How a modern intranet can transform your marketing department
Choosing an intranet for marketing can be difficult. Discover the features you need to boost productivity, connect departments, and lower workload.
Jess DeVore
Published:
September 6, 2023
Last updated:
October 12, 2023
What we'll cover
Optimizing an intranet for marketing departments might not be on your mind, but your marketers can benefit from stronger connections with the rest of your corporation.
“Until recently, we communicated through email. This was to share patient information and… not much else. There was little in the way of engaging employees, celebrating achievements, or keeping in touch,”
The health organization shares personal anecdotes and success stories and communicates with different branches and departments easily.
Best of all, with a smart intranet, your marketing team members can use these interactions and stories as marketing collateral.
The intranet for marketing means taking advantage of features other departments will be excited about — like your company social networking feed — and using them to ease your marketers’ workload.
Must-have features for your marketing intranet
Intranets have been associated with HR or IT for a long time. But these departments aren’t the only ones who benefit from a way to connect to the rest of your organization.
With the right features, your marketing department can both source materials and share upcoming campaigns with ease.
You need to be able to share different media content on your intranet. And you want to be able to share the latest marketing strategies with frontline staff and receive pictures, videos, and feedback from them. It should be simple for everyone to publish their own content too.
An intranet with different permission settings will help make sure only certain teams or people have approval to see specific documents or market research. That makes it easier to share information confidently in the digital workplace.
The best intranet platforms for marketers should integrate with other apps like Slack or Microsoft 365, so your team can continue to use the tools they feel comfortable with.
Surveys will help marketing gain feedback from different departments without hassle. They can then check the built-in analytics to see how engaged employees are with the content they’re posting.
5 ways to use your intranet for marketing
Now you know what features to look for in a marketing intranet, it’s time to go over how you can use those tools productively.
1. Share marketing initiatives
Sometimes employees don’t know about new deals or offers unless they get notifications from management. An intranet keeps everyone on the same page.
2. Create a sharable photo album
Make an album where staff can upload pictures or video clips that marketing can use. Having one place where a photo of a staff celebration can be quickly uploaded to the company intranet reduces the strain on all of your workers.
When it’s easier for people to share their content, they’re more likely to.
3. Collect social media content
Not only pictures but quotes, examples of good work by frontline workers, and even share job vacancies at specific locations. Social media is becoming less curated, and more authentic content is resonating with users.
Sharing digital marketing materials with actual workers instead of models can help you achieve that genuine feel.
4. Promote your company blog
Share posts that staff are likely to be interested in and learn from. 89% of marketers use blogs in their content strategies, but do your workers know about it? Don't just send them to your homepage — share case studies, white papers, and press releases they might care about.
5. Share marketing materials that others need
Have a folder or feed for current sales strategy and brand assets, so if an employee needs to reference them, they’ll always have easy access to the promotions.
Get your marketing team on board
A social intranet is only as good as the contributions from its users.
You need to get your marketing department engaged with a new platform, or they won’t see the benefits from the workspace.
Multiple experts at the Content Marketing Institute expect video content to grow in 2022, but your department might not have the resources to create all of this content themselves.
By leaning into your company’s intranet software, your team can source photos, videos, success stories, milestones, and other materials from frontline workers and other departments as they create them.
Marketing will be able to access this information quickly — and in most cases, directly. 23% of marketers surveyed by HubSpot said just finding the ideas for new content was their biggest challenge for 2022.
If your marketing team is able to improve internal communications with other branches, they can access new information and learn what’s trending in stores now.
They can also use employee-generated content as a springboard or incorporate it directly into new marketing efforts.
The best way to have marketing get on board with an intranet is to have them try it out for free and see how they like it.
Final thoughts: marketing intranet — using an intranet to transform marketing
An intranet for marketing can streamline the entire department and lessen their workload.
Having your entire company help generate content yields a more authentic message that improves employee engagement and means less time spent hunting for a good photo or story.
Communicating and defining the roles helps keep everyone on the same page.
But make sure the intranet solution you choose has the features your organization needs for each department.
Your employees need to be able to access the intranet easily, and a mobile solution will help more workers connect and engage.
Help cut down on the work your marketing department is facing with a fast, company-wide intranet like Blink today.
Optimizing an intranet for marketing departments might not be on your mind, but your marketers can benefit from stronger connections with the rest of your corporation.
“Until recently, we communicated through email. This was to share patient information and… not much else. There was little in the way of engaging employees, celebrating achievements, or keeping in touch,”
The health organization shares personal anecdotes and success stories and communicates with different branches and departments easily.
Best of all, with a smart intranet, your marketing team members can use these interactions and stories as marketing collateral.
The intranet for marketing means taking advantage of features other departments will be excited about — like your company social networking feed — and using them to ease your marketers’ workload.
Must-have features for your marketing intranet
Intranets have been associated with HR or IT for a long time. But these departments aren’t the only ones who benefit from a way to connect to the rest of your organization.
With the right features, your marketing department can both source materials and share upcoming campaigns with ease.
You need to be able to share different media content on your intranet. And you want to be able to share the latest marketing strategies with frontline staff and receive pictures, videos, and feedback from them. It should be simple for everyone to publish their own content too.
An intranet with different permission settings will help make sure only certain teams or people have approval to see specific documents or market research. That makes it easier to share information confidently in the digital workplace.
The best intranet platforms for marketers should integrate with other apps like Slack or Microsoft 365, so your team can continue to use the tools they feel comfortable with.
Surveys will help marketing gain feedback from different departments without hassle. They can then check the built-in analytics to see how engaged employees are with the content they’re posting.
5 ways to use your intranet for marketing
Now you know what features to look for in a marketing intranet, it’s time to go over how you can use those tools productively.
1. Share marketing initiatives
Sometimes employees don’t know about new deals or offers unless they get notifications from management. An intranet keeps everyone on the same page.
2. Create a sharable photo album
Make an album where staff can upload pictures or video clips that marketing can use. Having one place where a photo of a staff celebration can be quickly uploaded to the company intranet reduces the strain on all of your workers.
When it’s easier for people to share their content, they’re more likely to.
3. Collect social media content
Not only pictures but quotes, examples of good work by frontline workers, and even share job vacancies at specific locations. Social media is becoming less curated, and more authentic content is resonating with users.
Sharing digital marketing materials with actual workers instead of models can help you achieve that genuine feel.
4. Promote your company blog
Share posts that staff are likely to be interested in and learn from. 89% of marketers use blogs in their content strategies, but do your workers know about it? Don't just send them to your homepage — share case studies, white papers, and press releases they might care about.
5. Share marketing materials that others need
Have a folder or feed for current sales strategy and brand assets, so if an employee needs to reference them, they’ll always have easy access to the promotions.
Get your marketing team on board
A social intranet is only as good as the contributions from its users.
You need to get your marketing department engaged with a new platform, or they won’t see the benefits from the workspace.
Multiple experts at the Content Marketing Institute expect video content to grow in 2022, but your department might not have the resources to create all of this content themselves.
By leaning into your company’s intranet software, your team can source photos, videos, success stories, milestones, and other materials from frontline workers and other departments as they create them.
Marketing will be able to access this information quickly — and in most cases, directly. 23% of marketers surveyed by HubSpot said just finding the ideas for new content was their biggest challenge for 2022.
If your marketing team is able to improve internal communications with other branches, they can access new information and learn what’s trending in stores now.
They can also use employee-generated content as a springboard or incorporate it directly into new marketing efforts.
The best way to have marketing get on board with an intranet is to have them try it out for free and see how they like it.
Final thoughts: marketing intranet — using an intranet to transform marketing
An intranet for marketing can streamline the entire department and lessen their workload.
