Some portals are little more than a few pages with multiple website listings, and these obviously need no special portal software to build. Pages are typically pared down to essentials: simple listings, graphics kept to a minimum for quick downloads. News and free offers are obtained cheaply or free by arrangement with other sites, and site maintenance revolves round marketing.

Marketing is indeed the key requirement. Companies won't pay decent advertising rates until site traffic is very appreciable, and site traffic won't grow until the portal offers what visitors cannot find elsewhere.

Portal owners generally solve this Catch 22 situation by engaging in massive advertising and by charging only nominal rates for advertising until the site catches on.