Google Intranet Solutions for Google Workspace
The best way to launch an intranet on Google is by using Google Workspace and its applications for collaboration. Learn how to create an intranet in Google with our experts and explore why it's an enterprise-level solution.
How to Create a Google Intranet
Here is a list of the applications you will need to create a Google-based intranet:
Google Workspace for a secure company domain with administrator roles
Google Sites is an intranet front end and content management platform
Google Chat & Google Spaces are applications for dynamic internal communications, similar to Slack.
Google Drive will be your document management system with Shared Team Drives
These are the primary tools which facilitate a total Google intranet solution. There are other Google apps which you might find useful within Google Workspace, like Google Groups for Business, Google Calendar and Google Meet. The company intranet will at least require Google Workspace, but after that, the custom combination of apps is up to your decision makers.
Use Google Sites for Intranet Front-End Design
Google offers an intranet building platform via Google Sites. Google Sites is the best app for a Google intranet because it has the ability to integrate other Google Workspace apps and consolidate company resources. Google Sites is to Google Workspace as Sharepoint is to Microsft 365. Google Workspace is only providing you the tools to design your own intranet and it won't be automatically generated with AI.
Organize Google Drive for Intranet Document Management
Google Drive has many important tools related to creating an intranet, and Google Sites is one of them. That's right, Google Sites is part of Google Drive, much like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms. Make a shared drive to act as the backend for all intranet documents and shortcuts. Here is how to use Google Drive for intranet:
Google Sites is recommended as the site builder for your intranet web project
Google Docs is for policies, procedures, reports and plans
Google Sheets is for data, finance, project management and budgets: Google Sheets templates for business.
Google Forms is great for getting employee input and feedback with surveys
Google Slides can be embedded for diagrams, flow charts, org charts and presentation decks.
Reasons to Build the Company Intranet on Google Sites
It's Quick & Easy
A Google Sites intranet supports collaborative editing with a no code "what you see is what you get" (WYSWYG) content management interface. Internal communications becomes a breeze when site managers can confidently update the intranet. This is why Google Sites is the best intranet solution for Google Workspace companies.
Google Workspace Integration Comes Natively
Google Sites is the best intranet platform because it has all the connectivity to the Google Workspace, formerly called Google Apps and Google Suite. Your organization uses applications like Gmail, Calendar and Drive everyday. Imagine adding a Google Calendar to show your upcoming meetings, embedding a spreadsheet data driven chart and being able to search for that elusive request form. You can bring everything together in a wiki, a hub, an intranet, whatever you want to call it.
Google Sites is Inexpensive Compared to Other Intranet Platforms
Companies often have to subscribe to a variety of SAAS products to facilitate productivity. This practice rapidly becomes costly overhead expenses which strangle operations. With Google Sites you won't need another license or contract with a third-party developer. Even if you hire a Google Sites expert to set up the intranet, you become the owner and maintain it in-house.
Hire a Google Sites Expert
Google Sites is designed to be intuitive to use, and our process of helping you develop an intranet is very simple. The reason we say you can build your intranet super fast is partly because we've done it so many times with repeat success. We collaborate with employee teams to facilitate communication and produce quick mockups. We are professional designers for Google Sites.
Impressive On-Brand Intranet Templates
We design custom intranets using your organization's branding guidelines or input from your marketing team. We are happy to collaborate with whatever departments might have a say on the look and feel of the new intranet.
We have lots of experience developing a templated approach to Google Sites. First you set a company Google Sites theme, then standardized navigation and webpages. Don't reinvent the wheel each time. Increase employee adoption and engagement with a thoughtful approach to Google Sites for intranet with a consistent user experience.
How Do I Start a Google Sites Intranet?
You can start one through the Google Sites login screen at sites.google.com. Google Sites is so intuitive and it is easy to get started. The starting point is so simple, but the devil lies in the details. When you have explored trying to create an intranet with Google Sites and realize you need help in UX, App Development or site auditing, we are on standby. Let us know when you want to take your intranet to the next level. We can custom brand a theme, install a directory and provide Google Sites support.
Support for Setting Up an Intranet Site with Google Sites
We're dedicated Google Sites Intranet Developers with hundreds of successfully launched Google Sites under our belt. We've built effective intranets for small teams and big companies with thousands of employees. We can design a theme to get your IT department progressing or even a starter package of main pages and page templates.
