10 Features of a Successful Investor Relations Website

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Investor Relations Website
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In today’s tech-driven world, just having a website isn’t enough to get noticed anymore. These days, you need an investor relations (IR) site that delivers value to shareholders. Here’s what you need.

1. World-Class Design

The best investor relations websites always have a clean and fresh design. That’s because first impressions count in the world of investing. If your IR site looks outdated or glitches, potential investors will click away in seconds. 

2. Simple Navigation Structure

Beautiful design should be supported by functionality. To ensure visitors face zero issues locating information, you should devote time organizing your site’s architecture in a way that flows logically. 

You may even want to invest in website localization if you know a good deal of your investors come from another country. Localization translates your website into your target language, while also making subtle changes to currencies, cultural references, and site navigation. 

3. Call to Action Buttons

Potential investors and current shareholders arrive at your site to answer a question. Whether it’s to do with an upcoming webcasting event or your financials, a call to action directs them towards their answers. Check out these different calls to action that optimize your IR website.

4. Value Proposition

Deliveryon those expectations by underscoring a clear value proposition, whatever they may be looking for. Make it easy for your visitors to learn about your events calendar, fact sheets, governance reports, stock transactions, webcasts, white pages, proxy materials, and pro forma statements. 

5.Support Markup and Reporting Languages

When sharing web documents and financial reporting, make sure your site effortlessly runs eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). Look for IR tech that promises 99% uptime.

6. Accessible Content

Web accessibility is fundamental to your success as an IPO or public company. Discuss this with your web designer, as they can follow best practices for the colour choices, fonts, and button sizes to optimize your site for people with sight impairments. You should also consider supporting webcasts and audio files with text alternatives for your deaf or Hard of Hearing visitors. 

7. Cybersecurity 

Your IR website is a treasure trove of financial, personal, and proprietary information that you need to keep under lock and key. Expect no less than these security protocols from your IR provider:

  • System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC-2) Type 2 certification
  • International Organization of Standards certification — ISO 27000 
  • Cipher suites and other encryption
  • Internal and third-party security audits
  • Penetration testing

8. Industry Compliance

What, when, and how you share information is tightly controlled by the world’s securities authorities. Make sure your IR provider can guarantee compliance with the following authorities, depending on the market:

  • European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
  • Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
  • China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC)
  • Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC)

9. ESG Reports

A growing number of shareholders—especially young investors— are filling their portfolios according to specific ethical guidelines. You need to ensure your ESG reporting is available on your site so that your visitors can easily see how green or socially conscious your business model is. 

10. Integrated IR Intelligence

This last feature is here to bolster your IR strategy, ensuring you can leverage important analytics about your visitors to make data-driven decisions when retaining and attracting investors.

Does your current site measure up? Talk to your IR service provider to learn how you can add these features to your site today.