Why Most SharePoint Intranets Fail
When companies roll out a SharePoint intranet and watch it fall flat within months, it’s rarely the platform’s fault. It’s often a planning issue, not a technology one.
Mid-sized organizations face a specific challenge: they don’t have the scale of enterprise IT, nor the casual flexibility of small teams. Their intranet has to work across departments with different workflows, priorities, and user skills. And too often, it doesn’t.
What typically goes wrong?
First, leadership treats the intranet as an IT project rather than a business-critical tool. It gets launched without involving end users, and without a clear vision for how it will improve daily work. Second, content gets copied from legacy systems without any cleanup, leading to mistrust when people can’t find what they need. Third, there’s often no clear ownership of content or structure, which causes sprawl and outdated pages. Finally, no one is trained properly — or given a reason to care.
These are all fixable. But fixing them starts with one thing: shifting the mindset from “how it looks” to “who owns it.”
Q: Why do SharePoint intranets often fail in mid-sized organizations?
Because they lack planning, content governance, and user involvement. Without business alignment, clear ownership, and phased adoption, employees don’t see the value — and stop using it.
Start with Governance and Ownership, Not Design
SharePoint is a flexible platform, but flexibility without structure creates chaos. Governance is what turns a SharePoint site into a useful, usable intranet.
Mid-sized teams don’t need a thousand-page governance document. They need a focused, practical approach that does three things: assigns ownership, prevents sprawl, and adapts over time.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Define roles and responsibilities clearly.
Assign site owners, content managers, and approvers for each area. If someone owns a page, it stays accurate. If no one owns it, it quickly becomes irrelevant.
Create a governance group.
Include IT, HR, Communications, and at least one representative from each business unit. This team sets direction, makes decisions, and ensures content stays useful.
Standardize content workflows.
Use publishing guidelines so everyone creates and updates content the same way. Include instructions on naming, tagging, and version control.
Set review and retention schedules.
Each page or document should have a review date. Old content should either be updated, archived, or deleted. Automate this where possible using Microsoft Purview.
Support and train content owners.
Don’t just give them permission — give them tools and training. Teach them how to tag content, manage version history, and avoid clutter.
Measure and adjust.
Review usage metrics and feedback regularly. If people aren’t engaging with a section, figure out why. Governance is a continuous process, not a launch task.
| Component | Description | Benefit |
| Site Ownership | Assign visible owners to each page/site | Improves accountability |
| Governance Group | Cross-department leadership and support | Ensures alignment and priorities |
| Review Cycles | Set dates for content updates or archiving | Keeps information current |
| Guidelines | Standard for formatting and metadata | Improves consistency and search |
| Training | Support for editors and site owners | Reduces errors and builds confidence |
| Feedback Loop | Collect insights and adapt | Makes intranet relevant long-term |
Effective governance doesn’t restrict creativity. It protects usability and trust. And without it, even the most polished intranet will fall apart.
Smart Structure: How to Organize Your Intranet for Real Use
Structure is not just a backend decision — it defines how employees experience the intranet. In mid-sized teams, the right structure balances clarity, speed, and room to grow.
Here’s what works.
Build hubs, not silos.
Use SharePoint hub sites to group related content, like HR, Finance, or Operations. This creates logical groupings and shared navigation without forcing everything into one massive site.
Keep navigation simple.
Avoid dropdown menus with ten options. Stick to the essentials and group pages by task or topic, not department. Employees care about what they need to do, not who owns the content.
Flatten the hierarchy.
Don’t bury documents five folders deep. Keep content accessible with clean page layouts, modern web parts, and clear naming.
Use metadata, not folders.
Set up content types and columns for tagging. This improves search, allows filtering, and supports dynamic pages like “Top Resources for New Hires.”
Design for tasks and roles.
Customize site layouts and quick links based on what people actually do. A technician needs different tools than someone in HR. Use audience targeting to show the right content to the right people.
Audit access permissions.
Use Microsoft 365 Groups for easier management and scale. Avoid giving one-off access whenever possible. Review permissions regularly to prevent security risks.
Start small and evolve.
Launch a pilot site for one department. Gather feedback, fix friction points, and expand from there. SharePoint is meant to scale — not overwhelm.
| Area | Best Practice | Result |
| Navigation | 5-7 top-level links, task-based labels | Faster discovery |
| Site Hierarchy | Hubs + flat team/comm sites | Logical grouping, easier scaling |
| Metadata | Columns, tags, content types | Better search, filtering |
| Permissions | Role-based, least-privilege | Security and clarity |
| Page Layout | Modern templates, dynamic web parts | Engaging and readable content |
| Feedback & Analytics | Monitor usage and adjust | Continuous improvement |
A well-structured intranet does more than organize files. It reduces confusion, speeds up access to tools, and helps people do their jobs without friction.
Boosting Adoption: How to Get People to Actually Use It
You can build the perfect structure and governance, but if no one uses the intranet, it fails.
Adoption isn’t about forcing people to change. It’s about showing them why change makes their job easier.
Start with a clear purpose.
What problem is the intranet solving? Is it centralizing HR documents? Replacing a flood of emails? Reducing onboarding time? Make this purpose visible and repeatable.
Involve users in the process.
Run surveys. Host feedback sessions. Build content based on what users actually need, not just what leadership wants.
Launch with a pilot, not a blast.
Choose one department. Train them. Gather feedback. Fix what doesn’t work. Then roll out more broadly with proof of concept in hand.
Create a welcoming home page.
Use visuals, clear labels, and dynamic content like “Latest News” or “Quick Links.” Keep it updated and avoid clutter.
Empower champions.
Identify early adopters who can help others. Give them recognition and tools to support their teams.
Train in context.
Offer bite-sized videos, walk-throughs, or one-on-one support. Show how to do specific tasks, not just how the buttons work.
Promote continuously.
Use internal newsletters, meetings, and reminders. Share success stories. Keep the intranet top of mind.
Measure what matters.
Track usage by department. Identify drop-off points. Use this data to improve structure or content.
| Strategy | Action | Result |
| Clear Purpose | Communicate benefits, not just features | Higher engagement |
| User Input | Involve teams early | Better fit, more trust |
| Phased Rollout | Pilot, improve, then expand | Less risk, faster adoption |
| Content Champions | Department reps lead by example | Stronger peer influence |
| Targeted Training | Based on roles and tasks | Faster learning, better use |
| Ongoing Promotion | Reminders, stories, email highlights | Keeps platform visible |
Adoption is never just a launch activity. It’s ongoing. And the more relevant and useful your intranet is, the more your team will choose it — not because they have to, but because it works.
Closing Thoughts: Build It Like It Matters, Because It Does
Mid-sized organizations don’t have time to waste on tools no one uses. And SharePoint, when done right, isn’t just a place to store files. It’s how your people connect, communicate, and get work done.
The best SharePoint intranets are the ones that disappear into the background. They’re not destinations — they’re embedded into the daily flow. The leave policy is always current. The news is worth reading. The links actually go where they should.
This doesn’t happen because of a fancy homepage or an expensive consultant. It happens because you chose to focus on ownership, structure, clarity, and trust.
If you’re still figuring out how to get there, or your current intranet isn’t pulling its weight, Nexinite can help. We build intranets that make sense for your size, your people, and your Microsoft stack.
Let’s make your SharePoint intranet something your team actually uses.