Kirksville Web Design is also on board to develop your entire intranet or act as your resident Google Sites consultant. We've seen it all with Google Sites and that gives us insight to help your company build the best intranet. We'll also make sure your user experience is awesome, whether for 10 pages or 300.
What Organizations or Companies Use Google Sites?
We have loved working with companies, non-profits and other various organizations, helping them adopt Google Sites as their intranet. Those clients include Netflix, Google, Whirlpool, Roche, Teach for America. We've built a lot of trust and powerful references. Review a Google Sites intranet case study from Cardinal Financial and another one from Roche
Google Sites Intranet Features and Apps
An intranet is only as good as the content and apps that power it and that's why Google Sites is a powerful solution. It is an advanced intranet platform with a ton of baked in app integrations. Corporate communications, HR, Sales and IT teams can all take advantage of the advanced features of Google Sites.
Easy Migration From Other Proprietary Intranet Platforms
Successfully migrate away from Sharepoint, Happeo, Papyrus & Other Intranet Products. For example, we migrated a standard 100 page wiki to Google Sites in about one week.
Encourage Open Comms with Discussion Forum Type Features
Leverage Google Groups for Business and Google Spaces to foster project collaboration. Then tie that all back into a Google Site for project management as the knowledge base.
Embed a Staff Directory or Org Chart with Google Apps Script
We've partnered with Awesome Table to embed directory solutions in Google Sites. We can customize these apps to fit your requirements and branding.
Measure Adoption and Engagement with Google Analytics for Intranet
Real statistics, reporting and analytics dashboards allow internal communications teams to honestly evaluate the intranet while maintaining Workspace security.
Use a Hub Dashboard to Connect Systems and Applications
A portion of the intranet homepage can be dedicated to quick links for frequently used applications. Empower employees to access all critical resources and useful apps.
Fully Responsive for Company Access and Productivity on the Go
Google Sites is a responsive site builder. Testing is included with each intranet project for responsiveness at standard break points for desktop, tablet and mobile phone screen sizes.
Reduce Help Desk Ticket Support Requests and Cut Down on Emails
Share Staff Resources with Google Drive, embed the employee handbook, provide faq help centers for employees to find answers to common questions. Assist the onboarding process seamlessly.
Create an exciting solution with social media, videos and widgets
The boring intranet is a plague for many an organization. Add Videos & Media like Vimeo, Youtube and Google Drive videos. Also embed social media feeds from Facebook or Twitter.
Easily Embed All the Basic Google Workspace Based Applications from the Insert Menu
Embed a Google Slides Presentation
Drop In a Spreadsheet Chart
Embed a Google Drawing
Include a My Map
Insert a Calendar
Embed a Document
Display a Google Form
Embed a video from Google Drive
Embed a Spreadsheet
Embed HTML
Maintain Google Drive as the Document Management Provider
Document Management Organize documents and sync with Google Drive folders. Google search engine for Google Sites and Google Cloud for Workspace
Increase Transparency in the Company with News from Management
Company Blogs & News, including Announcements pages for CEO & Director news feeds all give employee insight into company goals, planning and direction.
Why Use Google Sites for an Intranet Solution within Google Workspace?
Google Workspace integration
Connectivity with the applications you use every day, including Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Maps, and more. Everything is searchable with Google Cloud search bar installed right into the intranet. Advanced integration available for other Google Apps:
Google Apps Script
Google Sheets
Google Analytics
Great user experience
It is important for company buy-in to create an intranet that is easy to navigate, looks great and functions exactly how you need it to. Google Sites can act as one centralized wiki site for your entire company and all with a familiar user interface that makes managing it easy.
Intuitive security and access permissions
A secure domain-only site with single sign-on makes it easy to access to confidential company information. Assign owners, editors, and viewers. Admins can manage general permissions settings for Google Drive and Google Sites in the Workspace Admin console.
Easy to use and maintain
No HTML coding required, editing and updating the intranet is like using a Word doc. It doesn't take much training to get this off the ground.
Customized for your company
Branding is very important and it's a great idea to carry the look and feel of your public website through to your intranet. A well designed and consistent presentation will encourage participation.
