Published on November 12th, 2024
Indeed, among those things that are currently considered a must-have for businesses and even to the individual is having an online presence. Online presence, as you will find out, is one of the most important tools for communication and engagement, whereby you can reach more of your target market or audience while discovering new potential customers or followers.Â
One of the first steps is to assess goals and purposes behind having any kind of online presence. Will you sell some products, share information, or put up a portfolio? Define a vision for moving on, so you create a web portal that serves certain needs. Now, with user-friendly website builders and content management systems, even the most basic of abilities can create a very professionally looking online presence. Most such hosting providers have customizable templates and features like drag-and-drop, making the design process much more manageable.
Of course, you must also know a lot about your target audience. Their preferences, behavior, and needs form the foundation upon which to make their content and design suitable. And then there’s an attractive, functional website that lets the world know about your brand or personal identity while at the same time giving visitors a good deal in terms of informative blog posts, riveting graphics, or easier navigation.
Such investment in time in research and design will both simplify the process of building your web portal and enhance overall user experience. The better the design, the more encouraging the website is likely to be for visitors to click around and, thus increase their chances of conversion or engagement. When you target these, then you have a very effective online presence, which will leave a long-lasting impression and help you attain your goals successfully in the digital world.
Web Portal Market Statistics and Trends
- The web portal market will grow at 11.2% CAGR in the period of 2020-2025. This market size will reach USD 10.33 billion by 2025.
- North America dominated with the highest market share in 2020, mainly owing to the strong presence of leading technology companies and rapid take-up rates of advanced web solutions
- This strong demand for customizing the user experience has kick-started the development of web portals with AI
- The Asia-Pacific region will prove to be the fastest-growing with a high CAGR of 12.3% over the estimated timeframe.
- This segment of the market also holds promise for investment in web portals because AI in web portal development is imperative, as it forms a significant role in improving the user experience of the portal by personalization.
- It has accelerated the need for most sectors to have a more robust and scalable web portal due to the work-from-home and digital transformation trend.
- Over 50% of web traffic constitutes mobile devices, therefore, need to access it through mobile devices to maximize.
- Healthcare, education, and e-commerce comprise of some the key reasons why online traffic to different web portals is rising to enable service deliveries and engagements.
- The most evident trend through which other digital tools and platforms, including CRM and ERP systems, are integrated is through improving web portals‘ efficiency and functionality.
- Cyber security will be a tremendous issue that will fuel the implementation of strengthened security measures and protocols for web portals.
Also Check: An Ultimate Guide for Web application Development
How to Build a Web Portal in 7 Steps
It can enhance the engagement of the user, facilitate the streamlining of business processes, and allow customers to have customized experiences. The development of a web portal can be divided into simple steps toward the development of a customer portal, an employee intranet, or just one integrative platform combining several business functions.
Step 1. Defining the Goals and Purpose for Building the Web Portal
This is a very critical step to take before the actual launch of any development project. Evidently, in the objectives, it should be clear what specific reason why a web portal needs to be developed. Such knowledge will not only guide and inform the design and functionality, but it will also guide all decisions taken in the whole development process. For example, you can have a portal that meets the diversified needs of the target audiences and enables these audiences to interact with each other meaningfully by identifying specific meaningful objectives like increasing the participation of users, making access to the information easier to seek, or enhancing customer service.
Now, it also becomes evident that a well-articulated objective would result in the goal’s alignment with other significant business goals, whichever could be in terms of brand visibility, sale enhancements, or even community engagement. In the above scenario, the alignment will help in better usability and enhance the most towards success for your business in the marketplace. Clear objectives will also facilitate enhancement in the communication for all stakeholders and your team members as well to make sure that all parties concerned are aligned with the common focus.
Setting goals right at the beginning can save much such precious resources-be it time or money-and eventually yield a quality final product that shall be cherished by the users. Thoughtfully designed web portals can also be pretty efficient tools for your business by bringing long-term relationships with the users and eventually yielding higher success rates for your organization in the long term.
