How to create an intranet: Step-by-step guide

The frustrations are real. Scattered files, lost emails, or inefficient workflows, cost time and money. Creating an intranet can be the digital solution your team needs. A well-designed intranet centralizes information, streamlines communication, and gives employees a single place to get work done. But implementation requires careful planning.

This guide breaks down the entire process — from defining objectives and selecting a platform to launching and maintaining your intranet. You’ll learn how to create an intranet that employees actually adopt and that delivers measurable value to your organization.

Planning your intranet strategy

An intranet building strategy is a structured approach for designing, developing, and deploying an internal network within an organization. It outlines why and how your organization will implement an intranet — from goal setting to ongoing improvement. The plan ensures that the intranet serves its intended purpose, delivers value, and garners widespread employee adoption.

A robust intranet strategy is fundamental for any organization looking to enhance internal communication, streamline operations, and boost employee engagement. Launching an intranet effectively requires a clear roadmap covering technical development, platform purpose, and the people who will use it.

Here are the first steps and defining principles that will guide your intranet implementation journey.

Defining business objectives and intranet success metrics

Before you implement your intranet, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. You’ll need to identify the specific objectives of your intranet, such as improving communication and collaboration or providing frictionless access to company resources and information.

Setting measurable success metrics is equally crucial. Metrics like user adoption rates, message comprehension, channel efficiency, content findability, and overall employee satisfaction validate your investment and guide future improvements, proving the intranet’s value to stakeholders. 

These KPIs and metrics will serve as benchmarks throughout your intranet implementation, allowing you to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately validate the success of your investment.

By clearly outlining your objectives and defining tangible success metrics, you lay a solid foundation for your entire intranet setup. This initial strategic phase is paramount, whether you decide to build an intranet from scratch or opt for a robust intranet builder solution. 

A well-defined vision ensures that every design and feature choice helps you create an intranet that is not just functional, but genuinely transformative for your organization.

Conducting a current state assessment

Before planning to create an intranet, you must first understand how information flows — or fails to flow — across your organization. Map communication patterns across departments, teams, and hierarchical levels. 

Key questions to consider:

• Can executives effectively share strategic updates with frontline staff?
• Do project teams have efficient ways to collaborate and share progress?
• Are employees aware of and aligned with leadership’s vision?

Communication silos often trap vital information within specific groups. This leads to redundancy, miscommunication, and lack of transparency. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups will reveal frustrations with existing channels, highlight critical information gaps, and identify what aspects of communication are working well.

Audit your current internal communication tools. Many organizations rely on fragmented systems — email for announcements, shared drives for documents, instant messaging for quick questions, or an outdated portal for policies. Document their usage, effectiveness, and any pain points. 

Plan for content migration. Once the decision is made to build an intranet, a vast amount of existing information will need to be transferred to the new system. This includes critical documents, company policies, HR forms, news archives, employee directories, and departmental resources. Categorize this content, determine its relevance, identify owners, and flag anything outdated or requiring updates.

Consider the volume, format, and complexity of the content to be migrated to your new intranet platform. Will simple copying suffice, or will you need more complex conversions? Understanding these requirements from the start will streamline implementation and ensure your intranet launches with accurate, accessible information.

Build your cross-functional intranet implementation team

Implementing a new intranet is a significant undertaking that thrives on collaborative effort. It’s essential to gather a skilled, diverse team to steer the project from conception to launch and beyond. This cross-functional team will be the driving force behind your successful intranet implementation, encompassing a range of perspectives to capture the best ideas and address varied organizational needs.

Representatives from different departments should include key stakeholders like IT and HR. Invite different employee groups to participate as well, such as remote and frontline workers, to ensure all voices are heard and considered when deciding on design and functionality. 

Start by defining key roles and responsibilities within your intranet implementation team. This is paramount to avoid duplication of effort and ensure accountability.

Identify core members of your intranet building team

The IT department plays a critical role. They are responsible for the technical infrastructure, security protocols, system integrations, and ongoing technical support. Their expertise ensures the intranet is stable, scalable, and secure, laying the technical groundwork for how to build an intranet that performs reliably.