Having your entire company help generate content yields a more authentic message that improves employee engagement and means less time spent hunting for a good photo or story.
Communicating and defining the roles helps keep everyone on the same page.
But make sure the intranet solution you choose has the features your organization needs for each department.
Your employees need to be able to access the intranet easily, and a mobile solution will help more workers connect and engage.
Help cut down on the work your marketing department is facing with a fast, company-wide intranet like Blink today.
What we'll cover
Start your free trial today
See how Blink helps frontline teams stay connected, informed, and engaged.
Are you stuck between Speakap and Blink for your organization's employee communication solution?
Keep reading to find out the major similarities and differences and see which one is right for you.
Speakap vs. Blink — quick facts
Speakap and Blink are both mobile-focused employee communication apps designed for organizations with many frontline workers.
The main difference is the number of features — and cost.
Speakap could be the perfect lightweight top-down communication software for you if you’re just looking for a way to keep employees up to date and enable chat features.
However, if you want more extensive interactions, a centralized hub, and in-depth customization that replaces all other employee intranets, Blink’s features are more than worth the price.
Speakap vs Blink: How they’re similar
Blink and Speakap have a few similarities:
Modern UI
Speakap nails its app by providing a straightforward user experience that is comparable to consumer-oriented apps your employees are already familiar with. With its timeline and one-on-one chats, it will fit right into your employees’ day.
The same can be said for Blink. The user interface is intuitive and modern, making it enjoyable to use for any employee. Users report that the platform “works equally well for desk and frontline workers.”
Timeline
Blink offers a versatile feed to share news, updates, and employee-generated content. You can send important notifications, share inspiring pictures and stories, and collect acknowledgements through actionable posts.
In Speakap, it’s straightforward to share news articles, publications, documents, and images. However, some features are slightly more limited. Some user reviews say “docs can't be opened directly within the app” and that there is a “Limited availability to insert images into posts.”
Custom branding
Blink’s theming options make it simple to add your own colors, images, logo, and even a fully white-labelled app with your company’s branding.
Speakap also offers excellent features to create a branded employee communications platform. You can create a branded app, add a custom logo, and play with menu themes.
Speakap vs. Blink: How they’re different
Analytics
Blink is a robust frontline communications platform that offers a lot of analytic capabilities and customizations to reach and engage every worker.
You can track your employees’ engagement with the content through data on every post’s reach, impressions, and interactions.
For uploaded documents, you can see the total number of views for each file and the change in views over time. You get an overall picture of your organization's engagement through a total user and active adoption count as well
Speakap has metrics that provide insight, including usage, adoption rate, read receipts, and user polls.
However, some users will find the analytics weak compared to other platforms. Besides tracking the employees who engage with your posts, data like reach and impressions are missing.
Omni-directional communication
Blink leans on user-generated content for their feed, making it ideal for organizations that want to open up lines of communication and encourage engagement.
In contrast, Speakap prioritizes a top-down style of communication. This could be a disadvantage for organizations looking for maximum engagement and collaboration between all levels of employees.
The communication style is less targeted to individual groups and teams, and some reviewers report that they “can’t target multiple recipients per post.”
Integrations
Along with a feed for daily updates, a hub for document sharing, pages for long-form content, and a multi-directional chat, Blink can be tailored to the needs of each organization.
You can customize the look of your app through personalized branding and many integrations. You can also add any essential software through Blink’s API.
Using Blink’s micro-app feature, you can add just about any functionality to your centralized app. Complete end-to-end customization can take some work through micro-apps and necessary integrations.
In Speakap, you do have a good range of integrations for HR and e-learning. But you only get read-only interfaces, links, and iframes rather than something more substantial.
Speakap is unlikely to be an overall internal communications solution as it lacks a native way to customize the functionalities within the app.
Besides linking integrations, users can’t add additional functions like payroll tracking into the app itself. Users say a con for their experience with Speakap is that there is “no ability for custom features.” and you “can't connect different apps easily.”
Customer service
Blink’s newness is a major plus for user experience and feature adoption, but this means some essential features are still being rolled out, and bugs do occur.
However, the customer service and development teams are quick to resolve any issues. Blink offers each client a dedicated support contact that oversees the transition and helps to optimize the platform for each business.
Blink also takes customer input and feedback heavily into consideration when developing new features.
Speakap’s users also frequently say they appreciate the company’s customer support, which also assigns a dedicated customer success manager to each account. Nonetheless, users report that “There are some features that would need better customer support.”
Speakap vs Blink: pricing
Blink offers four levels of paid service based on company size, while Speakap offers three pricing tiers based on features and customer service.
Blink levels:
Essential: $3.40 per person, per month
Business: Price on application
Enterprise: Price on application
Enterprise Plus: Price on application
Speakap levels:
Basic: Price on application
Premium: Price on application
Additional features, customer support
Premium+: Price on application
Additional features, priority technical support
Speakap vs. Blink: final thoughts
Both Blink and Speakap are good employee communication tools for organizations with a number of frontline workers. If your goal is to encourage across-the-board engagement with a total communications solution, go with Blink.
If you’re looking for a more targeted top-down communication app that fits into your organization’s existing platforms, go with Speakap.
If you’re not sure, try Blink’s powerful frontline employee communications solution for free.
If you’re one of the thousands of organizations using Workplace from Meta to power your internal communications, you’re probably in the thick of figuring out what you need to do next ahead of the Workplace sunsetting beginning in 2025. Researching, selecting, and implementing a Workplace alternative is likely taking up the bulk of your time and energy and may feel like an overwhelming project to tackle.
The good news: With the right platform — and technology partner — you can take the stress out of migration and continue to give employees the intranet features they know and love.
Whatever your vision is for your new platform — maybe a familiar format, or something new and improved — it’s important to get migration right. A smooth migration process can set you up for success and minimize headaches for you and your workforce.
In a recent webinar, Blink’s migration specialists outlined their full 5-step guide to a successful Workplace migration. While we (of course) believe there are lots of benefits to choosing Blink as a Workplace alternative, these steps are relevant to any platform you choose to use.
3 key steps to Workplace migration
Migrating to a Workplace from Meta alternative is about more than moving data from one system to another. A successful migration requires meticulous planning and a launch mindset. It keeps disruption to a minimum and supports a seamless employee experience.
Important steps you need to take when migrating from Workplace include:
Scope and plan the migration
Verify data mapping and reconfigure settings
Activate and engage users
Let’s take a closer look at how these can make or break your migration journey.
#1. Scope and plan the migration
Migrating to any of the Workplace from Meta alternatives available is a huge change — and it’s one you want to get right first time by thoroughly scoping and planning your migration.
Bear in mind that while employee communications platforms tend to have a lot in common, no two tools are identical. There are bound to be differences between Workplace from Meta and your new intranet platform.
To ensure each business function is accounted for, bring together people from across your organization. Discuss platform differences. Gather a wide range of perspectives on platform and migration needs. Also, clarify what you want to achieve with regards to user experience and platform capabilities.
As part of the scoping and planning stage, consider incorporating the following tasks:
Analyze data quality: Take stock of the data you have on Workplace. Are all user profiles activated and complete? Are all groups still relevant? Does your content have contextual elements, like author names and publication dates? Assess which data is complete, which needs to be improved, and which should be deleted or archived.
Review mobile vs. desktop strategy: Consider which data you want to feature on mobile and desktop versions of your platform. For companies with a frontline workforce, it’s wise to include exactly the same data on both mobile and desktop devices — ensuring everyone can enjoy the same great employee experience.
Identify champions and trend-setter groups: To boost early adoption and usage, treat your Workplace migration as a new platform launch. Identify champions and trend-setter groups who will be excited for the new communications hub and encourage peers to join them.
