How Notion Sites Can Revolutionize Your Project Management

Introduction

What if I told you that everything you know about building websites and managing digital projects is about to change?

Inspired by Thomas Frank's insightful YouTube video "Notion Site Builder: Full Guide to Creating Your First Website", this article explores a suite of website publishing tools introduced by Notion.

These tools can transform how Project Managers, System Administrators, and Business Analysts operate.

This revolutionary update enables you to turn public Notion pages into full-fledged websites, streamlining many of the pain points you face daily.

Let's dive into how these features, as highlighted in Thomas Frank's video, can help you manage projects more efficiently, maintain IT systems seamlessly, and analyze business data effectively, all while impressing your colleagues.

The Rise of Notion Sites

In 2018, Notion introduced the ability to make a page public, allowing anyone with the link to view it. Fast forward to today, and Notion has taken this a step further with Notion Sites.

This new feature enables users to hook up custom domains, customize their site's appearance, and even integrate advanced functionalities like Google Analytics.

Essentially, you can build a complete website directly within Notion.

Getting Started

To start, open Notion and create a new page.

Add your content, images, and any databases you need.

Include anything that you want to publish on your webpage.

New Features Overview

Notion’s new features are accessed through the Share tab.

Here, you’ll find a refreshed UI under the Publish tab with options for site customization.

You can now:

• Preview your website: See how your site looks to public visitors.
• Customize themes: Choose between light or dark mode.
• Add a favicon: Customize the small icon that appears in your browser tab.
• Integrate Google Analytics: Add a measurement ID for detailed tracking.
• Customize headers: Add pages to the navigation bar, turn off breadcrumbs, enable search, and more.

Publishing Your Site

Publishing your Notion page is incredibly simple. Just go to Share, then Publish, and hit Publish again.

Your site is live in under 30 seconds.

You can customize the header to include links to other pages within your site, enhancing navigation for your visitors.

How Can This Notion Feature Help You?

For Project Managers

• Coordination Across Multiple Teams: Notion Sites allows you to create a centralized hub where all project information is accessible. Use the navigation bar to link to different project phases, team pages, and resources, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: With Notion’s real-time updates and customizable pages, you can keep stakeholders informed and engaged. Regularly update your Notion site with project status, milestones, and deliverables to manage expectations effectively.
• Adapting to Changing Project Requirements: The flexibility of Notion Sites means you can quickly adjust content, add new pages, or reorganize the layout to reflect changing project needs. This agility helps you respond promptly to scope changes without disrupting the workflow.
• Resource Allocation: Use Notion’s database functionality to track resource allocation. Create pages for team members with their assignments and schedules, ensuring transparency and efficient use of resources.
• Risk Management: Publish risk assessments and mitigation plans on your Notion site. This keeps the team informed about potential risks and the strategies in place to address them.
• Meeting Tight Deadlines: With the ability to update and publish changes instantly, Notion Sites helps you keep project documentation current, saving time and reducing the risk of outdated information.

For System Administrators

• Keeping Up with Rapid Technological Changes: Use Notion Sites to create a knowledge base of the latest technologies, best practices, and updates. Share this information with your team to ensure everyone is up-to-date.
• Integrating Multiple Platforms: Create detailed guides and integration checklists on your Notion site. This ensures seamless integration of various platforms and helps in troubleshooting any issues that arise.
• Maintaining Security: Publish security protocols and incident response plans to your Notion site. Keeping this information accessible ensures that your team is always prepared to handle security threats.
• Balancing Routine Tasks with Strategic Initiatives: Use Notion’s database to manage and prioritize tasks. This allows you to focus on strategic initiatives without neglecting routine maintenance.
• User Support and Satisfaction: Create a support portal within Notion Sites where users can find tutorials, FAQs, and contact information. This enhances user satisfaction by providing immediate access to support resources.
• Resource Constraints: Publish resource management plans and optimization strategies. Transparency in resource allocation helps in maximizing efficiency and ensuring optimal performance.

For Business Analysts (BAs)

• Bridging the Gap Between IT and Business: Publish clear, detailed documentation and requirements on your Notion site. This ensures that both IT and business teams have a shared understanding of project goals and specifications.
• Managing Changing Business Needs: Quickly update your Notion site to reflect new business priorities and requirements. Keeping documentation current helps maintain alignment with organizational goals.
• Ensuring Stakeholder Alignment: Use Notion’s collaborative features to gather feedback and keep stakeholders informed. Regular updates on your Notion site help ensure that everyone is on the same page.
• Validating Solutions: Publish test plans, results, and validation reports. This transparency ensures that stakeholders understand the solution’s efficacy and alignment with business needs.
• Securing Buy-In: Use Notion Sites to create persuasive presentations and detailed project proposals. Sharing these resources can help convince stakeholders of the value and feasibility of your solutions.

Flexibility and Customization

Notion offers significant flexibility in page layout, though not as extensive as typical web-hosting or CMS management apps.

You can easily add custom domains, manage multiple subdomains, and utilize a variety of layout options.

Adding Custom Domains

To use a custom domain, go to the Share option, then Publish, and choose your custom domain from the drop-down menu. You can manage multiple domains within Notion, setting a homepage for each.

Cost of Notion Sites

To access these features, you’ll need at least the Notion Plus plan, which costs $10 a month if paid annually, or $12 if paid monthly. For custom domains, there’s an additional $8 monthly fee.

While this might seem steep initially, it’s comparable to other platforms like Squarespace, Framer, Webflow, and Wix.

Who Is Notion Sites For?

Notion Sites is perfect for individuals seeking ease of use and speed. It's ideal for building internal company websites, personal sites for job interviews, client portfolios, or even sites for selling Notion templates. The ability to create CMS functionality with minimal effort is a standout feature.

Creating a CMS in Notion

Notion makes it incredibly easy to create a CMS. For example, you can create a database for blog posts and integrate it into your site with a few clicks. This level of simplicity is often not found in other platforms without additional costs or complexity.

Areas for Improvement

While Notion Sites is impressive, there are areas for improvement:

• Navigation: Adding a logo to the header and improving mobile responsiveness.
• Custom Domain Process: Simplifying the process and improving documentation.
• Row Width Customization: Allowing more flexibility in adjusting row widths without multiple columns.

Conclusion

Notion Sites is a significant step forward in making website creation accessible and efficient. Whether you're a Project Manager, System Administrator, or Business Analyst, Notion offers a user-friendly and powerful platform for building websites that address your unique pain points.

If you're looking for speed, ease of use, and flexibility, Notion Sites is definitely worth considering.