Feature: Online investor relations: "corporate websites must do better"

A survey of the online investor relations offerings of FTSE 100 and FTSE Eurotop 100 corporate websites conducted by new media design agency press.co and independent investor relations consultancy Makinson Cowell has found that 26% of the sites surveyed "failed even to give straightforward company contact details".

A further 40% did not provide search facilities or a site map and only 27% offered investors the opportunity to be alerted to new financial information, press releases, and presentations.

The survey, entitled "Investor Relations Websites - Expectations and Reality" used a webscore system to rank the websites. The survey found the BP Amoco site as the clear winner, with Royal Dutch Shell, Ericsson, Galxo Wellcome, and DaimlerChrysler also scoring highly.

The survey also found that 73% of websites provided a delayed share price feed and only 62% gave any dividend details.

Justine Francis, account director at pres.co said about the findings: "For a long time investor relations websites have been way down the value chain for many companies. Bad navigation, followed by inadequate and often late information, are seen to be the main faults with company websites - whether blue chip or otherwise".