The HR team, led by the CHRO, contributes significantly by focusing on the people-centric aspects of the intranet. They will drive content related to employee onboarding, policies, benefits, company culture initiatives, and fostering a sense of community. HR’s input is vital for creating an intranet that enhances employee experience and engagement, truly reflecting the organization’s values and support systems.

The internal communications team is pivotal in shaping the intranet’s messaging, content strategy, and adoption. They oversee internal news, announcements, storytelling, and ensure consistent brand voice. The comms team is crucial for developing campaigns to promote the intranet, encourage user adoption, and provide training on how to effectively use the new platform. Their expertise ensures the intranet becomes a central, trusted hub for information dissemination during and after implementation.

Beyond these core functions, representatives from other key departments, such as Marketing, Operations, and Sales, should be included to ensure the intranet supports their specific workflows and communication needs. 

Leadership buy-in is also vital, providing strategic direction and removing potential roadblocks. This multifaceted approach ensures your intranet is well-received enterprisewide.

Establish your intranet governance framework

For your intranet to remain effective and relevant long after its initial launch, establishing a clear governance framework is essential. This framework outlines the rules, responsibilities, and processes for managing the intranet’s content, features, and overall evolution. 

Without robust governance, even the most well-executed intranet setup can quickly become outdated or disorganized.

Identify who has the authority to approve new features, make design changes, prioritize content updates, and manage user permissions. Implementing a structured process to determine decision-makers and approvals ensures that the intranet continues to evolve strategically and in alignment with organizational goals. This prevents ad-hoc changes and maintains consistency across the platform.

Distinguish between the initial intranet implementation team and the ongoing governance committee. The governance committee will oversee your intranet’s long-term health,  ensuring continuous oversight and strategic development of your intranet platform. 

Finally, provide comprehensive training on governance responsibilities for all content owners and administrators. Establish clear feedback loops and analytics monitoring to continuously assess the intranet’s performance and user satisfaction. 

Regular reviews and adjustments based on these insights will ensure the intranet remains a dynamic, valuable tool, truly achieving its purpose after you create an intranet for your organization.

Selecting the right intranet platform

While it may seem cost-effective to build an intranet in house, doing so often leads to extensive development, ongoing maintenance headaches, and outdated features. Successful intranet implementation should reduce the burden on IT teams.

Instead, streamline your intranet setup by selecting a dedicated intranet platform solution. Partnering with an expert not only accelerates the process but ensures you deploy a robust, future-proof solution tailored to your needs. This strategic approach saves resources and guarantees a successful intranet launch.

Selecting the ideal employee intranet platform is a pivotal step for any organization aiming to enhance internal communication and collaboration. The right platform does more than centralize information; it transforms how employees connect, share knowledge, and contribute to business success.

Evaluating top intranet platforms

When evaluating intranet platforms, begin by assessing core features, such as an intuitive user interface and powerful search capabilities. Look for an intranet that fosters engagement through dynamic internal communications like newsletters, blog posts, and multimedia sharing. Collaboration tools, such as project spaces and instant messaging, are crucial for modern teams. 

Ensure the platform adheres to industry-standard security protocols, offering granular access controls, data encryption, and regular backups. Compliance with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) is equally important to safeguard sensitive information.

Choose a platform with extensibility and integrations. A truly effective intranet should seamlessly connect with your existing tech stack, such as Office 365, Google Workspace, Slack, CRM systems, or key HRIS or ITSM platforms. The ability to customize the interface and add bespoke functionalities will future-proof your investment and ensure it evolves with your business.

Intranet users and stakeholder alignment

A successful intranet implementation starts with securing buy-in and understanding the diverse needs of various stakeholders. 

Involve different departments from the outset:

• HR will prioritize features for employee onboarding, policy dissemination, and self-service portals.
• Internal communications teams will focus on powerful publishing tools, analytics, and branding consistency to deliver companywide messages effectively.
• IT departments will assess technical requirements, security, maintenance, and integration capabilities to ensure the platform aligns with existing infrastructure and support protocols.
• Leadership teams need to understand the strategic benefits and potential ROI.
• Team managers will be interested in features that facilitate project management, team-specific information sharing, and performance tracking.

