Important Things To Consider While Developing A Web Portal
Technology has advanced so much today that every business now needs to have an online presence in the form of websites, web portals, or social media accounts. Many companies today seem to prefer web portals to deliver some user-specific information to their clients. With this being the case, the demand for web portals is on par or even greater than websites.
To create a web portal, there are some things that a company should consider first – the budget of the project, what they need from it, which web development company to hire, and so on. This is why the development of web portals can take some work and planning. In order to help with this, in this article, we will address some key points that need to be remembered by a business and a development company, when developing a web portal.
What is a Web Portal?
A web portal is similar to a website in its functioning but unlike a website, a web portal is more user-eccentric. A web portal often requires members to login or sign up to access certain features that are available only to registered users. Other times, a web portal is used by organizations like businesses, government departments, and universities to give out user-eccentric information.
From the perspective of a business, a web portal can be a very profitable technology as it enables them to regulate the information they give out and invite only a specific kind of user traffic. If a company requires something like that, rather than a website that would be open to all, then they can choose to hire a web portal development company to build a web portal for them.
Things To Consider When Developing a Web Portal
Now that we know what a web portal is and why businesses may want to use it, let’s address some of the things that need to be considered before developing a web portal.
1. Cater To All The Requirements of a Target Audience or Client
A company should have a target audience identified for its products and services. Once the target audience is identified, the goals of the company can be achieved accordingly. These goals will need to change and evolve according to the needs of the customers and doing so, will ensure that the company remains relevant in the market.
For a web developer or company, this target audience would be the contracting client and their needs should always be put first.
2. The Cost of Development
An important thing to consider is the cost of the whole process. With the assistance of a business analyst at a development company, you can determine the total web portal development cost of your project. You will need to take quotes from more than one company and choose one company that seems most suitable for your needs.
3. Choosing The Right Kind of Software Development Method
When a company hires a web developer, the company and the developer will need to sit together and decide on the kind of software they want to use for the web portal. Some of these software script types are Liferay, UPortal, Dolphin, DotNetNuke, OSClass, and so on.
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4. Know The Goals of The Portal
The most important thing to consider first is the requirements of the company that the web portal is for. If you are a web portal development company, ask your clients what they wish to use the web portal for. Depending on if it’s a regional or international web portal the software and other features of the portal can change.
5. Make The Portal as Profitable as Possible
No matter how creative or fun you wish to make a portal, the main goal of creating the portal is to generate revenue. Therefore, this goal should always be considered when designing the sections of a web portal.
6. Be Aware of The Standard Features of a Web Portal
A web portal development company should be aware of the different kinds of web portals that can be created, according to the needs of the clients. There are a few different types of web portals that can be created, such as classifieds, chats, photo galleries, profiles, and so on. According to the needs of a company, these types of web portals can be used.
7. Aesthetics of The Web Portal
While the feel of the web portal is incredibly important, the looks of it should also be considered. Make sure that the design is very aesthetically pleasing and sticks to a brand informative type, in terms of colors and themes.
8. Simple and Accessible Design
With the software script chosen, the next step is to make the portal the way you want. During this process, make sure that the portal has a simple design and accessible menus. Also, the navigation controls of moving from one page to another should be simple and easy to control. Depending on the web portal development cost, you can modify these features to your liking.
9. Uploading The Portal
The web portal can function from within the website of your company. For this, you will need to upload the software onto the website and follow the instructions of the script accordingly. You can hire dedicated developers and get their help or do this yourself if your company is knowledgeable in MySQL.
10. Marketing The Portal
The final step of creating a web portal is to market it right. This includes advertising campaigns on various platforms, including social media. Make sure to market the web portal right, so that it attracts the kind of audience you want.
Conclusion
As is clear now, there are a lot of things to consider when building a web portal. This is why it is important to hire dedicated developers who can give you exactly what you need in a web portal. When hiring a developer or development company, always get references from them and ask to see some examples of their past work. This way, your company can fully trust the work that is delivered by the chosen developers.
