Setting Up a SharePoint Hub Site is Easy!

Organizing dozens or even hundreds of SharePoint sites can feel overwhelming. In this video, Allison Gonzalez explains how SharePoint Hub Sites can bring order to the chaos. She covers what a hub site is, how to set one up, and when it makes sense to use one.

What is a SharePoint Hub Site?

A hub site is a top-level site in SharePoint that connects related sites together. It unifies branding, navigation, and search across all associated sites. Think of it as a single front door that leads to multiple rooms—each room representing a related site.

When Should You Use a Hub Site?

• Small Teams: If you only have a few sites, a hub site is unnecessary.
• Larger Organizations: Ideal for departments or regions with multiple related sites.
• Common Themes: Use hubs for sites that share a theme, such as marketing, regions, or business units.

Steps to Create a Hub Site

1. Be a SharePoint Admin: Only admins can create hub sites.
2. Select the Parent Site: Choose a communication or team site to serve as the hub.
3. Register as Hub: In the admin center, select the site and click Register as a hub site.
4. Name the Hub: Assign a clear name like “Marketing Hub.”
5. Set Permissions: Decide who can associate other sites with this hub.

Associating Sites with the Hub

Once the hub is registered, connect other sites:

• Open the site you want to associate.
• Click the hub dropdown and select Associate with hub.
• Alternatively, use the right-hand pane under Hub Association.

After association, all connected sites inherit the hub’s branding and navigation.

Benefits of Hub Sites

• Unified Branding: Change colors, logos, and themes in one place.
• Centralized Navigation: Add links at the hub level to appear across all associated sites.
• Enhanced Search: Search results span all connected sites, improving content discovery.

Best Practices for Hub Sites

• Do not create a hub for every team or project—stick to thematic groupings.
• If multiple hubs are needed, consider a home site that links to all hubs for easy access.
• Avoid frequent hub changes; a site can only belong to one hub at a time, and constant changes confuse users.

Final Thoughts

Hub sites are a powerful way to unify the SharePoint experience without restructuring content. They simplify branding, navigation, and search across related sites. For organizations managing multiple sites, hub sites provide a streamlined and user-friendly solution.

Want to learn more? Explore Pragmatic Works’ SharePoint playlist on YouTube and dive deeper with our on-demand SharePoint and admin classes.

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