What makes good intranet content?
There are many different types of engaging intranet content, but they often share similar characteristics. First and foremost, any content you create should have a purpose. The biggest mistake to avoid in your intranet content strategy is creating content simply for the sake of it. Overloading employees with information that isn’t helpful or relevant contributes to a negative employee experience. To meet your organization’s intranet requirements, content should be purposeful and promote engagement. Overloading employees with irrelevant information can lead to disengagement. Over time, you’ll find that engagement drops as users tune content out.
To that end, good intranet content also promotes engagement. Your intranet isn’t simply a one-way channel through which you can distribute information to employees. It’s also a multi-directional communication tool that allows you to collect feedback from employees and acts as a platform for individuals to interact with each other.
10 intranet content ideas for better engagement
The beauty of an intranet content management system is that it gives you the tools to communicate information in a variety of dynamic mediums. Why limit yourself to weekly e-blasts when you can just as easily distribute a video or start a discussion? Whether you’ve recently completed the intranet adoption process or your organization has been operating in a digital workplace for years, these intranet engagement ideas will help employees experience content in an entirely new way.
1. Welcome new employees
Every employee deserves a warm welcome when they join your company. Introduce new arrivals via your corporate intranet to give others the opportunity to say hello. Think of creative information to include that goes beyond their name and job title. For example, you might ask for their favorite ice cream flavor or dream travel destination.
Today, digital workplace tools make it easy to roll out the red carpet for new teammates from day one. A welcome post on your intranet introduces them to the entire company in a friendly, human way—and sets the tone for an open, people-first culture.
2. Create a dynamic onboarding process
The onboarding process is every new hire’s first taste of what it’s like to work within your organization. In fact, statistics show that 90% of employees decide whether to stay or leave within the first six months at a new company. Get off on the right foot with a dynamic onboarding process that uses multiple different types of engaging content, all housed within your CMS intranet library. Consider building a dedicated onboarding space that features videos, FAQs, a virtual office tour, team intro cards, and an onboarding checklist employees can track themselves.
3. Personalize mass messages
Did you know that we’re more likely to engage with content when it’s personalized with our name? According to data from Experian, email marketers experience a 29% higher open rate and a 41% higher engagement rate when they use this strategy. Try customizing your next company-wide blast with each employee’s first name and see if that alone makes a difference in engagement data.
Take it a step further by tailoring content suggestions based on department, role, or location—just like Netflix recommends shows—so employees feel the intranet speaks directly to them.
4. Crowdsource content
No one said you had to come up with all the intranet content ideas yourself. Host regular open calls for content from employees to allow them to share their own ideas and opinions with the rest of the community. To really drive engagement, choose a content theme and reward the best submissions with prizes.
Highlight user-generated content in a featured section and allow voting so employees can support their peers’ ideas. Consider quarterly themes like “My Remote Work Setup” or “Tools That Boost My Productivity.”
5. Stick to a schedule
Varying different types of intranet content helps keep things interesting but try to have some consistency by choosing regular intervals at which to post certain items. For example, if you send out a company-wide news update every week, schedule it for the same day and time so that employees know when to expect it.
You can also brand your recurring content—like “Monday Wins,” “Friday Fives,” or “Monthly Mission”—to create rhythm and anticipation for recurring engagement touchpoints.
6. Highlight top achievers
Some employees excel at reaching their sales goals; others stand out as top contributors to online discussions. Give these individuals recognition by highlighting their achievements in a dedicated space within your intranet. Not only will they feel rewarded for their efforts, but others might be inspired to improve their own efforts.
Rotate spotlight features with short interviews or behind-the-scenes stories that share not just the what, but the how—creating opportunities for peer learning and inspiration.
7. Post job opportunities
Time and time again, studies have shown that employees become disengaged and are more likely to leave a company if they don’t see a potential for upward mobility within the organization. Encourage long-term career goals by posting opportunities that employees can apply for. An internal job board is a great example of content for intranet that employees can engage with.
Add a “career path stories” section where employees share how they’ve grown within the company, and link roles to learning content to support upskilling and internal mobility.