#2. Verify data mapping and reconfigure settings
It can take anywhere from days to weeks to run a migration, with timing depending on:
Your chosen platform
The size of your organization
The volume of data you want to migrate
But as soon as you’ve executed the technical migration, you can begin examining the details of your new platform. The first tasks on the list are verification and reconfiguration.
At Blink, we use our own migration matrix that allows us to clearly map Workplace data and content to corresponding Blink content. However, with any technology switch, it’s always good to be prepared for potential hiccups. Data and settings don’t always transfer neatly to the new platform and post-migration tweaks often have to be made.
To ensure the best user experience post-migration, check that your important data — including user profiles, groups, and knowledge base content — has been transferred correctly, imperfect data has been updated, and settings have been reconfigured as needed.
User profiles
Review the user profiles that have been transferred from Workplace. Check that all details — like names, roles, and profile pictures — are correct. Delete any duplicate users. Also, verify that your organizational hierarchy has transferred correctly, with the right employees assigned to the right managers.
This is a good opportunity to check the permissions and notification settings associated with each user profile. Do this during the verification process and you won’t have to revisit each user profile to make changes later.
Groups
Look at the groups that you’ve migrated over from Workplace. Check that their names are correct. View members and admins to ensure nothing has gone awry during the switch.
You should also take the time to look at dynamic team membership rules to ensure that employees are automatically assigned to relevant groups going forward.
Knowledge base content
To ensure a consistent employee experience, it’s important that users can access the resources they need as soon as they log in to your new internal communications platform. Check that content is in the right place and that users will be able to find it easily. Confirm that all contextual information, including author names and publication dates, is visible and correct. Review permissions for publishing, editing, and sharing rights.
And don’t forget about formatting: Check headings, double-check hyperlinks, and make sure your multimedia content, such as videos and images, looks good and works well.
#3. Activate and engage users
If you’re at this step, it means you’re ready to launch your new intranet to the workforce. Congratulations! To maximize engagement and encourage adoption, you’ll want to give employees an incredible experience on your new platform starting day one.
Decide how you’ll build buzz around the incoming platform. That may mean notifying employees that your new intranet is imminent and incentivizing them to log in on launch day. You can consider running giveaways, creating gamified experiences, or planning a launch party — all with the goal of boosting in-platform engagement.
Remember that you’re launching a social platform: Creating an immediate sense of active community will be the difference between delight and disengagement. By going live with a published backlog of engaging content, employees can be welcomed to the new platform with a lively and pre-populated news feed.
Education is another important part of the puzzle. Help employees get the most from your new solution through training sessions, Q&A forums, and dedicated support channels.
This is also a great time to promote the internal champions and trend-setter groups you identified earlier in the migration process. These ambassadors can spread the word about your new platform, drive activation, and offer support where it’s needed.
{{mobile-activation="/image"}}
Making your Workplace migration successful
Whether you want employees to instantly feel at home or are relishing the opportunity to start afresh, a clear migration plan can help you minimize disruption and keep the company conversation flowing during the transition from Workplace to your new company hub.
By starting the process with a thoughtful migration plan and ending it with a robust rollout strategy, you can supercharge employee adoption on day one and drive engagement long past launch day.
For our full 5-step guide to making migration easy on you — and your workforce — download our on-demand webinar: From Workplace to Blink: Migration Made Easy for actionable advice helpful for any organization exploring alternatives to Workplace.
Welcome to the May 2026 edition of the Quarterly Unlock — your inside look at what’s new in Blink and how it helps teams communicate more clearly, connect more easily, and get more done.
This release is built around a simple idea:
As organizations grow, they need more control — over when content goes live, how their teams connect, and how their employee experience looks and feels. Blink should be the platform that makes all of that easier, not harder.
Here’s what’s new.
#1. Hub as the command center
Your Hub is only as useful as the content inside it. This quarter, we’re giving teams more control over how that content is created, scheduled, and surfaced.
Scheduled publishing
Timing is everything in internal comms. With scheduled publishing, teams can now set exactly when Hub content goes live — and when it expires.
Plan campaigns and seasonal updates in advance
Publish and archive content automatically
Remove the need for manual intervention on time-sensitive updates
Keep your Hub current without extra admin overhead
Whether it’s a benefits enrollment reminder, a policy update, or a seasonal campaign, scheduled publishing means the right content is always live at the right time.
Draft pages
Teams can now prepare Hub content in draft before it’s ready to publish — building in a review step without rushing to get things live. Multi-editor support is coming soon, making it possible for teams to collaborate on pages in real time.
Featured content and Hub content carousel
New features including collapsible sections, featured content, and a Hub content carousel in the Feed give admins more flexibility to organize and showcase content — making it easier for employees to find what matters and harder for important updates to get lost.
#2. Frontline-first communication
Frontline teams can’t always stop what they’re doing to type a message. This quarter, we're making it faster and easier to connect — in the moment, wherever work happens.
Voice and video calling
Blink now fully supports native voice and video calling across mobile and web. Teams can move from message to conversation without switching apps or using shadow IT like Whatsapp to connect.
One-to-one and group calls, all within Blink
No need for third-party tools
Works on mobile and web
Protects employee privacy by keeping calls inside the platform
For frontline workers who rely on their phones to stay connected, this is a direct line — without the personal number.
Mobile live streaming
Leaders and frontline managers can now start and run live streams directly from their phone. No studio. No production team. Just a fast, native way to reach distributed teams in the moment.
Stream from anywhere, on any device
Bring announcements, updates, and leadership moments closer to where work happens
Keep frontline teams informed in real time
SAP SuccessFactors notifications
SAP SuccessFactors notifications are now deep-linked, taking employees directly from a notification to the task that needs their attention — no extra navigation required. This brings enterprise investments to the frontline with simple, mobile-first access so they can take action without relying on their manager every time.
#3. A more configurable Blink
Every organization is different. This quarter, we’re giving customers more control over how Blink looks, works, and fits into employees' daily workflows.
Feed and Hub widgets
New and enhanced widgets — including a Feed carousel, Hub carousel, and featured Hub content — give customers more control over the Blink experience. Whether you want to surface key content, spotlight important updates, or create a more polished home screen, the tools are there.
Featured post improvements
Featured posts now support carousel options, improved image handling, livestream and VOD content, and better treatment for text-only posts. The result is a more flexible, more engaging way to put critical content front and center.
Save Feed posts for later
Employees can now save Feed posts to come back to when they have time — no screenshots, no endless scrolling. Saved posts are easy to find, easy to act on, and help reinforce Blink as the single destination for everything work-related.
Custom taglines
Organizations can now add a custom tagline to employee mini profiles — a simple but meaningful way to personalize the experience and reflect how your organization works. More details coming soon.
Account claim process
Getting every employee into Blink just got easier. The new account claim process lets employees verify their identity and claim their Blink account using a few pieces of information — no email address or existing contact details required. It’s designed for hard-to-reach workers who’ve historically been difficult to onboard, and gives organizations a more flexible, more inclusive path to full activation. More details coming soon.
New post settings
Making sure the right message lands in the right way just got simpler. The new Importance picker replaces a confusing mix of Priority, Pin, Feature, and Important toggles with one clear choice when creating a post — so the most-prominent placement in the Feed always matches the most-urgent intent. Admins spend less time second-guessing which setting does what, and employees see a Feed where the prominent posts are genuinely the urgent ones. More details coming soon.
