The Best Content Strategist Portfolio Examples I Studied and What I Learned From Them

Hiring managers don’t want “pretty content.” They want proof you can diagnose a messy content problem, design a plan, and ship work that moves metrics (or at least moves the product forward in a measurable way).

I’ll show you what to include in a content strategist portfolio, the best practices I see in portfolios that actually get interviews, and five portfolio examples worth borrowing from.

When I say “portfolio,” I’m not talking about a dumping ground of links and PDFs. I’m talking about a curated story that makes someone think, “Yep, this person can lead content decisions.”

Also, quick “why you should listen to me” moment (this always feels a little awkward, but here we are): I landed my first writing job creating software documentation at a video-editing company, and it forced me to show my thinking, not just my output. That same skill translates directly into content strategy portfolios. If you can’t explain your decisions, people assume you didn’t make any.

Alright, let’s get into it.

What is a Content Strategist Portfolio?

A content strategist portfolio showcases relevant work that you’ve done related to implementing strategic decisions around content, including SEO frameworks, internal linking efforts, information architecture, content governance, and cross-channel planning.

When someone lands on your portfolio, they should understand three things quickly:

1. What kind of strategist you are (SEO, UX content strategy, content ops, editorial, growth, brand, etc.)
2. What problems you solve (messy websites, low conversion pages, unclear messaging, content sprawl, inconsistent tone of voice)
3. How you work (your process, collaboration style, and how you measure impact)

The challenge is that content strategy work is often “behind the scenes.” Your best work might be a content audit spreadsheet, a taxonomy and metadata strategy, a set of editorial guidelines, or a customer journey mapping deck.

That’s why a great portfolio isn’t just a collection of work samples. It’s proof you can think strategically, communicate clearly, and make content decisions that hold up in the real world.

If you’re still getting clear on what the job actually looks like day-to-day, check out my breakdown of what a content strategist does.

How to Create an Outstanding Content Strategist Portfolio?

Because a portfolio is all about showing your work as a content strategist, it’s obvious you need some experience to highlight.

But don’t stress if you’re new. Without prior content strategist experience, it’s still possible to build a portfolio, break into the industry, and thrive. The trick is choosing the right portfolio format and showing the kind of strategic thinking that employers pay for.

Here are the baseline criteria I recommend (and yes, you’ve probably seen versions of these before, but I’m going to make them practical):

• A unique introduction is included. Not a generic “I’m passionate about content” opener. A clear positioning statement.
• Your email is easy to find. Don’t make people hunt through menus.
• You demonstrate reflection. Show how you think, what you learned, and how you iterate.
• Your content looks polished. Even if your visuals are simple, your writing should be clean and intentional.
• You request testimonials (when it makes sense). A short quote from a stakeholder can do a lot of work.

Portfolio structure and elements that hiring managers actually care about

If you only take one thing from this article, take this: case studies beat samples.

A portfolio that’s just “here are my blog posts” usually reads like a content creator portfolio. A content strategist portfolio should include strategic documents and decision-making.

The strongest case studies usually contain:

• Business objectives (lead generation, conversion rate lift, reduced support tickets, improved findability)
• Audience research (persona development documents, stakeholder interviews, surveys, usability testing)
• Your strategy (content frameworks, topic clustering, content mapping, channel plans)
• Execution artifacts (content briefs, editorial calendar examples, on-page optimization decisions, structured content templates)
• Measurable outcomes (campaign results, audience engagement, SEO performance, or clear proxy metrics)

Don’t hide your contributions if the work was collaborative. “Framing your contributions” is not bragging, it’s basic clarity. A simple line like “I owned the content audit and governance recommendations” can prevent a lot of confusion.

Inspiration and best practices I’d steal for your portfolio

The best portfolios all do a few things that feel almost boring, but boring is good in hiring:

They lead with outcomes. Even if the outcome is small. “Reduced duplicate pages by 40%” or “created a governance workflow that cut review cycles from 3 weeks to 5 days.”

They show real artifacts. Not just the final page. Show the content audit spreadsheet, the content framework diagram, the editorial structure, the content critique notes.

They show systems thinking. Content strategists don’t just ship a page. They build repeatable patterns: reusable templates, modular frameworks, governance rules, and scalable information hierarchy.

They make it skimmable. Short paragraphs, clear headings, consistent formatting. Your portfolio is a UX test, whether you want it to be or not.

If you want a quick checklist of competencies to mirror in your case studies, I covered them here: Essential Content Strategist Skills

Visual presentation matters (even if you’re “not a visual person”)

You don’t need fancy branding, animations, or a full creative strategy portfolio layout.

But you do need enough visual structure that someone can understand your work fast.

A few easy wins:

• Use screenshots of key artifacts (blur sensitive info if needed)
• Add simple diagrams for user journeys and content frameworks
• Include logos of clients (only if allowed)
• Add lightweight before/after visuals (navigation, page structure, messaging hierarchy)
• Keep typography readable and consistent

And yes, even marketing-adjacent artifacts can belong here. If you did Amazon Premium EBC/A+ content and you can tie it to conversion or engagement, that’s absolutely portfolio-worthy.