8. Maintain an events calendar
Does your company regularly host virtual happy hours, keynote speakers, or workshops? Increase participation by making an events calendar available to everyone in the organization. With the help of an intranet content management system, you can easily keep event pages organized and include links to relevant resources.
Include RSVP buttons, calendar sync options, and post-event highlights or recordings to extend the experience and keep the momentum going beyond the event.
9. Kickstart forum discussions
Forums are among the most interactive types of intranet content, but you can’t simply create one and expect individuals to participate on their own. As part of your intranet content strategy, stimulate engagement by posting open-ended questions for employees to answer. You can also use forums to encourage the discussion of high-level issues like diversity and inclusion.
Appoint discussion facilitators or “community champions” who keep the conversation flowing, tag relevant colleagues, and summarize key insights from the threads into action points.
10. Ask for suggestions
If you’re still feeling stuck, why not find out what types of intranet content your employees want to see more of? Open up the floor for suggestions by creating a brief poll or intranet survey to find out what specific content those within the company are interested in. At the same time, don’t forget to track analytics and see what the data shows employees engaging with most frequently.
Close the loop by sharing results and how you’ll act on feedback, creating a culture of listening and responsiveness that reinforces trust and transparency.
How Can Intranet Content Improve Communication in the Workplace?
Intranet content is a hub for seamless communication by centralizing important updates, documents, and project information. When tailored to meet employee needs, it promotes collaboration across departments, reduces email overload, and ensures that key messages reach the entire workforce. Intranet content fosters a more connected and engaged workplace culture by encouraging open dialogue through forums or chat functionalities.
How to use intranet ideas to improve onboarding
Building a central hub for new hires
Create a dedicated space on your intranet where new employees can access everything they need to get started—welcome messages, company policies, team introductions, and FAQs. A well-organized hub helps reduce uncertainty and accelerates integration.
Sharing training materials and resources
An intranet is the perfect place to store and distribute training materials, from interactive guides to recorded sessions. By making learning resources easily accessible, you empower new hires to onboard at their own pace while ensuring team consistency.
Creating a virtual tour of the company
Give new hires a behind-the-scenes look at your company with a virtual tour on your intranet. Whether it’s an interactive office map, a video walkthrough, or a guided introduction to key departments, a virtual tour helps employees become familiar with their new environment, no matter where they are located.
How to Measure the Success of Your Intranet Content
To gauge the effectiveness of your intranet content, track key engagement metrics such as page views, time spent on content, and interaction rates (including comments, likes, and shares). Employee surveys can provide direct feedback on the relevance and usability of content. Additionally, monitoring how well content supports business outcomes—like enhanced productivity or improved internal processes—can help determine if your intranet meets its communication and engagement goals.
SharePoint as an Intranet & Best Practices for Content Strategy
Are you feeling overwhelmed by your intranet content strategy? Whether you’re using SharePoint as an intranet or another platform, understanding core intranet features and best practices for intranet content is key to driving engagement.
Need more advice on where to get started? We’ve got you covered. In collaboration with digital workplace expert Martyn Perks, we created the ultimate guide to managing intranet content for digital workplace managers and internal communicators. This resource dives into:
How to leverage SharePoint’s intranet features (like news hubs, personalized feeds, and analytics) for content success.
Best practices for intranet governance, including content audits, stakeholder alignment, and maintenance workflows.
Practical templates and frameworks to simplify planning.
And the best part? It’s free to download! Get the guide here.
Transforming Your Intranet into an Engagement Powerhouse
Implementing these 10 intranet content strategies can significantly enhance employee engagement and foster a more connected workplace. By welcoming new hires, personalizing communications, and encouraging employee contributions, your intranet evolves from a static information repository into a dynamic platform for collaboration and community building.
Consistency and relevance are key. Regularly updating content, recognizing achievements, and soliciting feedback ensure that your intranet remains a vital resource that employees are eager to engage with. This not only boosts morale but also drives productivity and innovation across the organization.
Remember, the most effective intranet is one that reflects the voices and needs of its users. By continuously adapting and incorporating employee input, you create a digital environment that supports your team’s growth and success.
Ready to elevate your intranet experience? Explore how Powell Intranet can help you implement these strategies and more to create a more engaging and efficient digital workplace.