Content Strategy: Internal Content Strategies

When it comes to internal communications, small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises live in different worlds. The size of the team, available resources, and complexity of operations shape not only what you can do but how you can do it.

SMBs — typically under 250 employees — tend to have lean budgets, flat structures, and a culture built on personal connections. Their biggest strengths are agility and speed, but they often lack dedicated communications staff or sophisticated tools.

Large enterprises — with 1,000+ employees — face almost the opposite challenge. They have the budget and resources to do more, but layers of approval, diverse workforces, and siloed departments can slow things down and dilute impact.

The result? Both groups need different playbooks to make internal content work. In this latest entry in my ongoing Content Strategy series, I’ll break down overlooked opportunities tailored to each — along with the key differences in approach — so you can build a strategy that fits your reality.

SMB Internal Content Strategy Ideas

For SMBs, internal communication is more than just keeping people “in the loop” — it’s the connective tissue that keeps a small team rowing in the same direction. In an environment where everyone wears multiple hats, clear communication ensures priorities don’t get lost, resources aren’t duplicated, and customers see a consistent, quality experience.

What makes SMB communication unique is the ability to be personal and immediate. The CEO might be in the same Teams channel or Viva Engage community as the newest hire. Messages don’t need multiple layers of review, and a single update can be discussed, refined, and acted on within hours.

SMBs thrive on agility and personal connections but often lack dedicated comms teams. The focus should be on low-cost, high-engagement content that leverages your tight-knit culture without overwhelming staff. The ROI of getting communication right in an SMB is huge. It reduces mistakes that cost time and money, keeps morale high by making every team member feel valued, and helps the business punch above its weight in responsiveness and customer service. Because SMBs can’t afford misalignment or wasted effort, every message has the potential to move the needle.

Some ideas for SMB internal comms:

1. All-Hands Newsletter with Peer Contributions

Instead of a top-down update from leadership, create a biweekly email where employees volunteer quick blurbs about what they’re working on — a salesperson sharing a client win, a designer explaining a new logo, a warehouse staff member highlighting a new process that sped up shipping. Keep it short (under 300 words), add a photo, and send it with a free tool like Mailchimp.

Why it works: This keeps communication authentic, fosters cross-team awareness, and gives employees a voice — without adding hours of work to anyone’s plate.

2. Channel-Based “Wins Wall”

Set up a dedicated Teams or Slack channel for quick, celebratory updates. Think “Closed a $5k deal!” or “Fixed that app bug that’s been haunting us!” Encourage GIFs, emojis, and reactions to keep the tone light. Pin the week’s standout wins at the top so they don’t get lost in the scroll.

Why it works: It’s zero-cost, takes minutes, and replaces the need for formal recognition programs that SMBs can’t always afford — all while boosting morale in real time.

3. Founder Story Videos for Culture Glue

Ask your founders to record short (2–3 minute) videos sharing a personal story — why they started the business, a lesson learned from failure, or an inspiring vision for the future. Share them via email or a shared drive. A founder’s recollection of the scrappy early days can be far more motivating than a generic mission statement.

Why it works: It’s personal, human, and cheap to produce (just a smartphone needed), and it keeps company culture rooted in the people who started it.

4. “Ask Anything” Anonymous Form

Use a free tool like Google Forms to collect anonymous employee questions each week, then address one in a team meeting or group chat. Keep answers transparent and add them to a pinned FAQ doc.

Why it works: It builds trust, surfaces potential issues early, and gives employees a safe channel to ask the things they might not raise in person.

5. Lunch-and-Learn Recaps as Content

Host short, informal skill-shares — like a bookkeeper explaining invoicing hacks or a construction foreman giving safety tips — and record quick 5-minute summaries. Store them in Google Drive for easy access.

Why it works: These sessions double as onboarding material for new hires and create a living library of internal knowledge without the need for complex LMS tools.

Why These Work for SMBs

These ideas lean on tools you already have — Microsoft Teams, Slack, email, Google Workspace — and the close-knit nature of smaller teams. They’re quick to launch, cost almost nothing, and keep the human touch that makes small companies special. The only caution? Don’t over-rely on enthusiasm alone. Set a cadence so the momentum doesn’t fade.

