Portfolio · 6 min read
How to build a marketing portfolio as a young marketer
Exactly what a young UK marketer's portfolio should contain in 2026 — case studies, format, hosting and how to present it in interviews.
By Jack Frampton, Apprentice Advocate working at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 10 July 2026
A marketing portfolio is not a design portfolio. Here's what actually gets a young UK marketer hired in 2026.
Three case studies, not thirty
Pick your best three. Context, what you did, one screenshot, one number. Anything more dilutes.
Show the thinking
Employers want to see how you reason, not just the finished asset. Include the brief, the constraint and the trade-off.
Own the URL
Personal domain > Notion > LinkedIn PDF. Owning the URL signals seriousness and helps SEO for your own name.
Update quarterly
Every three months, replace the weakest case study. A live portfolio beats a stale beautiful one.
Frequently asked questions
- What if I don't have paid client work yet?
- Spec projects for real brands or apprentice projects count. Show thinking + execution.
- Should I use a template or custom-build?
- Template first (Notion, Super, Framer). Custom only when you know what you want.
- How long should case studies be?
- 300–500 words each. Long enough to explain thinking, short enough to skim in 60 seconds.
- Should I include failures?
- One is powerful — shows self-awareness and learning. More than one and it reads as inexperience.