What this Unlock means for your team
For employees
More relevant, timely content in the Hub
A faster, easier way to connect with colleagues
More control over how they engage with the Feed
For leaders and comms teams
Scheduled publishing takes the pressure off manual timing
Live streaming puts leadership communication in everyone's pocket
Featured content tools that actually do the work
For IT and operations
Deeper SAP SuccessFactors integration
A more configurable platform that fits how your organization works
Native calling that keeps employee data private
If you're a customer, reach out to your customer success manager to discuss participation and enablement options.
If you're exploring Blink, book a demo to see how the May 2026 Unlock brings communication, connection, and action into one place.
Microsoft SharePoint and Viva are powerful platforms — but are they built for internal comms?
When it comes to workplace technology, Microsoft SharePoint and Viva are often seen as the default choice for organized communication and team collaboration. It promises seamless integration, familiarity, and scalability for enterprise organizations — particularly with SharePoint as a best-in-class document management system, Teams for direct chatting, and Viva working to tackle employee engagement.
But in today’s digital workplace, where employees demand intuitive, mobile-first, and consumer-grade internal communication tools, do they truly deliver?
The truth is, Microsoft’s technology portfolio — like Google Workspace and other all-in-one ecosystems — often struggles to meet the diverse needs of modern workforces. While it excels at being a deep and comprehensive solution for desk-based teams, it misses the mark for frontline employees, remote workers, and those seeking a more engaging, user-friendly experience.
Here’s where SharePoint and Viva fall short — and why rethinking your employee engagement strategy is essential.
Challenge #1: The mobile divide between the desk-based and the deskless
Frontline workers make up 80% of the global workforce, yet they often remain underserved by traditional enterprise tools. When it comes to your internal communication platform, it's important to ensure your messages are reaching the right audience at the right time — no matter when or where they work.
SharePoint: Clunky mobile experience and complex navigation make it difficult for deskless employees to quickly access important information.
Viva: Engagement remains low among frontline workers because it’s buried within the Microsoft ecosystem, requiring a Teams or 365 login, which many frontline workers don’t use daily.
The impact? Frontline and mobile workers struggle to access the tools they need, causing missed messages and disengagement.
The solution: Create an equitable employee experience
Improve mobile accessibility
SharePoint and Viva are primarily designed with office-based employees in mind. For frontline employees, the extra login requirements, complex navigation, and lack of offline functionality can slow them down and be more frustrating than fruitful.
Not catering to mobile-first needs not only hinders employee engagement, it also creates a divide between desk-based and frontline workers — undermining efforts to build a cohesive and connected workforce.
Enable customized communication
Real-time communications and notifications may work for desk-based employees, but for the mobile workforce that doesn't sit behind a computer, these tools fail to bridge the gap.
Employee communication software that enables customizable notifications and serves up high-priority alerts to relevant titles, locations, and functions can help employees stay in the loop more efficiently.
Create clarity — not complexity
Imagine a retail associate trying to access critical updates through a SharePoint portal from the shop floor, or a delivery driver wanting to check for updates on the go.
While SharePoint and Viva may offer a unified platform, it can be difficult for employees (and especially frontline workers) to find what they’re looking for — requiring multiple clicks, a stable internet connection, and significant time they don’t have.
Challenge #2: Too many tools, too little time
The breadth of SharePoint and Viva is both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. With Viva for company-wide comms, Teams for instant messaging, SharePoint for content management and file sharing, Outlook for email, and a wide range of additional tools for scheduling, tasks, and other workforce management needs, employees often find themselves navigating a maze of features rather than focusing on their work.
SharePoint: A great document management system — but not a dynamic communication hub. Important updates get buried under layers of links and folders.
Viva: Feels like an add-on rather than an integrated experience — employees still rely on Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint separately.
The impact? Employees are left jumping between platforms to find what they need, killing productivity.
The solution: Simplify the tech experience
{{mobile-hub="/image"}}
Minimize information overload
While complementary tools like SharePoint, Viva, Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive may be well-intentioned, they often overlap and overwhelm, creating confusion and inefficiency rather than streamlining communication.
The average employee switches between apps 10 times per hour, costing organizations billions annually in lost productivity. When each employee communication tool serves a slightly different purpose, workers are forced to juggle multiple platforms that don’t always integrate seamlessly.
Flatten the learning curve
For frontline workers or new hires, the complexity of SharePoint and Viva can be especially daunting. Training employees to effectively use these tools often requires extensive onboarding — time that could be better spent enabling employees to focus on their primary responsibilities.
For many frontline workers, who may not use a computer regularly, this complexity often results in disengagement and underutilization of the tools provided.
Prioritize workflow efficiency
Consider a factory worker needing to log a safety incident. Navigating through SharePoint’s cluttered interface can turn simple task management into a frustrating ordeal — hindering timely reporting and potentially compromising workplace safety.
Similarly, deskless employees may struggle to track down essential documents or communicate updates in real time, resulting in delays and reduced operational efficiency.
Challenge #3: The uninspiring design of outdated tools
In a world dominated by consumer apps like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, employees have come to expect the same level of ease, speed, and engagement from their internal communications tools.
SharePoint: Feels like a corporate archive rather than a living, breathing communication space.
Viva: Lacks social-first, consumer-grade features like Stories, reactions, or interactive engagement tools.
The solution: Bring consumer-grade content to your comms
Employees expect an Instagram-like experience — if the tools feel clunky, they simply won’t engage.
{{mobile-stories="/image"}}
Provide a user-friendly UI
The design of SharePoint and Viva, while practical, lacks the intuitive, visually engaging experience employees are used to from consumer apps. Navigating through dense menus and static interfaces can frustrate users — particularly younger, mobile-first workers who expect the same seamless, fast, and attractive interfaces they experience in their personal lives.
Boost adoption rates
Employees avoid using digital workplace apps if they find them cumbersome or outdated. This is especially concerning for internal comms teams relying on these tools to share updates, drive engagement, and build a sense of community.
Not only can this disconnect employees from the tools themselves, it can disengage them from the company culture as a whole.
Give employees features they can engage with
SharePoint and Viva are not inherently designed to foster the same social, collaborative atmosphere that we have come to expect from consumer apps. Features like Stories, live streaming, and polls — hallmarks of modern communication — are either absent or clunky to use.
{{mobile-story-polls="/image"}}
Challenge #4: Synchronous communication can’t be the norm
SharePoint and Viva shine when it comes to real-time collaboration, but its heavy emphasis on live chats and video calls often leaves asynchronous communication as an afterthought. For shift workers, employees in different time zones, or remote employees who may work on alternative schedules, this creates significant barriers to effective engagement.
SharePoint: Lacks real-time notifications or role-based updates — employees are expected to “go find” information.
Viva: Prioritizes live engagement but doesn’t support modern async communication like Stories, video updates, or discussion boards.
The solution: Embrace the needs of your diverse workforce
Shift workers and global teams miss out on key updates and collaboration tools, creating an information gap.
Reduce reliance on live tools
The platform prioritizes synchronous communication, which works well for desk-based employees but alienates those who can’t always join live meetings or respond instantly. Real-time updates are incredibly handy, but for some employees, it's more important that they can access the company content they're looking for on their own time.
Provide modern asynchronous options
What's missing from SharePoint and Viva are features like Stories, real-time messaging chats and discussion boards, or video updates — common in consumer-grade platforms. This limits the ways employees can catch up or contribute on their own schedules.
Keep employees in the loop
Imagine a nurse wrapping up a long overnight shift, only to find they’ve missed a critical live announcement on Viva that directly impacts their day-to-day work. No single method of communication will reach all employees across the entire organization. Without an asynchronous alternative, the information gap widens, leaving key workers uninformed.
Challenge #5: Disconnectivity can damage culture
Focusing on top-down communication channels often neglects the value of peer-to-peer engagement. Building a sense of community and fostering organic interactions are critical for employee satisfaction.
