LinkedIn Portfolio for Non-Designers: How to Showcase Your Work Without a Website

LinkedIn Portfolio for Non-Designers: How to Showcase Your Work Without a Website

Nov 24, 2025
5 mins
Siddarth Bhujel

How can non-designers build a LinkedIn portfolio that impresses?

Use LinkedIn’s Featured and Projects sections to display your best work visually. Upload documents, videos, or case studies, and describe outcomes with measurable results. Update it regularly and keep the visuals consistent. It's your website, built directly on LinkedIn.

Cover Image of How to Showcase Your Work On LinkedIn

Not everyone needs a website to prove what they can do. If you’re a marketer, writer, consultant, or student, your LinkedIn profile already acts as a live portfolio; it just needs structure. The key is using LinkedIn’s built-in sections like Featured and Projects to present your work clearly and showcase your work on LinkedIn.

Recruiters and clients search for proof of skill, not just claims. A strong LinkedIn portfolio turns your profile from a résumé into a record of real results.

Why a LinkedIn Portfolio Matters (Even If You’re Not a Designer)

For non-designers, credibility is often invisible; you can’t upload “strategy” or “content planning” as easily as a designer uploads visuals.

That’s where using LinkedIn as your portfolio bridges the gap. It transforms abstract achievements into tangible proof.

Adding work samples like reports, campaigns, blog links, testimonials, or short videos gives people a reason to trust your expertise. According to LinkedIn data, profiles with multimedia content attract 2–3× more engagement and connection requests.

If you want to know how to showcase your work on LinkedIn or learn how to add portfolio to LinkedIn follow these simple steps.

How to Build Your LinkedIn Portfolio Step-by-Step

Step 1: Choose the Right Proof of Work

Gather the projects, posts, or materials that best represent your skills. Focus on outcomes: instead of “wrote blog posts,” say “helped a SaaS startup increase blog traffic by 40% in 3 months.”

Go to your profile → click Add Section → Recommended → Add Featured.

Here you can upload PDFs, images, or videos, or link directly to external work like Medium articles, YouTube videos, or case studies.

Drag to reorder and make your top three pieces the first thing people see.

Step 3: Use the Projects Section for Case-Style Entries

Go to Add Section → Additional → Projects.
Include:

  • Project name and short description
  • Tools and skills used
  • Collaborators (tag them if relevant)
  • Attachments or live links- This section acts like a timeline of credibility, showing real progress across roles or clients.

Step 4: Turn Posts into Portfolio Proof

Some of your strongest work might already exist as LinkedIn posts. Pin those to your Featured section, especially if they share data-backed insights or project outcomes. Visual posts perform best by adding a thumbnail image or short caption to make them pop.

Pro Tips to Strengthen Your LinkedIn Portfolio

1. Stay visual: Use consistent cover images or colors across Featured uploads. It builds a cohesive brand identity.

2. Update quarterly: Refresh with recent work or learning milestones.

3. Show results, not just effort: Include metrics wherever possible (“doubled engagement,” “reduced churn by 25%”).

4. Context matters: Add short notes about what the project was, why it mattered, and what you learned.

5. Promote your Featured work: Write follow-up posts like “How I built this project” or “Lessons from X” to keep the spotlight on your portfolio.

Strong LinkedIn Portfolios Examples

1. Freelance Writer: Links to published blogs, client testimonials, and viral LinkedIn posts.

2. Marketing Consultant: Adds campaign results, PDF slides, and short video explainers.

3. Career Coach: Showcases recorded webinars and student success stories.

4. Developer: Embeds GitHub projects or demo videos under Featured.0

Each of these LinkedIn Profile examples uses real visuals and storytelling, not just descriptions.

Mistakes to Avoid

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Final Thoughts

Your LinkedIn portfolio works best when it tells a clear story, not just what you’ve done, but why it mattered. When someone scrolls through your profile, they should instantly understand your strengths through real examples, not bullet points. A few well-curated projects, explained with context and outcomes, will do more for your credibility than any long list of skills ever could.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build a portfolio on LinkedIn without uploading any files?

Yes. You can still create a strong portfolio by linking to live work, like articles, case studies, or projects hosted elsewhere. Even a well-written post with screenshots or metrics can count as a portfolio item if it demonstrates your results.

How many portfolio items should I include in the Featured section?

Keep 3–6 high-quality pieces. The goal is not volume but clarity. Feature your strongest, most recent, and most visually appealing work that represents your range and expertise.

What kind of content works best for a non-designer portfolio?

For writers: articles, newsletters, or blog links. For marketers: campaign decks, performance screenshots, or videos. For consultants: reports, client testimonials, or frameworks. Anything that shows process, problem-solving, and measurable results works.

Should I add client work or keep it confidential?

If the project isn’t under NDA, you can feature it. Otherwise, anonymize details—use generic titles like “SaaS client” or “E-commerce brand” and focus on your role and the outcome instead of revealing sensitive information. 5. Can I use the same work in both the Featured and Projects sections? Yes. In fact, this helps visibility. You can feature a post or case study for engagement and also list it under Projects with more detailed context and links.

How often should I update my LinkedIn portfolio?

Review and update quarterly. Remove outdated work, add recent projects, and refresh visuals to reflect your current skill level and goals. Active profiles consistently perform better in searches and recommendations.

What’s the best image size or format for LinkedIn portfolio uploads?

For visuals, LinkedIn recommends 1200×627 px images in PNG or JPG format. PDFs under 5 MB are ideal for reports or case studies. Always preview uploads to ensure text and visuals display cleanly on both desktop and mobile.

How can I make my portfolio stand out on LinkedIn?

Combine visual consistency with storytelling. Use a clean cover image style across all uploads, write short descriptions that focus on outcomes, and link each project to a relevant post or update. Add context, not just content, to make each piece meaningful.

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