Agency client portals: what they do and when you need one

What's an agency client portal for?

A client portal gives each client one place to check on their work without having to email you. It can cut down on "where are we with this?" messages, lost files and approvals buried in long threads.

You're likely ready for one if these sound familiar:

• Clients often ask where a job stands.
• Files go back and forth by email and get lost.
• Approvals arrive by email, chat and phone, and nobody's sure which version got the yes.
• You send reports as attachments that clients can't find a month later.

What should a marketing agency client portal show?

A marketing agency client portal should show what each client needs to see or act on, and little else. Common parts include:

• The status of each job.
• Files waiting for the client's review.
• Approvals waiting on the client.
• Reports, sorted by month.
• A simple way to send a new request.
• Your agency's own name and look, so it feels like part of your service.

What goes in the portal starts with what you learn when a client signs on. For the questions to ask a new client, see the onboarding questionnaire.

Can your project management tool be the client portal?

Yes, it can, as long as the tool has a view made for clients. Before you open it up to clients, ask these questions:

• Can each client see only their own work?
• Can you hide internal notes, costs and team chat?
• Can a client approve work inside the tool?
• Does adding client logins change what you pay?
• Can you put your agency's name and colors on it?

If most answers are yes, you may not need a separate portal at all. If the answers are mostly no, a portal on its own may be worth the extra login.

Common mistakes include letting clients see internal comments, giving every client the same login and opening the client view before anyone has tested it. Test it with a dummy client account first, and look at it the way your client would.

When the answers come back yes, set up the client view with care. For setting the project tool up, see setting up a project tool for a marketing agency.