Web portals are part of the foundation of the Internet. They became popular early in its development, and formed the basis for most early web browsers. While the web-portal craze died when the dot-com bubble burst, the concept has caught on with a variety of businesses (and, at times, governments) that are looking to provide infrastructure and information.
Identification
"Web portal" refers to any site or web page that is designed to serve a function. In general, web portals are points of access for other information on the World Wide Web. This allows information from a variety of sources to be presented together in one area. A web portal allows a business to present multiple applications and pages with a consistent look and feel. Examples of web portals include MSN and Yahoo.
History
Web portals were very valuable in the late 1990s. Following the creation and launch of several different web browsers, many companies thought of web portals as a way to harness the power of the Internet and to get a portion of its traffic. Because the web portal was the starting point for many users, it received special attention. As a result, Netscape was acquired by America Online, Disney launched its own web portal called Go.com, and Excite was acquired by AT&T.
Considerations
Many of these early web portals worked as directories or search engines. As they became more popular, they began to offer an expanded range of services, such as free email, chat functions and customization. The idea was to both secure the base of users who were coming to the site, as well as to extend the amount of time they spent there. Enhancements that required registration encouraged repeat use. After the dot-com flameout, many of these portals owned by traditional media companies became defunct.
Types
There are many different types of web portals. The most basic is the personal web portal, which provides content to its visitors, as well as links to other information. Personal web portals are designed to support multiple applications across many different operating systems. In many cases, web portals can be regional, providing local information like weather and news. In many cases, these types of portals focus on specific regions of the country, or on one country in general. Finally, there are a number of government web portals that provide information to citizens. In many cases, the operation of these portals is farmed out to third parties.
Expert Insight
A new application of the web portal is the corporate intranet. An intranet allows many individuals within a company to share information, collaborate and communicate within a secure environment. These systems allow workflow to be managed and content to be published without taxing the resources of the IT department. In many cases, these services can be accessed both on- and off-site via the use of secure sign-in programs.
