For an investor relations website to be truly effective, it needs to be tailored to your unique position on the Street.
In today’s age, an IR site is where investors turn to make decisions about their portfolio, including the most important one, like buying shares in your company.
But simply having a digital presence is the bare minimum. The investors relations websites that drive results are the ones that cater to a company’s unique objectives.
Investor Websites Help Visitors Make Decisions
An oft-quoted report from the Brunswick Group underscores the importance of having an IR site up and running.
After questioning 537 institutional investors, the study found 92 percent of investors visit a company’s IR website when investigating an issue. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) say the IR intelligence they find there has influenced decision-making in the past.
The report concludes that companies should improve their investor sites by offering rich content and personalized experiences, providing regular updates with relevant information.
What is Your Relevant Information?
The best investor website has beautiful design and simple functionality to help you direct visitors to relevant information. But more importantly, investor relations consulting firms recommend building a unique site catering to the type of information you’re sharing.
So what does that mean in practice? The top investor relations consulting firms hone their focus to three main areas.
1. Initial Public Offering (IPO)
Before ringing the bell, you first have to file your intention to go public. There are a lot of financial hoops to jump through at this stage to ensure you’re sharing necessary data and meeting compliance.
Beyond the black and white of your financials, it’s also an opportunity to introduce your brand’s story, sharing your history and hopes for the future.
The best investor websites strike a balance between your financials and corporate branding to attract the right mix of investors. A premium site grows alongside you, updating your information and messaging to reflect your goals once you’re fully public.
2. Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC)
A SPAC takes a different road to capital than a typical IPO. As a blank check company, SPACs form strictly to raise money through an IPO so that it can merge with an existing private company.
In many ways, this process creates a shortcut to becoming publicly listed. While SPACs have two years to complete the merge, some raise enough capital in a matter of months.
Things change rapidly in the SPAC world, so you need a SPAC website that can keep up with your schedule. The best investor websites can go live in as little as two weeks, guaranteeing 99.9% uptime.
And just like a traditional IPO site, a SPAC website must evolve alongside your acquisition, meeting compliance and branding benchmarks long after you go public.
3. Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)
No longer an IPO or SPAC? Your IR site may still need an upgrade long after you’re public. If you’re trying to highlight your value as a sustainable or ethical company, you’ll want a dedicated site where you can share these insights.
A good ESG site supplements a traditional IR site, as it gives you a dedicated space to really dig into these issues, expanding on your initiatives and sharing reporting.
Bottom Line
This year, concentrate on your IR site to elevate your investor relations strategy and make sure you deliver relevant information. You’ll find attracting and converting visitors easier by curating your site to your objectives.
