What is the Benefit of Following a SharePoint Site?
- Updated: November 26, 2024
- Read time: 3 mins
If you’re one of your organization’s SharePoint administrators one of the simplest ways to help your team stay informed, organized, and efficient is by encouraging them to follow the sites they use most.
SharePoint’s "Follow" feature is a little more than just a way to bookmark sites—it streamlines work, improves search results, and makes navigating the SharePoint environment more intuitive.
We’ve compiled some major benefits of following a SharePoint site, and how you can explain the value to your staff.
Easier File Management in Office Applications
One of our favorite benefits of following a SharePoint site is that it makes saving files easier. When you are in applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. you will see the sites you follow immediately once you select that you intend to save the file in a Site within your Microsoft 365 tenant.
If you are using the client application, you will also see the sites you frequently visit—even if you don’t follow them yet. Please note that it can take up to a day after a new site is created for these programs to pick up on them and show the site in your saved options.
- How it helps: Followed sites automatically appear in the save location options, making it faster and easier to save work where it belongs.
- Pro tip: Periodically unfollow sites you no longer need (like completed projects) to keep your save options clean and focused on active workspaces.
Smarter Search Results
Sites you follow are prioritized in SharePoint search. Microsoft has never shared the exact ‘secret sauce’ of its search algorithm, but we know some of the things that affect it and followed sites are one of them.
- How it helps: Search results from followed sites show up higher, so finding the right content takes less time.
- Why it matters: Whether you’re hunting for project files or team updates, following sites will bring the most relevant information to your fingertips.
Faster File Transfers
When copying or moving files between SharePoint sites, followed sites are front and center in the "Quick Access" list.
- How it helps: This feature reduces clicks and eliminates the need to browse through all available sites. It’s a simple way to speed up file transfers between teams or departments.
Personalized Navigation
The SharePoint start page includes a "Following" section that displays all the sites you’ve followed, creating a personalized dashboard.
- How it helps: Quickly access frequently used sites without navigating through long lists or menus.
- Pro tip: Think of following a site as creating a shortcut to your most important workspaces.
Getting Started
It’s easy to follow a site—just click the star icon near the top right of any SharePoint site you visit.
Why Following SharePoint Sites Is Worth It
Following SharePoint sites is a simple way to work smarter. It saves time, reduces frustration, and keeps essential tools and content within reach By encouraging your team to follow SharePoint sites, you're equipping them with tools to work smarter.
Take a few minutes in your next meeting or staff email to highlight this feature—or send them this blog. It’s an easy win for your team and a quick step toward smoother collaboration.
If you have any questions about SharePoint and how best to use it in your business, just ask us—we’ll be happy to help.
