what makes an effective corporate website?

WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE WEBSITE

3 March 2016

© Black Sun Plc 2016 www.blacksunplc.com

• Why is your website so important?

• The secret of success – the 4Cs

• How the FTSE are performing

• What the future holds

• Discussion groups

AGENDA


WHY IS YOUR WEBSITE SO IMPORTANT?



place you can tell your corporate story to each of your key stakeholders

It’s the

ne



It’s at the

of your communications programme



It directly affects shareholder and analyst investment

decisions



It directly affects shareholder and analyst investment

decisions

77% OF ANALYSTS SAY A POOR WEBSITE CAN DAMPEN THEIR INVESTMENT DECISIONS

40% SAY WEBSITES CAN BE PERSUASIVE ON THEIR INVESTMENT DECISIONS

51% SAY WEBSITES ARE USED TO ASSESS STOCK

Source: Rivel Research



It attracts or deters prospective employees



It attracts or deters prospective employees

“I nearly didn’t join the company because I thought if their site is this bad they can’t be a modern, dynamic business”

Corporate Communications Director



It can evidence a sustainable, and thus more valuable,

business




business

87% of investors expect to consider climate change and/or resource scarcity in future investment decisions (PwC) 84% said they expect to consider social responsibility and/or good citizenship over the same period

Source: PwC Research



Engaging your stakeholders improves stock market

performance




business

Engaging stakeholders in sustainability is worth 2% of superior stock-market performance That amounts to more than 20% over ten years!

Source: McKinsey


Corporate websites are

transforming

© Black Sun Plc 2016 www.blacksunplc.com 15

From static repositories of information

© Black Sun Plc 2016 www.blacksunplc.com 16

To a dynamic destination to experience your corporate story


SECRET OF SUCCESS

COHERENT STORY

COMPELLING CREATIVE

CAPTIVATING EXPERIENCE

CUSTOMISED, CONTENT + + +

4Cs


HOW ARE THE FTSE PERFORMING?


• Every year we assess the FTSE against best practice

• Analyse performance against the 4Cs

• This year we have analysed the websites re-launched this year to assess how sites are evolving

• We will share some of the highlights – overall and with the new sites

OUR WEBSITE ANALYSIS


COHERENT STORY

1


WHAT WE MEAN BY COHERENT STORY

1. A CLEAR ARTICULATION OF WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO AND YOUR PURPOSE


EXAMPLE



1. A CLEAR ARTICULATION OF WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO AND YOUR PURPOSE

2. COHERENT NARRATIVE THROUGH STRATEGY; BUSINESS MODEL; AND KPIs



COHERENT NARRATIVE THROUGH STRATEGY; BUSINESS MODEL AND KPIs


CUSTOMISED CONTENT

2


HOW WE THINK ABOUT CONTENT

CREATING AN ENGAGING

‘DESTINATION’ SITE

ENGAGEMENT & UNDERSTANDING

‘LIVE’ CONTENT

EVERGREEN RESOURCES

NARRATIVE CONTENT

RECENCY & FREQUENCY UTILITY


TRENDS: INVESTOR RELATIONS

PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE….

• Continued growth in presenting an investment case



• Continued growth in presenting an investment case

• Bringing results, reports, presentations together in one page

• More sophisticated share charting tools

• Useful tools – remind-me’s and add to calendars

BUT STILL WORK TO DO

• KPIs and financial performance still not the norm – and not well linked to investment case

• Governance structures not well presented

• Management of risk not communicated

TRENDS: INVESTOR RELATIONS


TRENDS: SUSTAINABILITY


• Communications of why sustainability is important is included – but still more to be done



• Communications of why sustainability is important is included – but still more to be done

• Better use of case studies to tell the CSR story

• Newer sites are better at explaining CSR governance


• Little information on objectives

• Performance clearly not a priority

• Low desire to engage with users: – Little CSR news

– Even fewer with CSR news alerts

– Few seek feedback

TRENDS: SUSTAINABILITY



• Companies are making more effort to explain ‘why work for us’

• Recognition and reward more talked about

• Greater use of video – People profiles

– Management introductions

– Company videos


• Many companies do not address different types of hires

TRENDS: CAREERS



• Companies are making more effort to explain ‘why work for us’

• Recognition and reward more talked about

• Greater use of video – People profiles

– Management introductions

– Company videos


• Many companies do not address different types of hires

• Only 1/3 of companies provide an HR or careers contact

• Only 50% of companies provide ‘people profiles’ of different roles and opportunities

• Separate sites can lead to difficult or different user experience

TRENDS: CAREERS


OTHER CONTENT TRENDS

EMERGING TREND TO PROVIDE A SOCIAL WALL


COMPELLING CREATIVE

3


CREATING A DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY

COMPANIES ARE INVESTING MORE IN DEVELOPING A MODERN DIGITAL IDENTITY


simple is beautiful

STRONG IMAGERY, CLEAR MESSAGING


GREATER USE OF VIDEO & ANIMATION

NEARLY ALL THE NEW WEBSITES MAKE USE OF VIDEO


GREATER USE OF VIDEO & ANIMATION

Video can increase dwell time on your website by 25%


THE DIGITAL IDENTITY STATUS QUO

• Clear Messages • Photographic Images • Video and Animation • Digital • Modern • Responsive


BECOMING A LEADER

Surely there’s more to it?


EXAMPLE: RANK

42


CAPTIVATING EXPERIENCE

4


SITES ARE NOW MOBILISED

ALL NEW FTSE SITES ARE RESPONSIVE


Launching a responsive site typically results in 10% more mobile traffic

SITES ARE NOW MOBILISED


NAVIGATION HAS EVOLVED

HAMBURGER MENUS ARE NOW THE NORM


NAVIGATION HAS EVOLVED

MEGAPANE MENUS CONTINUE TO AID DEEP NAVIGATION

http://www.rank.com/en/our-business.html


EFFORTLESS EXPERIENCE IS KEY

USERS PREFER SCROLLING AND IN-PAGE NAVIGATION

http://www.rank.com/en/about-us/our-management.html%23board-of-directors


EFFORTLESS EXPERIENCE IS KEY

Your content should be accessible in just 3 clicks


BUT SEARCH HAS NOT ADVANCED

ONLY 27% OF FTSE100 AND 11% OF FTSE250 OFFER AN ADVANCED SEARCH FEATURE


1. Your website is at the heart of your communications

2. Undergoing massive transformation

3. Becoming the destination for your corporate story

4. Secret of success – the 4Cs

IN SUM….

THANK YOU

what makes an effective corporate website?

Investor Relations