Bradley Scott offers tips to help make filings navigable, accessible and useful to web visitors
Q: How can I make my SEC filings page more than just a document library?
A: Every IRO knows the importance of an IR website, though its purpose and goals will vary based on the needs of each firm. For many, it serves as the archive of record for all historical public disclosure, while others view it as the primary method of disclosure itself.
And for some, the IR site is simply used to maintain compliance with SEC regulations. Whatever the perspective, it’s never been easier to use the power of the web to enhance corporate communications and engage investors.
When looking at visitor traffic across hundreds of IR websites, it’s clear that the SEC filings page is the number one reason the majority of the investing public comes to the site.
More often than not, these visitors already know what they’re looking for, whether it’s the latest 10K or 10Q, or an 8K containing an investor presentation.
As most firms will generally have hundreds (or thousands) of historical filings on the site, it’s important to provide visitors with quick and easy ways to locate specific documents without having to scroll through pages and pages of filings. Here are a few tips:
Document categories and filters: Investors might know the type of document they’re looking for, but not necessarily the filing date. Add filters so they quickly drill down to specific filing types like 8Ks and insider filings.
Full-text search and indexing: Site visitors will likely know a few keywords related to what they’re trying to find, but not necessarily the type of document in which to find it. Providing a search feature that indexes not only the document titles but also their contents makes it easy to find specific corporate information.
Multiple formats: Offering multiple file formats adds convenience for investors, whether they’re viewing documents in a web browser (HTML), or downloading/printing them for later (PDF). For filings that contain financial statements, it’s also helpful to provide those statements in Excel format.
Descriptive abstracts: Add abstracts or descriptions to filings where the contents might not be so obvious without opening them. This is a great addition to 8Ks and especially to insider filings.
Email notifications & RSS: Rather than periodically visiting the IR website, many investors prefer to be notified when new content is available, either via email or through an RSS reader. Offer an easy way for site visitors to sign up for these alerts so they can ensure they’re aware of new information as it’s filed.
A great IR website will serve as the de facto source of information for investors and analysts. By approaching it from that perspective, you not only offer a site that fulfills regulatory requirements, but also one your investment community will enjoy using.
Bradley Scott is senior product manager for IR solutions at SNL Financial.