Step 2. Market Research Your Target Audience and Competitors
After setting clear objectives for the web portal, you would have to conduct very intensive market research on your target audience and competitors. This would include collecting demographical data on the preferences and conducts of your target users, so as to be better in the know about what your target users might need and want.
A second implication from an analysis of the web portal of your competitors is what strategies it pursues, its main strengths and weaknesses, and what those may mean for you. Gaps in the market or where the competitor is deficient may form an opportunity for differentiating your web portal by offering unique features that address pain points for the user.
Market research is an ongoing process, and so it also has to be carried out while developing your web portal, so that at all times the outcome would be valid and also competitive. Some information regarding possible changes or updates of your web portal may be gathered from your target audience and, of course, observing your competitor’s moves.
Why do you need Competitor Analysis?
It is pertinent to construct a successful web portal by mentioning competitor analysis. Knowing what the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors are will position your web portal better to stand out in the market, meeting the needs of the target audiences.
The main advantages of competitor analysis are as follows:
- Unique selling points for the web portal
- Understanding market trends and demands
- Insights into what works well and what does not in the industry
- Identify opportunities to leverage strengths or differences
In competitive analysis, note the following:
Competitors’ web portals: Just note the key competitors and their web portals in context. This will enable an overall view of the existing landscape of the market and what can be portrayed as differences.
Features and functionalities: See what features and functionalities your other competitors’ web portals are offering. That would then give you an idea of what the users want and what is missing in the marketplace.
Design and experience: Note the type of design elements and the overall user experience your competitors’ web portals have to offer. For example, this will help identify what works well in usability, navigation, or visual appeal.
Target Group: Analyze the kind of target group that your competitors hit with their web portal. On this point, you may well have a clearer view defining the target group which is relevant for you and how to present the same to them using your web portal.
Marketing Strategies: Research the marketing strategies employed by your competitors to promote their web portals. This may probably give you ideas on how to reach out and keep your targeted audience engaged.
Step 3. Finalize Features of Your Web Portal
Finalize the features and functionalities that you would want to include in your web portal after conducting your competitor analysis. Specifically, consider the following
| Feature | Description | Priority |
| User Authentication | Secure login and registration system, including options for social media sign-in. | High |
| Responsive Design | Ensure the web portal is fully responsive and accessible on various devices and screen sizes. | High |
| Search Functionality | Advanced search capabilities allowing users to find content quickly and efficiently. | Medium |
| Personalized Dashboard | Customizable user dashboards displaying relevant information and updates. | High |
| Content Management System (CMS) | Easy-to-use CMS for updating content without the need for technical expertise. | High |
| E-commerce Integration | Seamless integration with payment gateways and shopping cart functionality. | Medium |
| Analytics and Reporting | Tools for tracking user behavior and website performance metrics. | Medium |
| Chat Support | Live chat feature for providing real-time assistance to users. | Low |
| Community Forum | A section for users to interact, post questions, and share knowledge. | Medium |
| Integration with Third-party APIs | Support for integrating with external services such as CRM, email marketing, and more. | Medium |
| Multi-language Support | Option for users to switch between multiple languages. | Low |
| Security Features | Robust security measures, including data encryption and regular security audits. | High |
| SEO Optimization | Implement best practices for search engine optimization to improve visibility. | Medium |
| Notifications and Alerts | Push notifications and email alerts for important updates and reminders. | Low |
| Feedback System | Mechanism for gathering user feedback and suggestions. | Medium |
By focusing on such requirements, user needs, market trends, and business goals, the developed portal will be best suited to the competitive landscape.
Must Check: 8 Outstanding Web Portal Examples
Step 4. Choose the Right Web Portal Development Company for the Custom Development of an Online Portal
There is a basic requirement to partner with an experienced and reliable company to develop a customized web portal. They would have all the expertise, resources, and experience required to bring your vision together and to a high-quality portal that meets all of their requirements.
