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Maximizing Investor Relations Outreach with SEO: Guidelines to Navigate the Digital Landscape

As publicly traded companies strive to expand their outreach and attract potential investors – particularly retail investors – a comprehensive and strategic approach to online presence through SEO (search engine optimization) is increasingly becoming part of the communications mix.

By its simplest definition, SEO is the process of enhancing visibility on search engine results pages for a website or brand through organic (non-paid) means. By optimizing various SEO elements, such as content, keywords, meta tags and backlinks, businesses can improve their online rankings, making it easier for investors and other stakeholders to find relevant information about the company.

An essential aspect of SEO is keyword research. Identifying the right keywords – which are words or phrases frequently searched for by potential investors – allows companies to tailor their content to match those specific queries. By aligning content with relevant keywords, businesses can create informative and investor-focused materials that cater directly to their target audiences.

Institutional and retail investors are more likely today to turn to the Internet first for research before making investment decisions. A robust SEO strategy ensures that a company’s information is readily available and easily accessible to potential investors.

By providing accurate and up-to-date content, and, of course, keeping Reg FD in mind, companies can effectively communicate their financial performance, growth strategies and vision. Moreover, a user-friendly website with well-organized information can foster a positive impression of the company, thus increasing the likelihood of investors exploring further.

A robust, prominent online presence is not only about providing information to existing stockholders but also about attracting new ones. When potential investors search for companies within their investment interests, SEO-optimized websites have a better chance of appearing higher in search results. For example, appearing on the first page of search results establishes credibility, authority and attention, increasing the likelihood of potential investors viewing the company as a reputable investment opportunity.

SEO Techniques

High-quality and informative content is the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. In the context of investor relations, content must be tailored to address the needs and interests of investors. This starts with crafting engaging annual report letters, professionally written press releases and blogs that highlight the company’s achievements and prospects. With the help of an SEO specialist, by integrating relevant keywords strategically into this content, search engines will recognize value and rank it higher in search results.

With the reliance investors place on mobile devices, companies must ensure that their websites are mobile-friendly. A website that is easily navigable on various devices enhances the user experience and attracts broader audiences. Search engines also prioritize mobile-friendly websites, which can positively impact a company’s SEO rankings.

Backlinks, also known as inbound links, are links from other websites that lead back to a company’s website. Search engines perceive backlinks as votes of confidence and authority. When reputable and relevant websites link to a company’s website, it signals to search engines that the content is valuable and reliable. As a result, the website is likely to receive a higher rank in search results, leading to increased visibility among potential investors.

Measuring Success

To gauge the effectiveness of an SEO strategy, companies should monitor relevant key performance indicators. These may include organic website traffic, keyword rankings, bounce rates and conversion rates. By analyzing these metrics, businesses can identify what aspects of their SEO efforts are working well and which areas require improvement.

Garnering attention from prospective investors, be they individuals or institutions, is never easy. A well-executed SEO strategy represents one more tactic to improves a company’s search engine rankings by strengthening its communication channels, which, in turn, lead to more prosperous and sustainable relationships and results.

Diego Lievanos, Digital Content Strategist

Contact investor@pondel.com for more information on deploying SEO for investor relations.

New Class-Action Lawsuits Lurking: Tips for ADA Compliance on Websites, While Doing the Right Thing

Recently, several of our California-based clients received letters from attorneys who are allegedly representing disabled persons, stating that those clients’ investor relations websites are not fully WGAC and ADA compliant.

With each communication, the attorneys specifically cite “not compliant for blind persons.” In some cases, they are requesting remediation within a certain timeframe. In other cases, however, real monetary damages were sought.

Is this ambulance chasing or a real problem?

According to the CDC, 61 million Americans live with disabilities. The U.S. Census Bureau says that almost 19 million Americans have difficulty seeing or hearing.  Many websites, including investor relations websites, do not currently make accommodations for these users.

For blind people or those with low vision, images without text equivalents, certain fonts and colors, and PDF documents can make websites difficult to navigate. A recent article from NBC News details efforts by disability advocates, including that “federal lawsuits claiming websites are not compliant with the ADA rose by 12 percent last year.” 

Companies, publicly traded or not, should do whatever they can to provide a solution, so as not to leave anyone behind, as well as to be compliant and reduce the threat of legal action.  Of course, regardless of the threat of legal action, it’s the right thing to do.

But where does one start? 

First, some basic definitions:

  • WGAC – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – Developed in cooperation with individuals and organizations around the world, WGAC has a goal of providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility.
  • ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act – Put into law in 1990, the ADA seeks to provide equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities.

Second, there are several tools to determine how closely a website is to being compliant:

  • The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool allows a company to identify accessibility and WCAG errors. Running a URL through the tool will provide summary of accessibility errors.
  • Similarly, Web Accessibility by Level Access allows a company to determine the “health” of a site. There are many others, some free and some paid. (We are not endorsing the veracity of any.)

Once a determination has been made that changes or additions are necessary to ensure WGAC and ADA compliance, here are some practical tips:

  • Take a look at the WGAC guidelines to familiarize yourself with the requirements.
  • Have your website developer (both for your corporate and IR sites) run your sites through a tool like those listed above to see exactly what changes need to be made.
  • Considering purchasing code (usually a widget) that helps makes your website more compliant. There are several, and again, we are not recommending any particular vendor. Be aware, however, that these widgets are not without issues (see the NBC News article referenced above and this one at Forbes.com) and are not a panacea.
  • Recognize that if your corporate site is accessible, but your IR site is not, you are out of compliance. Similarly, if the home page of your corporate site and IR site are accessible, but the pages beneath that are not, you are out of compliance. Even if everything looks great, but you haven’t remediated PDF documents posted to the site, you are out of compliance.
  • Remember that websites are not static.  Any time a change is made to content, links, colors, etc. you run the risk of non-compliance.
  • Work regularly with your legal team to ensure you’re on top of all current and future regulations and requirements.

Laurie Berman, lberman@pondel.com