Definition:
A vertical portal, also known as a vortal, is a website specialising in a particular industry, subject or community. It brings together content, resources and services for people with a shared interest, such as news, articles, data, job offers, forums, chats and specialist tools.
It differs from a horizontal or general-purpose portal in its scope. A horizontal portal covers many subjects for a broad audience, whereas a vertical portal explores one area in depth and organises information for a defined audience. Its usefulness depends on the quality, currency and specialisation of its content, as well as navigability that makes resources easy to find.
A vertical portal is not the same as an intranet or extranet. These terms mainly describe who can access a corporate network or service, while verticality refers to subject specialisation. A specialist portal can be public or restricted.
The expression diagonal portal has also been used for sites that combine general services with specialist content or community functions. It is not a closed technical category, but it can describe models that combine features of horizontal and vertical portals.
Table of contents
Classification of vertical portals
Vertical portals can be distinguished by the way in which they define their specialisation:
- Industry or subject portals: They focus on an area such as travel, education, law, finance, health or technology.
- Geographical portals: They bring together information and services related to a particular territory, such as a city, region or country.
Vertical portal examples
The following examples show how a portal can specialise by activity or territory:
- Travel: Expedia brings together searches, bookings and information related to travel and accommodation.
- Education: Educaweb organises information about studies, academic guidance and training.
- Law: Abogacía Española provides resources and services related to the legal profession.
- Finance: Credimarket concentrates information and comparisons of financial products.
- Geographical area: The Region of Murcia portal brings together information and procedures from its regional administration.
A vertical portal can also include a web directory, search tools or transactional services, provided that they relate to its specialist area.