Intranets platforms are still popular within the business world and other big organisations. Why? Because they have been shown to boost productivity and collaboration.

But there are some alternatives to intranets that are growing in popularity and offer several advantages. In this article, we’ll compare 3 intranet platforms, and take a peek at some exciting intranet platform alternatives.

What is an “Intranet” and why are they so popular?

An intranet is a private, enclosed computer network that is used for collaboration, information-sharing, event planning, scheduling, operational tools and systems (e.g. project management resources), and other services such as payroll. Access to an intranet is restricted to the employees of a company or members of an organisation, and people are required to log in with a username and password. Some intranets are company-wide, while others may be inter-departmental. The main benefits of using an intranet for companies and employees are:

• Productivity - increased collaboration and easy access to information and resources saves time and increases the amount of work an individual or team can produce in a day.
• Effective communication - sharing information on the intranet is much more likely to be seen and absorbed, compared to email which can be distracting or easily overlooked.
• Faster workflows - automated scheduling and event planning speeds up repetitive tasks.
• Cost effective - intranets help to save money on printing, duplication costs, management costs and HR overheads, amongst other things.

The top 3 Intranet platforms compared

In the early days of intranet systems, organisations would have to pay a team of developers and IT technicians to build the software and create a local area network. These days, there are dedicated cloud-based intranet platforms that help companies create an intranet that is accessible remotely, without the need for network hardware. They tend to offer out-of-the-box solutions with only a small degree of customisability.

1. Blink

Blink is an intranet platform and concentrates on making remote working easier. They offer secure communication and other collaboration tools that work on mobile devices as well as desktop.

2. Interact

Interact focus on the sharing of business intelligence and knowledge sharing through an intranet. They offer all the same features as Blink, as well as the ability to communicate through SMS.

3. Jostle

Jostle positions itself as an intranet that makes collaboration easier. It is simple to use and has a clean and clear interface. All the usual communication and collaboration tools are included.

There isn’t much to choose between the top intranet providers. They all offer pretty much the same tools and features, packaged in different ways. Fortunately there is an alternative to intranets that allows you greater customisation, increased levels of engagement, and is more cost-effective.

Exclusive community platforms and apps

Community platforms have grown in popularity with businesses due to the need for somewhere to engage and communicate with groups privately, without the constraints of a company intranet or the security issues of social media.

Community platforms and apps offer the best of both worlds. They have the advanced tools and features of an intranet, including features such as scheduling and event planning, as well as the look and feel of social media, with NewsFeeds, content libraries, Livestreaming and private messaging, etc.

The other major advantages community platforms have over intranets are that they give you full control over appearance and data, and they tend to be more affordable.

Community platforms such as Disciple allow you complete freedom to add your own branding and themes to the app environment. You also get full access to and control over data and analytics.

Final words

Intranet platforms are good for secure communication, collaboration and task automation. However, the concept is a bit old-fashioned, and they no longer really serve the needs of modern, agile businesses.

Community platforms, on the other hand, provide a great way to both share information with, engage and support colleagues. Platforms such as Disciple encourage the same levels of collaboration within a company, but also give you much more control, all at a lower price than intranet providers.

If you want to benefit from using a versatile and powerful community platform, instead of limited intranet software, contact Disciple today for a free demo.