Intranet Content Ideas: 22 Content Ideas To Jazz Up Your Intranet

Aug 3, 2022 | 0 comments

Your intranet launched with a hiss and a roar several months ago. Adoption rates started high but soon dwindled. The shift to remote working since the pandemic has highlighted the intranet’s effectiveness. But although more staff are using the platform’s tools, a common gripe is intranet content is tired and stale. Coming up with original content ideas month after month may be more challenging than you first thought, right? And if that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Gartner reports that up to 90 percent of intranets fail to achieve their goals. And according to Gallup, 74 percent of employees are disconnected and feel they are missing out on company news. Too many companies have mistakenly seen the intranet as a one-off digital workplace initiative. The truth is the launch is only the start. Modern intranets need to be nurtured and refreshed with engaging content to remain relevant. Does your intranet need an overhaul but don’t know where to start? Here are 22 intranet content ideas to jazz up even the dullest intranet.

Tips On How To Create Great Content

Before we launch into some practical suggestions, a quick word about what makes good content in the first place. The following tips will ensure your intranet hits the spot.

Relevant

Creating intranet content just for the sake of it isn’t helpful. It needs to have a purpose and add value to the reader. However, be wary of information overload. Too much content can swamp users, so they simply zone out altogether.

Engaging

One of the best ways to promote engagement is to encourage interaction. Content that’s all one-way traffic just falls flat. Instead, look to get your people involved and interacting with each other with likes, comments, and shares.

Mix It Up

Many companies think content is all text-based. However, your intranet has multi-media capabilities, so mix it up for a more engaging experience. From vlogs and explainer videos to infographics and podcasts, unleash your imagination and explore the endless possibilities.

Bite-sized Chunks

Break content down into easily digestible, bite-sized pieces. Short paragraphs, headings, and lists help users identify what’s important. And be sure to break up text with plenty of images, photos, and pictures. Options to click for more information for interested readers work really well.

Navigation

Make it as easy as possible for users with intuitive navigation. Don’t be afraid of white space and feel compelled to fill the entire screen. You just need to make it simple for users to find what they need. To that end, organize your intranet around tasks or departments – whatever makes sense for your business. And to improve information discovery, tag content with meaningful descriptions.

how-to-create-an-intranet-guide

22 Intranet Content Ideas

1. Give The Intranet A Name

Synapse, Spectrum, or inVent sound much cooler than just plain old intranet, right? Naming the intranet gives it some personality to engage staff. And it helps to create a buzz around the intranet platform. Why not get employees involved in coming up with an intranet name? That way, you are more likely to get staff buy-in. Start a competition and get workers to vote on their favorite names in a snap poll.

2. Develop A Content Schedule 

Great content doesn’t just create itself. You need to be organized and get teams involved in generating relevant content. Set up a content calendar with each month’s stories, articles, and announcements. For example, the end of the financial year is the perfect time to share corporate performance data. Perhaps you are planning to launch a new product in October. Schedule in an internal press release. Try to post content daily, so there’s always something new to entice users. Your site’s analytics will tell you the most popular times for intranet usage. Monday mornings are usually busy for most staff, so vital information often gets missed. However, post content at the right time, and you will not only get more views, but you are also likely to get more engagement. A plan gives a sense of direction and helps share the content creation load.

3. Keep It Visual 

Many intranets are too text-heavy, which can be hard going for users. Make sure your intranet design is as eye-catching as possible. Use imagery and colors to grab the attention of users. Why not mix things up throughout the year? Go green for St Patrick’s Day, or choose yellow to welcome in the summer. Use images, photos, graphics, and diagrams to illustrate and support written content. And incorporate video wherever possible. A corporate update delivered by the CEO in a vlog is more engaging than a memo. And rather than a complicated written procedure, why not upload an explainer video detailing how to complete a fault-finding diagnostic.

