If you’re new to copywriting, you’re probably wondering how to build your portfolio before you actually have things to put in it.
Having an online portfolio site is crucial because it helps “sell” you to prospective employers and clients before they even meet you. The samples in your portfolio prove that you know how to write copy, work with a designer, write to a brand voice, and a dozen other things.
But I understand the confusion with building a portfolio site before you have samples from clients to put in it. That’s where spec ads come in.
What Is a Spec Ad?
Spec ads are ads you create without a company or client paying you to do so. I hate using this word, but they’re like “fake” ads. You create your own creative brief, you find a designer, and you and this designer create ads (or emails or direct mails or any other type of creative) per that brief.
(And don’t forget about the ever-present advertorial. Part ad, part editorial, this kind of ad is one you’ll likely work on as a copywriter. Read more about them here.)
If Audi or Victoria’s Secret or Cheetos or IKEA asked you to do an ad, what would they look like? Okay, now do that. Yes, you don’t have these clients yet, but you can still design ads for what you would do for them and still present them to potential employers as examples of what you can do as a writer.
When you create sample ads, they achieve roughly the same ends that real pieces do. They prove that you know how to write copy and all of the other things I listed earlier.
Note: Creating a spec ad is not the same as writing on spec. For more on writing on spec, click here >>
When to Remove Spec Pieces from Your Portfolio
Are real samples preferable? Of course. A spec ad for McDonald’s is just not going to carry the same weight as a real ad you wrote for McDonald’s, simply because there’s an added layer of implied legitimacy if they hired you to do the work.
But until you are hired by McDonald’s, you need to put something in your portfolio. Spec ads are the smart solution. You need to label these ads as “spec” in your print and digital portfolios. But that won’t take away from their impact: If they’re good, they’ll work in your favor.
When you get real samples, you can start to swap them out for your spec pieces.
But, consider keeping some spec ads in your portfolio even when you have paid samples. Even when you’ve been working as a copywriter for years, there may be industries or mediums you haven’t been paid to write—yet.
Having spec pieces show your ability to write in a range of voices and mediums. For example, if you work with a client and the majority of your work is product descriptions for ecommerce brands selling directly to consumers, you may have spec pieces that show you can write emails for a technology company selling to other businesses.
Watch More: A Word of Caution
One of the biggest spec ad mistakes is designing your own ads. If you work with a designer, you’re going to have a much stronger piece for your portfolio. And you want your portfolio to reflect your best work. You also want clients to know you can collaborate.
Savvy clients are not looking for a copywriter and designer all in one person. They know copy and design are two different skill sets that both take training. And they know very few people are equally skilled at both.
Learn more about designing your own spec ads here and where to find affordable images or watch the video below.
Your Turn
What other questions do you have about spec ads? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on December 13, 2023
Actually there’s a lot of merit in this.
I’m a software developer (with a keen interest in marketing & copywriting). I found having mock projects in my portfolio very helpful early in my career.
It provided a tangible discussion point when discussing the possibilities with prospects. Over time I replaced these with samples from paid projects.
Fast forward a few years, many software developers include open source projects (read: FREE) they have contributed to in their portfolios.
The copywriter’s equivalent could be doing unpaid work for a local charity or community group.
Hi Marcus,
You’re right – doing pro bono work for non-profits can be a great way to add more to a portfolio. I go into a little bit more depth about that here: https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-save-the-world-and-build-your-portfolio/ Non-profit work is definitely challenging though, so people should really aim to have plenty of spec work in their portfolios, too, until they land some paying clients.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
What are the rules when it comes to using logos, pictures and actual picots of the real products in your spec ads?
Hi there,
You can go ahead and use them—just make sure that your spec ads are always clearly labeled as such. It’s really only when it’s not clear that spec ads are spec that usage of logos, images, etc. gets into bad territory. Without them being labeled as “spec” that usage would be fraudulent and maybe even illegal. Does that make sense? I don’t mean to scare you at all, though—you’re free to use them, just be sure to make it clear that your spec ads are spec. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hello,
Thank you for this information—precisely what I needed. I’m thinking of adding some spec ads to my Upwork profile, and I’m wondering: how to label these. As in: title, description, etc.
For example, I have a link with a title that points to the spec ad, pulls up more detail about it. What’s the title?
SPEC: Thingamajig Landing Page Copy
Thingamagjic Landing Page Copy (Spec)
Something like that?
Hi Martin,
I’d just keep it simple and straightforward: Thingamajig Landing Page Copy (Spec) would do just fine. As long as you label it as spec, you’re good.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Good Morning,
I have two people telling me different things about creating spec ads. One is telling me it is okay to use pictures, logos, etc. from google and other sites. While the other is telling me, I have to take my pictures, or they will think my copy is also stolen. I don’t know what to believe! 🙁
Hi Nina,
That’s a great question. You can use pictures and logos from other sites as long as you clearly mark your ads as “spec.” No one is going to expect you to have a multi-million-dollar budget for your spec ads and, since you’re making it clear that you’re a copywriter and these ads are spec, people will understand that the writing is yours but the images aren’t. Does that make sense?