Ultimately, the end-users — your employees — are the most vital. Their input on ease of use, relevant content, and desired functionalities is paramount. Engaging these groups ensures that the intranet you create is not just a tool, but a central hub that addresses specific pain points and enhances daily operations for everyone.

Budget and cost of implementing an intranet

Understanding the full financial commitment of an intranet platform is essential before you purchase. Beyond the initial licensing or subscription fees, account for potential implementation costs, which can include custom development, data migration from legacy systems, and integration with existing applications.

Always aim to understand the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over several years, not just the upfront price. Hidden costs can emerge from unforeseen customization needs or inadequate support. A clear budget allocation from the start will guide your selection process, ensuring you choose an intranet software that offers the best value while aligning with your financial parameters.

Intranet implementation and development process

Once you’ve chosen your platform, the real work to build an intranet begins. This crucial intranet implementation phase configures your solution to fit precise organizational requirements.  Intranet setup includes user provisioning, content migration, and integrating key tools. An efficient intranet platform streamlines customization and deployment.

Effective project management is vital to creating a successful intranet. Focus on thorough testing and user feedback to refine the system, ensuring a smooth launch for your central communication hub.

Phase 1: Intranet platform foundation setup

During the initial phase, address the core technical and structural requirements necessary for a stable and secure intranet. Key technical architecture and infrastructure considerations include server requirements, cloud versus on-premise hosting, scalability to accommodate future growth, and robust security protocols. Defining the technical architecture early ensures a resilient and high-performing intranet implementation.

Next, configure user authentication methods, such as Single Sign-On (SSO), and define clear permission levels based on roles, departments, or project teams. Proper permissions ensure that employees have access to the information they need while sensitive data remains protected, a fundamental aspect of any secure intranet setup.

Phase 2: Intranet content and information architecture

Once the technical foundation is stable, the focus shifts to how information will be organized and presented to users, making it easy to build an intuitive intranet.

A well-designed navigation system is vital for user adoption. This involves creating a logical content hierarchy, developing clear site maps, and designing menus that guide users effortlessly to relevant information. An intuitive structure minimizes search time and enhances the overall user experience, a cornerstone for any successful intranet builder.

What differentiates a good intranet from a great one is consistency in branding and content presentation. Developing a suite of content templates (e.g., for news articles, policies, team pages) and comprehensive style guidelines ensures a uniform look and feel across the platform. This not only reinforces organizational branding but also makes content creation and consumption more efficient across the intranet experience.

Phase 3: Integration and customization

Modern intranets thrive on integration, connecting various business systems to create a unified digital workplace. Integrating your intranet with existing HR or IT systems, email platforms (like Outlook or Gmail), and productivity suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) streamlines workflows and reduces information silos. 

Customization also allows you to tailor the intranet to specific organizational needs. This might include developing custom forms, automated approval workflows, project management dashboards, or bespoke collaboration tools that address unique business processes, further solidifying the capabilities of your intranet builder.

Phase 4: Content migration and population

With the structure and integrations in place, the next step is filling your intranet with valuable content. Before migrating existing content, it’s crucial to perform a thorough data cleansing process. This involves identifying outdated, redundant, or irrelevant information and optimizing the remaining content for readability and searchability. 

Intranets with auto-governance capabilities simplify the process of keeping content fresh and relevant. Effective content optimization ensures that employees can easily find accurate and current information on your new intranet.

Finally, build your initial content libraries and resources. This final step involves populating the intranet with things like company policies, employee handbooks, news updates, departmental resources, and key operational documents. 

A well-populated intranet from day one provides immediate value to users, encouraging early adoption. By following these steps, you’re not just creating a platform; you’re building a vital hub for your organization’s digital future.

Intranet launch and user adoption

Building and implementing an intranet is a significant undertaking. After the technical execution is complete, return on investment depends on user adoption. 

User adoption starts long before launch by fostering excitement and readiness with a pre-launch awareness campaign to generate buzz. To complement awareness, a well-structured training program is essential for empowering users. This might include live webinars, workshops, video tutorials, or detailed user guides within the intranet.

Before a companywide intranet rollout:

• Implement pilot testing with representative user groups to gather real-world feedback in a controlled environment. 
• Select a diverse group, including early adopters and less tech-savvy individuals, from various departments. 
• Establish clear feedback loops, encouraging users to report bugs and suggest improvements. 