4. Focus On People 

People enjoy reading content about people. Winning intranets have a strong emphasis on the organization’s human side. Include shout-outs as a great way to recognize employees publicly. Even better, make it possible for staff to celebrate colleagues who go the extra mile. Introduce new employees on the intranet. Consider showcasing the work of a team or individual in a special ‘day in the life’ feature. Include intranet employee profiles that highlight workers’ knowledge and expertise. And bring these profiles to life with personal information, including family, hobbies, and achievements outside work.

5. Connect Your Remote Workers

People content is even more critical when you have staff working remotely. It helps bridge the gap in distributed teams so all employees feel connected and part of something bigger. Many companies have a dedicated intranet space for remote workers. Host weekly or monthly virtual team-building events, such as trivia quizzes, shared lunches, or bake-offs. Encourage telecommuters to share tips and tricks on remote working or post photos of their home-office setups. And a dedicated channel on team chat ensures remote workers can have the same opportunities for watercooler conversations as their office-based colleagues.

6. Streamlined Onboarding

Onboarding is a critical task for every organization. Get it right, and your recruit will become a productive team member in no time. And an onboarding hub on the intranet is the perfect platform. Here, in one central location, is everything your new hire needs. Intranets tick all the boxes from how-to videos, SOPs, and employee directories to automated new hire forms and checklists. Onboarding is simplified and streamlined for both the employee and the employer.

7. Create An Industry News Hub

A centralized digest of industry news and updates is an excellent example of value-added content. Instead of signing up for a variety of industry newsletters, employees have one source of truth. It helps workers stay ahead of the game with valuable industry knowledge. And why not create your own content with, say, a COO review of a competitor merger or an analysis of new technology implemented by the R&D team.

8. CEO News Blog

Of course, the intranet is also the vehicle for keeping staff updated on company news. However, during the pandemic, many CEOs started communicating with the workforce through informal videos often shot at home. These off-the-cuff messages proved to be hugely popular. Workers saw a different, more personal, and authentic side to their leaders. So, honest and genuine leadership communications are a must-have for any intranet, whether it’s a vlog or blog.

9. User Surveys And Snap Polls

Whether it’s canvassing opinions on company initiatives or deciding the Christmas party location, polls and surveys are always a hit. They give your people a voice and send a strong signal about how much their views matter. However, survey fatigue is a genuine issue, so don’t overdo this feature. Otherwise, workers may think you are just going through the motions. And be sure to report back on any outcomes or actions resulting from surveys.

10. Gamification And Competition

Who doesn’t love a bit of friendly competition? Consider holding an intranet contest and offer prizes. Perhaps you could reward the most active user with a $20 gift card. And to encourage idea sharing, why not recognize the employee with the best idea that month with lunch on the company? Contests and competitions are a helpful way to get staff engaged with the intranet. Similarly, gamification boosts intranet interaction. Reward users for completing tasks on the intranet or engaging with content with digital badges and level progression. Gamifying activities that mimic online games introduce a fun element to using that intranet that will resonate with many.

11. Celebrate Successes

Have you won that all-important tender? Or perhaps your product development team has come up with a ground-breaking innovation? Celebrating company success stories is a sure-fire hit. After all, who doesn’t want to be part of a success story? It’s hugely motivating for the entire workforce. And don’t forget to celebrate non-work-related achievements. Acknowledge the births of children and grandchildren and congratulate staff for their personal triumphs like running a marathon. There’s a ton of content mileage in celebrating successes.

12. Customer Success Stories And Testimonials

Likewise, share any positive customer reviews or testimonials. This kind of affirmation has a positive impact on everyone. Customer success stories are a powerful tool. They help workers understand their roles and the company mission. Seeing their efforts impacting customers makes employees’ work more meaningful.

13. Allow Personalized Intranet Content

Create opportunities for your people to customize their intranet experience. After all, staff access personalized news and social media feeds daily. And they expect the same high-value customized experience at work. Allow employees to personalize their intranet home page. Hotlinks and shortcuts take the worker directly to their favorite tools and content. And utilize social intranet features such as follow-me functionality and activity walls. Employees set their own preferences for a targeted, highly relevant experience every time they log on. It means they can filter out all the irrelevant background noise.