There’s a bigger issue here, though, that you should be aware of: You shouldn’t be making your spec ads yourself. That is, you shouldn’t be making them alone; you should always work with a designer to create them. Part of what your spec ads demonstrate is that you know how to collaborate with a designer to create ads and, if you create them yourself, they don’t show that. Also, it’s probably like that (like the vast majority of copywriters) your skills lie more in the copy realm than in the design realm. That means that you’re creating ads that don’t look “designed”—they look like they were put together by someone without design training. And when your “best foot forward” is a spec ad that doesn’t look professional, it doesn’t make you look professional either, and may make potential client or designer question your taste level. Here’s a post we put together to explain it a bit more: https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-the-number-one-spec-ad-mistake/
Remember, too, that working with designers helps broaden your professional network and a broader network makes it easier to find work. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi, Nicki. I’m just starting out in the CCA and love it so far. Question…when I’m ready to look for designers to work with for spec ads, etc., what do they call themselves? Would it just be “designers” or “copyright designers” or what?
Thanks so much! Chris
Hi Christine,
Welcome to the CCA! (If you haven’t yet, be sure to join our student-only Facebook group!) Yup, just “designers” or “graphic designers” will do it. (BTW, “copyright” the legal term for securing rights over a creation, different from “copywriting” – just so you don’t get confused. 🙂 )
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi Nicki,
I stumbled upon your site while searching for CMS. I have a propensity for seeing what others may have missed. Typos, spelling errors, and more whether minor or substantial leap off the pages and I immediately want to research them. Do copywriters hire proofreaders?
Best,
Michelle
PS: I did notice a typo above. [Grin]
Hi Michelle,
Yes, copywriters do hire proofreaders – we have 700+ pieces of content and copy out in the world, so it takes some time to get through all of them. And even with the eyes on all of them, sadly, we’re still only human. 🙂
Thanks for commenting,
Nicki
Hi Nicki,
I am just now starting to think about getting into copywriting. I lost my virtual assistant job of 12 years 9 months ago and with 14 dogs that i single handedly take care of, my options are limited to 100% remote work. I’m 50 years old and it has been a struggle having my applications rejected or overlooked. I know I have the potential to be a good copywriter with the right training and a mentor.
I’ve been reading your blogs and have understood the concept of spec ads for print ads. Do you recommend creating spec ads to include writing up a product descriptions for items sold online and if so, how would you present it?
Hi Kat,
Yep! Spec ads are a great way to demonstrate your copywriting prowess before you’ve gotten your first paid work. For that reason, most new copywriters will populate the portfolio section of their professional websites with spec pieces to help them land their first paying work. After that, they can swap out their spec pieces for their “produced”/paid samples. And, of course, we go over how to do all of that (step by step) in the the course. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hey Nicki,
Thanks so much for this.
I was wondering about potentially creating a spec ad for a company I’d previously chatted with about my services who didn’t end up wanting to work with me. I was put in touch with them before I was ready to start pitching my services, but we explored the conversation anyway.
What are your thoughts on creating a spec ad for them? Is it a good choice, is it inappropriate?
Thanks!
Hi Andraya,
Great question. You can create a spec ad for any company you’d like! The key is just that every spec ad on your site needs to be clearly and prominently labeled as “spec” – you don’t want to give the impression that you were hired by these companies when you weren’t. You’ll still get all of the benefits of showing off your skill, but you just need to be clear and straightforward about who has hired you versus who hasn’t.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi Nicki, Thanks for this info! I am starting to think about creating spec ads for my portfolio and am wondering if it is typical to pay a designer for these? I imagine it would be ideal to find a designer also in need of spec ads so it’s more of a trading-services situation, but if I just want to get started with my spec projects and can’t find the right beginner designer, would it be best to just pay someone? Thanks!
Hi Dana,
Great question – nope! In general, you want to work with designers who are at the same level of experience as you are so that you *both* benefit from getting spec ads for your portfolio. Instead of paying them, you’re both bartering your services so that you both get great pieces for your portfolio. *Could* you pay a designer? Certainly – but a good designer will cost you. It’s really a matter of whether you have more time at your disposal or more money. If you’ve got more money, you could hire a designer – just make sure you know exactly how you want the projects to shake out. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I had a supplement company and created copy for an entire sales funnel. I ended up closing the business and never using it. Can I still add that to my portfolio?
Yep, absolutely! Just because a business is no longer around doesn’t mean you can’t still use the copy you wrote for it.
When you discuss spec ads, you tell the writers to work with artists to produce a good ad. my question is this:
can i choose an already published ad from a company and just redo the copy, leaving the art/background as is since i don’t know any graphics people because i am just starting?
Good question! Here are links to a few other posts that will help offer guidance as you start your copywriting career and look to build spec ads –
https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-5-places-to-find-photos-for-your-spec-ads/
https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-what-to-look-for-in-a-spec-ad-designer/
https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-5-questions-to-make-your-spec-ads-even-better/
hi Nicki, while creating spec ads on email copies, do I still have to collaborate with a designer to design the emails or just leave the copies like that?