"We need a website." "We need a portal." "We need a dashboard." These terms get used interchangeably, but they're different things with different purposes. Here's how to figure out what you actually need.
The Quick Definitions
Website
A public-facing marketing tool. Its job is to explain who you are, what you do, and convince visitors to take action (contact you, buy something, sign up). Anyone can access it. It's primarily about communication and conversion.
Examples: Company homepage, services pages, blog, contact form
Portal
A destination for a specific audience to access information and resources. Usually requires login. It's about serving existing relationships—customers, members, partners, or communities.
Examples: Customer account area, member directory, resource library, tourism guide
Dashboard
An internal tool for your team to view data, track metrics, and manage operations. It's about decision-making and efficiency, not customer-facing.
Examples: Sales metrics, inventory tracking, booking calendar, team performance
How to Decide What You Need
You Need a Website If...
- People search for your business online and find nothing
- You're losing potential customers who can't find basic information
- You don't have a clear way to capture leads
- Your current site looks outdated or doesn't work on mobile
- You can't easily update your own content
You Need a Portal If...
- Customers keep asking for information you could provide self-service
- You're emailing the same resources to people repeatedly
- You have a community that needs a central gathering point
- Partners or vendors need access to specific information
- You want to provide ongoing value to existing customers
You Need a Dashboard If...
- You're making decisions based on gut feeling instead of data
- Getting answers requires logging into multiple systems
- Your team wastes time compiling reports manually
- You can't quickly see how the business is performing
- Different team members have different versions of the truth
You Might Need More Than One
These aren't mutually exclusive. A common setup is:
- Public website to attract and convert new customers
- Customer portal to serve existing customers
- Internal dashboard to run operations
But don't try to build all three at once. Start with your biggest pain point.
Real Examples
Tourism Business
A destination tourism company might need all three. The website attracts visitors with beautiful imagery and activity descriptions. The portal (like Royal Gorge Region) serves as a comprehensive resource for visitors already planning a trip. An internal dashboard tracks bookings and visitor patterns.
Service Business
A consulting firm might need a website to explain their services and capture leads. A client portal could provide project status, deliverables, and invoices. A dashboard tracks pipeline, utilization, and revenue.
E-commerce Business
The website is the storefront—product listings, cart, checkout. A customer portal handles order tracking, returns, and account management. The dashboard monitors inventory, sales trends, and fulfillment metrics.
Common Mistakes
Building Everything at Once
Trying to launch a website, portal, and dashboard simultaneously usually means none of them get done well. Pick the highest-impact one, nail it, then expand.
Confusing Audiences
Your dashboard doesn't need to be beautiful—it needs to be functional. Your website doesn't need complex features—it needs to convert. Design for the actual user.
Over-engineering
A simple website might be better than a complex portal. A shared spreadsheet might beat a custom dashboard. Don't build more than you need.
Where to Start
Ask yourself: What's the biggest friction point right now?
- If you're losing customers because they can't find you → Website
- If you're drowning in repetitive requests from existing customers → Portal
- If you're making decisions blind or wasting time on reports → Dashboard
Not sure which applies to you? Let's talk. We'll help you figure out what makes sense for your specific situation.