SharePoint is a highly flexible and scalable solution from Microsoft that helps people create out-of-the-box intranet websites, and the value of such tools is significant, with research showing they can lead to productivity boosts of 20 to 30 percent in collaboration-heavy processes.

From small businesses to large enterprises, you can use SharePoint to create intranet sites that suit various needs and are highly successful. That's the reason why we're gonna show you real-world examples of different intranets today, so you can get inspired for your own SharePoint website.

You'll discover why organizations choose SharePoint for intranets and what's possible with the platform. We'll also explore 10 inspiring examples and review key alternatives.

Why SharePoint for intranets

SharePoint is popular for intranets because it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 tools your teams already use. Here's why organizations choose it:

• Native integration: Works directly with Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook

• Departmental flexibility: HR, IT, and project teams can customize sites for their needs

• Enterprise scale: Provides a powerful foundation for company-wide communication and collaboration

What's possible with SharePoint

Modern SharePoint intranets go far beyond basic document storage. Key capabilities include:

• Company news hub: Central location for announcements and updates

• Team collaboration sites: Project-specific workspaces

• Secure document libraries: Organized, permission-controlled file storage

• Business process automation: Simple workflow automation

The goal is creating an accessible digital workplace that connects employees to information and people they need.

What are the key SharePoint site features

You might think that Microsoft SharePoint stayed in the past — but you'd be surprised by how many innovative features it has. Let's see what capabilities make SharePoint such a powerhouse:

• Content management: One thing Microsoft SharePoint does well is help users create and manage content. You can organize it in folders, upload documents in different formats, and store them in a central location. This way, it ensures everyone works with up-to-date info.

• Collaboration capabilities: Using SharePoint makes it easier for your people to collaborate and share information with each other so they can work together more productively. Plus, you can keep track of your projects easier, organize documents, and work on the same version of the doc.

• Business intelligence: With SharePoint's BI tools, you can craft useful and powerful reports and dashboards. Aside from creative interactive charts and other visualizations, you can also make better data-driven decisions.

• Workflow automation: Another great thing Microsoft SharePoint does is automate mundane and repetitive tasks and streamline workflows. For instance, you can set a flow to send notifications whenever someone makes changes to a document.

• Search functionality: Through powerful search capabilities, SharePoint allows you to find relevant content super easily, whether it's a certain document or a project.

• Social features: SharePoint puts an emphasis on social. That's why it has social features that allow users to connect with their colleagues and easily share knowledge. Moreover, SharePoint allows you to create environments (similar to a community) where people can share ideas and work together on projects.

In conclusion, SharePoint is useful in maintaining a collaborative workspace and streamlining your workflow so it meets all your needs.

We've finally arrived at the part you've been aching for: the examples.

10 SharePoint site examples to inspire you

Let's go through 10 SharePoint site examples of different types that'll spark your creativity.

1. Event planning sites

Event planning sites help you share corporate event details like schedules, registration info, and FAQs in one central location. Such SharePoint sites usually have features like event calendars, attendee lists, or a countdown.

Source: Microsoft

Example highlights:

• It displays the schedule in its entirety so people can plan their day accordingly.

• Has a frequently asked questions section, which is useful for those who want to know more about the event.

• Gives a description of the sessions and who the guest speakers are.

2. The hub

Hub sites connect related sites under a common theme. Popular types include:

• Resource hubs: Centralize tools and documents

• Topic hubs: Organize content by subject

• Project hubs: Connect project-related sites

For instance, the common theme of your SharePoint site is retail. You can break down this broad topic into multiple related sites. So, you can have a page dedicated to e-commerce and another to fashion, all connected under the same site.

You can dedicate an entire SharePoint page to a particular branch of your business and only the people involved can access the resources on that subject.

Source: LightSpeedIntranet

Example highlights:

• Features a noticeboard where you can see recently uploaded content, as well as the most viewed and liked documents.

• A search functionality that allows users to find what they need.

• A "Take a tour" button that new users can click on to be taken on a journey throughout the site and learn how to use it.

3. Learning and development (L&D) sites

L&D sites are good for hosting training programs, courses, and educational resources, with some platforms offering thousands of content pieces to support the microlearning needs of various roles.

Usually, L&D sites have training modules, course catalogs, and certification tracking to ensure the emphasis is put on learning.

Source: Microsoft

Example highlights:

• Features a carousel with important resources that might interest the user.

• Has a section dedicated to promoting upcoming events.

• Shares the company's mission statement and the site's goal.

4. Enterprise wiki sites

Also known as the knowledge base, enterprise wiki SharePoint sites are good for housing company-wide information like brand guidelines and FAQs, helping to combat issues like corporate 'brain drain,' which is one of the biggest concerns among US manufacturers.

Such sites also have content creation and collaboration functionalities, which allow users to manage and organize content however they want. But its most prominent feature is the search, making it easy for people to find the information they need.

Source: ContentFormula

Example highlights:

• The search bar is the first thing people see when entering, so you know the true purpose of this SharePoint site. Plus, it has various filter options for refining results.

• There is a news section, but it's not the main focus of this example.

• The documents are categorized into what was uploaded and favorite files so it's easier to access them when needed.

5. Human resources sites

This is a SharePoint site dedicated to the human resources department, and its purpose is to manage HR resources like benefits, compensation, and employee onboarding, often including tools for unlimited pulse surveys to gauge employee sentiment. As a result, this site's main features include employee handbooks, onboarding checklists, and benefits information.

Source: Microsoft

Example highlights:

• Features a FAQ section where people can learn how to take a leave of absence, apply for tuition benefits, and more.

• Displays events, such as work anniversaries or promotions, as well as holidays so everyone is on the same page.

• Ask HR section to ask if anyone needs help with anything.

