For freelance journalists, maintaining a strong online presence is crucial. Pitching groundbreaking story ideas to an editor is unlikely to yield results if they are unfamiliar with your work. A well-structured digital portfolio can also strengthen job applications, as editors often review published work before responding to candidates.
Social media platforms such as X, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram offer useful avenues for building a personal brand. However, there are several other platforms that may better suit your professional needs. Here are some valuable options to consider:
General Portfolio Platforms
These platforms primarily cater to written content but may support multimedia, with the exception of Medium.
Clippings.me
- Pricing: Free (basic plan with limited clippings) or premium (£8/month) for features like a custom domain and Google Analytics integration.
- Best for: Journalists with extensive written work who need an organised portfolio with some multimedia support.
About.me
- Pricing: Free (basic plan) or premium (£5/month) for a custom domain, meeting scheduling, and video page options.
- Best for: Trainers and consultants who need a simple landing page that encourages client engagement.
Pressfolios
- Pricing: £12/month with a 14-day free trial.
- Best for: Job-seeking journalists who want to curate their best articles and highlight their skills for recruiters.
Muck Rack
- Pricing: Free for journalists.
- Best for: Professionals who want to track bylines and network effortlessly, as the platform automatically compiles published articles.
Authory
- Pricing: £12/month (basic tier with automated content and analytics) or £19/month (professional tier with custom domain and more frequent updates). A two-week free trial is available.
- Best for: Freelancers contributing to multiple publications, as the platform automatically collects and archives published work.
Contently
- Pricing: Custom quotes available upon request.
- Best for: Freelance journalists seeking new work opportunities, as the platform connects portfolios with potential clients.
Writer’s Residence
- Pricing: Free 30-day trial, then £7/month for unlimited writing samples, a custom domain, and personal support.
- Best for: Writers who prefer a straightforward portfolio without extra complexities.
Writerfolio
- Pricing: Free demo (basic features) or premium (£3/month) for a personalised URL, additional themes, and unlimited samples.
- Best for: Writers who want a simple portfolio without advanced design tools.
Multimedia Portfolio Platforms
These platforms cater to video, audio, and social media content beyond the standard options like YouTube and SoundCloud.
Wakelet
- Pricing: Free (basic plan with limited collections) or premium (£5/month) for video uploads, extra storage, and premium templates.
- Best for: Journalists working with visual content or social media, as it enables curated visual storytelling through integrations.
Vimeo
- Pricing: Free (basic plan with limited storage). Paid tiers start at £15/month for 100GB storage, auto-captions, and custom URLs.
- Best for: Videographers and video journalists needing high-quality storage and showcase options.
Crevado
- Pricing: Free (basic plan with limited media types), plus (£6/month), or premium (£8/month) for expanded galleries, HD video, and audio support.
- Best for: Multimedia journalists needing a centralised home for video, audio, and graphic design work.
Website Builders for Portfolios
These platforms enable users to create a personalised portfolio from scratch, beyond mainstream options like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace.
Adobe Portfolio
- Pricing: Included in Adobe Creative Cloud (£57/month).
- Best for: Photojournalists and multimedia creators using Adobe tools, as it integrates with Behance and Lightroom.
Journo Portfolio
- Pricing: Free (basic plan) or paid tiers: Plus (£4/month), Pro (£7/month), and Unlimited (£10/month).
- Best for: Freelancers producing both written and video content who also want a platform for selling services.
Format
- Pricing: Free trial available. Paid tiers: Basic (£8/month), Pro (£11/month), and Pro Plus (£13/month).
- Best for: Photojournalists and freelancers seeking an elegant showcase for visual work.
Carbonmade
- Pricing: Free trial available. Paid plans: Beginner ($9/month), Pro ($12/month), and Unlimited ($22/month).
- Best for: Photo and video journalists who want an unbranded portfolio with unlimited projects.
Note: This article is an updated version of a piece originally published on 19 November 2014 by Alastair Reid and on 22 October 2022 by Marcela Kunova.