SharePoint offers many tools that can change how you do business when it comes to sharing and presenting information with the organisation. A SharePoint Communication Site is one of them.
So let us take a deeper look at SharePoint Communication Sites and why you might need one in your organisation.
A little bit of history
Previously, SharePoint only offered what is now referred to as “traditional” SharePoint Sites. They were a fantastic method for building department websites, document repositories, etc.
But soon after, we could modernise these traditional sites via modern pages.
Then came SharePoint Sites with Office 365 Group connectivity. These are just regular SharePoint sites connected to other “social and collaborative apps” like Planner, Teams, and Outlook. These sites are excellent for project-type work and collaborative teams.
Today, we have a new option called Communication Site – which you might come across while creating a new site in SharePoint.
A SharePoint Communication Site is a new and distinctive type of site template. The notable difference between a Team Site and a Communication Site is that a Communication site does not feature a Quick Launch menu on the left side.
When it comes to a Communication Site, you create a new site collection, much like when you build an Office 365 Group Site. However, you cannot connect to apps like Planner or Teams like you can in Office 365 Group Site.
What is a SharePoint Communication Site?
One of the two kinds of sites that are available to you in the Modern experience is a SharePoint Communication Site. SharePoint pages called Communication Sites allow users to share information with other users within an organisation.
If you’re searching for a platform to facilitate collaboration, create a team site rather than a communication site. A SharePoint Communication Site is appropriate whenever you’re giving a presentation on a project, attempting to disseminate news, creating a company newsletter, organising an internal event, or sharing content with a third party.
What are the benefits of a SharePoint Communication Site?
Some of the benefits of using a communication site are as follows:
- You receive a modern, widescreen website (no left-side navigation) that enables you to create a visually appealing page.
- Instead of a Classic Wiki Page, you get a Search Box in the top-right corner
- You get access to many layouts and templates when you create a website.
- These sites can be easily adapted to their mobile versions.
How to create a SharePoint Communication Site?
If you are sure that a Communication Site is what you need, read on to learn how to build one by yourself. There are numerous starting points from which you can create a communication site. However, we will show you the most straightforward method accessible to all types of end users. All you need to ensure is that you are a licensed user of Office 365.
Let’s start.
1. Select SharePoint from the Office 365 App Launcher.
2. Click on the Create Site button.
3. Now, you will have two options to choose from. Select Communication Site to proceed.
4. Now, you should choose a template for your communication site. It’s a starting layout, and you can always change it later. So, for the time being, let’s go ahead with the Topic option.
5. You must give your site a name in the box on the right (for example, New Year Party). Based on the site name, it will automatically assign a URL and let you know whether that URL is already taken. You can edit the site name. However, you cannot change it once you create it. Add a site description and select your language. Click Finish once everything is in place.
6. That’s it! You have successfully created a SharePoint Communication Site.
7. Now, you can tweak the page, edit its contents, and change the layout and web components as required.
8. Don’t forget to add users to your site. Otherwise, it won’t be visible to anyone but you. Click the Gear icon and select Site Permissions to add users to the site.
- Finally, click Share Site to add users or security groups to the corresponding Security Groups and click Done. (Selecting Members allows users to edit content, while choosing Visitors only allows them to read it).
Some use cases of a SharePoint Communication Site.
Here are some examples that can give you a better understanding of how a communication site can be helpful.
● A landing page for an intranet. Where you can post company-wide events, news updates, weather, and valuable resources.
● An update regarding an upcoming company event. (New Year Party, BBQ night, for example).
● Website for department-level employees. (HR portal, where users can access HR information and download papers related to benefits and policies)
● For sharing corporate or department updates. (e.g., a sales site with reports and dashboards that are accessible to the whole company or department)
● Site for new product launch. (e.g., a marketing site with images, brochures, and announcements)
● Any site has to be aesthetically pleasing but doesn’t require an Office 365 Group.
Conclusion
A SharePoint Communication Site is an excellent resource for presenting and sharing information within your company. No better tool is available for creating visually stunning websites and pages. All you need to do is to follow the instructions mentioned above, and you will be on your way to creating a unique but incredibly useful SharePoint Communication Site.
However, a basic communication site won’t be sufficient for organisations that require a fully-customised site optimised for their unique operational and business needs.
Get in touch with our SharePoint experts today to learn how you stand to benefit from a dedicated and personalised SharePoint Communication Site. We will analyse your existing infrastructure and create a communication site that will play a crucial role in disseminating information within your organisation, empowering your team to collaborate and achieve your business objectives together.
