A website portal is a web-based application that provides users with a single access point to personalized information, like a customer login for account and profile information, an employee training application, or a direct download for a safety manual. Web portals are useful for providing easy access points to specific information. Brands and businesses use website portals for many functions, such as streamlining communication between colleagues, making it easy for customers to review their account information, and improving the way individuals interact with a company’s website content.
Employee Intranets
One common and useful website portal is an employee intranet, a closed internal communication network where employees can use tools, modules, and various resources to complete their work. Applications like intranet login pages serve as portals (starting points) for employees to enter their companies’ internal networks to complete projects, document work, communicate with one another, and handle other corporate functions.
Finance and Payment Portals
Finance portals allow banks, accountants, and financial agencies to give their customers a specific access point for reviewing important financial data like deposits and withdrawals. Additionally, many brands and businesses integrate payment portals into their websites so that customers can purchase their products, make monthly payments, and review recent orders.
Healthcare, Medical, and Patient Portals
There are many kinds of website portals that make accessing information easier in the medical field. For one, medical and healthcare professionals use web portals to access important information such as patient load, treatment plans, and patient diagnoses data. Similarly, patients use their healthcare providers’ patient portals as access points to their medical files and documents. Many health insurance companies also use web portals on their websites so that patients can easily access insurance records and benefits details.
Creating Portals for Web Applications
You can use a web portal for almost any application to improve navigability, streamline communication, and give users an approachable interface to work within. You can take a few different approaches to create your web portal, and the two main modern methods you might consider are Single Page Applications (SPAs) and Progressive Web Applications (PWAs).
A SPA serves as a single point of access to a specific body of information. Once the user has access to the information, the webpage doesn’t go any further. A good example of a SPA is a login point where an employee would enter their login credentials to download their company’s employee handbook.
In comparison, a PWA is a single access point that leads users to additional sections or pages on a website. A business might use a PWA for customers to log into their profiles so they can view past orders, update their payment information, or give a review on a purchase. When integrating a web portal, think about the ease of navigation, where the portal will lead (in the case of PWAs), and how the design will improve the overall usability and interaction between your customers, employees, and website.
Web portals are highly effective tools for streamlining communication between employees and visitors who use your platform. With a user-friendly web portal, you can increase engagement with your current customers and expand your reach with new leads.
I also think an employee intranet is among the most valuable website portals. It is essential for improving internal communications, promoting genuine dialogue with employees and increasing employee engagement.
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