So, do proper research and evaluate them on their portfolio, client review, technology stack, communication process, project management methodology, pricing structure, and post-development support services before choosing the development partner for your project.
A good web development company will not only provide technical know-how but also valuable insights and suggestions for improving the functionality and usability of your portal.
Collaboration with the right partner will result in a good development process and a great web portal. The most important task is judicious evaluation and then proper choice of the right web development partner to meet the set goals and visions for the portal.
In addition to technical ability, an ideal development partner shall possess with extraordinary communication skills, be open to critical feedback, and target a customer-centric approach.
Step 5. Design the UI/UX of Your Business Web Portal
User interface (UI) and user experience (UX): It plays a very critical role for any web portal in terms of its success. It must be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and intuitive to the user in interacting.
A well-designed UI/UX: This will improve the user journey, engagement, and result in more conversions. In addition, a good UI/UX will lead to improved customer satisfaction.
While designing the UI/UX for your business web portal, one must consider the branding guidelines one has to follow or the preferences of the target audience, the functionality requirements of an industry, or sometimes standard industry practices. Moreover, maintaining the design clean, organized, and constant throughout the entire portal is extremely important.
Step 6: Development Of Your Custom Portal Website
With the requirements established for the design and functionality, you are ready to take your web portal into reality through development.
Your chosen web development company should be highly experienced in developing a custom-made website that meets the business requirements. In fact, among such requirements, they should be well-versed in programming languages and content management systems, including CMS tools like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla.
Once all the design and functionality requirements have been established, it is time to bring your web portal to life through development.Â
Development Process Overview
| Step | Description |
| Requirement Analysis | Collaborate with stakeholders to gather and document all functional and non-functional requirements. |
| Tech Stack Selection | Choose the most suitable technologies, programming languages, and CMS based on project requirements and goals. |
| Prototype Creation | Develop a prototype to visualize the website layout, design elements, and key functionalities. |
| Backend Development | Build the server-side components including databases, server logic, and integrations with third-party systems. |
| Frontend Development | Develop the client-side part of the portal ensuring a responsive and accessible design across all devices. |
| Integration | Integrate various modules, APIs, and third-party services ensuring seamless communication between components. |
| Testing | Conduct comprehensive testing including unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests (UAT) to ensure quality. |
| Deployment | Deploy the portal to a production environment and ensure all configurations and optimizations are in place. |
| Maintenance | Provide ongoing support, updates, and troubleshooting to ensure the portal runs smoothly post-launch. |
This structured approach ensures that every aspect of your custom portal website is meticulously planned, developed, and tested before going live, guaranteeing a robust and efficient final product.
Roles and Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibilities |
| Project Manager | Oversee the project from inception to completion, coordinating between teams and ensuring timelines and budgets are adhered to. |
| Business Analyst | Gather requirements from stakeholders, document specifications, and ensure all project needs are clearly communicated to the development team. |
| UX/UI Designer | Create user-friendly and visually appealing designs, wireframes, and prototypes that enhance user experience and meet project aesthetic goals. |
| Frontend Developer | Develop responsive and accessible client-side interfaces using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and relevant frameworks. |
| Backend Developer | Build and maintain the server-side functionality, manage databases, and ensure seamless integration with frontend applications and third-party services. |
| QA Tester | Conduct rigorous testing, including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing, to identify and resolve potential issues before deployment. |
| DevOps Engineer | Ensure efficient deployment and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes, and manage the production environment. |
| Content Strategist | Plan and create content that aligns with the website’s goals and user needs, coordinating with designers and developers to implement it effectively. |
| SEO Specialist | Optimize the website for search engines, enhance its visibility and ranking, and ensure adherence to SEO best practices throughout the development process. |
| Support Technician | Provide post-launch support, troubleshoot issues, and ensure regular updates and maintenance are performed to keep the portal running smoothly. |
This table details the general roles and responsibilities required to effectively build and maintain a custom portal site that promotes teamwork and accountability by varied departments and functions.
