Choosing an investor relations website provider involves more than comparing website designs and pricing.
The provider you select can affect how investor information is published, how quickly your team can make updates, how earnings are supported and how much flexibility your company has in the future.
What should an IR website RFP include?
An IR website RFP should evaluate website architecture, CMS and hosting requirements, content management, data integrations, implementation, earnings support, service, ownership and long-term flexibility.
Whether you’re preparing a formal RFP or simply comparing investor relations website providers, these 10 questions can help.
1. Does Your IR Website Require Us to Use Your CMS or Hosting?
Ask whether the provider requires your IR website or corporate website to use its CMS, hosting environment or website platform.
If you want to retain your existing CMS, hosting provider, corporate website or digital agency, confirm that the IR technology can integrate into your environment.
B2i can integrate its IR technology into existing corporate websites without requiring companies to replace their CMS or hosting provider.
2. Can Your IR Technology Integrate Into Our Existing Corporate Website?
If your corporate website works, changing IR providers shouldn’t automatically require a redesign.
Ask how SEC filings, press releases, stock information, financial reports, events, presentations and other investor content will integrate into your existing website.
Also ask whether the integration places restrictions on your website
architecture.
3. Who Can Update Our Investor Relations Website?
Determine how much control your IR team will have.
Can authorized users make changes directly? Can the provider manage updates? Can both happen?
B2i supports client-managed, B2i-managed and hybrid workflows through IROffice and our support team.
4. What Support Is Available During Earnings and After Business Hours?
Don’t settle for “dedicated support.” Ask what that actually means.
Who do you contact? Are you speaking directly with a person? Is support available 24/7? What happens if something needs to change immediately?
B2i provides 24/7 support from real people without bots, support tickets or queues.
5. What Investor Relations Content and Data Can the Platform Manage?
Depending on your needs, this may include:
• SEC filings
• Press releases
• Stock information
• Financial reports
• Earnings materials
• Events and presentations
• Corporate governance
• Email notifications
• Investor contacts
• Custom IR content
Understanding the full scope upfront can help prevent the need for disconnected systems later.
6. How Are Automated Data and Manually Managed Content Handled?
Investor relations websites typically include both.
SEC filings, press releases and stock information may be automated, while governance materials, presentations, events and other content may require direct management.
Ask whether both can be managed within the same environment.
B2i’s IROffice centralizes automated and manually managed IR content within one platform.
7. How Do You Support Earnings and Other Time-Sensitive Events?
Ask how responsibilities are divided between your IR team, the IR website provider and the conference call or webcast provider.
You should understand who manages website updates, earnings materials, live-event infrastructure, last-minute changes and escalation if an issue occurs.
8. What Is Involved in Implementation and Migration?
Ask prospective providers exactly what they need from your organization.
This may include content migration, historical investor materials, data feeds, website integrations, email subscribers, internal IT involvement, testing and launch.
The implementation process should be clear before you choose a provider.
9. What Happens if We Redesign Our Corporate Website Later?
Your website strategy may change.
You may eventually change your corporate website, CMS, hosting provider, digital agency or internal processes.
Ask whether your IR technology can adapt with those changes – or whether you’ll need another IR platform migration.
10. What Does Our Company Own?
Clarify ownership before signing a contract.
Ask about ownership and access to the website, design, investor content, investor data and email subscriber information.
You should also understand what happens to those assets if you eventually change providers.
What Should You Look for in an Investor Relations Website Provider?
There isn’t one operating model that’s right for every public company.
Some companies want a fully managed IR website. Others want direct control.
Some need a complete corporate and IR website redesign. Others simply need better IR technology integrated into their existing website.
Look beyond design and pricing. Evaluate technology flexibility, content management, integrations, implementation, support, ownership and long-term flexibility.
B2i supports both complete corporate and IR websites and IR technology integrated into existing websites. Clients can manage their own content, rely on B2i or combine both approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in an IR website RFP?
An IR website RFP should cover website requirements, IR content and data feeds, content management, integrations, hosting, security, implementation, support, pricing and ownership.
How do you compare investor relations website providers?
Compare technology, flexibility, content management, integrations, implementation, support, security, hosting requirements, ownership and cost.
Should an IR website provider host the corporate website?
Not necessarily. Companies may keep their existing CMS, hosting provider and agency or use one provider for both. B2i supports both approaches.
Who should control updates to an investor relations website?
That depends on the IR team’s preferred workflow. B2i supports client-managed, B2i-managed and shared updates.
What support should an IR website provider offer during earnings?
Providers should have clear responsibilities, escalation procedures and support for time-sensitive issues. B2i provides 24/7 access to real people without bots, support tickets or queues.
Can you change IR providers without redesigning your corporate website?
Yes, depending on your existing website and the new provider’s technology. B2i can integrate its IR technology into an existing corporate website without requiring a full redesign.
Who owns an investor relations website after it is built?
Ownership depends on the provider and contract and should be clarified before signing. With B2i, ownership of a website built by B2i transfers to the client upon final payment.
Preparing an IR Website RFP?
If you’re evaluating investor relations website providers, B2i can show you how our technology, service model and approach compare.