As we head towards 2023, the challenges we’re currently experiencing in the capital markets will likely continue. As a result, it’s more important than ever to build a robust online presence to make a lasting impression with potential investors and the Street. To help you accomplish this, we consulted with our experienced website implementations team for some best practices they share with clients. Here are the top five features of an effective and impactful investor relations website as we head into the new year.
1. Capture users with a superior homepage
The homepage is the most visited page on an IR website and is often the first impression investors will have of your company. It’s critical to leverage relevant, high-value content, thoughtful design, and intuitive navigation that may not have been available in the past. As you evaluate your needs for the future, these are critical areas that can define a positive user experience. Your visitors should be able to find what they want at-a-glance and explore your site effortlessly. Help guide and engage your visitors by consolidating menu options, keeping text brief, and leveraging high-impact visuals and intuitive, accessible call-to-action buttons.
There are certain materials that users view on a regular basis. These should be highlighted on the homepage: ‘Why Invest’, ‘Latest News’, ‘Latest Quarterly Results’, ‘Feature Presentations’, and ‘Latest Events’. However, it’s important to keep these modules concise to reduce the need to scroll (and instead link to interior pages for more information).The Etsy IR website encompasses all of these suggested materials in a seamless and user-friendly way. They effectively group key content on the homepage and leverage vibrant images and videos to call attention to their content. Etsy also incorporates an in-page viewer (embedded on the site) for easy access to their recent investor presentations. This ensures visitors can find the information they need without having to navigate away from the page.
2. Accessibility is a need, not a “nice to have”
An ADA-accessible IR website is no longer optional. In 2023, it should be a mandatory functionality for any IR site. If a site isn’t both inclusive and compliant, you not only alienate potential investors, but you’re also exposed to legal risk.
At a recent roundtable with a panel of diverse experts, Q4 reviewed accessibility laws and regulations to see how they fit into the current investor relations environment. One member of the panel, Jay Vaidya, a veteran Solutions Consultant at Q4 and a member of the Q4 Accessibility Taskforce, shared the following reasons why accessibility is so important to an IR website.
“Your IR website is the most trusted source of information for your potential investors, so it is vital that your IR website be built on a template that has all of the accessibility features needed for the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities. In addition, laws and regulations are constantly challenging those businesses who are not adapting their websites to be easily understandable to accommodate all their visitors.” – Jay Vaidya, Solutions Consultant, Q4
3. Attract investors with a “Why Invest?” section
Including a “Why Invest” section makes it easy for users to access important information about your company and your investment proposition, which helps to attract potential investors and retain existing ones. It is also an effective platform to share your company story in a visually compelling way, and it highlights how a business can stand out and define how it will face the continued challenges of the coming months.
HP’s “Why HP?” page shows key stats at a glance, breaking down their story into digestible bullet points and eye-catching icons. They also include interactive tabs to consolidate and organize information for easy viewing while maintaining a clean and impactful design.
4. Showcase your company’s ESG initiatives
ESG initiatives are increasingly becoming a top priority for investors. In fact, according to the 2020 Global Sustainable Investment Alliance’s review, global sustainable investing assets rose from $30.7 trillion in 2018 to $35.3 trillion in 2020. It’s therefore critical to leverage your ESG efforts on your ESG site and showcase your company’s success stories.
BW Pipelines does a great job of showcasing their ESG resolutions with their recently redesigned Sustainability section. Relevant performance reporting and documents are immediately linked, in addition to CEO comments, corporate values, and their approach to sustainability. Links allow you to review specific initiatives or components of existing reporting around each of the E, S, and G pillars. As these initiatives take root, community involvement and testimonials are compiled that highlight the organization’s developing commitments / along with already existing reporting, this combination provides a great, consolidated resource for analysts and savvy institutional investors.
5. Make it easy to connect and stay in touch
Enabling your investors to easily connect with your company is an essential feature, especially as methods and patterns of communication have drastically changed over the last few years. Including a section for investor resource materials and contact information, such as FAQs, email alerts, subscribe/unsubscribe, and the ability to request a meeting, will make it easy for investors to stay informed and engage with your company. Additionally, incorporating your contact information into the footer of your IR website is also a simple and effective way of providing investors with the opportunity to connect directly with your company.
Berkeley incorporates these elements into their IR site in the form of a sticky footer, ensuring their contact information and email alerts modules are accessible from every page. They even include a “Request a Meeting” button, making it as easy as possible for institutional investors to request a meeting with their management team.
Conclusion
Investor relations websites are all about conveying your story and elevating your brand in a way that engages your audience and differentiates you from your peers. It’s therefore critical that your website leverages industry best practices and leading design trends to provide a seamless user experience. For more tips and tricks on how to use your website to bring your brand to life and make a measurable impact with the investment community, download our Quick Guide to Designing your IR Website.
