guess they’ve gone in a different direction. 🙂 I’ll update the post.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki