We’re delighted to announce a special initiative that can turn your software needs into a force of change.

We’ve teamed up with Freemius to support Girls Who Code and contribute to a more diverse tech future.

Girls Who Code is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology. Did you know that in 1995, 37% of computer scientists were women, but today it's only 24%? GWC has already reached 670,000 girls, women, and non-binary individuals through its innovative programs — the organization is working tirelessly to level the tech playing field.

And so are we.

Today (Tuesday 12th November 2024), a part of each subscription renewal or new purchase of our products will be donated to support Girls Who Code to help empower female software makers, break down barriers, and create more opportunities for girls who dream of shaping our digital future.

Join us in our commitment to making an impact and diversifying the tech landscape. Together, we can code a world where everyone has an equally important seat at the table.

Let’s make a difference together: Buy Client Portal now and help support girls who code!

Sharing files with clients is a daily necessity for most online businesses. Whether you're running a startup, managing a law firm, or heading up a marketing agency, you're likely dealing with various document types, some of which may contain sensitive information.

While email used to be the go-to for file sharing, it's now become a less-than-ideal option. Email systems are notoriously unreliable and lack robust security features.

If you're handling sensitive data, you need to avoid sending any personally identifiable information via email. Cyber threats are on the rise, with businesses of all sizes finding themselves in the crosshairs. A data breach could have serious consequences, not just for your reputation, but from a legal standpoint as well.

Sending large files via email can bog down your system, or they might get rejected by your email server altogether. These files can also get caught in spam filters, leaving your clients in the dark.

Let's explore why you should ditch email for file sharing and look at some better alternatives.

Table of contents

• The pitfalls of sharing files with clients over email
• Modern alternatives for client file sharing
• Choosing the right file sharing solution
• Our Top Pick: Client Portal
• Wrapping up

The pitfalls of sharing files with clients over email

Let's start with the elephant in the room: large files. You need to send an important document to a client ASAP. You hit send, and hours later, you get a call saying your email never arrived. The trouble with email systems is that large files often fail to send.

This can happen for various reasons. Large files can get caught in spam filters, especially when size limits are set on email systems. Some companies restrict email sizes due to storage constraints, and certain platforms have default size limits.

Next up is client confidentiality. Email isn't exactly Fort Knox when it comes to security - it can be hacked, potentially compromising your communications. If you're in a field like law or finance, and you have sensitive client information in your emails, this data could end up in the wrong hands. Stolen data is big business, potentially leading to identity theft and financial fraud.

Another issue with sharing files via email is that they're easily lost in the inbox abyss. You've sent that crucial document to your client, but they forgot to save it. It's all too easy for files to get buried in long email threads, resulting in wasted time trying to dig them up again.

Modern alternatives for client file sharing

Instead of relying on email for file sharing, there are several safer and more efficient alternatives. Here's a rundown of some options, along with their pros and cons:

File transfer services (e.g., WeTransfer, Dropbox Transfer)

Pros:

• These services can handle very large files, bypassing spam filters.
• They're user-friendly, secure, and allow you to request files directly from clients.
• WeTransfer's free version allows transfers up to 2GB, while the paid plan goes up to 200GB.
• Dropbox Transfer offers up to 2GB on the free version and a whopping 200TB on the paid plan.

Cons:

• File transfers often have time limits, especially WeTransfer, which expires after 7 days.
• If your clients are out of office and don't download in time, you might need to resend. The reliance on clients to download can be problematic, especially if they have limited storage.

Cloud storage systems (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox)

Pros:

• Cloud systems offer easy storage and multiple folder systems for any file type, with mobile apps for on-the-go access.
• Google Drive's free version offers up to 15GB of storage, upgradable to 100GB for a small fee.
• Dropbox provides 2GB per user on the free plan and up to 2,000GB on the paid version with 30-day recovery and version history.

Cons:

• These systems offer limited customization beyond folder names and hierarchies.
• There are potential privacy concerns – Dropbox has experienced hacks in the past.
• You'll also quickly hit the free data limit.
• Depending on permissions, there's a risk of clients accidentally deleting files, forcing you to re-upload.

Project management tools

Pros:

• There's a plethora of project management tools out there, from Trello to Asana to Monday. The advantage is keeping everything related to one project in one place.
• You can usually upload various file types to feeds or boards within these tools.

Cons:

• Each tool has its own quirks and often requires a learning curve. Both your team and clients might find these tools challenging to navigate.
• You need to keep projects open, or clients lose access to files.
• To unlock all features, these tools can be pricey, so unless you're already using one, it might not be worth the investment.

Client portals

Pros:

• Easy to navigate, client portals allow you to store files within the system itself or integrate with cloud storage solutions.
• Your clients can easily upload their own files safely and confidentially with minimal risk.
• You can usually set different restrictions to prevent file deletion or limit viewing permissions.
• Many client portals can be customized to match your branding and specific needs.

Cons:

• Some client portals require a level of setup that might be too technical for your team and may require a third-party contractor to install.
• Many premium solutions come with a hefty price tag, so if you don't already have access to a client portal in an existing platform, this could be a significant investment.

Choosing the right file sharing solution

With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to figure out which one is best for your business. Let's break it down by comparing each option across key factors:

Security

While Google has robust built-in security, cloud platforms have had their share of issues over the years. Dropbox, for instance, faced a high-profile hack a few years back. File transfer services come out on top for secure uploads. They offer direct transfers from one user to another without storing files, minimizing security risks.

Ease of use

Google Drive and Dropbox are user-friendly but basic with limitations. WeTransfer wins for simplicity, but the free plan has expiry limitations. Project management tools often have a steeper learning curve for first-time users. Client portals strike a balance, offering ease of use and simplicity for first-time users.

Accessibility and convenience

File transfer systems and project management tools have limited flexibility and accessibility. WeTransfer, for example, is a one-time use platform with a week-long expiry. Cloud storage takes the crown for client convenience and accessibility.

Customization and professionalism

Standard cloud storage platforms and project management tools come with their own branded look and feel. They usually lack customization options, offering only a generic experience. Client portals, on the other hand, can be fully customized to match your branding, providing your clients with a more professional and personalized experience.

Our Top Pick: Client Portal

For the ultimate client file sharing solution, we recommend Client Portal. Trusted by over 8,000 companies worldwide, this tool is a simple plugin that seamlessly integrates with your WordPress website. It offers a user-friendly file-sharing experience with enhanced security for private files. Your clients get 24/7 access to their portal, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction!

Client Portal is fully customizable and plays well with other cloud storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox. You can even use it alongside project management tools like Trello. This means you won't need to overhaul your current workflow, and you can create as many portals as your client base requires.

With Client Portal, you can create confidential libraries for sharing sensitive documents, invoices, and timesheets. You can also use it to share large creative assets like images and videos without worrying about file size restrictions. Best of all, you'll know that when you share your documents, they won't get lost in the shuffle or trapped in spam filters.

Pro tip: Combine Client Portal with your existing cloud storage or file transfer services for a seamless experience. Your clients will enjoy an easy-to-use portal along with the convenience of familiar cloud storage systems or file transfer services.

Wrapping up

Relying on email for file sharing is outdated and risky. Files can get buried in crowded inboxes, security is questionable, and large files often get caught in spam filters. If you're looking for a streamlined way to share files with your clients, a client portal is the way to go.

Client Portal is a plugin that integrates smoothly with your WordPress website. It offers more benefits than standard cloud storage, project management tools, or file transfer platforms. For small businesses, this portal is a time and resource saver. If you're in fields like accounting or law, you can securely share confidential information with your clients. And if you're running a marketing agency, you can share a wide range of creative assets at any time.

Flexible, accessible, and fully customizable, Client Portal's user-friendly interface makes it accessible even if you're not particularly tech-savvy. Plus, you won't need a developer to get this plugin up and running. Give your clients access to an easy file-sharing portal where they can upload files without your team's involvement. Instead of wasting precious hours trying to locate and resend lost files, your team can focus on what really matters.

Ready to build a simple, secure, and professional file-sharing system with Client Portal? Learn more and get started today!

The hardest part of running a marketing agency is...

Clients.

Yep, clients. Getting them, working with them, and signing off on the finished project ("juuuust one more thing").

Imagine getting on with your work without dealing with the song-and-dance of project management, keeping clients in the loop, and answering the same questions.

Source: AgencyAnalytics

One thing that can make your life easier as an agency is giving your clients access to a central online portal that contains all their resources, deliverables, and project information.

This is a place they can go when they want another update, a place where they can download the file you sent them two months ago.

Client portals are one of the easiest ways to improve your client's experience with you and reduce your team's support overhead. But where do you start? What features should the ideal portal include? And what's the best solution out there?

In this article, we'll discuss how to create a client portal that your clients will actually use—even if they're not tech-savvy.

Table of contents

• What is a client portal?
• How do marketing agencies benefit from using a client portal?
• Best practices for creating useful portals for your clients
• Examples of portals designed for marketing agencies
• Should you build your own portal or use software?
• Using Client Portal to create beautiful, centralized portals for your clients
• 3 bonus tips for effective marketing portals
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final thoughts

What is a client portal?

A client portal is a private, secure online space you can share with your clients. It's a great addition to a marketing agency because it can serve as a central reference point. You can use it for file sharing, campaign and project tracking, useful resources, and more.

A client portal can speed up and smooth down collaborations between your team and clients. Instead of being bombarded with emails and calls all day, you can use a client portal as a central point to give clients access to all the updates they need, even when logged off for the day.

You can also use a client portal to automate your workflows and processes, creating modules that match the needs of your different clients. From their perspective, the portal is unique for their sole use. From your perspective, you can set up a template once to reuse with all your clients.

How do marketing agencies benefit from using a client portal?

There are a ton of benefits for marketing agencies using a client portal. A successful client portal allows you to:

• Solidify your unique workflow
  Creating a client portal encourages you to consider your workflow and develop reusable templates for all your projects. This will save you time, improve efficiency, and provide a better experience for all your clients.
• Give everyone one central place to access resources
  You can store all your documents, images, and videos within a shared space for easy access by your team and clients. If someone new joins the project, you can add them to the portal, and they will automatically have access to everything they need.
• Share files at any time of day
  Your client or team might not work full-time or be located in different countries. So, giving everyone 24/7 access to a centralized portal where they can download what they want anytime makes sense.
• Reduce the number of email exchanges
  A portal will never eliminate email. It's too convenient for your client. But a good portal will at least reduce the number of unnecessary emails you're getting, like "Could you resend me that logo?" "Where's the original proposal?" and "How can I book a call?" Your portal should be able to answer common questions and get clients what they need without contacting you.
• Look more polished and professional
  Having a portal for your client shows that you've done projects like this before and gives your clients an extra layer of trust and security. Anyone can start an agency these days, but a well-put-together portal shows that you're an expert and know what you're doing.

These are just a few of the benefits of a portal. Once you start using one, you will undoubtedly discover many more.

Best practices for creating useful portals for your clients

It's not enough to just have a portal. Your portal needs to be set up in a way that's useful for both you and your clients. Often, this can take some trial and error since every agency is unique, but there are a few best practices you can follow to get you started.

Here are five golden rules to follow when setting up your portals:

Rule #1: Consider your client's experience

When setting up your portal templates, imagine yourself in your client's shoes and consider what you would want to access when logging into a portal.

Make sure the portal has everything in logical order. Ideally, the most frequently needed items should be near the top, with lesser-needed assets towards the bottom.

Rule #2: Provide a short onboarding document or video for your portal

The first item in your portal should be a getting started guide to show clients how to find their way around the portal and detailing some of the exciting things you've included. Bonus points if you record a video you can embed to welcome your clients.

Rule #3: Include frequently asked questions or other valuable resources

Think about your client's questions as they go through the project and put them in a portal. This could include things like:

• Questions and answers about your process
• A guide to any niche terminology they may come across when working with you
• A cheatsheet on how to give effective feedback
• Educational material to help their business (e.g. a business owners guide to SEO)

Rule #4: Make your portals (and resources) as reusable as possible

For every asset you create, think about how you can make it reusable with all your portals and clients. If you need to create assets from scratch for each new project, it will cost you more time than you'll save by having a portal.

A portal should free up your time so you can focus on client work or growing your business. The best way to do that is to make it as reusable as possible.

Rule #5: Simple is almost always better

It's tempting to go overboard with your portals when you get started. The possibilities are endless, and you can create some really great resources.

However, it's important to remember that after a certain point, the benefits just don't add up. A simple portal will be more futureproof and easier to use and maintain.

If you notice a portal is getting too big, consider splitting it into multiple smaller portals. For example, you could have an onboarding/discovery portal and a separate portal for monthly reports. Clients can access whichever portal they need without scrolling through too much information.

Examples of portals designed for marketing agencies

Marketing agencies provide a wide variety of services. For each service, you can create a portal template with the structure of the project, any immediate assets or resources, along with placeholder modules for the deliverables that are upcoming.

Here are a few examples of what these portals could look like.

Portal example 1: Paid Discovery Portal

This portal is an example of a paid discovery service that a marketing agency could offer. Paid discovery is a way to assess your client's business and come up with a recommended roadmap (essentially a proposal) on what they need to do to reach their goals.

The idea is that they will hire your agency to fulfil the roadmap, but even if they decide not to you've earned some extra income for a consulting project which is valuable in its own right.

👉 Check out the Paid Discovery portal example here.

Portal example 2: Content Marketing Portal

A content marketing portal is a place for your clients to easily access any blog article drafts, see reports on backlink acquisition and rankings, along with any other promotion you do for your clients content.

👉 Check out the Content Marketing portal example here.

Should you build your own portal or use software?

Building your own client portal is the best way to have a portal exactly how you want it with all the features tailored to you. That said, it can be costly if you want to build your own unique system. Even the most simple portal needs a lot of care and attention, so you need to take into account the cost of building, improving, and maintaining your own system.

For most people, an off-the-shelf tool is a better solution. You can customize any portal to match your business's branding, and they often have extra features like notifications or payment integrations if you want to take it to the next level.

The most significant benefit of using third-party software is the peace of mind that comes from knowing that a team of people is keeping up with updates, compatibility, and support if you need it.

Using Client Portal to create beautiful, centralized portals for your clients

If you decide to use an existing tool, Client Portal is the best solution because it is the only tool on the market that is 'just' a portal.

Meaning we put 100% of our effort into making the best portal software out there (as opposed to having a sad, neglected client portal add-on).

As a WordPress plugin, your portals will be hosted on your website, and there's no limit to the number of client portals you can create with any plan. You can get started with Client Portal in three easy steps:

Step 1: Install and activate the Client Portal plugin

First, grab a copy of Client Portal here.

Then:

• Navigate to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin in your site's admin area to upload the product to WordPress.
• Select the ZIP that came in the email after purchasing the plugin.
• Click Install Now followed by Activate Plugin.
• Paste in your license key (which you can find in your confirmation email) and click Activate.

Step 2: Add your branding and company information

Navigate to Client Portal Settings where you can adjust your branding and add your logo to make the portal fit seamlessly into your website.

Step 3: Create a new portal

Click Add New to create a new portal. You can save any portal as a template for you to reuse with all your clients.

To see a comprehensive guide on how to set up and use Client Portal, check out the video below:

Step 4: Add your clients

By default, all portals are private so you have full control over who can access your files. To add a client to your portal, follow these steps:

• Navigate to Users - Add New
• Add your clients details
• Under Role, select CP Client
• Assign your portal to them and they'll be sent a link to set their password and log in

If you would like to make your portal available to purchase, you can use our WooCommerce integration to earn some money from your portals.

You can also allow your clients to register for a portal directly on your website. So once you have a portal template set up, they could fill in a short form and have a brand new portal created for them.

3 bonus tips for effective marketing portals

1. Keep using the tools you already know and love with your portals

Like most agencies, you have built up a stack of tools you like working with. Many project management tools can force you to give up your tools in favour of their built-in equivalents.

Ideally, your portal will allow you to use any tools you like and connect them with your portal to keep your entire workflow the same.

For example, if you use Google Docs to write reports and collaborate on written documents, link to them from your portal so you can use your preferred tool from a single, branded portal.

2. Use your portals as a selling point in your agency

Giving prospective clients a preview of the portal they get when working with you can be a real selling point for your agency. It shows that you know what you're doing and have done many projects like this one before. If you take the time to set up a portal, shout about it and set yourself apart from your competitors.

3. Make it easy for your client to access their portal

Make your portals indispensable and easy for your client to find. Remember to include the portal link in your email signature and website navigation. If you've gone through the trouble of creating a client portal, ensure they always have easy access to this shared space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about client portals:

What features should a marketing agency client portal include?

A client portal needs to make everyone's life easier. So, think about the areas where you would benefit from streamlining. This could be by allowing easy access to documents, images, and videos. It might be a way to share design concepts or draft campaigns with your clients. You could be struggling to keep clients up to date with the progress of specific projects. You may need a quick way for clients to check costs. You should also be able to white-label the portal to match your agency's branding.

How secure are client portals?

If you choose a client portal hosted elsewhere, the level of security will depend on their platform. If they experience a data breach, your portals could be affected. However, choosing a client portal hosted on your website gives you greater control over the security. Client Portal is a secure WordPress plugin that provides extra protection for sensitive files.

Can a client portal integrate with other marketing tools and software?

Not all client portal software is compatible with other software, especially if it's part of a larger ecosystem. Consider all the software you use in your agency and check whether the client portal software offers compatibility. Ideally, you'll want seamless integration with programs like Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, and other media like video files.

What should I consider when choosing a client portal for my marketing agency?

Agencies can have tight margins and unpredictable income, so you'll want an easy system that offers real value for money. It needs to have adaptable features and a customizable interface so you can design your workflows and add your branding. As an agency, you don't want to waste time figuring out how things can connect. Choose a portal that offers the most options and can integrate easily with your current ecosystem and other software.

Do I need technical expertise to use a client portal?

Whether you're a freelancer or a full-service agency, you'll want a client portal that can be set up easily without any tech expertise. Some client portals are easier to set up than others, so you'll need to consider all the technical elements. If you want a complex standalone portal, you may need a developer. The most straightforward client portal solutions can be easily installed as a plugin on your website.

Final thoughts

A client portal allows marketing agencies to create a professional and seamless customer experience. It can reduce the time needed for communications and lengthy tasks that can stretch valuable team resources. You can manage campaigns, projects, and your clients' needs quickly and efficiently. And when you're saving time, you're ultimately saving money!

Client Portal is a customizable, secure, and flexible solution that can be tailored to your needs and those of your clients. As a WordPress plugin, it's easy to install on your website without the need for a development team.

Why not build your own marketing agency Client Portal? Find out more…

Do you have a WordPress website and are looking for better ways to share files with clients? If so, you may need to use a file-sharing plugin.

As the world’s most popular CMS (Content Management System), WordPress has a lot of flexibility when it comes to, well, almost anything! But one place it lacks is with file sharing. This is because WordPress was never intended to be a platform to share files. But with the right tools in place, you can use WordPress to host, share, and even request files from your clients.

In this article, I'll show you why the WordPress media library isn't always the best solution for file sharing and a few different options for overcoming those hurdles and making it work.

Table of contents

• Why you may need to host and share files on WordPress
• How to use the WordPress media library to host and share files
• The problem with the WordPress media library for hosting and sharing files
• What to look for in a file-sharing plugin for WordPress
• Top 5 plugins for hosting and sharing files
• Our verdict: the best file-sharing plugin for WordPress
• 4 steps to share files and documents in WordPress
• Final thoughts

Why you may need to host and share files on WordPress

Businesses need a quick way to share files for many reasons. Let’s go through four of the most common:

1) Sharing onboarding documents

When you start working with a new client, you will need to share certain documents with them. These could include your terms and conditions, invoices, questionnaires, and specific documents outlining your processes. It’s helpful if these onboarding documents are kept in one place, and a WordPress plugin is ideal if you already use this CMS because you can then keep everything together on your own website.

Further reading: 10 Essential Documents You Need For High-Value Client Projects

2) Accessing client deliverables

When you’re working with clients, you’ll have deliverables. You might need to ask your clients to upload certain documents so you can do your job. You might have a team that requires the ability to share files with each other and clients.

WordPress enables secure 24/7 access for file uploads without your direct involvement if you use the right file-sharing plugin and a login. Your team will be more productive, your workflows will be smoother, and you will have happy clients!

3) Creating resource libraries

Resource libraries are another benefit of using a WordPress file-sharing plugin. You can create resource libraries for your team or your clients to find useful information.

For example, if you're an accountant you could include useful resources like a jargon buster cheatsheet, software comparison and recommendations, and a monthly accounting checklist to help your clients work with you.

Further reading: Using Client Portal to deliver educational content to your clients (with examples)

4) Selling digital products

Did you know you can sell digital products (like templates, checklists, worksheets, and more) on WordPress? If you have the right file-sharing portal that integrates with WooCommerce, you can add this passive income stream to your business.

→ Check out the live Digital Downloads Shop Portal

Username: tompickle

Password: customerportal638

How to use the WordPress media library to host and share files

When you log in to WordPress, you will find the Media Library in the sidebar. This is where you can upload images, videos, documents, and other files that you want to use on your site. You can find these documents by using the filter in the top tabs.

The Media Library is where all files that you upload anywhere in WordPress will live. For example, if you create a blog post and add an image, it will automatically be stored in the Media Library.

The problem with the WordPress media library for hosting and sharing files

The Media Library is great for having a central place to access all the files used on your WordPress website. However, it was never intended to be a file sharing solution akin to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Here’s why:

1) Your files are never fully private

When you upload files to WordPress, the media library generates a public URL for each file.

A public URL means anyone with that URL can access the file.

This isn’t always a problem if you aren’t sharing files with sensitive information or paid content. The likelihood of someone finding the URL is pretty small, so you can make a judgment call on whether adding extra security is worth the time.

But if you’re sharing anything confidential, you don’t want to use the WordPress media library alone. You need a plugin that keeps your files safe and secure.

2) There’s no client-facing interface in the media library

Another restriction with using the Media Library to store and share files is the fact there’s no client-facing interface. So, suppose you need to give your clients access to a file. In that case, you must send them the URLs individually or provide them access to your entire WordPress backend, which isn’t a great experience, not to mention the security problems that would cause.

3) There’s no way to organize files into folders

If you have multiple files you want to send together, you cannot put them in a folder in the media library. You need to send each URL individually which, again, wouldn't make for the most professional experience.

4) You can’t have files available to purchase

Finally, the media library does not offer a paywall option, so you can’t differentiate between free and purchasable content. This is only an issue if you plan on selling files, but it's one worth considering since paid content can add a lot of value to your business.

In essence, the WordPress media library only offers basic file management. So, if you want greater flexibility, you’ll need to use a WordPress file-sharing plugin.

What to look for in a file-sharing plugin for WordPress

When you’re looking for a suitable file-sharing plugin, there are a few things you’ll want to make sure it has as standard:

• Support for multiple file types. The file types you need are unique to you. But as a standard, you want any file-sharing plugin to support images, video, audio, and documents. (Quick tip: If your chosen solution doesn’t offer a particular file type, as long as it supports zip files, you can zip up any file and upload it that way).
• A private file option. Check whether the plugin has private file security, especially if it uses the WordPress media library, so you can keep sensitive documents safe and secure. Pay attention to how the plugin handles the public URL and don't be afraid to contact them to double-check if it's not clear from the website.
• An easy-to-use interface. This is especially important if you are giving access to non-tech-savvy clients. The simpler the system, the fewer questions you’ll have to answer. So you can get on with your working day free from any interruptions!
• Option for cloud-based hosting for larger files. If you upload a lot of files, or if your files are large, you will be better off using a cloud storage system like Google Drive to host your files. Ensure the plugin integrates with these tools to keep your WordPress website lightweight and fast.

Top 5 plugins for hosting and sharing files

1. Client Portal

Client Portal is a WordPress plugin trusted by over 8,000 companies worldwide. It fully integrates with your WordPress media library for an easy file-sharing user experience. This top-recommended file-sharing plugin adds an extra layer of security for private files and blocks access to the public URL. It’s an ideal platform for giving clients access to files. Still, it offers so much more than standard file-sharing capabilities.

Client Portal is a fully customizable platform with a client-facing dashboard and email notifications. You can use Client Portal with popular file storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox by linking directly to these folders or embedding them into a content page.

So there’s no need to change how you currently work, and you can keep your website light and fast by hosting larger files elsewhere and pulling them into Client Portal.

If you sell digital downloads or educational content, your customers can purchase multiple portals with the WooCommerce integration. So you can easily separate paid and unpaid content and give customers different ways to access your resources.

2. WP Cloud Plugins

WP Cloud Plugins is an excellent file-sharing plugin that connects popular cloud-based software to your WordPress website. You can host your files with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box. Then, you can create a widget that you can embed anywhere.

WP Cloud Plugins work really well with Client Portal. For example, you could embed your Google Drive folders into a Client Portal content page to create both a file-sharing and client portal solution.

3. Document Library Pro

Document Library Pro is a fast WordPress file-sharing plugin that allows you to instantly search, sort and filter files. There’s no limit to your document libraries; you can choose between table, grid and folder layouts. The plugin has over 50 customizable options. You can store documents in your WordPress media library or elsewhere, such as Dropbox and SoundCloud. Document Library Pro also allows you to make some libraries private.

The user interface is clean and modern, which makes this easy to use for non-tech-savvy clients. It allows you to preview files in most formats. Customers typically love the ease of set up and rave about the quality of support from Barn2.

4. Advanced File Manager

Advanced File Manager is a popular file-sharing plugin with hundreds of thousands of downloads worldwide. The core plugin is free and completely open source. It allows you to organize your files in the WordPress media library. It has an editable root directory, giving you and other users flexibility over how your files are used. This plugin also has preview, edit, and drag-and-drop functions, offering a good user experience. Due to having a powerful performance server, Advanced File Manager won’t slow down your website.

However, in order to use this as a file sharing plugin with clients, you need to purchase the Shortcode add-on. This will allow you to display your files on your website to logged in or logged out users. If you're using Client Portal, you could also use this add-on to display the files in a content page.

The main downside to this plugin is its user interface is dated. However, it is powerful and inexpensive so would be good for smaller businesses looking for a low-cost solution.

5. Shared Files Pro

Shared Files Pro is an easy-to-use file-sharing plugin that allows password-protected security. You can categorize files and keep everything organized, which is ideal if clients need access to files. There’s a clear separation from your WordPress media library. You can also limit the number of downloads per file. Shared Files Pro has a Lightbox feature viewing experience, so you and your clients can quickly browse through any files.

Customers find this plugin easy to use with good functionality. However, it's important to note that the free version doesn't include a front-end option or support for shortcodes so if you wanted to use it on your website for clients, you would need the pro version.

Our verdict: the best file-sharing plugin for WordPress

We think Client Portal is the best file-sharing plugin in WordPress. This is because it allows you to display and share files in a beautiful dashboard that can be used with clients or for paid digital products. It's a complete solution as opposed to just file sharing on its own. If you did just want file sharing on its own, our second recommendation would be WPCloudPlugins if you use Google Drive or Dropbox, or Document Library Pro if you want to organize your files within WordPress.

However, it's worth pointing out that Client Portal can be combined with any of the file-sharing plugins we've shared, if you want to use both.

4 steps to share files and documents in WordPress

We'll be using our number 1 plugin pick, Client Portal to show easy it is to share files in WordPress.

Step 1: Install and activate the Client Portal plugin

First, grab a copy of Client Portal here.

Then:

• Navigate to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin in your site's admin area to upload the product to WordPress.
• Select the ZIP that came in the email after purchasing the plugin.
• Click Install Now followed by Activate Plugin.
• Paste in your license key (which you can find in your confirmation email) and click Activate.

Now, let's set up your portal and get your files added.

Step 2: Add your branding and company information

Navigate to Client Portal Settings where you can adjust your branding and add your logo to make the portal fit seamlessly into your website.

Step 3: Create a new portal

Click Add New to create a new portal. This is where you will add your files.

To see a comprehensive guide on how to set up and use Client Portal, check out the video below:

Step 4: Add your files

Once you have your portal set up, you can choose any module to add files to. Simply click the module and choose "Files".

Use the Media Library to upload your files.

Here's what the module will now look like to your clients:

Quick tip: You can also use the Client Uploads module type to allow clients to upload files. Here's what that looks like:

Step 4: Share your portal (and your files)

By default, all portals are private so you have full control over who can access your files. To add a client to your portal, follow these steps:

• Navigate to Users - Add New
• Add your clients details
• Under Role, select CP Client
• Assign your portal to them and they'll be sent a link to set their password and log in

Alternatively, you can set your portal to Public so anyone can see your files without needing to log in.

If you would like to make your portal available to purchase, you can use our WooCommerce integration to earn some money from your portals.

Step 5: Integrate a third-party file sharing plugin for extra customizability (optional)

You can embed any of the file-sharing plugins that we reviewed above with Client Portal by simply adding their shortcodes into a content page.

This is particularly useful if you don't want to store large files in your WordPress media library. You could use WPCloudPlugins to keep your files in Google Drive and display them in your portal, keeping your website lightning fast.

Here's what that could look like in Client Portal:

Alternatively, if you don't want to use another plugin, you can use the URL module in Client Portal and link to a Google Drive (or any cloud storage system) folder.

Final thoughts

If you need an easy way to share files with clients, you need a simple, fast plugin with a user-friendly interface. It should have useful features and integrations that make everybody’s life easier, like integrations with cloud-based storage platforms for larger files and extra layers of security for private files—especially if hosted in the WordPress media library.

Giving your clients access to a 24/7 file-sharing portal allows them to upload files any time of the day without your involvement. So you won’t have to spend hours trying to find missing files. Instead, you can continue your working day without any time-consuming calls.

Client Portal is a straightforward WordPress plugin that does much more than your average file-sharing plugin. It is flexible and fully customizable, whether you’re a small business, a law firm, or a marketing agency. It has a private file upload option, notifications, and a simple user interface that any non-tech-savvy person can use. The best bit is that you won’t need a developer to install and use the Client Portal plugin; the drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for anyone to use.

Why not build a flexible (and beautiful) file-sharing system with Client Portal? Find out more…

When you set up a business, customer experience isn't always at the top of your list. Only when you repeatedly start fielding the same support requests do you start thinking about implementing something more official.

Portals are a great way to give customers a central place to access everything they need. This prevents them from clogging up your support inbox, which helps your team's workload and gives your customers a great experience.

Finding the perfect customer portal can be a minefield. The best option for you might not be the best option for the next person. That's why we've scoured the internet and found what we believe to be the 6 best solutions (including the pros and cons of each) that fit a wide range of use cases.

Table of contents

• What is customer portal software?
• What's the difference between a customer portal and a client portal?
• Why do you need a portal for your customers?
• Real examples of customer portals
• Our 6 top picks for customer portals in 2024
• What should the ideal customer portal include?
• How to choose the right customer portal for your business
• Overview of our top 6 customer portal solutions
• Frequently asked questions
• Final thoughts

What is customer portal software?

A customer portal is a type of self-serve software that gives your clients a central point of access to files, resources, and updates. You could use a portal to allow customers to submit support requests, access invoices, and promote additional products or services.

The best part is that everything your customer needs is in one location. Even if you use a smorgasbord of software, you can keep all your existing tools together under one branded portal so your customers can access everything from a single place.

What's the difference between a customer portal and a client portal?

Customer portals and client portals are often used interchangeably, as they both refer to the same thing: a portal that keeps everything together.

E-commerce brands with a high volume of low-touch customers tend to say customer portal, while service providers working with fewer high-touch clients would say client portal.

For this article, we will focus more on portals for customers rather than clients. Still, you could apply the same recommendations to both.

Why do you need a portal for your customers?

Portals have many benefits – both for your customers and your business. With a portal, you get:

• 24/7 access for customers. If you have a global customer base, you don't need to worry about having a support team in every timezone. Your customers can log in and get what they need no matter where in the world they are.
• Professionalism, no matter the size of your business. It's not just Amazon that has access to the technology for customer portals. Small and medium-sized companies can also benefit, which levels the playing field and makes you look good.
• Less pressure on your support team. If your support team constantly deals with small, repeatable requests, they have less time for the customers who need personalized help. A portal can reduce your support tickets, cutting your overhead costs.
• A single source of truth for everyone. Your portal can collate anything that customers need to access repeatedly. Whether it's a link to a help doc, a training webinar, or even just an invoice, your customers will have one place to access everything.

Real examples of customer portals

Despite the fact that there is no one standard type of customer portal, we've created some examples of what one could look like to inspire you.

Example portal 1: Digital Downloads Shop

In this first example, we've created a portal for customers who have purchased digital download templates (like brochures, logos, or social media templates). You could use WooCommerce to sell these templates and Client Portal to give your customers access to the downloads, along with tutorials and other useful information.

→ Check out the live Digital Downloads Shop Portal

Username: tompickle

Password: customerportal638

Example portal 2: Custom Furniture Shop

In this example, we've created a portal for a business who created custom furniture for their customers. You can use this portal to share questionnaires, specifications, photo updates, and more.

→ Check out the live Custom Furniture Shop Portal

Our 6 top picks for customer portals in 2024

What should the ideal customer portal include?

Customer portals are unique to your business. There is no one-size-fits-all. That's why we recommend creating an outline of what you need your ideal portal to include and anything nice to have. This will help you narrow down the options.

However, there are four things that every portal needs to include as a standard. These are:

1) Customizable branding and white-labeling

Your portal must look like a part of your business. Your customers already trust you and your brand, so your portal needs to integrate seamlessly.

This can be as simple as choosing a portal that allows you to upload your company logo and select custom colors (most do). You should also be able to host the portal on your domain or subdomain and remove any third-party branding.

2) Integration with the tools you already use

Ensure the platform allows you to use programs you already use. When implementing a portal, you want to keep your workflow the same. Changing too much at once will confuse your clients and risk locking you into the software.

So, if you currently use Google Docs, Google Sheets, Trello, or any other tool, make sure your portal can accommodate that and doesn't force you to switch to their version of these tools.

3) Private and secure access for your customers

We all know that security is essential, especially when handling sensitive data. Portals must be completely secure and only accessible to customers with a login.

4) Good product support so you have help when you need it

One of the most significant benefits of using a third-party portal tool over building your own portal is that if anything goes wrong or you need help, you can access a responsive and helpful support team.

To ensure you'll get good support when signing up, check their website for any reviews that mention support, and even consider emailing a question or two to check their responsiveness.

How to choose the right customer portal for your business

Choosing the right portal depends on your company's particular needs. For example, a graphic design shop selling digital downloads will have different priorities than a business selling custom furniture. When looking at your options for portals, consider the following questions:

 "Does this portal look easy to use for my customers?"

One of the biggest failures is introducing software to non-tech-savvy customers. Make sure the learning curve is manageable for everyone. If you choose a 'kitchen sink' type of software that attempts to do everything, your customers will likely feel overwhelmed. The reality is they simply won't use it, which is a waste of money.

"Does the portal look like an extension of my business?"

Familiarity is vital for your customers, and this starts with branding. Check that you can white-label the portal, which allows you to customize the platform to suit your branding.

"How active is the development of the software?"

When choosing third-party software, you must be confident that the company behind it is actively providing updates and support for the product. This is vital when dealing with potentially sensitive information, so ensure you can see a changelog of the product's updates.

"Does the software offer good support?"

It's important to have access to real people who can answer questions, log feature requests, and help with technical issues.

"Does the portal fit within my budget?"

Portal prices can range significantly. Ensure the one you choose fits comfortably in your budget, as they are challenging to remove once you've started offering them.

It's better to sacrifice new nice-to-have features for a reasonable price than to use up your entire budget, leaving little to no wiggle room.

A word of caution: beware of free plans that require you to upgrade to access certain features. You could spend a lot of time integrating your portal and then realizing you need to use the paid plan to access something crucial—these can be expensive. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you can comfortably afford their paid plans if you need to.

Now that we've discussed the benefits, key requirements, and things to look out for, let's begin our comparison so you can choose the best portal for your business.

Overview of our top 6 customer portal solutions

Client Portal

Client Portal is our top pick! Built for WordPress with WooCommerce integration, it offers unlimited clients and portals on any plan. It's completely secure and provides extra protection to sensitive file uploads. You can custom-brand and white-label this platform, and it comes with priority support and product updates. The email notifications allow you and your customers to keep projects on track. It's a simple and easy-to-use portal.

If you use WordPress as a CMS, this is the best option in terms of price and features. Client Portal doesn't tie you into specific software, so you can use it alongside your existing tools. It's well-designed, with virtually no learning curve for non-tech-savvy users.

Here's what customers say about Client Portal:

"I have been using Client Portal with some of my customers and they absolutely love it!"

–Roberto Cornejo Reindl

"This is my first day getting this set up, and I am very pleased with the ease and simplicity of the tool. It helps keep conversations focused both with my internal team and with my customers. I am very glad I found you. Great job on this.

–Bernard Williams, Owner - Rising Tide Creative Group

"Thank you for creating Client Portal! I wish I had this YEARS ago. Everything looks beautiful and has been a breeze to set up. The minimalistic design and options are perfect for what I do!!"

–Kirsten @ecommdesigner

Key features:

• Built for WordPress - you can use it on your own domain
• Unlimited clients and unlimited portals on any plan
• Secure portals and extra protection for sensitive file uploads
• Custom branding and white labelling
• Priority support and product updates are included
• Email notifications for you and your customers
• WooCommerce integration so customers can purchase access to portals

Our verdict: Client Portal is our top recommendation if you are looking for the best customer portal software. This platform gives an unlimited number of customers an organized and secure space where they can access everything they need from you at any time.

The fully customizable Client portal lets you focus on your business while improving your customer experience. Click here to get started today.

ZenDesk

ZenDesk is a comprehensive solution focused on handling support tickets and reporting. It has a handy ticketing system and over 1,000 integrations. Many paid add-ons are available, and they come with an AI-powered knowledge base. This platform is ideal if you need a helpdesk system for customers with a portal add-on. However, as the pricing is per agent, it can add up quickly if you have an expanding team.

Features:

• Ticketing system
• Comprehensive reporting
• 1,000+ integrations
• Many paid add-ons are available
• Includes AI-powered knowledgebase

Our verdict: ZenDesk is one of the best-known help desk solutions. It's highly advanced and comprehensive, making it our top pick for enterprise-level businesses that need a complete support ticket solution.

MyDocSafe

MyDocSafe is one of the cheapest portal options and offers unlimited storage. It includes quotes and proposal tools, an audit trail, digital signatures, and in-app messaging. This could be a great solution if you just need to upload files regularly for your customers. However, the portal design isn't as sleek as some other options.

Features:

• Unlimited storage
• Quotes and proposals included
• In-app messaging is available
• Audit trail
• Digital signatures

Our verdict: This is a good all-rounder. It has many useful features–like built-in digital signatures–and the price is reasonable. Its main drawback is the overall design and user experience since it's more of a file-sharing tool than a customer portal.

Notion

Notion is budget-friendly and can be used in many other areas of your business. It's not intended to be used as a customer portal. Still, it is pretty decent if you have the time to maintain it. The free plan allows up to 10 clients (guests) and uploads (5 MB on the free plan).

Features:

• The free plan allows up to 10 clients (guests)
• Allows uploads (5 MB on the free plan)
• Very customizable
• Basic analytics included

Our verdict: This is a great DIY option if you already use Notion for other purposes. However, the setup and maintenance of the portal will be time-consuming. The portal feature is probably not a good long-term solution, but it is an excellent way to start.

Clinked

Clinked has many features, although it's one of the most expensive platforms. It allows unlimited guests with any plan and a 100-member limit on the Lite plan. You can white-label this portal, which has tracking and reporting functions. It also allows file uploads of up to 100 GB on the Lite plan and Zapier integration with other apps.

Features:

• Option to white-label your portal
• Tracking and reporting
• Files uploads (up to 100 GB on the Lite plan)
• Unlimited guests with any plan (100 member limit on the Lite plan)
• Zapier integration
• Bespoke setup service (additional fee)

Our verdict: Like ZenDesk, Clinked's pricing makes it more suited to enterprise-level companies. However, Clinked is more of a traditional portal than a support desk. As Clinked offers a bespoke setup service, this platform best suits those needing a highly customized portal.

Softr

Softr has an excellent free plan, but the paid version has a hefty price jump. So you'll need to be sure that the limited free plan has everything you need. Softr isn't an out-of-the-box customer portal solution. Instead, it allows you to turn databases into apps - one of which could be a portal.

Features:

• In-app messaging
• Accepts payments via Stripe and PayPal
• All plans integrate with Airtable, Google Sheets, SmartSuite, and HubSpot

Our verdict: This platform is best suited to businesses that use many spreadsheets or databases and need them converted into customer portals. It's pitched as no-code but requires specific technical knowledge and an understanding of database structures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build my own customer portal?

Yes, you can create private pages on your website to create your portal without needing third-party software. Keep in mind the resources required to continuously monitor and fix any issues. When you use a third party, you can access their support and development teams.

Are customer portals secure?

Yes, customer portals are secure. Customers should only be able to access their own portals, and sensitive files or data should be protected.

What is the best customer portal software?

Client Portal is our top recommendation because it's a fully flexible and customizable platform. It's the only solution that is primarily a portal, as opposed to other solutions that have the portal as an add-on.

What are the best practices for customer portals?

A good customer portal needs to be secure, flexible, and customizable. It should present everything a customer may need to access without emailing your support team. For example, a good customer portal could include file downloads, FAQs, company information, and self-help resources.

What's the difference between a customer portal, a CRM, and a project management tool?

A customer portal is an integrated, self-serve platform that gives your customers direct access to dashboards, files, and resources.

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool is an internal database with a sales pipeline that allows you to track your leads and manage your customers.

A project management tool helps you organize and manage projects using tasks and progress tracking.

Final thoughts

When choosing the best customer portal solution for your business, consider what makes an outstanding customer experience. Remember, different customers may have different levels of technical ability, so you should choose something that is easy to use and gives them only what they need—and nothing more.

Client Portal is a simple, secure, and flexible WordPress plugin that removes all complexity for your customers while retaining ultimate flexibility for you. It's simple by design, and that's what makes it powerful.

Why not build your ideal customer portal with Client Portal? Give it a try today! Find out more…

Today, I want to talk about the Block Editor, what it is, and why we are moving to it for the Client Portal.

What is the block editor (also known as Gutenberg)

The block editor lets you edit your website by dragging and dropping elements, or blocks, onto your screen and creating layouts in a WYSIWYG editor.
(Fun fact: the Block Editor was introduced in WordPress 5.0, and Client Portal will transition to it in Client Portal 5.0. Coinkidink!)

Here's what the block editor looks like:

Compared to the classic editor:

(Image source: Themeisle)

If you want to learn more about the block editor, here's an excellent article by Themeisle which gives you an overview.

Why did we decide to recreate Client Portal using the block editor?

It's always been a dream to have portals editable in real time without using the classic editor, save, preview, etc.

Until now, the only real option was integrating Client Portal with popular page builders like Elemetor.

In fact, that has probably been the most frequently requested feature since day 1.

The reason we have never – and don't plan on – integrating with page builders is simply because we can't justify the extra support overhead with such a small team.

There's also the question of which page builder(s) to support, and I fear it would open the floodgates to integrating with too many.

The other option was building our own, which we did consider.

But when talks of Gutenberg started floating around, it seemed like the perfect compromise.

While Gutenberg doesn't (currently) rivel page builders, it's going in the right direction. The fact that this is now the default editor for WordPress makes it not only a good idea but also pretty critical that we build Client Portal this way.

The block editor takes a bit of getting used to, and I'm not going to lie; sometimes, it feels a little clunky. But I like the possibilities it unlocks, specifically the idea of saving reusable block templates (or patterns).

So that's why we chose the block editor and why we have never integrated with page builders.

I can't wait for you to try it soon!

Today, I wanted to update you on our progress for Client Portal 5.0.

While we had high hopes for a full release by the end of January, that sadly didn't happen.

We ran into some unexpected roadblocks with integrating the content pages, pushing us back.

The good news is I got word from our developer that she is over the biggest hurdle, and we're confident that we can launch our first Release Candidate around February 14th or shortly after.

What is a Release Candidate?

Release Candidate (RC) is the next step above a beta version. It means that the new version is most likely ready to release, but we are doing a softer launch in case any significant bugs emerge.

This means that when Client Portal is in RC state, it is safe to download it from your account, but we strongly recommend not installing it on your production website.

Instead, you should install it on a staging website and check for no significant bugs or conflicts with other themes or plugins. If you notice anything that's not right, we will give you a way to submit a bug report for us to investigate.

Ultimately, the more people who test it, the better.

The beauty (and curse) of WordPress is that every set-up is unique, and different combinations of themes and plugins can cause unexpected problems.

We would like to iron out as many as we realistically can before the final release.

So much work is going on behind the scenes with this new update. Most of it is un-sexy, but there is great momentum.

Finally, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting even longer; I know many of you are waiting for the new version before creating your portals. Ultimately, we are trying to avoid causing any widespread issues with this release. I appreciate your continued patience and promise it will be worth it!

That's it for this update. If you have any questions or want to try out the new version with InstaWP, email us, and we'll be on standby to show you the ropes!

Today, I want to talk about our plans for the next 12 months of Client Portal.

It's January, so many of us are thinking ahead, and I've had a lot of questions from those who want to know our next focus after the release of CP 5.0.

2023 was a tough year.

With the cost of living crisis across most of the world, we definitely noticed the effects at Client Portal.

That, and investing a significant amount of time, money, and energy into this new version, felt like being hit from both sides.

But the phrase I kept in my head throughout 2023 was, "Great companies are made in a recession".

When the economy sucks, invest in your product so that when it inevitably stabilises (it always does), you're ready to hit the ground running.

And over the last couple of months, I've noticed things are already improving for Client Portal and the people around me.

So, as we move into 2024, we are starting the year strong with this brand-new version of the product (which we are still on track for release this month).

Afterwards, we will take a couple of months away from building features so we can:

• Be on call for any questions, suggestions, or problems customers have with the new version
• Update all (!) our help documentation
• Have a rest – it's been a busy year already!

When we are confident the new version is as perfect as it can be, we will switch focus to the two things we all feel are the missing pieces of Client Portal.

These are:

1) Making Client Portal work with other software using webhooks

This is the big feature for most people.

If we can create an API, it will allow you to use Client Portal with, theoretically, any other software.

That means you could automatically send an invoice to Client Portal. Or create a new portal when a proposal gets accepted, or a deposit is paid.

The possibilities are endless, and this is a crucial feature missing from Client Portal.

2) Stripe integration

The WooCommerce integration is one of my favorite features of Client Portal. The ability for people to purchase a portal opens so many doors.

Not only can clients purchase access to a portal when they pay a deposit, but you can also use Client Portal to sell mini-courses, downloads, information packs, and more.

Here's an example of some bonuses I gave away as part of our Black Friday deal. It included digital downloads and video workshops.

While this was a free bonus, it's certainly something I could have charged money for and with the Stripe integration, people could buy this portal and all its contents directly from my website.

Other than those big features, there are some minor tweaks that we want to make to the product from a UX standpoint. This includes making portals and content pages easier to organize and expanding some of our existing features (like notifications) to make them more flexible.

I will also continue to create more example portals that you can use as inspiration when creating your own portals. You can see our latest example of a health coach portal here.

So that's our plan for 2024. I'm excited for a great year ahead, and I hope many of you will continue to stick with me on this journey.

Next week, I will discuss WordPress Blocks, the basis for CP 5.0. We'll go through what they are and why we decided to go this route over others we could have taken.

Today, I want to share with you four mini-features that are coming with this release. These may seem small, but they’ve been requested repeatedly and, honestly, are things that should mostly have been doable before now.

Mini-feature #1: A fully editable, customizable menu

This is something we get asked about all the time. While we have a workaround to edit the menu, we’ve been aware for a long time that this needs to be more ‘point and click’ editable instead of ‘paste this code’ editable.

And now it is! You can add menu items, remove them, change the wording, URL’s. You can even add a call to action button and social icons!

Finally, eh?

Mini-feature #2: Move modules into different phases

While you’ve always been able to re-order modules and phases, until now, we have never had a way for you to move a module from one phase to another without recreating it.

Mini-feature #3: Merging the links and URL module

When I first created Client Portal, each module could only link to one URL (we didn’t even have file uploads or content pages!). The idea was a beautiful, branded bookmark-style portal.

As the product evolved, we got asked how to add multiple links to the same module to keep portals leaner. So we added the option for multiple URLs, but this was a totally separate module type, which didn’t make much sense.

Now we’ve consolidated these, so we have one URL module type – and you can simply add as many URLs as you like.

Mini-feature #4: Custom logo size

The final mini-feature is you can now add a custom logo size. Before, you had to upload either the exact size you wanted, or we set it to out default 270px width.

Since I use Client Portal a lot myself, I always found it frustrating trying to get the perfect logo size for my portals. So this mini-feature is one I’m particularly happy about.

Now, you can set a custom logo size directly in Client Portal. Hooray!

So those are the four mini-features that are coming with Client Portal 5.0.

The truth is, a lot of these features aren’t sexy. But I think it’s the little details like this that can make or break a product.

We’ve been so focused on the bigger features that these have fallen by the wayside. But now I truly think Client Portal is good enough that we can start to tweak these details.

And I’m sure many of you will be more excited about these mini-features than if we announced something flashy.

Next week, I’m going to be talking about what’s next for Client Portal in 2024, and our focus after 5.0 is in the wild.

Today, I'm going to share an update on the beta program (which is live right now!) and how we're running it.

We've opened the beta to a small group of 48 customers. Of those, 21 have created portals with the new block editor via InstaWP.

(InstaWP allows us to spin up fresh installs of WordPress with Client Portal already installed in just a few clicks. It's pretty cool, and I'm pleased we decided to give it a spin).

Our goal is to get first impressions of the new version. We want to see if any glaring issues need to be addressed before we start releasing it to small batches of existing customers.

I'm putting all the responses into a spreadsheet so our developers can go through and address anything that needs to be looked at before the release.

Doing this has got me thinking about feedback's vital role when building a product.

It has been a big part of Client Portal since the pre-sale in November 2016.

Despite Client Portal being something I made for myself, I've always tried to include as many different touchpoints as possible to learn about what you use it for.

From automated emails asking, "Why did/didn't you buy?" to surveys and even 1-1 interviews, I've found feedback crucial to product development.

How we prioritize feedback to build the best product for you

Collecting feedback is one thing. But analyzing and acting on it is trickier.

While adding every feature request we get is tempting; I know that it can quickly muddy the waters and turn Client Portal into an unnecessarily complicated product.

One of the – if not the – most significant selling point of Client Portal is its simplicity. The fundamental idea of the product is to allow you to use the tools you already know and love but keep them in a single, beautiful, branded portal.

We need to be careful to stick true to that goal. And that means considering everything we do with the product. We must find the balance between being responsive to what you want to see and protecting the product's simplicity.

With that in mind, we developed a set of three core principles at the heart of every update we do to Client Portal. These are:

1) Client Portal is client-friendly. Client Portal should have virtually no learning curve for your clients. They log in and go. Unlike project management tools, which are great for your team internally but overwhelming for clients – Client Portal is something your clients will use.

2) Client Portal is beautifully designed out of the box. Every portal should look perfect with minimal effort from you. Since I have a background in design, I'll do the hard work of making sure your portals look great – all you have to do is add a logo, your brand colors, and go. Your portal will fit seamlessly into your website without spending hours customizing it.

3) Client Portal will free up your time and make you look good. Client Portal aims to eliminate any "where's that file you sent me?", "what's the latest on the project?", "where's my invoice from 1989?" emails. Your clients can find everything they need in their portal, which acts as that little extra bit of polish to help you stand out from your competitors.

Every new feature we ship must adhere to at least one of these principles.

With Client Portal 5.0, we're redoing the entire product to make portals faster, easier, and more fun to create.

Based on feedback, we are on the right lines.

So that's a bit about how we're using feedback loops in the beta and also in the product in general.

I'm grateful for everyone who takes the time to provide feedback on Client Portal – good or bad – because, to me, that shows you are invested in the future of the product and that you see its value.

Next week, I will share three bonus improvements that will be available in Client Portal 5.0. These are some 'happy accidents' that we've wanted to implement for a long time but became super easy now we're using WordPress blocks. Stay tuned!