When was the last time you connected with your investors? Communicating with shareholders is undeniably a vital element of a well-managed ASX-listed company. And a corporate blog is a simple yet direct channel you can use to meet this communication need.

A company blog is a user-friendly platform that empowers a business to engage with the investor community, including current and potential stockholders. Think of it as a short thoughtful letter that contains timely and relevant information to your stakeholders. It’s also a reliable source of data where venture capitalists and angel investors can consider a prospective investment in your business.

IRM worked in partnership with Pilbara Minerals Limited (ASX:PLS) to develop the latest website of the emerging lithium and tantalum producer. Pilbara is focused on the development of its world-class 100% owned Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project in Western Australia.

IRM deployed its HQi content management system to build and run the cutting-edge webpage, using Pilbara’s selected colours, content and images. Among its many purposeful facets, the website’s home page showcases a share price promo box and interactive 3D animations on projects.

Some readers of ASX Announcements containing links to web pages (or email addresses) have been frustrated with an apparent inconsistency in whether the links are clickable or not. This note provides some guidance on a way to include links in a PDF document so that they will (almost always) work on the recipients’ technology.

Melbana Energy (ASX:MAY) partnered with IRM to launch a robust website in a bid to expand the company’s online presence. Presently, the oil and gas enterprise has a portfolio of exploration, appraisal and development stage opportunities in Cuba, New Zealand, Ashmore Cartier and Bonaparte Gulf regions in Australia

IRM launched a state-of-the-art web page of Tap Oil Limited (ASX:TAP), an independent oil and gas exploration and production company. TAP is based in Perth and has interests in South East Asia and Australia.

IRM implemented its scalable HQi content management system to develop and power the site based on TAP’s desired layout and colour theme. Though the web page is now live, HQi still gives TAP the option to modify the site’s content, images and navigation as needed.

IRM developed a new design with added functionality for the website of Metminco (ASX:MNC), an exploration and mining company incorporated in Australia.

MNC is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. The company’s strong portfolio of exploration projects in Colombia, Peru and Chile is primarily focused on gold.

IRM is pleased to announce the latest webpage of Ferrum Crescent Limited, a European lead-zinc exploration company based out of Australia. More commonly known as FCR, the company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

As part of our improved support arrangement and ongoing efforts to make all work on your site transparent we have now updated the HQi content management system to include your support history, which includes status and notes from our Support Team.

We’ve introduced Keywords for Newsroom so now you can set specific keywords and then tailor how announcements that use that keyword in their title will be released.

For example, you may wish to set a keyword named “Presentation”, and send any announcements that use the keyword to go directly to the presentations page of your website, a specific subscriber group and social media channels.

Investors progress through their investor journey, moving from stranger to advocate, based on decisions triggered mainly by news. When you have news, get it to investors wherever they are – websites, emails, social media, news distribution channels. Do it immediately using IRM Newsroom.

Make it easy to share your ASX announcements through your WordPress website, email and social media.

IRM tested 1305 ASX listed company websites (with market cap over $5m) in May 2016.

We are pleased to advise that IRM developed websites outperform the ASX averages in all categories. This is just one more way the IRM assists its clients to stand out from the crowd.

In the recently published summer edition of Listed@ASX magazine, IRM’s CEO, Martin Spry contributes thoughts on what makes an effective online IR communication strategy.

Key to success with online IR is understanding the investor journey – the stages investors progress through as they learn about, engage with and become shareholders in a listed company. The online communication strategy needs to relate to investors at each stage of their journey.

Release 4.3 of IRM HQi – for IRM website and Newsroom clients – was released in December 2015. It provides users of the HQi content management system the ability to request and track support requests through HQi.

Use the power of IRM Newsroom to extend the reach of your Boardroom.Media video and audio articles!

IRM is pleased to announce that in HQi release 4.3 there are enhancements specifically for those IRM clients who are also clients of Boardroom.Media (formerly Boardroom Radio or BRR Media).

Users of IRM’s HQi content management system and IRM Newsroom can now access an online Product Catalogue of IRM products and services through HQi.

It’s all part of IRM trying to be more informative and more responsive to our clients when they are thinking about enhancements, changes and ideas that are not yet in the “definite” category (for which the Support Request function is better).

As year end continues to approach at a rapid rate of knots, IRM Art Director Matt White covers some more of the common questions that clients have been considering when formulating the best content and structure for their reports.

This is a second post in a special Annual Report planning series. View our first post here.

We’ve always been proud of our personal service and quick response to support requests. To continue to improve our support, we’ve grown our team.

New features were released recently with the roll out of version 4.1 of the IRM HQi Content Management System (CMS), which is the engine room of our clients’ websites and IRM Newsroom. And we rolled out an Online Help Centre!

We’ve added Subscriber Groups, Improved Newsroom email notifications, a Newsroom Announcement History feature, lots of minor improvements, and a full online help centre.

We are proud to introduce the new IRM Help Centre which provides helpful guides and how to’s for the various features of the IRM HQi content management system. Here you can read about how to update content on website pages, and how to establish news distribution channels for IRM Newsroom, send emails to subscriber groups and the full set of other features.