How to set up an agency client portal clients actually use

Why most client portals go unused

Many agencies give clients access to their internal task tool and call it a portal. Clients log in once, see a wall of internal tasks and go back to email.

A good portal is designed for the client, not the team. It shows less, and what it shows is what the client actually needs.

What to include

Progress: a clear view of milestones and what's happening now. Decisions: anything waiting on the client's approval or feedback, at the top. Files: final deliverables and shared documents, in one place. Invoices: what has been sent, what is paid and what is due.

Messages and comments should sit next to the work they refer to, so feedback doesn't get lost in an inbox.

What to keep out

Internal notes, team discussions, time logs and process steps belong to your team. Keeping them private lets your team work candidly and keeps the client view calm.

Getting clients to use it

Introduce the portal at kickoff, link to it in every update, and answer questions by pointing to it. Send short updates that summarise what changed and link back. Within a few weeks, the portal becomes the place clients check first.

Bettro gives every client a branded portal showing only their own projects, files, updates and invoices. Request early access to set one up.