Intranet Projects
Google Sites is designed to be the intranet solution for Google Workspace. We have handled hundreds of intranet projects that prove Google Sites works for an effective knowledge base that boosts employee engagement, drives collaboration and assists in streamlining onboarding. Sites can be the source of truth throughout your organization.
A consultant guided project ensures best practices for intranet building are followed and all available apps are considered for integration. The scale of intranets on Google Sites varies greatly. We have designed simple extranets and login portals. We have also led teams building massive 500+ webpage wiki behemoths. Google Sites encounters no slow downs or inherent difficulties with large company intranets. A well thought out, organized approach saves headaches and avoid pitfalls in regards issues like navigation.
Development wise, Google Sites supports dynamic elements and Google Workspace integration. jQuery slideshows, Google Docs and Calendars, social networking gadgets - we are taking Google Sites to its full potential. Consider building custom web apps to provide dynamic information to staff regularly visiting the intranet. Overall, build an intranet hat benefits employees and avoids growing stale.
Google Sites Intranet Collaboration Steps
This is our typical process for creating an intranet with companies, steering committees or project managers:
Tell us about your organization, your brand and your thoughts towards the intranets
We create a design draft comprised on the theme and homepage
We revise it the design draft according to your feedback
We continue to iterate on the site and eventually move it to your Google Workspace domain
We finish the job with any other content migration and Google Sites training
Google Sites Intranet FAQ
These are frequently asked questions concerning the development of a Google Sites company intranet. These most common questions we are asked typically in the discovery or planning phases of building the company intranet.
Can Google Sites be used as a company intranet or wiki?
Yes, definitely. Google Sites is an excellent option for building an intranet or wiki. Especially within Google Workspace, Google Sites has all the essential features for developing an informative knowledge base for an organization, including integration of Google Docs, Calendar and access permissions.
View a live sample demo of a Google Sites intranet
How do I create an intranet on Google Sites?
Go to sites.google.com to create a site, but before you do spend some time planning for the design, organization and functionality of your Google Sites intranet. We encourage clients to start a Google Shared Drive, then devising a folder structure to mirror the sitemap of your future intranet. This will provide a backend for hosting your important documents and ideas, which you can easily share with your team.
How do I plan to design the company intranet with Google Sites?
It all starts with questions: What is your vision for the intranet? What is the audience you are serving within your company? What departments do I need to consult with and bring in their information? What does the intranet need to have and what are the plugins you may want? Your intranet steering team ought to openly discuss such intranet building brainstorming.
It comes down to three key facets of a successful intranet, which are:
Aesthetic - What does your intranet look like? What's the brand?
Organization - What is the Google Sites sitemap? How many webpages are there?
Function - What does it need to do? What is interactive and dynamic?
How do I create a branded Google Sites intranet template?
The first step is to consult your organization's branding guidelines or contacting marketing or IT teams for guidance. A professional-looking, branded template will increase user adoption and engagement on the site, while a poorly designed Google Site will call into question to importance of your work in the minds of your site visitors. Anyone can build a Google Site, and we encourage exploration of the platform's formatting options, but it can truly be beneficial to call in an expert web designer to develop something next level.
What is Google's solution for internal communications?
The Google Workspace solution for internal communications is a combination of applications from the suite. For example, Google Sites can be used as the launch pad or general wiki in conjunction with Google Spaces for active forum-style collaboration. Then Google Groups, Google Drive and Awesome Table can be integrated to increase functionality.
Can I create my own intranet with Google Sites?
Certainly, yes, you can create your own intranet immediately with Google Sites. There is no harm in learning about the platform for your next portal or wiki. Explore how everything works and experience how intuitive it is to edit. Some of our best projects were ones where the client had a good base understanding of how Google Sites works.
Can Google Sites be used professionally?
Google Sites is an enterprise level application within the suite of Google Workspace products. It can be used professionally because it is secure, stable and adheres to the same level of excellence maintained throughout all Google apps.
Can Google Analytics be used on private or domain only Google Site?
Yes. We can help you set up and install Google Analytics to track key employee engagement metrics across the intranet or on any team sites regardless of their permissions / sharing settings. Track intranet page visits, clicks, devices, locations and more with Google Analytics 4.