Step 7. Testing and Launch of Your Web PortalÂ
With a Web Portal website developed and in place, you must test the site yourself, finding any bugs or flaws before your release to the public. No website will work perfectly right out of the gate-it will take some time for the developers to iron out the bugs in the code and ensure that all of the functionalities on the website work as expected and goals are accomplished.
Testing may thus involve a number of tests like unit test, integration tests, UAT and regression testing. The purpose of unit testing is to check the individual components or units of code for correctness whereas the integration testing will confirm that all these units work according to the requirement.
The following is a structured approach to testing and deployment for an effective and smooth launch:
| Test Type | Objective | Tools/Methods Used |
| Unit Testing | Verify the functionality of individual components or units of code. | JUnit, NUnit, pytest, Jasmine |
| Integration Testing | Ensure different modules and services work together as intended. | Postman, SoapUI, Selenium, JMeter |
| System Testing | Validate the complete and integrated software to check that it meets the requirements. | TestRail, HP ALM, Selenium |
| User Acceptance Testing | Confirm that the system meets the business requirements and is ready for use by end-users. | UAT scripts, end-user scenarios |
| Regression Testing | Ensure that recent code changes have not adversely affected existing functionalities. | Selenium, QTP, TestComplete |
| Performance Testing | Assess the system’s performance, stability, and scalability under different conditions. | Apache JMeter, LoadRunner, Gatling |
| Security Testing | Identify vulnerabilities and ensure that the application is secure from attacks. | OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, Veracode |
| Beta Testing | Collect feedback from actual users in a controlled environment before full deployment. | Beta test management tools, surveys |
After completing these tests, proceed with the following steps:
| Deployment Step | Objective | Key Actions |
| Code Review | Ensure the quality and consistency of the codebase. | Peer reviews, static analysis tools |
| Final UAT Approval | Obtain final sign-off from stakeholders and end-users. | Review UAT results, stakeholder approval |
| Backup and Rollback Planning | Prepare in case something goes wrong during deployment. | Create backup, plan rollback procedures |
| Deployment to Production | Officially launch the website to the public. | Deploy code, configure environment |
| Monitoring and Post-Launch Support | Continuously monitor the website’s performance and provide support for any arising issues. | Monitoring tools, support team ready |
This table encapsulates the structure of testing and launching your customized portal website, the core elements that make it easier to transfer from development to actual use in operation.
Suggested: Brief Guide on Custom Web Application Development
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Web Portal?
The cost of creating a web portal varies drastically due to the complexity of the portal, features required, technology stack, and whether one is choosing to hire an in-house team or outsource to a development agency. A simple web portal ranges as average between $5,000 to $20,000. This usually has pretty basic features mainly user authentication, a simple dashboard, and content management functionalities.
Depending on the nature of the website being developed, costs like e-commerce, third-party services, better security, and custom integrations maybe $20,000 and $100,000 or more. Other than one-time costs for website development, hosting, maintenance, and updates sometimes are recurrent. For an approximately right estimate for your special case, having an extensive discussion with your development team about your specific requirements and scope would be the best course of action.
Some examples of web portals, along with approximate cost, have been given in the table below:
| Web Portal Type | Estimated Cost | Examples |
| Basic Web Portal | $5,000 – $20,000 | Company Intranet, Basic CMS |
| E-commerce Portal | $20,000 – $50,000 | Online Stores, Marketplace Platforms |
| Educational Portal | $15,000 – $40,000 | E-learning Systems, Student Portals |
| Social Networking Portal | $30,000 – $100,000 | Community Forums, Social Media Sites |
| Custom Enterprise Portal | $50,000 – $150,000+ | CRM Systems, Business Intelligence |
This table framework captures the essence of testing and launching your custom portal website, ensuring a seamless transition from development to operational use.
