Many companies spend top dollar on trend-setting customer-facing websites with all the bells and whistles. However, when it comes to their internal platforms, the story is often very different. If there is an internal website at all, it’s typically cluttered and outdated, making it hard to navigate and failing to engage employees. This is a major organizational oversight. As a central hub for information management, communication, and collaboration, a modern internal website, or intranet, is mission-critical to business success. This post explores everything you need to know: from its key uses and essential features to setup and ongoing management.
What Is An Internal Website?
An internal website, or intranet, is a secure digital platform that is only accessible to your employees. Just like a public website, it offers access to company news, product updates, and team directories. But it also delivers the tools, apps, and resources your staff need to perform their jobs efficiently, all in one place.
How Do Organizations Use An Internal Website?
So, what’s the big deal, what difference can an internal website make? That’s the right question. The truth is, an internal website brings multiple business benefits, helping organizations operate more efficiently and effectively. Below are just a few of the high-impact ways intranets deliver value.
Information Management
Information is the lifeblood of every organization, and an internal website streamlines how that information is accessed and shared. Unlike scattered cloud storage systems or email chains, your intranet becomes a centralized knowledge base for all corporate content. Employees can easily locate, access, and share data both internally and externally.
With advanced search capabilities and intuitive navigation, staff can quickly find the information they need. Say goodbye to messy shared folders or complex secure file transfers. Your internal site is organized in a way that makes sense for your business, and it’s available anytime, anywhere.
Internal Communications
Since employees log in daily, the internal website becomes your go-to platform for corporate communication. Newsfeeds, blogs, and newsletters keep staff informed with consistent, timely updates. Enabling feedback and comments turns one-way messages into interactive communication channels.
In today’s mix of remote, hybrid, and frontline workers, streamlined communication and real-time feedback mechanisms are essential for keeping teams aligned and engaged.
Collaboration and Joint Working
Organizations that encourage cross-team collaboration are more agile and innovative. When teams work together, they produce smarter solutions faster. An internal website breaks down silos and enables seamless collaboration through secure team spaces and shared workspaces.
Whether through private forums or real-time document editing using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, employees can work smarter, not harder. You can even set permissions-based access to keep sensitive projects confidential.
Automated Business Processes
Internal websites are a gateway to workflow automation. Whether it’s submitting expense claims, ordering supplies, or requesting vacation time, these routine tasks can be streamlined using digital forms and approval workflows. Say goodbye to manual processing and paper forms.
Using integrated tools like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, forms are automatically routed to the right managers for approval, reducing errors and increasing transparency. Automation saves time and ensures accountability at every step.
Employee Engagement
Engaged employees are more productive, loyal, and committed to organizational goals. According to Gallup research, higher engagement boosts productivity by up to 18%.
Your internal website can serve as a central hub for your employee engagement strategy. From interactive features to feedback tools, it helps employees feel seen and heard.
- Employee recognition programs that celebrate achievements and boost morale
- Engaging polls and surveys to gather real employee feedback
- Company-wide calendars to stay informed about deadlines and events
- Accessible training portals to support continuous learning and development
What Features Are Essential On An Internal Website?
Now that we understand the benefits, let’s break down the must-have features. A modern internal website should align with your organizational goals and deliver high usability. Here’s what to look for in a top-tier solution:
- Easy To Set Up: Quick implementation means you can start realizing benefits immediately. Choose a platform that doesn’t require complex development or IT expertise.
- Simple To Manage: User management and content updates should be intuitive, enabling non-technical team members to maintain the site with ease.
- User-Friendly Interface: A successful intranet is one that employees love to use. That means clean design, intuitive navigation, and an advanced search engine that makes finding content effortless.
- Rapid Deployment: A proven solution used by other organizations can save time and avoid the need for lengthy pilots or testing phases.
- Mobile Optimization: With more people working remotely or in the field, mobile access is non-negotiable. Your internal website must be responsive and fully functional on smartphones and tablets.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Your intranet should deliver excellent ROI, with pricing models that match your budget and business needs.
How To Create An Internal Website
So, we’ve convinced you of the benefits and have helped you identify the essential features. But how do you build an internal website that meets your business needs and engages your team? Well, there are three basic options to consider:
1. Do-it-yourself
This approach allows you to design a custom internal website from the ground up, hosted on your own server. The key advantage is a fully bespoke platform tailored to your organization’s unique requirements.
However, it’s a resource-heavy option. You’ll need significant technical expertise, time for testing and piloting, and a solid budget. Additionally, long development cycles can delay deployment, and the final product may lack the user-friendliness of pre-built solutions.
2. Off-the-shelf
This option involves downloading pre-existing software, such as WordPress, SharePoint, or Drupal, and adapting it to serve as an intranet. These tools are often free to download, making them attractive to cost-conscious businesses.
Despite their affordability, these platforms come with drawbacks. Some level of technical know-how is still required, especially for setup and ongoing maintenance. Moreover, since these tools weren’t built specifically as intranet software, functionality may be limited without additional paid plug-ins or custom development.
Hosting is another factor to consider. If you don’t have an existing server setup, external hosting costs could increase your total spend significantly.
3. Cloud Intranet Software
This option offers the most balanced solution. With cloud-based intranet software, you can build an internal site using customizable templates hosted by a specialized intranet provider. It’s fast to implement, scalable, and packed with essential features.
