Technology
Maximising Corporate Visibility in a Digitally Driven Investment Landscape
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
ByAngela Catlin, Director of Investor Relations at Edison Group
ByAngela Catlin, Director of Investor Relations at Edison Group
Investor relations is at a clear inflection point. The traditional model of periodic reporting cycles and tightly scheduled in-person meetings is giving way to a more continuous, multi-channel dialogue with investors. This shift is not being driven by technology alone, but by changing investor expectations around access, transparency and responsiveness.
Across global markets, investors increasingly expect to engage with companies through a range of digital touchpoints, on their own terms and on their own timelines. For issuers, this represents both an opportunity and a responsibility. Used well, digital tools can broaden reach, deepen understanding and strengthen trust. Used poorly, they risk confusion or uneven disclosure.
Importantly, this evolution in engagement is not confined to one investor group. Digital investor relations now applies equally to institutional investors, wealth managers and retail investors, all of whom increasingly rely on digital channels, platforms and AI-enabled tools to discover, assess and monitor companies.
At Edison, we have embraced the challenge of harnessing these tools thoughtfully and strategically, to ensure that our approach capitalises on the sheer variety of digital tools and channels now available to deliver our clients’ stories as powerfully as possible.
Digital and social channels extend reach, with the right controls
Digital communication is undoubtedly reshaping how investors discover and consume information. Social media platforms and other online channels now play a role in amplifying corporate messages and extending reach beyond traditional analyst and institutional audiences.
They are also increasingly relevant for engaging wealth and retail investors, as well as intermediaries who influence capital allocation decisions across global markets.
Regulators have acknowledged this reality. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has confirmed that companies may use social media channels to disclose material information, provided investors are informed in advance, which channels will be used, in line with Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure). In the UK and Europe, regulators have similarly emphasised the importance of equal access to information and robust disclosure controls, particularly in the context of market abuse regulation.
This regulatory backdrop underlines an important point. Social and digital channels are legitimate Information Retrieval (IR) tools, but only when used within a disciplined governance framework. At Edison, we work with issuers to help define clear channel strategies, align messaging with formal disclosures and maintain consistency across platforms.
This includes supporting targeted digital outreach while ensuring that material information remains accessible to all investors. The objective is not to replace established IR communications, but to complement them and ensure that key messages reach the widest appropriate audience.
Interactive dashboards and digital storytelling enhance transparency
Beyond events and announcements, digital tools are also transforming how companies present their equity story on an ongoing basis. Investors increasingly expect information to be accessible, navigable and comparable, particularly as reporting volumes grow. This expectation applies whether investors are conducting deep institutional analysis or forming an initial view through online research, digital platforms or AI-driven tools.
Interactive dashboards, digital research platforms and structured data formats allow investors to explore KPIs, forecasts and narratives in greater depth and at their own pace. European regulators have explicitly linked digitalisation to improved accessibility and analysis. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has highlighted the role of structured electronic reporting, such as the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF), in enhancing transparency and comparability across markets.
In the UK, the Financial Reporting Council has also published guidance on structured digital reporting, emphasising how digital workflows can improve quality and consistency when embedded early in the reporting process.
Our approach has long focused on combining deep fundamental analysis with clear digital delivery. By helping issuers translate complex strategies and financial data into structured, interactive content, we see digital storytelling as a way to support informed investment decisions rather than simply increasing information volume.
Virtual and hybrid events become core IR infrastructure
Virtual and hybrid events have moved from contingency solutions to established components of the IR toolkit. Capital markets days (CMDs), AGMs and investor presentations are now routinely delivered through digital or blended formats, allowing companies to engage investors across geographies without the limitations of physical attendance.
The scale of adoption is clear. Broadridge reported a record number of virtual shareholder meetings globally, highlighting how digital formats have become embedded in governance and investor engagement practices. These formats offer tangible benefits, including broader participation, lower costs and the ability to provide on-demand access to content after the event.
