Think about it. 

At this very moment, someone may be searching for your company online. 

It's how things work in this digital age. Clients and investors will search the web to engage with your business.

They expect your company to have an online presence, at least a website. And if you don't have one, they'll consider you less professional.

IRM CEO Martin Spry has been talking to leaders of ASX-listed companies about their online investor presence for 15 years. Hundreds of companies. Just recently, he completed a national series of small group sessions, “5 New Ideas for Better Online Engagement with Investors,” where he delivered over 200 useful ideas to more than 30 companies. IRMatters caught up with Martin to find out more about the boutique breakfast events. Following are some highlights of his insights from the recently concluded venture.

Investors are not always rational in assessing their investment decisions.

In the early part of their journey, some investors would not be decided on specific facts to look for about your company. And by looking at your website’s design, imagery and key messages, they will be guided emotionally about how they feel about your business.

Other investors, however, will just want facts, facts and facts. “Just show me the numbers!”

There must be a better way to do things.

Investor relations have more pressing matters to attend to than getting tangled up in the nitty gritty of sending out announcements.

You know the drill.

The first task is posting on your website. Logging on to ASX Online. Waiting for confirmation from the Issuers Office. Making sure the announcement’s correct version is uploaded on the right pages of your website. Sometimes having to ask help from web support when your uploads fail to work.

The power of the web.

You know this well enough. That's why your company has its own website.

It's not just developing the right website though. It’s also about maintaining the site for your business.

Your website needs to be regularly updated to echo your company's identity and business values in the online world. It doesn't have to be complicated for it to establish awareness and trust for investors. It just needs to provide the latest information that gives a significant impact. So, investors keep coming back to your site.

Attracting investors is a real-time global competition. Conducted online. 24/7.

As investors make choices in their investor journey, the challenge is how to help each investor take that next step towards more engagement and investment with you. Not the competitor.

Perhaps you’ve heard about the 10 Success Factors for your online investor presence? Discover for yourself how you can achieve this kind of success, as simplified under four headings.

Your website is the authority for investors.

It’s the source of all the information they need.

But investors don’t get to visit your website every day. That’s why your site needs to attract them when there’s news about your company. Or when there’s something they want to seek out.

Luckily, there are various ways to enhance your website without having to do a complete overhaul. Sometimes a supplementary device is all you need to boost your site’s efficiencies.

From an investor’s perspective, purchasing shares is not much different from buying shoes or a car.

Yes, investors are customers, too. They go through a buying process as they decide to spend their money.

Their buying process starts with their needs. Then it goes through a series of steps to an eventual decision. Parting with cash in return for shares. A process otherwise known as the investor journey.

Checking your mail. Managing your bank account. Chatting with colleagues across the globe.

Everything is online nowadays.

These tasks are just a few that can be done from the comfort of your office or while waiting for your train. All in a matter of seconds. All through the Web.

And when you’re running a business, it’s not enough to just have a website. More importantly, it needs to be mobile-friendly.

There has been a great deal of anticipation around the CHESS replacement system, to date the focus has been on the technical makeup of the replacement system, but how do we think listed companies and their investors will be impacted by the change?

Triumphs over adversities.

Significant achievements.

Moments of inspiration.

These are just some milestones that have shaped your organisation. And perhaps you may be so used to these events that you've missed out on how they have marked your company’s evolution.

First impressions count.

As investors start to learn more about your company, they will usually check you out online first.

This helps them subconsciously decide whether to take the next step. Or to simply move on to other opportunities.

And when investors seek more information about you online, they’ll choose their touchpoints.

2018 is emerging as one of the most adventurous years in web design.

Just look around the Internet! See how vibrant colours and bold typefaces are stealing the web limelight.

If you’re launching a new website or considering a revamp of your existing one, have a think through these present trends. These pointers are not just a matter of visual gratification. They’re sure to provide smooth functionality as well.

(This blog post is part of a series discussing 10 Success Factors for Online Investor Relations. Read the previous related post — “How to Have Quality Website Content for Investors” — here.)

Ever opened a website on your smartphone and all you saw were jumbled words?

Maybe the images were not aligned, and everything just looked distorted.

That’s what happens when a site isn’t mobile-friendly.

Make it easy to share your ASX announcements through your WordPress website, email and social media.

As year end continues to approach at a rapid rate of knots, IRM Art Director Matt White covers some more of the common questions that clients have been considering when formulating the best content and structure for their reports.

This is a second post in a special Annual Report planning series. View our first post here.