SharePoint: Functions more as a repository than a tool that fosters connection, making it hard to celebrate milestones and share successes.
Viva: Built for top-down communication, but struggles to support peer-to-peer recognition and organic community-building.
The solution: Don’t forget about the human connection
Without the right interactive tools in place, it’s easy for employees to feel disconnected from their teams and the larger company culture.
Invest in social-grade features
Unlike a consumer-grade internal communication platform, SharePoint and Viva offer little to encourage informal communication or peer recognition, which are essential for engagement.
{{mobile-recognition-post="/image"}}
Foster a sense of belonging
In an environment where 40% of people say that they feel isolated at work, business applications that prioritize employee engagement and peer-to-peer connection can be a crucial investment in the employee experience.
Without tools that bring the power of social connection to team collaboration, employees feel isolated, which can negatively affect employee retention and morale rates.
Celebrate milestones without reservation
A manufacturing team wanting to celebrate a colleague’s milestone might struggle to find a platform that facilitates spontaneous recognition — a gap that undermines morale and creates missed opportunities for team bonding and employee motivation.
Challenge #6: The risk of a one-size-fits-all approach
With SharePoint and Viva, getting employees the update they need, when they need it, is like finding a needle in a haystack. The one-size-fits-all approach is convenient, but it makes it difficult to cater to everyone in your workforce.
SharePoint: Lacks intuitive dashboards or role-based filters, forcing employees to sift through irrelevant content.
Viva: No real ability to tailor content by role, location, or function—everyone gets the same updates, whether relevant or not.
The solution: Hyper-personalize your strategy
All communication, and especially frontline communication, require personalization and role-specific features. Otherwise, employees waste time navigating a cluttered experience rather than getting the updates they actually need.
Account for different roles, teams, and locations
SharePoint’s rigid company intranet structure and Viva uniform features don’t allow for role-specific customization or hyper-personalized push notifications. This leaves workers on their own to navigate potentially irrelevant or overwhelming content on the employee intranet and other communication channels.
Keep comms clear and efficient
Employees waste time wading through irrelevant company content instead of accessing what matters most to them, which can reduce productivity and increase frustration.
Find opportunities for role-specific tools
A hotel housekeeping staff member might benefit from a simplified employee app that tailors company updates and key features to their daily operations, such as shift updates or specific task lists — something Viva doesn’t easily provide, leaving a gap in streamlined workflow support.
Challenge #7: Heavy reliance on IT for customization and maintenance
While Microsoft SharePoint and Viva offer extensive features, they require significant IT support for setup, customization, and ongoing maintenance. This dependency can slow down internal communications and create bottlenecks for non-technical teams.
SharePoint: Requires IT expertise to configure, update, and maintain. Customizing layouts, permissions, and workflows often demands dedicated IT resources, making even small adjustments time-consuming.
Viva: As part of the Microsoft ecosystem, it inherits complex integration challenges. IT teams must manage access controls, troubleshoot syncing issues, and ensure compatibility with existing tools.
The solution: Empower teams with easy-to-use tools that are built for internal comms teams
Reduce IT dependency
Organizations need internal communication software that allows non-technical users to create, update, and manage content effortlessly—without constantly relying on IT support.
Enable no-code customization
Modern internal communication tools should offer simple, intuitive dashboards with drag-and-drop customization, ensuring teams can tailor their platforms to fit their needs without complex back-end development.
Improve operational efficiency
By reducing IT’s workload and giving communication teams direct control over their platforms, businesses can accelerate internal messaging, improve engagement, and ensure employees always have access to up-to-date information.
Your workforce is evolving — so should your tools
While Microsoft SharePoint and Viva have their strengths, it’s not an end-all, be-all solution — particularly when it comes to internal communications for modern, diverse workforces.
For organizations with traditional, desk-based employees, SharePoint and Viva can be highly effective. In particular, highly regulated industries like government, healthcare, and finance often rely on Microsoft’s compliance-focused infrastructure to meet strict standards for data security and document retention.
But the very features that make these tools appealing can also be limitations. Legacy systems that rely on synchronous communication fail to address the needs of hybrid, mobile, and frontline teams. Employees in dynamic, fast-paced environments like retail, logistics, and hospitality need hyper-personalized tools that deliver real-time engagement.
To transform your internal communication strategy and create a workplace where everyone feels informed and connected, organizations must look for internal communication solutions that are built to meet the needs of modern employees — today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Don’t let today’s tools limit tomorrow’s success
The modern workforce deserves a single platform that's as dynamic and diverse as the employees it serves. While SharePoint and Viva may offer familiarity and integrations, it fails to deliver the consumer-grade, mobile-first employee experience that today’s diverse workforce expect.
A modern internal communication tool — designed with mobile-first, consumer-grade principles — bridges the gaps left by Microsoft. They prioritize:
Intuitive, user-friendly interfaces.
Offline functionality and mobile optimization.
Role-specific customization and asynchronous communication.
As organizations evolve, so should our internal communications software. Adopting an internal communication platform that supports every part of your workforce can help foster a more connected and empowered workplace culture. By prioritizing employee engagement, you’re not just supporting your team — you’re also strengthening your organization as a whole.
The partnership introduces a new Blink gamification framework — designed to help large enterprises boost engagement, motivation, and learning across distributed teams.
The first product of the collaboration, Blink Bonanza, is a live playable game experience that showcases how fast, fun, and habit-forming interactions can drive adoption with your employee experience platform and meaningful engagement. The game, unveiled at the Blink stand at Workday Rising EMEA,will soon be availableto play on Blink’s website.
“Work is changing — and so are the people doing it,” said Lauren Burns, chief operating officer at Blink. “For younger generations, play isn’t a distraction; it’s a key way they learn, connect, and stay engaged. Together with Livewall, we’re harnessing that instinct to make frontline work more motivating and rewarding — while powering better operations across the workforce.”
Gamification that drives performance
Rooted in behavioral science, the Blink × Livewall partnership brings proven game mechanics — from competition and achievement systems to progress tracking and peer recognition — into the flow of everyday work.
“Gamification isn’t fluff — it’s neuroscience,” said Brock de Wolde, product strategy lead at Livewall. “The same dopamine feedback loops that keep us playing games can also reinforce the right workplace behaviors. Blink’s platform allows us to apply that science at scale.”
McDonald’s, who pride themselves on their service, was able to reimagine engagement with a game that was adopted by 90,000 employees and played an average of 6.5 times per gamer. This activation allowed them to deliver change in a fresh, engaging way — and build hype around their workforce.
Next up: "The science of gamification" webinar
Blink and Livewall will co-host a live webinar, “The power of play: Engaging the next generation of workers,” on December 3, 2025. The session will explore the neuroscience and strategy behind gamification and feature guest insights from McDonald’s.
About Blink
Blink is the mobile-first employee experience platform built for the frontline and desk-based teams alike. Used by global organizations in retail, logistics, healthcare, and hospitality, Blink brings communication, learning, and recognition into one simple, mobile platform — empowering every employee to feel informed, connected, and valued. www.joinblink.com
About Livewall
Livewall is a creative technology agency based in the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK. Specialising in gamified loyalty and engagement gamification, Livewall helps brands and employers drive engagement through innovative, behavior-driven experiences.www.livewall.co
Good internal communication is the glue that holds organizations together. It keeps everyone informed, aligned, and connected — helping employees understand company priorities and feel part of a shared purpose.
In 2026, internal communication involves more than noticeboards and scattered email threads. Organizations with hybrid or frontline teams need modern internal communication platforms like Blink to connect employees, simplify updates, and enable easy collaboration.