Importantly, the most effective digital events are interactive. Features such as live Q&A, moderated discussion and polling can create meaningful two-way engagement when designed carefully. At the same time, there is an active debate around transparency and accountability, particularly for virtual only AGMs. In the U.K., policymakers and investor groups have highlighted the need for safeguards, with hybrid models increasingly seen as a pragmatic balance between accessibility and shareholder rights. Financial Times reporting has documented some investor concern about transparency and participation in virtual forums.
From our experience supporting issuers across sectors, the format itself is only part of the equation. The quality of content, clarity of messaging and the ability to follow-up with investors after the event matter just as much as the technology used to deliver it.
Analytics shift IR from broadcast to measured engagement
One of the most significant changes enabled by digital communication is the availability of data on investor behaviour. Virtual events, online content and digital platforms generate insights into who is engaging, what resonates and where attention drops away.
This marks a shift from broadcast style communication to measured engagement. Analytics allow IR teams to refine messaging, tailor outreach and allocate resources more effectively.
This enables issuers to balance targeted outbound engagement, such as digital marketing campaigns and curated distribution, with a strong inbound presence where investors actively search for information.
From Edison’s perspective, analytics are not about chasing clicks. They are about understanding investor needs and improving the clarity and relevance of communication over time. Used responsibly, data can strengthen relationships and support long-term value creation.
How Edison’s approach has rapidly evolved to match IR
There is no doubt that the structural shifts in IR are being driven by a range of factors including digital consumption, platform fragmentation and the growing role of artificial intelligence in how information is discovered. At Edison Group, we have evolved our approach to investor relations with this reality firmly in mind.
Edison’s research is designed to travel. This gives Edison significant power in both targeted outreach through digital marketing campaigns and vast global distribution, alongside being the go-to source for inbound investor demand via AI tools, website traffic and market data terminals.
Our equity research is distributed across a wide and diverse ecosystem of platforms, including our own website, financial news portals, market data terminals, social channels and increasingly AI driven discovery tools. This open-source approach ensures that high quality, independent analysis is not confined to a single audience or medium but is accessible wherever investors choose to engage.
Crucially, this has important implications for corporate visibility. When investors, analysts or stakeholders search via AI tools for information on a company, Edison’s research frequently forms part of that knowledge base. Being covered by Edison therefore means more than traditional distribution. It means being present in the emerging infrastructure of how markets search, learn and form opinions.
This dual capability supports both proactive engagement and sustained inbound visibility as investor discovery increasingly shifts to digital and AI-driven environments.
This digital mastery is complemented by Edison TV, which has become a powerful extension of our research offering. Through interviews, presentations and thought leadership content, Edison TV enables companies to tell their stories in a dynamic and engaging format, while reaching a global investor audience. Video content is increasingly central to how investors absorb information, and Edison TV allows companies to meet that demand with credibility and scale.
It is particularly effective in engaging newer and non-traditional investors while remaining highly relevant to institutional audiences seeking efficient insight.
Together, Edison’s multi-platform research distribution, open access philosophy and growing digital media presence create a modern investor relations solution. One that not only supports companies today but positions them effectively for the future of investor engagement.
Keeping pace becomes a strategic imperative
Looking ahead, investor expectations will continue to evolve alongside technology. Digital tools will become more sophisticated, but the underlying principles of effective investor relations will remain the same. Fair disclosure, clarity, consistency and credibility still sit at the heart of trust.
What has changed is the delivery. Companies that fail to adapt, risk reduced visibility and weaker engagement in an increasingly competitive capital markets environment. Those that embrace digital first IR strategies thoughtfully can improve reach, enhance transparency and build more resilient investor relationships.
At Edison, we see our role as helping issuers navigate this transition with confidence. Digital communication is not about following trends for their own sake. It is about meeting investors where they are, using modern tools to tell a clear, compelling and responsible equity story.
Investment portfolios are collections of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, and other securities held by an individual or institution, aimed at achieving specific financial goals.
Innovation in finance refers to the introduction of new ideas, products, or methods that enhance financial services, improve efficiency, and meet changing consumer needs.
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