6. Blog and news sites

What these SharePoint sites are all about is sharing articles, insights, and updates. Usually, they feature articles about certain topics (like welcoming a new employee), the ability to leave comments, and even RSS feeds.

Source: LightSpeedIntranet

Example highlights:

• The example has engagement data, such as views and likes, to differentiate between popular and unpopular articles.

• It has a separate feed with news based on the user's location (in this case, London) or preferences, indicating that users can personalize the site however they wish.

• The lower half of the site features links to resources and apps users might need to complete their tasks.

7. Project management sites

There are plenty of SharePoint sites that you can use for various projects. What these sites usually do is help teams manage specific projects through features like timelines, document storage, and task assignment.

Source: Microsoft

Example highlights:

• Has a product launch countdown, as well as a section for milestones so it's easier to keep track of the project's status.

• Features recent documents and activity with an overview of who's done what and what has been changed.

• Send due date reminders through SharePoint's automation features.

8. Records center sites

If you want a single source of truth that people can go to when they want to access your entire company knowledge, then you might need a records center site – a place that archives and manages your most important records.

Source: LightSpeedIntranet

Example highlights:

• It has a search box that encourages users to search for a specific file, as well as filter items for more advanced search.

• The site focuses on personalization, meaning that users can see their collection and search history, as well as popular recommendations or previous searches.

• At the bottom, users are encouraged to leave feedback or even submit their own content.

9. Sales and marketing sites

Even retail, e-commerce, or brick and mortar stores can use a SharePoint site for sales and marketing purposes. In essence, these sites manage sales materials, campaigns, and customer data.

You can also measure leads and engagement, see valuable resources and materials, as well as nurture relationships with your audience.

Source: Microsoft

Example highlights:

• This example focuses on the retail management team and showcases team member profiles.

• Has a news and announcement section and displays upcoming events.

• Highlights frequently used resources and provides easy access to them.

10. Innovation and ideation sites

Our last example focuses on gathering and developing new ideas or projects. It's a place where people can come and leave their ideas through idea submission forms, for example.

But these sites can also have voting mechanisms (to see which idea is most appreciated by users) and discussion forums for different topics.

Source: OrigamiConnect

Example highlights:

• Features a carousel with resources useful for a new hire to help them familiarize themselves with the company's mission and culture.

• It has a section with news and events, as well as a way to participate in scheduled events.

• Has an idea submission board and a suggestion box where people can leave their thoughts and concerns.

What are some SharePoint alternatives

While SharePoint has powerful features, it comes with challenges:

• Complexity: Difficult for beginners to understand and configure

• Cost: More expensive than many alternatives

• User experience: Not as intuitive as modern solutions

If you're looking for alternatives, here are some top options.

Guru

Guru is an AI-powered knowledge management platform that centralizes information from all your tools. Think of it as your knowledge command center—one place to find answers across apps, docs, and conversations.

Moreover, Guru integrates with SharePoint so you can have the best of both worlds. With this powerful duo, you can enable AI-powered searches and access information within SharePoint easily.

Key features:

• No context-switching: With Guru, you don't have to switch between apps or chats. Due to Guru's integration with SharePoint, you can get contextual suggestions and improve productivity without leaving your workflow.

• Customization features: You can customize the home base however you want to give users a more branded experience. Users will see only the things they want to see, which helps improve engagement.

• Enterprise AI search: Get answers from anywhere through enterprise AI search, courtesy of Guru. As a result, your users will find answers to every question faster, improving productivity.

Confluence

Source: G2

Another great alternative to SharePoint is Confluence, a remote-friendly and shared collaborative space that allows teams to collaborate and share ideas. Since Confluence's focus is on collaboration, it's an ideal solution for creating and managing anything, from marketing campaigns to product launches.

What makes Confluence awesome is that you can get everyone on the same page through sharing and harnessing knowledge. Through its whiteboard, users can capture free-flowing thoughts and brainstorm ideas easily.

Key features:

• Real-time editing: You can easily take notes and refine ideas with this tool, as you can edit content together with the team, even if they're in different time zones.

• Dynamic databases: Confluence offers a collaborative space where you can organize your knowledge and keep teams in sync with real-time updates.

• Commenting: Streamline your feedback process with Confluence as it allows you to comment on designs. You can also add visual elements like images, emojis, and GIFs.

Igloo

Source: G2

gloo is an intranet tool built for frontline and home workers, enabling them to enhance their productivity and improve communication. This cloud-based platform serves as a content management system and a knowledge base, so you can train, engage, and retain workers while shrinking costs. 

Igloo is the perfect house for supporting your distributed workforce and enhancing collaboration across your entire company. 

Key features:

• Assignment features: With Igloo, you can easily assign tasks or to-do items to different users, and keep track of them as they progress.

• Permissions: Igloo allows you to change permissions anytime. So, if you don’t want someone to view and edit your content, you can change the permissions as needed. 

• Notifications: Igloo shows only the most important messages to the users involved in the project, so it’s easier to keep track of changes. ‍

Over To You!

If you’re evaluating SharePoint alternatives, it’s worth asking: do you need another place to store documents—or a smarter way to actually use them?

Guru goes beyond file storage and team sites. It’s the AI Source of Truth that connects everything your company knows—across SharePoint, Slack, Teams, Drive, and every other tool you use—and delivers cited, permission-aware answers wherever work happens. When knowledge changes, Guru updates itself automatically, so your teams and your AI tools always have the right, verified information.

Or as one of our customers put it:

“Guru makes it easy to findquality knowledge quickly. It’s user-friendly, effortless to update, and keeps everything accurate across our organization.”

Ready to see what a modern SharePoint alternative looks like?
👉 Sign up for Guru and experience how effortless connected, trusted knowledge can be.