If you’ve ever Googled ‘social media manager portfolio’, ‘social media manager portfolio examples’, or ‘how to create a social media portfolio with no experience’, you’re in the right place. New social media managers will often ask us ‘How do I create a portfolio as a freelance social media manager?’
But here’s the thing — a social media manager's portfolio isn’t just a Canva PDF. It’s your website, your social media presence, your case studies, your results, your strategy. It’s everything a potential client sees before they decide whether to hire you.
So in this article, we're going to break down everything you need to include in your portfolio.
But first, let's make one thing clear. A social media manager's portfolio is VERY different to that of a photographer, website designer, graphic designer, etc, who might have a portfolio showing images of their past work.
Social media management isn’t just about aesthetics or follower numbers – it’s about strategy, analytics, engagement, leads, and sales. And your portfolio needs to prove you can do those things.
What should be in a social media manager portfolio?
A social media manager portfolio should include:
- An about or bio section introducing your skills and expertise.
- Case studies and testimonials to demonstrate experience and success in engaging audiences, creating content and managing online communities.
- Details about your services and offers
- Information on how to apply to work with you
In this article we'll dive into each element of a social media managers portfolio.
Most people create a social media manager portfolio PDF in Canva or Adobe Express. But PDF portfolios can limit you — they’re static, easy to ignore and not optimised for search engines.
Social media manager portfolio: PDF vs website
A social media manager portfolio isn't just a PDF or a website. Your portfolio includes:
- Your website (which might include a specific portfolio page).
- Your social media profile.
- Your wider online presence.
PDF portfolios are great for emailing directly to clients. But a portfolio website can help you appear in Google searches for ‘social media manager portfolio’, work 24/7 and help you to convince a client to take the next steps towards hiring you.
Inside Hubsy, you get a free social media manager portfolio website template — no tech skills needed. You simply drag, drop and update your details.
The key elements of a social media managers portfolio
1. Include a mini bio in your online portfolio.
An about or bio section is where you introduce your skills and expertise, and ensure your target clients start to see you as the right person for them. Most people get this wrong by making it about themselves, whereas it's actually more about your reader and their problems and desires.
Use keywords such as ‘freelance social media manager’, ‘Instagram strategist’, or ‘social media ads specialist’. This helps potential clients AND Google understand what you do.
2: How to use case studies and testimonials in a social media manager's portfolio.
You probably already post testimonials on your website, but a social media managers portfolio should include testimonials with relatable context and more in-dept case studies. Let's go into each one:
Testimonials
A testimonial simply stating you were a pleasure to work with is fairly useless. Being nice to work with should be a given! Great testimonials should include information about:
→ The client's industry or niche
→ The issues they were facing before hiring you
→ The outcomes they experienced from working with you.
You can extract more useful information from clients by asking specific questions. e.g. What improvements have you seen in your business since working with me? How has your life improved since working with me? How many more leads or sales have you achieved since working with me?
When sharing these testimonials on social media, put thought into the copy you include alongside them. If we had a pound for every caption that reads ‘Love getting feedback like this,’ or ‘thanks for the fab review @xxx.’
Instead, add context to the post as explained above to give future clients something tangible to relate to. If they recognise themself in your existing client’s story, they’ll be much more likely to get in touch.
When responding to Google Reviews, if your client hasn't provided the context you want someone to read, consider how you can include it in your reply. “Thanks Joe, it has been so great working with your fitness brand, and so inspiring to see your sales flow in from the new social media strategy”
Case studies
Long-form case studies are a brilliant way to demonstrate the value you provide to businesses and to provide even more context for the services and outcomes you deliver.
This is also a good place to showcase the visual aspects of your work if that’s important to you.
Case studies essentially outline a story of transformation and include four key sections.
- A short intro/description of your client’s business
- The starting point and problems.
- What you did.
- The results.
If you’re using Hubsy, you get pre-built case study templates where you just fill in each section — no formatting or design stress.
Including stats and data in your case studies helps to drive home your expertise and the results a future client can hope to achieve.
If your case study doesn’t lend itself to sales or follower growth data, look for other possible angles, such as the number of hours saved a month on social media or a % increase in leads.
If you're looking for examples of social media managers portfolios look no further! Hubsy includes a free social media manager portfolio website template, complete with layout prompts, case study sections and testimonial blocks — so you’re never starting from a blank page.
3: Include details about your social media management services and offers in your portfolio
Help your reader take the next step by clearly outlining your services. If your portfolio showcases social media management case studies, make that service the hero. Explain what’s included, who it’s for and how it solves the problems you highlighted earlier.
Top tip: Instead of listing every service you offer, focus on the one you most want to be hired for — this helps position you as a specialist, not a ‘does everything’ freelancer.
4. Don't forget to include information about how work with you in your portfolio!
We see this a lot — amazing testimonials, brilliant case studies… and then a dead end. If someone is convinced to work with you, your portfolio needs a clear and simple next step.
Instead of sending people straight to a call booking page, we recommend adding an application form first. Inside Hubsy, your portfolio template includes a built-in application form that collects everything you need to know.
How to include examples of your work in a social media manager portfolio.
You’ve got a few ways to show your skills:
- Include examples directly inside case studies — screenshots of posts, Reels, analytics and before-and-after grids with context so it’s not ‘just a pretty feed’.
- Use your own social media channels to demonstrate your strategy, content style and personality. Your Instagram is part of your portfolio.
- Create blogs, carousels or videos that show your knowledge — for example:
- ‘How to grow your Instagram following’ (with real client screenshots)
- ‘5 reasons to A/B test your ads’
- ‘How to create a consistent brand aesthetic — with before and after images’
Most social media managers ONLY show images of feeds they’ve worked on. A strategic portfolio that includes results, testimonials and case studies immediately sets you apart.
Your portfolio is more than a page — it’s your whole online presence
Remember that your portfolio isn’t just a PDF or a website. It includes your social media, your blog posts, your email list, your guest features, podcasts and even how you show up in comments.
This is good news — because every time you create a piece of content, you’re building your portfolio and your discoverability on Google.
FAQ: Social media manager portfolio
Do I need a portfolio if I’m a new social media manager with no clients?
Yes — start with a simple website or Hubsy portfolio page and include mock strategies, audits of your own content or unpaid projects.
Should a social media manager portfolio be a PDF or website?
PDFs are great for sending directly to potential clients. But a website portfolio can rank on Google, be updated easily and link to forms, testimonials and case studies. Hubsy gives you both options.
What should I write in my bio section?
Keep it client-focused: who you help, what you do and the results you create. Include ‘freelance social media manager’ or your niche to help with SEO.
Can I create a social media manager portfolio in Canva?
Yes — but if you want your portfolio to work online, look professional and be searchable, a website is better. Hubsy gives you an editable website template made just for social media managers.
Ready to create your social media manager portfolio?
Hubsy comes with free website templates including portfolio pages, case study layouts and enquiry forms. It’s the easiest way to build a social media manager portfolio website without tech headaches, WordPress plugins or spending hours in Canva.
