Using SharePoint Online to build a great intranet

I must admit building an intranet in the old SharePoint (before SharePoint Online) wasn’t easy. It was clunky and very expensive. You were reliant on IT or a third-party to develop and build a very long list of requirements as intranets needed to cater for so many different use-cases. 

But this changed with the release of modern SharePoint and, in my opinion, a real game-changer in the world of intranets. I have now worked on three intranets using SharePoint Online and all were delivered on time, under budget and involved key stakeholders, such as IT, HR and Marketing. 

Purpose of your intranet 

Before you start designing and building your new intranet, you’ll need to establish the governance. Who will manage the intranet? How will IT support it? And if you have a de-centralised model, how are you setting up your content editors and publishers for success? What sites will internal communications own and what content will sit on the new intranet? 

Using the SharePoint out-of-the-box webparts, you can build a fully functional, accessible, and visually pleasing intranet and the wonderful thing about it, if the layout doesn’t work, you have the ability to change it.

You’ll need to spend some time on the structure and navigation. You’ll also need to decide how many sites you want to sit under your main homepage. This is known as a hub site and you’ll have communication sites that sit under the hub. 

Make sure to document your new intranet’s purpose. If you’re looking at leveraging the investment of Microsoft 365, you’ll probably be using Microsoft Teams and/or considering Viva Engage. It’s important to establish a cohesive eco-system of channels where they complement each other. It’s also important for colleagues to understand where they need to go to get the information they’re looking for. 

Inner & outer loop 

The original inner and outer loop diagram was created by Microsoft in 2017, and I still find it a useful visual when helping colleagues think about using which tool when. 

Decide what content will sit on your intranet. For example, should all webpages be open and available to everyone? One thing is certain, your pages need to support and enable colleagues to successfully complete their job. 

If people do need a private working area, that’s where Microsoft Teams comes in. Apps like Viva Connections will enable you to surface your SharePoint Online intranet in Microsoft Teams to help your colleagues who solely work in Teams.

Training & Measurement 

Spend time training your intranet publishers and editors on how to get the best out of their intranet pages. Share tips on writing for the web, accessibility, and optimising content. Get them thinking about why colleagues will visit their pages. I would always recommend starting again with intranet projects rather than migrating old and out-of-date content. It’s also a great idea to lean on a network of champions made up of different representatives of the business. 

Use analytics like SWOOP Analytics for SharePoint intranet to determine how healthy your intranet really is. It gives you tangible measures to help improve the experience of your intranet. The data will help you make your intranet useful, usable and used through in-depth insights you can share with your content editors to make a huge difference. 

Test & learn 

I would 100% recommend building an intranet in SharePoint Online. Be aware - you won’t get it right the first time and there might be some gaps. You’ll have to get creative for some functionality and you may need more specialist support for some requirements. There are some great third-party agencies that can help with things like intranet accelerators. 

But overall, you and the wider comms team will be in control. Listen, adapt, and try again. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with SharePoint Online.