How to choose the best small business intranet solution

Jonathan Davies

11 mins read

Quick jump to

Are intranets useful for small businesses?

Small business intranet solutions can be extremely useful.

In fact, any business that wants to improve collaboration, communication, and engagement will benefit from creating an intranet. Not only does an intranet make it easy to find information, but it also provides a central location for sharing and storing information.

This makes it easy for employees to interact and engage with each other, and studies show engaged employees put more effort into their daily tasks. An intranet is especially helpful if you have a remote or distributed workforce.

Small businesses can use intranets to:

Improve communication between employees
Increase engagement and collaboration
Share and store information in a central location
Improve employee productivity
Support remote and hybrid workforces

How do small businesses benefit from intranet software?

There are many benefits of using an intranet for small businesses. Here are a few key highlights.

Improved employee productivity

Small business intranet solutions act as a centralized knowledge hub.

This means that employees can quickly and easily find the information they need without searching multiple channels or asking other colleagues for answers. This improved access to information leads to increased employee productivity and efficiency.

Increased collaboration

Collaboration is an essential part of small business culture. An intranet can help facilitate collaboration by giving employees a place to share ideas, provide feedback, and work together on documents and projects.

Support for remote workers

If you’re working remotely or have employees in different locations, an intranet can help everyone stay connected.

With a cloud-based intranet for small business, it’s easy to search for colleagues and find contact information. You can also start video calls and join online meetings with a few clicks.

7 key features of an intranet system for small businesses

Now that you know the benefits of an intranet for small businesses, let’s take a look at some key features to look for when choosing the best intranet software for your team.

Tool and workspace integrations

The best intranet software for small business will integrate seamlessly with the tools your team is already using, like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

Employees can find information, collaborate on shared files, and even set up meetings or video calls from one central location. Choosing a cloud-based intranet for small business like Happeo will also give you access to integrations with Slack, Zapier, Trello, and more.

Cross-app search functionality

Did you know a McKinsey study found that the average worker spends 19% of their time searching for and gathering information?

That’s why the best intranet software for small businesses features a powerful search function to help employees find what they need quickly. With Happeo’s Universal Search function, you can even search across multiple apps simultaneously, including email, shared drives, and the intranet, all in one go.

Personalized homepage

A personalized homepage is an effective way to keep employees engaged with the company intranet.

By showing relevant content for each user, you can ensure that everyone has the information they need right at their fingertips. With Happeo, small businesses get access to drag-and-drop widgets that make it easy to customize the homepage for each user.

Employee directory

Employee directories are especially important for remote teams. They create a place where employees can see contact information, photos, and job titles for their co-workers, helping everyone feel more connected to the company.

With Happeo, you can create an employee directory with photos, titles, departments, groups, and contact information. Video calls, instant messages, and email are just a click away.

Social collaboration

These days, socialization doesn’t just happen in person. Modern workforces are more diverse than ever, so social collaboration features allow employees to connect regardless of location or time zone.

Employees can use a company intranet like they would popular social media platforms by liking, commenting on, and sharing peer content.

Content management

A good small business intranet should include a CMS so that administrators can easily format and publish content without needing development or design skills.

Analytics and reporting

The best intranet software for small business should also include reporting features, allowing you to see the content employees use most, their devices, and their locations.

Happeo’s search analytics can show you detailed reports, allowing you to make informed decisions about your bottom line.

What to look out for when choosing a small business intranet

Your small business intranet is the backbone of your company’s digital transformation. Here are the best qualities to look out for.

Fast rollout time

The best intranet software will have a fast rollout time, so you can start seeing results sooner. Happeo’s average rollout time is six to eight weeks.

Ease of use

The best intranets for small businesses will have an easy-to-use interface that is intuitive and user-friendly. Happeo’s interface is designed to be easy to use.

Fully customizable

Happeo lets you customize every aspect of your intranet, including the logo and color scheme.

Best small business intranet solutions

Here are the three best small business intranet software solutions on the market.

Happeo

Happeo is the leading cloud-based intranet software for small businesses, offering social networking, collaboration, communication, and knowledge management all in one tool.

Workplace from Meta

Workplace from Meta includes features such as newsfeed, automatic translation, project discussions, and document sharing.

Google Sites

In 2021, Google Sites transitioned to the new Google Sites, which offers essential features like document sharing and project discussions.

Choose the right intranet for your small business

The best intranet software for small business will make it easy to stay connected and motivated as a team. With a cloud-based intranet, you can search for colleagues, start video calls, join online meetings, and more, all from anywhere in the world.