6 techniques to make your IR website engaging

In planning your better Investor Centre, a key objective should be making it a positive brand experience. That means delivering the information in the simplest and most entertaining way possible. And, of course, it’s about imparting the information that you most want them to absorb.

Insight has researched internationally to understand what is happening as IR websites gain more and more sophistication – and more importantly, a strong user perspective. Here’s our view on what you need to include in a highly effective IR website.

In future issues:

More tips for best practice IR websites
Yes, but is it an Investor Brand?
One-way communication – or a dialogue?
The rise & rise of social media. You can run, but you cannot hide
Starting the dialogue: Investor blogs and their cousins
The megatrend of CSR

Previous issues:

More...

Making it easy and enjoyable

1. Interactivity – look for ways to engage and add value for visitors – e.g. incorporate a share price calculator.

Go to Commbank's Investor Centre Homepage

2. Rich media - use motion to tell your story, spread your messages and build credibility. Bring your leadership to life – it is they who have to be trusted to deliver on the company’s strategies. Or embed value-added content such as Slideshare versions of your key presentations.

Go to Kingfisher plc investor website

Go to Electrolux Results page

3. Logical navigation system – look carefully at your navigation system to ensure that it makes sense for visitors and that they can easily find the information they need.

4. Look to include audience-specific filtering, so that the information provided is specific to what each group is most likely to be looking for, eg. analysts, media, retail shareholders etc

Go to Philips Investor website

Go to BT IR Website

5. Include a comprehensive services/tools menu that features FAQs, Glossary, Print view option, sharing page options, contact IR team information, and a link to your Registry.

6. Subscription invitation - a website is a ‘pull’ medium, and requires an active decision and effort for your audience to come and find you. By encouraging subscription to email alerts, newsletters, blogs, RSS feeds, SX announcements etc, you can turn this ‘pull’ medium into a ‘push’ medium, allowing you to actively promote your investor messages to a permission-based audience.

Now that fast broadband is ubiquitous, very rapidly your IR website is becoming the Investor ‘Centre’, the true ‘hub’ from which all your investor communication activity will spring.

Make it a brand experience. As always, we’re here to help.

Time’s up.

Mike Tisdall
Investor Communications specialist and Managing Director – Insight Communications

Always happy to talk

We’ve been in the Investor Communications and Branding business for over 30 years, helping a blue chip list of Australasian companies retain engaged and loyal shareholders.

Annual Reporting

CSR Strategies and Reporting

IR Websites

Corporate & Investor Branding

Capital Raisings

We have offices in Sydney, Auckland and Wellington.
Australia: 1300 367 639 New Zealand: 09 919 6000

Transform your investor brand at
www.designedbyinsight.com

Copyright © Insight Creative Communications 2011 You're welcome to share this newsletter with others either by emailing it to them or by printing it. You are also welcome to share and socialise the ideas contained in IR Insights. All we ask is that you provide an appropriate attribution.

Privacy: You're receiving this IR Insights newsletter because you are a client or contact of Insight and/or because you attended an AIRA conference or event at which we were a sponsor.

We respect and protect your privacy. We will not rent or sell your name and contact details to anyone at any time.