5 Questions to Ask Before Refreshing a Corporate Communications Website

We’re living through a time of breathtaking change. Never have so many forces of change converged in the business world at one time—from adapting to the rise of the stay-at-home economy and the pace of innovation in technology, to becoming genuinely purpose-driven and aligned with stakeholders’ values. What we expect and need from the companies we work for, buy from, invest in, and trust is a growing, complex list. And that's where brand building begins—with trust. 

Communications sit at the heart of these expectations. Businesses need to communicate how they are navigating these converging forces of change to consumers, investors, employees, partners, suppliers, and the public as a whole—as people decide where they are going to invest their time and money. Meaningful, connected experiences live online today and that means raising the bar for what effective communications and marketing looks like. It means closing the gap between what companies say and what they do, and leveraging the power of creative, consistent, engaging and trustworthy communications to make a tangible societal and business impact. 

So, when a company embarks on refreshing or rebuilding their website to bridge that gap, it ends up being a digital calling card that needs to be set up as soon as possible. This can lead to missing critical components of a strategic and effective website. So, what does it mean to have an effective website?  

Website effectiveness can be described as a having a digital presence that cuts across the four areas of responsibility, reputation, recruitment, and reach (4Rs) especially in a time when navigating through converging forces of change to consumers, investors, employees, partners, suppliers, and the public is very much so in the forefront.  

Leveraging the 4Rs as springboard, you can truly find success in your digital communications strategy. 

Here are top five questions to ask when refreshing or evaluating your site. 

1. Are you demonstrating a high standard of corporate citizenship in all areas and with all stakeholder groups? 
2. Have you built a legacy of trust that proactively protects the brand and resonates with all stakeholders? 
3. Do you recognize the emphasis on employees’ holistic well-being, DEI, and what the next generation of talent expects of the workplace? 
4. Are you cutting through the digital clutter to connect with target audiences and, in the process, highlighting comms’ unique bottom-line value? 
5. Does your narrative clearly explain who you are and what you stand for? 

Read the full report: How to Build a Trusted Brand with the 4Rs Report.   

Investis Digital can provide a complimentary, custom assessment of your own corporate website and digital presence, upon request.