New Report: How To Make Your IR Website Work Smarter

As any web designer will tell you, the first step in creating a best-in-class investor relations website is user research - because their success begets your own.  

Historically, IR websites focused on compliance and catered more to institutional investors. But with retail investing on the rise, many IR professionals are adjusting their approach.

And in IR Magazine’s new report, data and insights were combined to provide IR teams with the latest best practices for keeping their website up to date and engaging. 

Keep reading to learn more takeaways from this valuable resource. 

Investor Relations Best Practices: How To Make Your IR Website Work Smarter

This shift helps explain why IR professionals seem divided on best practices.  

Here are some of the varying perspectives the report shared: 

• “‘I may be a lone wolf, but I don’t believe that automatically playing videos and including fancy bells and whistles are necessary for an investor relations site.” 
   
• “The main purpose of the site should be to serve as a document library.” 
   
• “Bells and whistles aren’t just shiny add-ons but also enhanced storytelling tools that help your company stick in the minds of investors.“ 
   
• “A basic site will paint a picture of what the company does and where it is going.” 

Some IR professionals play it safe while others add lots of flash to boost engagement. But if you want to maximize the impact of your IR website, you need to find the right balance. 

As a guiding principle, an IR website should give users what they want while telling them what the business wants to convey. This sounds simple, but the challenge is as complex as the users themselves – who span a broad spectrum of sophistication. 

There are many ways to learn about users: 

• By reviewing insight and analytics reports 
• Seeking feedback through surveys and contact forms  
• Utilizing media monitoring 
• Or even hosting an investor day  

By gaining a holistic understanding of their users, IR pros can appeal to a greater audience and maximize the impact of their IR website.  

As the report suggests, this means personalizing your communication to “reach all corporate stakeholders - including analysts, investors, journalists, employees and customers.” 

Investor Relations Best Practices: Telling Your Investment Story

How your communication strategy translates into a website design that resonates with all users is challenging. This is why most IR professionals rely on design teams who specialize in IR, who can quickly bring their vision to life. 

And that’s why at Notified, we can help tell your unique investment story with an IR website that drives stakeholder engagement, increases shareholder confidence and showcases your brand. We’re an IR leader, hosting more than 3,100 websites globally and supporting 88% of the Fortune 100. 
 
With an IR website designed by Notified, you can effectively present your financials, events and ESG initiatives while providing easy access to critical information, improving transparency and accessibility for investors. 
 
With dedicated service and support, you’ll have the resources and expertise you need. Learn more today. 

Blake Romine

Blake leads the website design department at Notified, which he pioneered. With 13+ years of experience delivering creative solutions to the world’s top brands, and having earned numerous accolades, he is a seasoned expert in IR communications, web design and technology. Beyond the office, he is and avid fisherman and soccer player who prefers spending his free time outdoors with his wife and three children.