This iterative process refines functionality and user experience, addressing issues before organizationwide impact. 

For the launch, decide between a phased rollout or a big bang approach. A phased rollout introduces the intranet gradually to specific departments or regions, offering controlled support and fine-tuning opportunities. 

Conversely, a big bang launch immediately makes it available to everyone but might require more robust immediate support. Align your choice with organizational culture and the complexity of your intranet setup.

How to tackle intranet change management

Regardless of your launch strategy, establish robust ongoing support to sustain user adoption. Set up a clear help desk or support system where employees can quickly find answers and report issues. This might involve dedicated IT support, an internal knowledge base, or community forums within the intranet. 

Ultimately, user adoption and change management are ongoing processes that extend beyond initial launch. By prioritizing a well-executed communication strategy, thorough training, pilot testing, and ongoing support, you significantly increase your intranet’s chances of becoming a vibrant, indispensable hub. This proactive approach ensures your intranet investment and setup translate into productivity gains and a connected workforce.

Measuring success and continuous improvement

Once your intranet is implemented and in use, start measuring its performance against the KPIs set at the start. Monitor not just login rates, but also how users interact with content, their engagement across the feed, and overall satisfaction. A modern intranet platform should come equipped with built-in analytics, providing invaluable data to track user engagement and, most importantly, accurately report on your intranet’s ROI consistently.

Beyond initial adoption, future-proofing your investment is critical. Regularly conduct content audits to ensure that information remains current, relevant, and accurate to prevent content decay and maintain trust.

Furthermore, developing a thoughtful feature roadmap is crucial. This proactive approach to evolving your platform, driven by user feedback and emerging organizational needs, ensures your decision to create an intranet continues to deliver lasting value as a central hub for communication and collaboration.

Build your intranet with Simpplr’s AI-native platform

Simpplr is the leading AI-native intranet platform designed to revolutionize how you build an intranet. Simpplr acts as your ultimate intranet builder, simplifying every stage of deployment and management. With its intuitive interface and powerful underlying technology, organizations can achieve rapid intranet implementation. 

Simpplr’s platform is engineered for effortless content creation and management. Its AI capabilities personalize the employee experience, ensuring relevant news, updates, and resources reach the right people at the right time. Employees can quickly find what they need and connect with colleagues through a seamless and intuitive homepage interface.

Simpplr offers a suite of features that redefine intranet setup. Its intelligent search functionality, powered by AI, cuts down on information retrieval time, enhancing productivity across the board. Robust analytics provide deep insights into content performance and engagement, enabling ongoing platform optimization.

Ready to see how Simpplr can help you create a space for employees to flourish? Request a demo today.

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How to create an intranet FAQs

1. How long does it take to build an intranet?

Building a custom intranet from scratch can take anywhere from several months to over a year, depending on complexity and resources. Buying an all-in-one intranet solution like Simpplr greatly reduces deployment time — often to just a few weeks.

2. Who all are needed to implement a company intranet?

Typical implementation requires involvement from IT, HR, internal communications, project managers, and sometimes external consultants. They all need to plan how to implement the intranet keeping the goals and objectives in mind besides all intranet users and stakeholders.

3. Should I buy an intranet solution or build an intranet?

It’s usually far more efficient and cost-effective to buy an all-in-one intranet platform like Simpplr. Building your own is time-intensive, costly, and requires ongoing maintenance. Purchased platforms offer robust features, security, updates, and support out of the box. Read our guide on whether to build or buy an intranet.

4. How much does it cost to build an intranet?

Custom-built intranets can cost anywhere from $30,000 to well over $250,000, with ongoing maintenance fees. All-in-one solutions like Simpplr operate on a subscription basis and are typically much more budget-friendly upfront, plus they include updates and support.

5. What can you expect from an intranet platform?

A good intranet platform offers companywide communication, collaboration tools, document management, personalized news, employee directories, and social features. All-in-one solutions like Simpplr also provide analytics, integrations, and ongoing upgrades, ensuring your intranet continues to meet your company’s evolving needs.

For most organizations, buying a comprehensive, ready-to-use intranet platform like Simpplr is faster, easier, more reliable, and more cost-effective than building one from scratch.