The rise of digital reporting
Organisations need to develop reporting transparency that builds trust and explains clearly and coherently how they are creating long-term value. One of the easiest ways to do this is to rethink our approach to reporting, exploit the data at our disposal, and use key data-driven insights to turn your reporting efforts into the strategic asset they should and can be.
Digital has long moved past being the “new normal”
It is a basic standard and expectation across industries and the globe. Digital reporting is an increasingly popular delivery method, and we are starting to see more and more reports utilised to their full potential – as strategic marketing and sales tools, and as channels to build trust and engage shareholders and stakeholders, staff, and target markets.
All relevant information is readily available in just a few clicks
Digital has greater potential for increased readership, and with the effort that goes into each reporting cycle, who would not want more eyes on the “labour of love” that annual reporting often is for the investor relations teams and the production teams bringing their vision to life?
When compared to print, the benefits are unparalleled
Digital reports are:
- More user-friendly
- Easy to navigate and access
- Reduce environmental impact
- Present a modern, innovative image
- Attract more investors
- Are a pleasure to read and engage with
- Lend themselves to compelling storytelling
- Give the organisation greater control over data and content; and
- Perhaps most importantly, they are trackable.
Strategy is shooting in the dark without data to support it
What are stakeholders engaging with the most? Which sections have the greatest impact?
Going digital helps us answer important strategic questions so that we can move beyond reporting just what is easy to measure, towards reporting that provides the insights stakeholders need and want in order to understand the drivers behind your organisation’s long-term value.
Your annual report then becomes an opportunity to show the market what your company is made of, celebrate the year’s innovations and successes, captivate future potential clients, earn trust and reinforce stakeholder support.
In closing, user experience is the name of the game
Many investor relations experts have been touting the digital-only future of reporting for some time.
Those with a full, or at least partial HTML report with smart functionality, tend to come out on top. They have the advantage of having engaging, interactive and multimedia content, strong navigation, mobile-friendly design and search.
The best part? It is shareable, allowing you to earn more visibility from your audience if they feel inspired to share your amazing content! This is of course, never a guarantee, but by focusing on quality and great storytelling, we create the potential for virality.
Schedule a coffee with us to explore the benefits of digital reporting and how it can drive value for your business.
Author: Amber Sharp