A successful internal communication strategy includes all communication types: top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer. These channels work together to connect employees and ensure information flows throughout your organization.
For larger or dispersed teams, achieving this can feel like a tall order. But with the right internal communication software, even global workforces can stay connected and engaged.
Luckily, many new tools and platforms can help your company improve communication.
Types of internal communication tools and platforms
Before diving into specific providers, it helps to understand the main types of internal communication software shaping the modern workplace in 2026.
The most effective organizations use a combination of these tools — or a single employee experience platform like Blink, which combines many of these functions into a single mobile-first solution.
Instant messaging tools
Internal communication isn’t just top-down. Co-worker collaboration tools keep conversations flowing across teams and locations by enabling quick information sharing, file exchange, and informal social connections.
{{mobile-chat="/image"}}
Advantages:
A communication tool that allows employees to chat and share information (along with emojis and GIFs)
Most instant messaging tools are available on both desktop and mobile
Messaging tools can be used for communication between co-workers, but also for information-sharing between leadership and employees
Best tools: Blink, Slack, Jive, Workvivo
Emails and newsletters
Digital newsletters have always been great for sharing essential company updates. Modern tools enhance this channel with templates, analytics, and branded content delivery.
Best tools: ContactMonkey, Axero, Poppulo, Staffbase
Audio and video conferencing tools
Rewind a decade and video conferencing probably wouldn’t be one of the top staff communication tools on your list. Today, however, in a world of remote and hybrid teams, video conferencing tools are a workplace essential. They allow employees to talk face-to-face, even when they’re not based in the same office.Now a workplace essential, these tools make remote and hybrid meetings seamless — from one-to-one calls to company-wide events.
Best tools: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
Employee recognition center
Recognition platforms reward effort and build engagement by blending social recognition with tangible rewards to boost morale and employee retention.
Best tools: Blink, Bonusly, Unily
{{mobile-kudos="/image"}}
Employee engagement and surveys
Engage your employees and you experience countless benefits, including improved productivity, customer loyalty, and profitability. But if you really want to improve employee engagement, you need to measure it.
Employee surveys and feedback forms are an essential part of any internal communication toolkit. They support bottom-up communication and give you valuable insight into how employees really feel about working for your firm.
{{mobile-survey="/image"}}
Best tools: Blink, SurveyMonkey, Bonusly, Qualtrics
Company news feed
A private, social-style feed alerts employees to company updates and important cultural moments.
Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase, Happeo
{{mobile-main="/image"}}
Project management
Project management platforms keep work visible, accountable, and collaborative.
Best tools: Asana, monday.com
Intranet
Evolving beyond traditional intranets, these tools now enable engagement, two-way communication, and document collaboration.
Mobile-first employee communication apps centralize updates, messaging, and engagement features — ideal for hybrid and frontline teams.
Best tools: Blink, Workvivo
Employee experience platform
These top-tier employee experience platforms offer a user-friendly way to access messaging, news, surveys, recognition programs, and HR functions.
These platforms go beyond communication — supporting onboarding, engagement, and culture-building.
Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase
The takeaway:
Modern internal communication relies on an integrated ecosystem or a unified platform like Blink, which simplifies your tech stack and enhances workforce connection.
Blink serves as a mobile-first communication app, a modern intranet, a recognition tool, and a complete employee experience platform.That agility makes it ideal for companies looking to streamline their technology and boost employee engagement.
20 best internal communication tools
Ready to find the right comms solution for your organization? Take a look at our round-up of the best internal communication tools for 2025.
Blink is a modern internal communication tool and employee experience platform that brings together messaging, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics into a single mobile-first solution. It’s designed for organizations that want to improve communication, engagement, and access to information across both desk-based and frontline teams.
{{mobile-hub="/image"}}
As a mobile-first internal communication platform, Blink’s unified interface lets teams share updates, message peers, and access essential workplace applications in real time, without a corporate email address — no matter their location.
Unlike single-purpose messaging apps, Blink functions as an all-in-one internal communication software, combining collaboration and employee engagement tools in one place.
Features like pulse surveys, recognition, and content personalization enable two-way communication and make company-wide updates more meaningful.
Blink also includes social-style communication features — such as Stories, Communities, and a personalized news feed — that make information sharing intuitive and engaging. Built-in analytics help leaders understand message reach, engagement trends, and content effectiveness.
Pros
Unified internal communication toolset: Blink combines chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics.
Mobile-first accessibility: It works on smartphones and desktops, and doesn`t require a company email.
Seamless integrations: Connects with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HRIS, and scheduling tools.
Data-driven insights: The analytics dashboards measure communication performance and engagement.
Cons
The search functionality could benefit from more advanced filtering and refinement options.
Pricing
Pricing is available on request
Use Cases
Strengthening culture and alignment through data-informed communication strategies
Connecting hybrid and frontline teams with one internal communication platform
Centralizing all company messages, tools, and resources in a single hub
Improving engagement through interactive multimedia content
2. Asana
Asana is a well-known project management tool and, if you use it, you’re in good company. Around 85% of Fortune 100 companies say they use Asana.
With this workplace communication platform, you can create, prioritize, and allocate tasks. You can view tasks in timeline, board, and list formats — and track your progress toward milestones.
The visual format makes it easy to see which tasks your team needs to complete first. And the process of identifying and remedying project bottlenecks becomes much easier too.
Pros
A free version that supports 10 members and comes with unlimited storage, tasks, and messages
A clean, intuitive interface and a comprehensive selection of project and task management tools
Comes with a mobile app so employees can keep of track of projects on the go
Good integration with third-party tools
Cons
A high volume of email notifications can be frustrating for users
One of the more expensive project management solutions available
The mobile experience pales in comparison to the desktop experience
Collaboration tools aren’t as extensive and effective as those of other project management tools on the market
Pricing
Monthly pricing for Asana starts at a basic free plan. A business plan costs $24.99 per user per month when billed annually.
Use cases
Giving remote teams the tools they need to manage projects effectively
Cross-team collaboration
Status updates and reporting — leaders can view dashboards and reports to stay informed of project progress.
3. Jive
Jive is a community-building communication tool that you can use for top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer connection. Team members can share photos, videos, documents, status updates, and blog posts. They can also decide whether their post gets seen by one team member, a specific group, or the whole organization.
Another great feature of Jive is its People Directory. Here, employees can search for co-workers they want to connect with, based on their skills, endorsements, and favorite activities.
Pros
Jive is an all-purpose business communication tool
Supports personalized news updates
Provides a single inbox so employees can manage all company communications and conversations in one place
Cons
Jive has a complicated interface and a cluttered layout that can be difficult for users to understand and navigate
Limited integrations with the other workplace tools you use
Some users say the Jive mobile app is slow and clunky with lackluster features
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
Personalizing company updates to make them more relevant and engaging
Giving employees the tools they need to interact with leadership, managers, and coworkers
4. Zoom
Zoom is often listed as one of the most reliable video conferencing platforms. It offers excellent audio and visual quality, even when internet connection is patchy, and it’s really easy to use.
You can record meetings, direct meeting participants to breakout rooms, and make use of a meeting annotation function. Zoom offers a range of other useful features too, including an online whiteboard and virtual working spaces (known as Zoom Huddles).
Pros
User-friendly interface
Can run small one-to-one meetings, large conferences, and anything in between
Advanced features include breakout rooms and webinar hosting
Cons
Zoom can be expensive for larger teams, with add-ons needed for meetings of more than 500 participants
Pricing
A Pro plan, for up to 99 users, costs $15.99 per user per month. A Business Plan, for up to 250 users and with a greater range of features, costs $21.99 per user per month.