If you’re preparing for interviews alongside your portfolio, this helps: Content Strategist Interview Questions

Top Content Strategist Portfolio Examples

Here are my top five content strategist portfolio examples. I’ll walk through what each portfolio does well and what I’d copy if I were building mine today.

1. Kim Gillick delivers quality business cases

Kim does a great job tying content work to business objectives, which is where a lot of portfolios fall apart. Many strategists talk about “improving content,” but Kim’s framing stays grounded in what the business is trying to achieve.

What makes it great:

• Strong business-first storytelling (without losing the user perspective)
• Visual presentation that makes the work feel concrete
• Clear variety across industries and project types (which signals adaptability)

What I’d steal:
The way she positions projects as business cases, not just deliverables. Even when you don’t have perfect metrics, you can still define intent, scope, and expected outcomes.

Key takeaway: Advocate for users, but show you understand business goals too.

End-of-section link: View Kim’s full portfolio website

2. Jessie Beck delivers professionalism

Jessie’s portfolio feels polished in a way that still feels real. The big win here is storytelling with evidence. It’s not “trust me, I did research.” It’s “here’s what the research looked like.”

What makes it great:

• Case studies that show the full workflow, not just the final output
• Visual artifacts that support the story (notes, surveys, prototypes)
• A strong balance between SEO thinking and content strategy thinking

What I’d steal:
The habit of documenting the process as you go. Screenshot the sticky notes, save the draft briefs, capture the content critique feedback. Those artifacts become portfolio gold later.

Key takeaway: Your portfolio should show and tell, not just tell.

End-of-section link: View Jessie’s full portfolio website

3. Rebekah Wolf delivers simplicity in content

Rebekah’s portfolio is a great example of clarity in presentation, especially for product content. She uses screenshots of the UI and explains what’s happening in a way that feels structured and easy to follow.

What makes it great:

• UI screenshots give immediate context
• The narrative is logical and process-driven
• The portfolio signals comfort with complex products and collaboration

What I’d steal:
The pacing. Rebekah doesn’t rush to “here’s the final.” She walks you through the thinking, which is exactly what hiring teams want to evaluate.

Key takeaway: Show your process, not just the finished product.

End-of-section link: View Rebekah’s full portfolio website

4. Josh Tong helps teams create user-friendly digital experiences

Josh’s portfolio is one of my favorites for “systems and strategy” energy. It doesn’t feel like a gallery. It feels like you’re reading how a strategist operates inside a complex organization.

What makes it great:

• Case studies are framed around solving user problems
• Lots of depth on methods and decision-making
• Strong positioning and introduction (you know what he does fast)

What I’d steal:
The emphasis on blogging and publishing. When your portfolio includes thoughtful write-ups, it signals leadership and a habit of documenting and sharing.

Key takeaway: Within seconds, the viewer should know who you are and what you do, then your case studies should prove it.

End-of-section link: View Josh’s full portfolio website

Final Thoughts

If you want to build a content strategist portfolio that actually gets you interviews, don’t overthink the platform. Overthink the proof.

Show me you can:

• understand an audience (research, personas, user journeys)
• design a system (frameworks, governance, information architecture)
• ship decisions (briefs, templates, calendars, optimized content)
• measure impact (or at least show how you would measure it)

That’s what hiring teams are trying to de-risk when they look at your portfolio.

Good luck building yours. And if you’re early in the process, start with one strong case study that shows your thinking end-to-end. You can always expand from there.

FAQ

Here are the most frequently asked questions about content strategist portfolios.

What should a content strategist portfolio include?

A strong portfolio includes a clear positioning statement, 2 to 4 case studies, and supporting artifacts like content audits, content briefs, editorial guidelines, content frameworks, user journeys, and measurable outcomes or proxy metrics.

How many projects should be in a content strategist portfolio?

Usually 3 to 5 strong projects is enough. A smaller portfolio with well-explained decisions is better than a large portfolio that feels like a content dump.

Can I build a content strategist portfolio with no experience?

Yes. Use a self-initiated project: audit an existing website, identify content gaps, propose a strategy, create a lightweight editorial calendar, and write it up as a case study with your reasoning and expected impact.

How do I show impact if I don’t have access to metrics?

Use proxy signals like stakeholder feedback, usability testing insights, reduced duplication, improved findability, fewer support questions, clearer information hierarchy, or documented alignment with business objectives.

Should I include writing samples in a content strategist portfolio?

Yes, but don’t let writing samples be the whole portfolio. Pair samples with context: the audience, the goal, your process, and how you evaluated whether the content worked.

Should I include Amazon A+ (EBC) content or campaign work?

If you can connect it to strategy and outcomes (conversion, engagement, lead generation, clearer messaging), it belongs. Treat it like any other case study: objective, approach, execution, results.