How Long Does it Take to Create a Web Portal?
It depends on the complexity of the web portal’s features and how experienced the development team is. For simple web portals, it will take three to six months. For more complex one, it may demand a whole year or beyond.
- Factors that might affect the development timeline
- Number of features and integrations
- Complexity of the design and interface
- The scale of the project
- Experience and size of the development team
- Resources and technology stack deployedÂ
Here is a table that summarizes the estimated timelines for different types of web portals:
| Web Portal Type | Estimated Development Timeline |
| Basic Web Portal | 3 – 6 months |
| E-commerce Portal | 6 – 9 months |
| Educational Portal | 4 – 8 months |
| Social Networking Portal | 9 – 12 months |
| Custom Enterprise Portal | 12 months – 18 months |
This table provides an overview of the development timelines based on how complex and vast the various projects of the web portal can be. Keep in mind that these are only estimation times; actual project requirements and challenges can make them different.
How Can iTechnolabs Help You With Web Portal Development?
iTechnolabs offers custom portal building with a team of expert web developers and designers. Our approach to web portal development would be to deeply understand your business requirements and goals along with the audience that the portal is targeted towards.
Our team will work together to ensure that a comprehensive project plan and timeline are established that aligns with the budget and timeline expectations set. We leverage our domain expertise in various technologies, from CRM systems and business intelligence tools to designing scalable portals that can suit your specific needs.
Custom Development: We meet your business requirements by tailoring an exact fit with the web portal to achieve your precise objectives and requirements.
Professional Experienced Team: All our developers and designers are professionally experienced and specialize in web portal development, thus ensuring excellence in the final results.
Comprehensive Project Plan: A comprehensive project plan including timelines, milestones, and budget estimates is provided.
Technology Expertise: We will use the best and latest technologies and tools, such as CRM systems and business intelligence, to ensure scalable portals.
User-Centric Design: Our design principle is user-centric. We’ll provide an interesting interface for your target audience through intuitive navigation.
Continuous Support: Our offered support and maintenance services will ensure that your portal remains updated and functional.
Integration Capabilities: It integrates really well with third-party services as well as other existing systems to enhance the functionality and efficiency of your web portal.
Conclusion:
In a word, a web portal is an establishment that makes a business a contact point with customers, partners, and employees. They represent sites for information sharing, communication, and collaboration. Therefore, our comprehensive approach to web portal development enables the delivery of tailored solutions oriented toward reaching your specific business needs and goals. Experience, combined with the use of the most advanced technologies and tools, gives us the ability to build stable, scalable portals promoting user experience and business development.
Frequently Asked Questions for Web Portal DevelopmentÂ
Can a web portal be created by only ChatGPT or OpenAI?Â
No, it is not possible to develop a web portal purely with the help of ChatGPT or OpenAI. Though AI tools like these may support particular areas of web development, they can never replace a human developer in their job of designing and maintaining a full-fledged quality web portal. Other skills and expertise that might be used in successful web portal development include design, programming, and integration. Therefore, to succeed together, there is a need for both AI tools and human developers.
What are the best examples of customized web portals?
Among the most notable examples of customized web portals are Salesforce, Amazon Seller Central, and Microsoft Dynamics. Such portals are generally highly customized to meet specific business needs and have a large variety of features and functionalities. Other examples include Airbnb for Hosts, PayPal Business Center, and Google My Business. Each portal renders a unique user experience and is an indispensable tool for businesses in their respective fields.
What is the difference between websites and web portals?
Although, on first glance, websites and web portals are really similar and thus contrast, they have different purposes and traits. A website is simply a group of linked web pages focused on presenting information about some topic or business. A web portal is a single point of access to many applications, services, and sources of data. A website, while inherently information-gathering, is typically more activity-oriented, offering higher degrees of user authentication, content personalization, and task management.
