A purpose-built IR site is the gold standard of the investor relations industry. But have you ever wondered why your brand needs an entire site devoted to investor relations? Publicly-trading companies can’t just embed IR information in their generic corporate websites for a variety of reasons. Here are five of them today:

1. You Have Too Much IR Content to Share

Perhaps the most obvious reason why you can’t just throw all your content together under one site is the sheer amount of information you have to share. Between your corporate profile, IR narrative, financial data and filings, stock data, events schedule and webcasts, and ESG — phew — your IR platform has more than enough content to fill a site.

Publishing this information separately creates a clear focus separate from your brand’s normal operations. This makes it easier for investors to zero in on your investment proposition, as they won’t have to waste time navigating around your brand’s products or services.

2.You Can Collect Data on Visitors

When you have a devoted IR website, you can cut through the noise and zero in on behind-the-scenes stats on your visitors. All traffic can be attributed to someone in the investment world — whether they’re investors, media, or analysts.

With the right technology, you can see who visits your site, how long they stay, and what content they engage most with. You can even benchmark traffic data against similar market-cap companies. More importantly, you can leverage these stats to inform your communication and outreach strategies to increase your shareholder base effectively.

In the best-case scenario, your site traffic will be one of many engagement metrics you can combine to inform your strategy.

3.SEC Compliance

As an experienced IRO, you know that publicly traded companies must follow SEC regulations regarding how and when you post data. Having a dedicated IR site makes it easier to remain compliant with these rules, especially if you work with a best-in-class IR site provider. These professionals can provide guidance on how to handle XBRL raw files, corporate governance information, filings, proxy materials, disclosures, and more.

4.You Have Full Ownership of Your Site

The best IR site is easy to update on demand. By having a separate IR-led site, you don’t have to collaborate with other teams to gain access to or adjust your content. You can make deft changes as necessary without worrying about getting bogged down by red tape or interdepartmental politics. You can make the exact changes that make sense for your IR strategy, at the right time.

5. Investors Trust Your IR Site

Lastly, you need an IR site because investors expect it. The IR site consistently ranks as the most visited and trusted source of information on public companies. Visitors use the typical IR site to research proposition values before making informed investment decisions. Not only will you stand out for all the wrong reasons without one, but this lack of information could cost you new shareholders.

Your Dedicated IR Site Does a Lot of Heavy Lifting

A purpose-built IR site is the gold standard for a reason — five of them in fact. If you aren’t tapping into all five of these benefits with your current website, consider reaching out to an experienced IR web developer. They can transform your site into a compliant, trustworthy destination that delivers actionable insights.