Large Enterprise Internal Content Strategy Ideas

In large enterprises, internal communication is the mechanism that keeps thousands of people — often spread across countries, languages, and time zones — working toward the same goals. Without it, strategies fracture, duplication runs rampant, and employees disengage because they can’t see how their work connects to the bigger picture. Enterprises need structure and scalability to reach thousands of employees across different regions, departments, and roles.

What makes enterprise communication unique is the scale and complexity. Messages must navigate multiple layers of leadership, legal compliance, and technological platforms while still reaching the right people in a way that feels relevant. One poorly communicated change can ripple across thousands of employees, affecting productivity, customer satisfaction, and even revenue. The challenge is cutting through noise, breaking down silos, and creating content that feels personal at scale.

The ROI of strong communication at this scale comes from alignment and efficiency. When everyone understands priorities, processes, and context, projects run smoother, collaboration improves, and change initiatives stick. Even a small improvement in message clarity can save millions in avoided rework, reduced turnover, and faster adoption of new systems or strategies.

1. Interactive Intranet “Story Hubs”

Dedicate a section of your intranet (e.g., SharePoint) for narrative updates — how IT resolved a global outage, how marketing launched a major campaign, how a local team went above and beyond. Include photos, short videos, and a comments section for feedback.

Why it works: For a 5,000-person bank, this kind of hub connects branch staff with HQ in a way that generic newsletters can’t, reducing disconnects and encouraging cross-department visibility.

2. Role-Specific Content Playlists

Curate tailored “tracks” for different job roles — videos, articles, or podcasts — delivered through your learning management system (LMS) like Workday. A 10,000-employee retailer could give store managers inventory optimization tips, while corporate staff get leadership webinars.

Why it works: This respects the unique needs of each role and avoids the “one-size-fits-all” email blasts that get ignored.

3. Cross-Region Culture Campaigns

Highlight local office traditions and wins in a global series. For example, a German lab’s scientific breakthrough featured alongside a U.S. sales team’s record quarter. Share via Engage or global newsletters.

Why it works: It fights HQ bias, builds cultural understanding, and boosts inclusivity — essential in large, globally distributed organizations.

4. “Day-in-the-Life” Video Shorts

Produce 60-second videos that follow different roles — from a factory worker to a data analyst — and post them on an internal Vimeo or Teams channel with searchable tags.

Why it works: Short, authentic clips help employees understand each other’s worlds, fostering empathy and collaboration without the need for high-end production.

5. Predictive Content for Change Management

When major changes are coming — mergers, new software, process overhauls — create proactive content weeks in advance. FAQs, leader interviews, and myth-busting guides can reduce uncertainty and keep employees engaged.

Why it works: Anticipating hot-button topics before they erupt minimizes resistance and confusion, keeping change initiatives on track.

Why These Work for Enterprises

Large organizations are prone to fragmentation — geographically, functionally, and culturally. These strategies leverage scalable platforms (intranets, LMS, internal video hosting) to deliver targeted, inclusive content that still feels human. The key is to keep delivery simple and mobile-friendly so it reaches everyone.

Key Differences in Approach

While both SMBs and enterprises aim to make employees feel informed, valued, and aligned, the way they get there is shaped by scale and structure.

• Scale and Tools: SMBs rely on free/low-cost tools (Teams, Google Drive), while enterprises invest in robust platforms (intranets, LMS) to handle volume and compliance.
• Personalization: SMBs thrive on face-to-face familiarity, making content naturally more personal. Enterprises must segment by role, region, or seniority to avoid generic “noise.”
• Resources: SMBs get scrappy with smartphone videos and DIY comms. Enterprises have larger budgets but must justify ROI and navigate procurement processes.
• Speed: SMBs can pivot content quickly due to flat hierarchies. Enterprises must work within layered approvals and time zones.

Both benefit from listening. SMBs can rely on direct conversations; enterprises can use pulse surveys or analytics from internal platforms to refine messaging.

Whether you’re working in a 30-person startup or a 30,000-person enterprise, the goal is the same: internal content should connect people to the mission, make them feel valued, and help them do their jobs better.

The execution just looks different. For SMBs, it’s about keeping things fast, informal, and personal. For enterprises, it’s about building scalable systems that still manage to feel human.

If you want to go deeper, think about your current tools, headcount, and culture — then tailor the approach to fit. The best internal content strategies aren’t just copied from someone else’s playbook; they’re built for your unique reality.