Once you understand what web parts are and how they work, the next step is knowing which ones can make the biggest impact on your SharePoint pages. With so many available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right ones. In this post, I’ll share my top five favourite web parts that help create engaging, functional, and user-friendly SharePoint sites.
1. News Web Part – Keeping Everyone Informed
The News Web Part is essential for sharing important updates, announcements, and news articles across your organisation.
One of the biggest advantages of this web part is its ability to roll up news from multiple sites to a central hub site. For example:
- A HR site may have its own news updates, which can roll up to the main company news feed.
- Departmental sites can share their updates while also contributing to the broader organisation’s news stream.
- Integration with Viva Connections allows news to be surfaced in Microsoft Teams, ensuring that employees stay informed no matter where they work.
With multiple layout options and filtering capabilities, the News Web Part ensures that the right information reaches the right audience.
2. Quick Links Web Part – Easy Navigation
The Quick Links Web Part makes navigating SharePoint simple by allowing users to add links to key resources, documents, or external sites.
I particularly like the tile layout with icons, as it creates visually appealing buttons that can be used for:
- Navigating back to the home page of a site.
- Linking to frequently used forms, such as leave requests or an employee handbook.
- Providing shortcuts to critical systems like HR or IT service desks.
This web part enhances usability by reducing the number of clicks needed to find important resources.
3. Documents Web Part – Showcasing Key Files
The Documents Web Part is great for highlighting important files at the top level of a site’s document library. Instead of making users dig through folders, you can surface the most relevant content right on the page.
A few ways I use this web part effectively:
- Displaying the most frequently used documents in a library.
- Pointing to a specific view in the document library rather than just the default one.
- Ensuring quick access to policies, procedures, or templates without navigating through folders.
By customising the view and filters, this web part makes document management much more efficient.
4. Stream Web Part – Embedding Video Content
The Stream Web Part is perfect for embedding video content directly onto a SharePoint page. I encourage clients to use this to enhance training and communication.
One of my favourite ways to use this web part is by linking it to playlists. For example:
- A company could create a series of training videos and display them on a learning hub page.
- Leadership teams could use it to embed monthly town hall meetings.
- Departments could use it to highlight how-to videos for internal processes.
With multiple display options, the Stream Web Part ensures videos look great and are easily accessible.
5. Editorial Card Web Part – Elevating Page Design
The Editorial Card Web Part is one of the newer additions to SharePoint, and it brings a fresh, modern look to pages.
This web part allows for visually rich content that blends images, text, and links in a stylish format. It’s fantastic for:
- Highlighting important announcements with engaging imagery.
- Adding a polished look to pages with a magazine-style layout.
- Making key content more visually appealing and easier to digest.
Using this web part can make a huge difference in how professional and engaging a SharePoint page looks.
Final Thoughts
These five web parts are my go-to choices for building effective and user-friendly SharePoint pages. From keeping employees informed to improving navigation and design, they each play a crucial role in enhancing the SharePoint experience.
What are your favourite web parts? Let me know in the comments!