14. Advertise Internal Job Opportunities

Internal recruitment is a cost-effective way to fill vacancies. Internal candidates are already familiar with the company set up and can be up and running quickly. Use the intranet for advertising internal job opportunities. And make it easy for employees to apply with an online automated form that routes the application directly to HR. And don’t stop at permanent vacancies. You can also advertise projects, working groups, or internal gigs. Your people will welcome the opportunity to develop their skills and expertise.

15. Create Q&A Forums

Forums bring people together from across the business. Staff can ask questions, raise issues, and share their knowledge and insights with colleagues. It’s empowering, and it’s also an efficient way to get answers to problems. The anytime, anywhere, any place nature of the intranet means help is just a click away.

16. Encourage User-Generated Content

Encourage staff to create content and see your engagement levels increase dramatically. Like social media, it could be liking, sharing, and commenting on content. Or workers could contribute to company blogs and forums. Some companies have created pre-built templates to make it easier for staff to contribute. Why not have a bright spark page, for example. Your people can upload their in-the-moment insights to share with colleagues instantly. An intranet template makes it super-easy for workers to publish their own content. And user-generated content encourages engagement. Plus, it adds that vital authenticity and relevancy that might be missing from your intranet.

17. Connect With Team Chat

Nowadays, more and more employees are choosing to work from home. And the rise of the gig economy means freelancers and contractors are a standard part of workplaces. Team chat helps to bring staff together. Create #channels by teams, geographical location, or themes such as #ideasworthsharing, #salesdevelopment, or #marketing101. Use the @mentions feature to draw colleagues into the discussions and to receive alerts and updates.

18. Events Calendar

Whether your company operates on-site, remotely, or in hybrid setups, there are bound to be events happening. They could be of the social team-building kind with virtual or in-person shared lunches and get-togethers. Or they could be work-related with webinars and lunch and learns. A centralized events calendar keeps all staff in the know and increases participation.

19. Learning And Development Resources

Promote learning and development opportunities on your intranet and demonstrate the commitment you have to your people. The ability to search and discover workshops, courses, training assets, and learning material is vital. Upload training videos or share webinars., so workers can reference back to them should they forget something. Also, consider introducing a mentoring or work shadowing program. There’s a good reason why  84 percent of Fortune 500 companies have developed mentoring programs. Not only do employees love them, but they are a crucial part of knowledge sharing and succession planning.

20. Health And Wellbeing

Employee health and wellbeing have become a hot topic during the pandemic. Use your intranet to support wellbeing with self-service health-related information and resources. Why not set regular themes with, say, a mindfulness week. Workers can share their tips and tricks to stay focused. And a 5-minute morning mindfulness session hosted on the intranet will get all remote and office workers in the productivity zone.

21. Post Motivational Quotes

Motivational quotes are a popular feature across social media, and your intranet is no exception. They can motivate your people and help them start the day with their best foot forward. And if you’re looking for inspiration, check out our 70 Inspirational Employee Engagement Quotations. You will find lots of ideas to get you started. We recommend posting a quote once a week, and Monday mornings are often the prime time. However, try not to overdo it. Posting too often can reduce the impact of these inspiring pick-me-ups.

22. Make Your Intranet Content Fun 

Introduce a playful, fun element to the intranet. All work and no play make for a dull experience for everyone. Especially in the current pandemic, a little light relief is essential for everyone’s health and wellbeing. Why not share some fun facts from employee profiles and get staff to guess who? Set up an internal Craigslist for employees or start an online recipe swap. National Pet Month takes place in May, so why not celebrate with wacky pet photos. Who can resist a cute picture of a much-loved four-legged friend? Allow room for some fun in your intranet to encourage adoption and engagement.

Intranet Engagement Ideas Best Practice

The trick is to focus on content that adds value to your people. Keep the content on your intranet fresh, relevant, and fun with these intranet engagement best-practice ideas. And be sure to review your intranet regularly and delete any out-of-date or no longer relevant content. That way, your intranet is optimized for effectiveness and delivers a return on investment. Interested in finding out more? Sign up for a free demo or 14-day trial of MyHub’s super easy-to-use intranet software.

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