Use cases
Running live meetings and webinars
Supporting video and audio communication for hybrid and remote teams
5. Bonusly
Bonusly gives you all the tools you need to run a successful recognition program. Via an intuitive platform, employees can tag peers and congratulate them on their accomplishments. Congratulated employees earn points, which they can then use to claim their preferred reward — a gift card, cash, or a charitable donation.
Reporting tools give leaders insight into team dynamics and patterns of recognition. It helps you to discover top performers and identify people who haven’t had any recognition in a while.
Pros
A user-friendly interface and next to no learning curve
The option to tailor recognition programs to fit your culture and values
Out-of-the-box integrations with other workplace tools including Workday, Asana, and Slack
Cons
Limited analytics — so it can be hard for companies to understand employee engagement and recognition patterns
Pricing
Monthly pricing options for Bonusly starts at $2 per user.
Use cases
Strengthening company culture and employee morale with regular recognition, even when employees are working remotely
Creating a culture of peer-to-peer recognition — employees can award points and praise to their co-workers
6. Axero
Axero is an internal comms platform designed to unify teams, increase productivity, and improve workplace culture. It features mass email tools, an activity stream, a blogging platform, and instant messaging.
Using Axero, you can create a central hub for files, communications, and company updates. Collaboration features also come in handy, with space for team discussions and the option to co-edit documents.
Pros
Axero’s customer service is responsive and helpful
Good customization and integration options
A comprehensive employee directory that makes it easy for staff to find and connect with co-workers
Cons
A steep learning curve — users say that Axero can be overwhelming for beginners
Some users say that Axero functionality lags behind that of other intranet competitors
Limited features on the mobile version
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Creating a single hub for news, updates, and resources
Supporting collaboration across your company, with file sharing and team discussions
Building a personalized employee experience, with custom dashboards tailored to the roles and departments of employees
7. ContactMonkey
ContactMonkey is one of the best newsletter platforms available. Unlike some of its competitors, ContactMonkey integrates with both Outlook and Gmail so you can send emails from and receive replies to your usual inbox.
The platform provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop email builder. Multiple team members can collaborate on the same email. And analytics tools help you judge which newsletter content is best engaging your workforce, so you can create more of the same.
Pros
Employee survey tools so you can email your surveys to the workforce with ease
Integration with Outlook and Gmail
SMS integration that allows you to reach employees with urgent updates
Real-time tracking and analytics — so you get insight into email open rates and click-throughs
Cons
You can only use ContactMonkey for internal emails, not external marketing emails
Only supports communication over email, which may not be particularly engaging or appropriate for all organizations
Unlikely to fulfill all your internal communication needs
Pricing
Prices start from $600 per month for 500 employees. Prices for more extensive plans are available on request.
Use cases
Engaging email and newsletter communication for employees
Launching employee surveys to help you acquire useful feedback
8. Slack
Slack is an instant messaging tool that supports asynchronous communication. Slack works well for desk-based employees who have access to other platforms, like Google Drive. Slack doesn’t work as well for on-the-go, field-based employees, who don’t have such easy access to separate cloud storage.
People within your organization can launch chat threads, including as many or as few team members as they like. They can create threads for different projects, departments, and topics. Teams also get access to little extras, like file sharing, message search, and a task reminder function.
Pros
User-friendly interface
Integration with a wide range of other workplace software
Customizable notifications
Cons
Doesn’t work well for teams who are on the go — Slack is most suited to desk-based teams
Can be hard to find what you’re looking for across multiple chats and channels
Pricing
Slack offers a limited free plan. Paid plans start from $8.75 per user per month.
Use cases
Ensuring real-time communication between dispersed team members
Providing a variety of internal communication channels — including direct messages, group chats, and channels
SurveyMonkey has made it to our employee survey top spot for its ease of use. This employee communications platform has lots of survey templates to choose from and, if speed is your priority, lots of features that help you get employee feedback fast.
You can choose from hundreds of expert-written questions or write your own. And with the help of custom templates, you can find or create surveys for any situation, whether you want to conduct 360 reviews, find out your Net Promoter score, or seek feedback on your employee engagement efforts.
Pros
Ease of use — SurveyMonkey has a clean, uncluttered interface that employees will enjoy using
Using the Genius Assistant and the “build it for me” feature, you can create surveys quickly
Excellent analytics that help you make sense of employee responses
Cons
Limited free features
Limited customization options, so you may struggle to create complex or specialized surveys
Pricing
Prices start from $30 per user per month.
Use cases
Boosting employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of employee feedback
Making it easy for your teams to launch and respond to employee surveys
10. Microsoft SharePoint
Microsoft SharePoint is a file-sharing software that integrates seamlessly with the other Microsoft tools you may already use. You can create branded document libraries called sites, customizing them for document collaboration or top-down comms.
Teams get to share news, documents, and data. They can also edit documents collaboratively — setting notifications so they know when a co-worker makes changes.
Pros
Easy integration with other Microsoft products
Allows you to segment employees by division, giving each division its own calendar and visual timeline
Customization options so you can build forms, workflows, and custom applications for your teams
Cons
Not particularly user-friendly, especially on mobile
Cost of implementation is high and adoption rates tend to be low
Pricing
A basic SharePoint plan costs $5 per user per month.
Use cases
Project collaboration — teams can co-edit documents and manage workflows
An easy way for desk-based teams to access company documents and resources
Using internal announcements and newsletters to communicate with all employees
11. Monday.com
Monday.com is a project management tool that supports comms and employee engagement. You can use this internal communications software to create and assign tasks, track project progress, and create performance-tracking templates for employees.
Team members receive notifications when action is required. And an easy-to-use visual interface makes it easy to see where each project is up to at a glance.
Pros
A comprehensive set of project management tools
Customizable project templates to get you started
A weekly overview so you can see tasks and project milestones you need to tackle over the next few days
Cons
The backend of this business communication software is complicated and involves a steep learning curve
Limited comms tools so Monday.com isn’t useful as a standalone business communication platform
Pricing
Prices start from $8 per user per month.
Use cases
Improving project management and work collaboration
Task and workflow automation to streamline repetitive processes
12. Workvivo
Workvivo is an intranet software company owned by Zoom. You can use this internal communication tool to improve comms, employee engagement, and recognition, too. You can also make use of multiple communication channels and employee feedback tools.
Standout features include live broadcasting tools, so you can launch live streams and podcasts. You can also create microsites, where teams and special interest groups can create their own, tailored communities.
Pros
Strong translation abilities for multilingual organizations
An engaging, social-media-style interface that will feel familiar to employees
Rich communication tools including a news feed and instant messaging (available through integrations with tools like Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom meetings)
Cons
Chat functionality on the mobile app falls behind the desktop experience
Advanced features — including chat, Workvivo TV, and advanced analytics — are add-ons that come at an additional cost
Admins say they want better customization options and improved third-party integrations
Staffbase is an internal communication platform designed to connect and engage employees. It brings company news, messaging, and resources into one place, making it easier for you to reach your workforce — whether they’re remote, hybrid, deskless, or office-based.
With Staffbase, you can communicate over the company intranet and send emails and SMS, all from one centralized dashboard. You can also create tailored content paths so employees receive the right information at the right time.
Pros
A great user experience across desktop and mobile versions
Brings a range of communication and workplace functions into one location, supporting top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer conversations
Built-in reporting so you can see how employees are using the platform and interacting with your content
You can customize the platform so it matches the look and feel of your branding
Cons
Some add-ons and integrations come at an additional cost
There are few out-of-the-box features on the employee app
Search functionality and integrations aren’t as good as they could be
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Launching employee surveys with in-built tools
Creating a single source of truth within your organization thanks to communication channels that all workers can access
Making comms more personal, with the option to segment your audience and deliver relevant content to different employee groups
14. Poppulo
Poppulo is an email and mobile communications software. It also provides digital signage functionality and digital tools for desk and meeting room management.