Easy To Setup
A simple setup wizard allows even non-technical users to launch the intranet quickly. With drag-and-drop page builders, you can create visually engaging pages using rich content elements like images, videos, polls, and widgets. The easier it is to publish content, the more likely your team will use the platform actively.
Templates are fully customizable, so you can incorporate your organization’s branding, logos, fonts, color schemes, to create a seamless user experience.
Simple To Manage
Cloud intranet platforms include user-friendly admin tools to simplify everyday tasks. Whether managing user permissions, restricting access to sensitive data, or updating page content, everything is designed to be intuitive and efficient.
Bulk management features allow for easy onboarding or offboarding, and content publishing tools help keep your site fresh and relevant with minimal effort.
Easy To Use
These solutions are built with modern design principles in mind. Navigation is intuitive, the layout mirrors familiar file explorers, and the advanced search functionality ensures users can find the information they need without frustration.
The result? Higher adoption rates, better engagement, and more productive employees.
Quick To Deploy
Pre-built intranet templates are tested and proven by other businesses, so there’s no need for prolonged development or trial phases. With a five-step intranet builder, your internal website can go live in just a few hours.
Plus, the platform’s simplicity means there’s no need for intensive training, your staff can hit the ground running.
Mobile Optimization
A mobile-optimized internal website ensures that remote workers, frontline staff, and deskless employees can access all the essential tools and content, anytime, anywhere. Modern intranet templates are designed specifically for smaller screens such as smartphones and tablets. Since precision is harder on touchscreens, mobile intranets are built with clutter-free, finger-sensitive designs that improve accessibility and usability.
Cloud Intranets Come With Value-Added Extras
Your cloud-based intranet comes packed with additional benefits that DIY or off-the-shelf solutions can’t match:
- Cost-effectiveness: Predictable monthly pricing is a huge advantage. For one fixed monthly fee, you get access to all features, unlimited users, and unlimited storage. This makes cloud intranets an excellent choice for businesses looking for high ROI and budget control.
- Single sign-on (SSO): With integrated login systems, employees can seamlessly access all enterprise tools with a single login. No more juggling multiple usernames or passwords, just fast, frictionless access that boosts productivity and ease of use.
- Security assured: Unlike DIY setups where you must manage cybersecurity yourself, cloud intranet providers handle all security concerns. This includes the latest SSL encryption, SOC 2 compliance, and user permission management, offering robust protection against internal and external threats.
- Automatic updates and backups: Forget manual installs or backups. With cloud providers, software updates and secure data backups happen automatically. You’ll also benefit from regular improvements and new tools without lifting a finger.
- On-demand customer support: While platforms like WordPress or SharePoint rely on user forums, a cloud intranet provider offers real-time support. Whether it’s for design, setup, troubleshooting, or post-launch optimization, expert help is always just a click away.
Tips On What To Include On Your Intranet’s Homepage
Your homepage is the gateway to your internal website. It’s the first impression users get, so make it count. A well-designed homepage encourages engagement and adoption, while a confusing one drives users away.
Remember, the best homepage reflects your organization’s structure and goals. A legal firm’s internal site will have different homepage elements than a creative tech startup.
- People focus: The most effective intranets are built with employee experience in mind. Focus on people, not processes. Include shortcuts to popular content like team directories, discussion boards, event calendars, and tasks. A visible, intuitive search bar is also essential.
- Three-stage approach: Start by identifying essential tools and links your employees use every day. Next, add contextual content, such as department-specific resources or industry updates. Finally, humanize the experience with team shoutouts, internal news, employee profiles, and social walls. This balanced mix helps inform, connect, and engage your workforce.
- Make it visual: A visually appealing homepage catches the eye and keeps users engaged. Use graphics, videos, and images to communicate information quickly and effectively.
- Less is more: Avoid information overload. Use a minimalist layout with clear section headings, accordion menus, and a clean color scheme. A splash of vibrant color can highlight important areas without overwhelming the user.
- Present content in bite-sized chunks: Divide content into modules with sufficient white space. A structured, grid-based layout improves readability and usability, delivering a seamless user experience (UX).
Internal Website: The MyHub Solution
Ready to explore how a cloud intranet can transform your internal website? Reach out to us at MyHub. With over 20 years of experience, we specialize in building user-friendly, beautifully designed internal websites your employees will actually use.
Join one of our free demo sessions or take advantage of our 14-day no-obligation trial to test the software risk-free.
If you’re short on time or technical resources, check out MyHub’s expert intranet design service. We’ll work closely with you to launch a fully customized, functional intranet in 40 days or less, guaranteed.
FAQ Section
What is the purpose of an internal website (intranet)?
It’s a private, employee-only digital hub designed for centralizing company news, documents, tools, and collaboration, boosting efficiency and connectivity across the organization.
Who benefits most from using an intranet?
Everyone: communication teams, remote workers, department leads, and frontline staff gain faster access to news, shared resources, workflows, and collaboration tools—especially in hybrid work environments.
What are the must-have features of a successful internal website?
Look for easy setup and management, intuitive design and navigation, powerful search, mobile compatibility, security, and cost efficiency—all essential for user adoption and ROI.
