How an Updated Portfolio Can Be a PR Machine

When was the last time you looked at your digital portfolio? You know the one. The screenshots of websites you’ve built, the links to articles you’ve written, the case studies on your blog about recent client successes.That, my friend, is your portfolio.And while it’s out there collecting digital dust, it isn’t doing you any favors either.Your online representation can be a selling point for your products and services – if you give it the time of day it deserves.Mom always said “treat others the way you want to be treated” and this is no exception. If you want to attract new clients, get interviews from top podcasters, and make a name for yourself in your niche, you’re going to want an updated portfolio of your work. So just like you put time and energy into your client work, it’s crucial that you set aside a little space to update your own brand too.Want to know what an updated portfolio can do for you (aka why you should actually do this) and how to go ahead and get it done?Awesome. Let’s talk about it.

I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Gosh Darnit, People Like Me

You. Are. A. Rockstar.Yes, you.And you’ve worked really hard to build your brand and your expertise, and you have some serious chops to show for it.So why leave your online portfolio showcasing the work you did two years ago? Imagine scheduling some new headshots with your favorite photographer and they say “go ahead and dress like you did in 1995”. While the ‘90s had some great gems to offer us, you might hesitate to cuff your sleeves, pop your collar, and double up on the scrunchy socks. It’s just not who you are today.(If this IS who you are today, please send us photographic evidence. We need to know you.)When you first slapped your website up, you likely gathered customer testimonials, put together images and links of your best work, and wrote up blog posts about your big wins in your business.And, like a car that needs an oil change every 3,000 miles, that digital portfolio is in need of some modern day updating.When you keep your brand image updated, it can truly lead to unexpected opportunities.Okay, so you’re convinced (finally!) to keep things current on your digital home. Sweet. Now you want to know what to update and how often, huh? How about a little checklist to keep things simple?

Completed Client Work

Feels obvious but not enough of us do it so let’s cover this one first.When you wrap up your work with a client, be sure to grab screenshots or links and include that work in your portfolio. This could look like:

• Screenshots of webpages you’ve designed
• Links to sales page copy you wrote
• Photos you took
• Images of flowers you arranged
• Before and after shots of fitness goals your personal training clients met

...you get the idea. Basically whenever you wrap up working with a client, document what you did for them and give that a new spot on your website.The Wonder Jam is a branding and design agency with a constantly revolving set of clients and work. With everything from personal brands to cookbook shoots, they have a lot to cover and their portfolio is always evolving to show their latest work.TWJ IMAGEPR Points: Updated work shows what you can be hired for! If you want to photograph more cookbooks but your portfolio doesn’t show any of your recent food photography, how will a publisher know they can hire you? An updated set of client work shows potential customers and promoters what you’re capable of.

Testimonials and Case Studies

Nothing tells the story of a happy client better than, well, a story of a happy client.So you want your portfolio to include testimonials from those happy clients and one other secret weapon…The Case Study.Joanna Wiebe (founder of Copyhackers) recommends baking permission for a case study right into your client contracts, which is a great game plan. Tell your clients up front that you want to do a case study when the work is complete and then follow up on that as you wrap up.Case studies require a little extra work as you go so don’t worry if you haven’t done one yet. We have a few tips:

• Start a document (Google Doc, Evernote file, old fashioned notebook) where you can make notes of where you’re starting out with a particular client. Depending on your niche, you might want to keep track of things like pageviews on their website, body mass index, cost per click, number of customers… starting data like that.
• As needed, grab screenshots for supporting evidence of that starting point and/or key milestones along the way.
• Once your work is done, gather the same data as you did when you started and note the change. Again, this will be specific to your area of expertise.

Now before you forget, block off time in your calendar to write that case study. It doesn’t have to be long and those screenshots or photos can be great visual aides that practically write it out for you. Add a few details of how you achieved the results you got and be sure to link up that services page so a case study reader can become your next customer.PR Points: Case Studies are easy quotable copy for journalists and other media pros. If you want to promote a particular area of your business and have a ready-to-go case study for that work, you can share those details with members of the media and they have the data and research they need to make you look good!

Media Mentions

Your online portfolio can be a powerhouse PR machine when you let it do all of the talking for you. So when you’ve been mentioned on another website, link to that piece in your portfolio. You could have a “Media” or “Press” page on your site or you could put them all together at the bottom of your portfolio page like Jessica Lawlor does here:LAWLOR IMAGESo what kind of mentions are you including here?

• Quotes as a topic expert
• Interviews about how you run your business
• Awards given to you by other businesses
• Write ups on conferences you’ve spoken at
• Podcasts you’ve appeared on

Sharing media mentions adds to your street cred so be sure to put these on your website as soon as they come out.PR Points: Media loves media. Sharing interviews you’ve done shows potential interviewers how easy it is to work with you. Showing articles you were quoted in tells people that others see you as an expert (and they should too). Podcast hosts love to know you’ve recorded a thing or two in your lifetime. Social proof is a huge piece of leverage that helps people know you’re the go-to expert in your niche.

Ohhh Shiny!

Look at that. With just three little things on your radar you can have a shiny new digital portfolio every time you complete a gig! Just like anything else that piles up over time (lookin’ at you, sink full of dishes) it’s easier to tackle it as you go than to try to do a big overhaul all at once.So set aside a little time at the end of each client project moving forward and keep your digital portfolio as fresh as you are.We’re curious…How often do you update your portfolio?Any tips on how to prioritize this project?Tell us in the comments how your portfolio works hard for you!