How to Choose the Best Intranet Solution for Your Organization

Many organizations have invested heavily in intranets, only to see them fall short of expectations. Why? Because a great tool alone isn’t enough. Success comes from aligning technology with business needs, driving adoption, and continuously optimizing the solution over time.

In this article, we’ll share our best advice and a structured approach to choosing the right intranet product and partner for your organization. The first tip to help you navigate the process is to download the free buyer’s guide, the Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms 2025 report by ClearBox Consulting. The comprehensive report provides independent evaluations of 20+ well-established intranet solutions.

Now, let’s look at our top-7 tips.

The natural starting point for your initiative is to build an understanding of what your organization needs from an intranet. This includes outlining key purposes and objectives, such as improving internal communication, enhancing knowledge sharing, or streamlining business processes.

We recommend forming a team of stakeholders across departments—IT, HR, Communications, and end-users—to assist in defining priorities and functional requirements.

According to the Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms 2025 report, organizations that clearly define success criteria from the start are more likely to select a platform that delivers long-term value.

Next, you need to appoint a cross-functional team to lead the evaluation process. This team may overlap with the previous group or be different—choose a structure that fits your organization. The selection team should cover a mix of perspectives to ensure that both technical and business needs are met.

Going forward, this team will drive and oversee vendor research, demo evaluations, and final decision-making.

Now it’s time to explore some of the intranet solutions and vendors available to identify those that align with your organization’s size, needs, and technology stack. Independent reviews, like those in the Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms 2025 report, can help narrow down your options by highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, and key differentiators of various platforms.

Since the number of alternative products and vendors can be quite high, this phase typically involves creating a longlist, followed by narrowing it down to a shortlist.

Beyond the product itself, selecting the right partner is crucial. Your implementation partner should offer:

(A) Expertise and Experience: Look for a partner with proven experience in intranet strategy and implementation, particularly in organizations similar to yours.

(B) Customer Success Track Record: Ensure they have a strong history of supporting organizations through the entire intranet lifecycle and achieving tangible results.

(C) Ongoing Support: Evaluate the partner’s ability to offer continuous support post-launch, including training, updates, and troubleshooting.

(D) Vendor Reputation: Research reviews, testimonials, and case studies to understand the partner’s reliability and quality of service.

(E) Customization Capabilities: Ensure the partner can tailor the solution to meet your specific needs and integrate with your existing systems.

(F) Long-Term Partnership: Choose a partner committed to helping you optimize the intranet as your organization evolves.

(G) Cultural Fit: Ensure the partner’s working style and values align with your organization’s culture to ensure smooth collaboration.

A well-matched partner will help translate business goals into a functional, engaging intranet and provide continuous support post-launch. And, since you probably aim to use your new intranet for 5-6 years, selecting the right partner from the start will be paramount.

At this stage, you won’t be able to compare every requirement with a corresponding feature in the products you are evaluating. So, be sure to prioritize and focus on what the must-haves are. It’s common to evaluate areas like usability, governance, search functionality, publishing experience, and Microsoft 365 integration, but your list will, of course, depend on your decisions in Phase 1 above.

What are the key features to consider when choosing an intranet?

Usability: Ensure the intranet is user-friendly and intuitive, requiring minimal training.

Mobile Accessibility: Check that the platform offers mobile compatibility for employees on the go.

Search Functionality: A robust search feature is critical to find content quickly across large volumes of data.

Customization: Ability to configure and personalize the intranet based on your organization’s unique needs.

Integration with Other Tools: Look for seamless integration with systems like Microsoft 365, HR systems, CRM tools, or similar.

Content Management and Governance: Ensure features support governance and compliance requirements, including document management.

We also recommend looking into how often the product has been updated over the past two years and what new features have been launched. Additionally, investigate what’s in the roadmap for the upcoming 12-18 months to ensure that the vendor is investing in the product.

You might also want to consider possibilities for integrating the intranet with business applications and ensuring the product supports scalability for growth and future enhancements.

Before making a final decision, we recommend running a pilot project or proof of concept to verify that you’ve made the right choice. This step allows teams to test key features, gather user feedback, and refine requirements before a full-scale rollout.

The Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms 2025 report emphasizes that piloting solutions significantly increases the likelihood of a successful deployment.

Implementation is just the beginning. To drive ongoing value, you’ll need a structured approach to adoption, governance, and continuous improvement. When selecting a long-term partner, consider investigating the following:

(A) Customer Success Program: Structured processes and organization for delivering customer success services.

(B) Software Support: Capability to provide training and support throughout the intranet’s lifecycle.

(C) Intranet Adoption: Methods for driving adoption and boosting employee engagement.

(D) Results Focused: Ways to measure intranet performance and collect user feedback.

(E) Strategic Advice: Competence in revisiting the strategy and solution roadmap based on results and feedback.

The level of support the vendor provides during the intranet’s lifecycle will directly impact the value you gain from the solution. Be as thorough in evaluating the vendor as you were with the platform.

Choosing the right intranet product and partner isn’t just about technology—it’s about setting your organization up for long-term digital workplace success. By following the structured selection process above and leveraging insights from resources like the Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms 2025 report, you can make informed decisions that lead to sustained adoption and lasting impact.

If you’re ready to get started, schedule a consultation with one of our Omnia Coaches. We’re here to guide you every step of the way—from evaluation to long-term success.