You can target messages based on location, role, or interests to cut through the noise. You can also access tools for planning and promoting internal events, like town halls and team meetings.
Pros
Omni-channel communications, across email, SMS, intranet, and digital signage
Drag and drop email design tools plus advanced personalization
Strong analytics — Poppulo gives comms teams clear visibility into message performance
Cons
Poppulo is more complex than some of the other tools on this list, so there can be quite a learning curve
While it brings multiple communication channels together, Poppulo isn’t comprehensive enough to work as a standalone company communication system
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Enterprise email communication and analytics
Improving the quality of email messaging with employee segmentation tools
Managing office workspace among hybrid teams
15. Qualtrics
Qualtrics is an employee survey and feedback tool. You can use it to capture employee data via surveys and passive listening — and discover how your business is doing across metrics like intent to stay, engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing.
Surveys are easy to customize, with advanced question types and logic, while analytics and reporting tools help you turn insights into actionable strategies.
Pros
Flexible survey design options
Powerful analytics and reporting capabilities
AI tools that guide you to take action based on your employee feedback findings
Cons
Using advanced features effectively may require training
Qualtrics can be overly expensive for smaller businesses
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Improving employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of regular surveys
Creating a culture of 360 feedback to improve the effectiveness of management and leadership
16. Happeo
Happeo is a Google-based intranet that provides a centralized location for all internal communications. It provides a hub for company news, documents, and collaboration tools.
Key features include a social intranet, an employee directory, and an intuitive search function. You can also use AI tools to find and fix gaps in your knowledge base.
Pros
Easy integration with Google Workspace tools
Excellent search functions so it’s easy to find the people, posts, and integrated third-party apps you’re looking for
The option to create hubs and communities based on departments, roles, and shared interests
Cons
Limited integrations beyond the Google suite
A web-first platform, best suited to desk-based teams
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
Unily is an employee experience and internal communications tool. It provides features that support its “four cornerstones” of digital employee experience: Alignment, Engagement, Enablement, and Simplicity.
Key features include email, employee feedback, and recognition tools. You can design, sequence, and automate employee journeys so staff receive relevant information at the right time. You can also use gamification features to improve intranet engagement.
Pros
An excellent desktop version, with an engaging and intuitive user experience
Fine-grained controls for admins
A good range of notifications
Cons
Mixed opinions on Unily’s customer service and ability to support its partners
Translating Unily’s comprehensive desktop features to mobile is a challenge for admins
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Creating channels for company-wide communications
Boosting employee engagement with dynamic content and gamification
A comprehensive intranet platform, Simpplr supports internal communication and employee engagement. It provides a user-friendly, social-media-style interface and provides AI-driven content recommendations.
Standout features include employee listening tools, surveys, and a recognition program. There are also lots of communication channels you can use across email, SMS, a mobile app, and desktop software.
Pros
An intuitive, uncluttered interface
Strong analytics that make it easy to track engagement metrics and content performance
Great search functions
Cons
Difficult login process, with multiple links provided
Some users say the struggle to integrate Simpplr with their preferred third-party apps
Advanced features can be expensive
Pricing
Pricing is available on request.
Use cases
Making employee feedback and listening a key part of company culture
Creating a centralized hub for communications, resources, and community
Bringing large organizations and distributed teams together
Google Meet is a video conferencing and virtual meeting tool. It’s integrated into Google Workspace, so it connects easily to Gmail, Calendar, and any other Google tools your team happens to use.
It’s incredibly easy to use via an internet browser so users don’t even have to download the software. This makes it one of the most accessible virtual meeting tools currently available.
Pros
Easy to set up and use
The ability to hold meetings with up to 1,000 participants
Chat, emoji, and screen share functions available during meetings
Cons
You need additional tools to fulfil all internal communication needs
Fewer advanced features compared to Zoom and Microsoft Teams
Pricing
Prices start from $6 per user per month.
Use cases
Virtual team meetings, webinars, and company-wide announcements
One-on-one video meetings
Virtual training and employee onboarding
20. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams combines instant messaging, video conferencing, and file-sharing tools. As you’d expect, it offers the best possible integration with other Microsoft Office tech. You can use a selection of tools to create an all-round internal communication solution.
You can use Teams to run video meetings and team chats when your employees are working remotely or across different locations.
Pros
Strong integration with other Microsoft products
Secure communication and file sharing
Cons
Interface isn’t particularly engaging and there are few social-media-style features
Teams is designed for desktop use so mobile users don’t get the same user experience
Pricing
Prices start from $4 per user per month.
Use cases
Creating digital channels for internal communication and project management
Launching video and audio calls and sharing company-wide updates
Bringing remote and hybrid teams together, even when they’re working in different locations
Choosing an internal communication tool for your frontline organization (2026)
The right choice depends on your organization’s structure, workforce, and goals — particularly if you operate with hybrid or frontline teams.
For frontline organizations, the most significant communication challenge is dispersion. To resolve this, every employee should receive critical updates and feel part of the same company culture, even if they rarely visit headquarters.
To build a sense of belonging, choose a mobile-first internal communication platform that’s user-friendly and equally accessible for all.
To identify the best fit, ask yourself these four questions when evaluating internal communication software:
#1. Is your organization office-based, or do you have deskless workers to consider?
Some internal communication tools suit desk-based teams, such as intranets designed for desktop access. However, these are often unsuitable for reaching frontline workers who rely on smartphones.
To prevent information gaps, look for mobile-first internal communication solutions that offer the same functionality across devices. A dedicated mobile app ensures equal access and engagement across every team member — no matter where they work.
#2. Do your employees have regular opportunities to connect during the workday?
Connection drives performance, and employees who feel they belong are much more engaged and productive.
The problem for frontline teams is that they often lack organic “water cooler” moments. Using internal communication tools that enable social-style interaction — such as chat, feeds, and communities — fosters real-time collaboration between field and office teams.
#3. How much time can your employees spend on internal comms each day?
As frontline employees are busy serving customers, maintaining operations, or working off-site, they need a simple and reliable communication platform.
When evaluating tools, prioritize their ease of use, onboarding speeds, and precise message delivery.
Also check adoption rates and engagement levels as they’re powerful indicators of how smoothly a tool integrates into your daily workflow.
#4. How many internal communication goals do you want to cover?
Some platforms specialize in single functions, such as surveys, document sharing, or project management. Others, like all-in-one employee communication platforms, combine these capabilities.
To streamline your tech stack while enhancing connection and engagement, choose an internal communication tool that supports multiple channels — chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics — within one system.
The importance of internal communications in an organization
Every organization — frontline or otherwise — needs an effective internal communication strategy thatunites employees behind the company culture and values, improves collaboration, and enhances retention.
Strong internal communication also supports:
Company connection: When employees feel aligned with organizational goals, engagement and satisfaction rise
Change management: Transparent communication ensures buy-in during transitions
Problem-solving: Clear, direct messaging limits misinformation and strengthens trust
Productivity: Employees perform best when information is easy to find and act upon
Many internal communication tools support these goals — from instant messaging and surveys to intranets and recognition platforms. For frontline teams, the right solution must be mobile-first and easy to access on the go.
The right internal communication software can transform a disconnected team into a cohesive, informed community.
Blink shows how this works by helping companies like Go North West connect all their employees through a single digital hub.
Blink. And transform company communication with an all-in-one internal communication platform built for every worker.
.png)
