Is ‘reducing email’ a realistic measurement of intranet success?
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Why you need an intranet CMS
Are you ready to transform the way your team works? All too often, precious time is wasted digging around for content. Is it stored on the shared drive, the intranet, your personal folder or lost somewhere else entirely? And when you finally find it, how sure are you that it’s the latest version?
Imagine getting all that lost time back. Imagine a simpler way where you’d actually spend time working, instead of searching. An intranet CMS could be just the solution to your workplace chaos. But what exactly is an intranet CMS and why could it be a game-changer? Let’s find out…
What is an intranet CMS?
Think of an intranet CMS as your team’s digital HQ – a single place where collaboration happens, knowledge is shared and real work gets done. It combines the security and connectivity of an intranet with the ease and flexibility of a CMS (Content Management System).
An intranet is your secure, internal network where your teams can connect and collaborate. A CMS helps you create, edit and manage digital content with ease.
An intranet CMS blends both worlds. It’s the simplest way to manage your digital content, safely, securely and all in one place. It’s about working smarter, not harder.
6 reasons why you’ll love a CMS intranet
Wondering how an intranet CMS will improve your work life? Here are some big wins:
- Everything’s in one place: You’ll stop jumping between apps. You’ll have instant access to documents, updates and resources, right at your fingertips.
- Easy collaboration: Whether you’re at the office or at home, your team can chat, share and collaborate effortlessly.
- Security matters: You can choose exactly who sees what, ensuring sensitive info stays secure and worry-free.
- Clear content versioning: You’ll be able to keep track of every update and always know you’re using the most current information.
- Lightning-fast search: Forget endlessly digging around for files and information – you’ll find exactly what you need in seconds.
- Boost productivity: With content easy-to-find, you and your teams can focus more on real work.
Must-have features of your CMS intranet
The right intranet CMS should be an incredibly valuable asset. But what features should you look for when choosing yours? Let’s take a look…
- Easy to use: Is it simple? It should be intuitive to use, with easy navigation and content creation tools.
- Gets everyone involved: Your intranet CMS should encourage interaction. You should be able to chat, comment, co-author and celebrate each other’s successes on it.
- Customizable to your brand: You should be able to make it look and feel like your company’s home, without needing advanced tech skills.
- Have top-notch security: Look for a solution that keeps your company data ultra-secure with role-based access, encryption and secure logins.
- Clear document management: Can you easily find and access documents, track content versions clearly and store files effortlessly?
- Works with SharePoint: Your intranet CMS isn’t just another tool – it should work as part of Microsoft SharePoint, bringing all your favorite tools together. For example, Fresh is an AI-powered, enterprise-class intranet solution built for SharePoint and Microsoft 365.
Types of CMS intranets: Pros and cons
There are various types of CMS intranet, each built for specific uses and applications. Bear in mind that a CMS intranet could span more than one category. For example, it could be cloud-based but also social. Here, we’ll run through the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of CMS intranet.
Traditional CMS intranets
The earliest type of internal network, a traditional CMS intranet can have a more limited offering than later versions. Typical features included document storage, employee directories, forum-based communication, knowledge bases and basic productivity tools.
✅Pros: Reliable, secure, with core features clearly set out.
❌Cons: Can be expensive, less flexible and harder to maintain.
Cloud-based CMS intranets
Hosted on cloud servers, an intranet CMS like Fresh is easy to use and access from any location. This makes collaboration and content sharing easier, especially amongst a remote or hybrid workforce. They facilitate the online storage, management and distribution of digital content.
✅Pros: Accessible anywhere, scalable, usually budget-friendly and easy to maintain.
❌Cons: Security risks if not managed well, relies heavily on internet connectivity.
Social intranets
This central, digital hub is not only for document storage. It focuses firmly on the social aspect of work – chat, collaboration and interactions. It enables teams to connect with each other to work together, share ideas and dare we say, have fun.
✅Pros: Great for engagement and easy communication. Makes work interactive and enjoyable.
❌Cons: Can become distracting and might need active moderation.
Custom-built CMS intranets
Tailored to meet your business’ very specific needs and requirements, this is a proprietary CMS intranet. They tend to be built from scratch and based on open-source software.
✅Pros: Tailored exactly to your business needs and fully controlled by you.
❌Cons: Costly, time-consuming to build and manage and demands advanced technical expertise.
How to successfully implement your intranet CMS
If you like the sound of an intranet CMS, it’s important to think before you implement one. It needs to solve problems rather than cause new ones. Think it through to get the most out of a CMS intranet for your business.
Priorities
Work out what you want from an intranet CMS. Define your priorities. That’ll help you to choose a platform that fits your needs and includes the must-have features for your business. For example, if you want it to be a centralized content hub then it needs to integrate with your existing infrastructure (such as SharePoint).
Users
Keep your users in mind when you set it up. Build an intuitive space that has a branded look and feel. Carefully consider how to organise your content. Make sure you train up your people in how to use the platform effectively and safely.
Access
Manage access by setting up specific user roles and permissions. Restrict the number of people who can access sensitive information. Educate your teams in strict protocols to maximize data security.
Intranet CMS vs knowledge base: What’s the difference?
Think of a knowledge base as a library for self-help content. It’s a self-service resource hub – rather like an FAQ section on a website.
On the other hand, an intranet CMS is a connected, digital workspace. It’s interactive. People can communicate, collaborate and manage content here. It’s two-way and dynamic rather than one-way information.
How an intranet CMS can transform your business
An intranet CMS isn’t just a digital storage platform. It’s your team’s go-to space. It brings clarity to chaos, connecting your people, content and tools in one secure hub. Whether you’re collaborating, sharing knowledge or managing documents, an intranet CMS is your key to a more connected, productive team.
