According to G2's 2021 Buyer Behavior Report, most people consult a software company's website when shopping for new software — but only 38% consider it the most trustworthy source. Every software company has invested significant time and effort into their own website, with the specific aim of convincing potential buyers like you of their product's value. But just because an intranet provider has a flashy website and a well-written blog, that doesn't necessarily mean its products are right for your organization.
Below are five methods for finding real, unbiased intranet reviews to supplement the vendor's website, plus tips for using those reviews effectively once you've found them.
Method 1: Reach out to customers from published success stories
Most software companies publish case studies or testimonials to show off their happy customers, and who better to ask about a software platform than people who have already used it? When you see customers featured in testimonial videos or mentioned in case studies, consider reaching out to them on LinkedIn. Most people love sharing their opinions, and many will be happy to set up a quick call to tell you about the intranet software.
Questions worth asking:
- How easy is the software to use?
- How was the implementation process?
- How is the ongoing support?
- Why did you choose this intranet over another one?
- What do you wish you knew before launching your intranet?
Method 2: Visit reputable third-party review sites
Software comparison sites are a great place to look for honest intranet reviews. It's important to stick to reputable sites like G2, Capterra, and Software Advice — these sites allow users to share their opinions on all sorts of software, including employee intranets, and crucially, they independently verify each review, so you're much less likely to see fake ones.
Another advantage of these sites is that you can filter reviews according to criteria like company size, role, industry, and region. So if you're an IT support engineer in a mid-sized marketing firm in Germany, you can filter your results down so you only see reviews from people with similar profiles.
Method 3: Use Crunchbase to build a list of current customers
Another option is to use a company insights platform like Crunchbase to come up with a list of companies that currently use the intranet software you're researching. Then, search for the relevant people within those companies on LinkedIn and reach out to ask about their experience. Not sure who to search for? Leaders in HR, IT, or internal communications are usually a good bet.
Remember that these people are doing you a favor if they agree to speak with you. One way to sweeten the deal is to have a conversation over a virtual lunch and offer them a gift card as a thank you.
Method 4: See what users are saying on social media
Social media is another good place to look for real, unfiltered opinions about an intranet platform. Start by checking the company's page and reading through some of the comments, which might be positive or negative. It's also a good idea to search for the company name so you can see other posts people have published about the software.
Keep in mind that one of the biggest reasons people tag companies on social media is to complain. Looking at how the company responds to complaints can be interesting, as it gives you an idea of what their support service looks like.
Method 5: Request a free demo
While it's not exactly a way to find intranet reviews, the best way to develop your own opinion on a platform is to see it in action. Most intranet providers will happily walk you through their software and answer your questions on a demo call.
Come prepared with a list of specific features you want to see demonstrated, and questions like:
- Which features are the most/least popular?
- How do your features differ from your competitors?
- How does the intranet page builder work?
- What is your average roll-out time?
- Which features do people find most difficult to use?
4 tips for using intranet reviews effectively
Knowing where to look for intranet reviews is just the beginning. To find the right intranet software for your organization, you need to know how to use and understand the reviews you find.
Filter down to the most relevant reviews
Filtering online reviews can help you narrow them down until you're only seeing the most relevant ones. As mentioned above, you can use sites like G2 to find reviews from organizations similar to yours. Alternatively, filter reviews by theme, searching for specific keywords based on the aspects of the software that matter most to you — if ease of use is a key consideration, you might search for keywords like "user interface," "learning curve," or "deployment."
Double-check the authenticity of intranet reviews
Not all reviews are genuine. Common red flags to watch for:
- Anonymous posts: real reviewers usually use their real names, and the company they work for should have an online presence too.
- Only positive or negative: most genuine reviews contain both positive and negative feedback — reviews that only lean in one direction may not be real.
- Generic statements: real reviews contain specific details about the product's features and functions, not just generic statements.
Read both positive and negative reviews
Sites like Capterra and G2 provide an average rating for each software, which is useful for comparison, but it's worth reading negative reviews even for a highly-rated product — this way, you'll learn which features people didn't like, which could inform your choice if those features are particularly important to your organization. Equally, even if a company has a lot of negative reviews, it's worth looking at the positive ones too, since this tells you what the provider is doing well.
Pay attention to when reviews were published
Software can change significantly over short periods, so reviews over 18 months old are likely to be outdated. Software providers often base updates on the feedback they receive from customers, which means the very things people were complaining about six months ago might be the things the company is excelling at now.
Use reviews to make an informed decision
Choosing an intranet solution is a big decision, and you should go into it armed with all the information you can find. That means looking at the intranet platform's website — but not just trusting what they say. Check out their social media, read reviews on reputable sites, and ask for a demo when you're ready.
Book a free demo call to see Happeo in action.
FAQ
How can I find and contact real users of an intranet platform to get their feedback?
Look at the published success stories, case studies, and testimonials on the intranet provider's website, note the names of clients featured, and reach out to them directly on LinkedIn. Most people are happy to share genuine opinions on usability, implementation, ongoing support, and what they wish they'd known before launching.
What are the best ways to verify if online reviews of intranet software are genuine?
Stick to verified third-party sites like G2, Capterra, and Software Advice, which independently verify every review submitted. Watch for red flags like anonymous posts, reviews that lean entirely positive or negative with no balance, and vague statements without specific details about features or day-to-day performance.
How should I filter and analyze intranet reviews to make a purchasing decision?
Filter reviews on third-party sites to match your company size, industry, region, and role, then filter further by keywords tied to what matters most to you, like "user interface" or "deployment." Read both positive and negative reviews rather than relying on the overall star rating, and pay attention to publication dates, since anything older than 18 months may already be outdated.
Is it worth reading negative reviews even for a highly-rated intranet platform?
Yes — negative reviews reveal specifically which features people struggled with, which matters if those features are important to your organization even if the overall rating is strong. The reverse is true too: even a platform with a lot of negative reviews is worth checking the positive reviews for, since that shows what the provider is actually doing well.
