Web Portals

A web portal is a specialized website that serves as a gateway to various resources and services. A Web portal or public portal refers to a website or service that offers a broad array of resources and services, such as e-mail, forums, search engines, and online shopping malls. A portal may look like a Web site, but it is much more.

Web portals help companies achieve their business goals by offering innovative ways to conduct business over the Internet.

Example

AOL (America Online) is a classic example of an early web portal. In the 1990s and early 2000s, it was one of the most prominent web portals and online service providers.

AOL web portal delivers a variety of information and applications. It provides an integrated platform for information delivery, communication, and collaboration through interconnected applications and web services. It may contain various resources and services like news, politics, e-mail, forums, search engines, online shopping malls, stock prices, information, and entertainment that help users interact with individuals and groups.

 

AOL was very influential in the early days of the internet, helping to shape the concept of web portals by providing a comprehensive suite of services and content under one roof.

Types of Web Portals

Portals are broadly classified as horizontal or vertical. A vertical portal offers access to a large amount of information in a particular topic area or niche, such as Sports.

Horizontal Portal

A horizontal portal is used as a platform for several companies in the same economic sector or to the same type of manufacturers or distributors.

Vertical portal

A vertical portal, a “vortal,” is a specialized entry point to a specific market or industry niche, subject area, or interest. Some vertical portals are “vertical information portals” (VIPs). VIPs provide news, editorial content, digital publications, and e-commerce capabilities. Vertical portals also provide dynamic multimedia applications, including social networking, video posting, and blogging.