We have been analysing the digital landscape for nine years, understanding how companies are rising to the challenge of digital communications, assessing both the content and the drive for engagement, to help our clients understand how they can better leverage their channels to deepen stakeholder engagement.
The analysis we do is grounded in our deep understanding of stakeholder needs drawn from our own experience and from expert organisations that represent these stakeholder groups.
The result is a powerful tool to create enriching digital experiences that will deepen stakeholder engagement and improve the performance of your digital communications.
We assess approximately 200 variables and three constituent groups: a select number of global companies, the FTSE100, the STi30.
For our analysis of websites, the variables we examine address each of the key stakeholder groups’ content needs – investors, employees, customers and job seekers, the media and society at large – along with the overall corporate narrative which, of course, bridges all stakeholder groups.
We also assess the commitment to drive engagement in terms of interactivity, types of content designed to increase recency and frequency of visits, providing contacts and feedback loops.
For social media, we have analysed the different social channels used, and the primary content shared through the channels.
Every year, based on the research results, we develop themes to communicate the shift in company priorities.
This year the theme ‘Communicating with impact’ reflects the trend for companies to better communicate their impact and positive outcomes to their different stakeholder groups. To go beyond strategy and narrative, and evidence their wider stakeholder value creation, build their reputation and earn a licence to operate.
This applies across the globe, including the STi30. Here are some of the key stats we saw in the Singapore companies this year:
Provide sustainability data
Provide sustainability case studies
Explain their stakeholder engagement approach
Enable search and apply for jobs
Growth in use of social media
Share insights or research
This year we see sustained efforts to deliver a clear corporate narrative for each of the key stakeholder groups – with a greater emphasis on outcomes. Companies are using their websites to more clearly articulate their narrative and to address the priority needs of stakeholders - evidenced through case studies, news, people profiles and so on.
How companies communicate their sustainability narrative has undergone a complete transformation. This year we see a step change in providing specific sustainability objectives, sharing performance data and sharing outcomes through case studies and stories.
Provide specific sustainability objectives
Increase in sustainability data
Present sustainability case studies
Attracting the best talent continues to be a top priority. Companies continue to make their career sites work hard to recruit talent – articulating their employee proposition, addressing their priority audiences, enabling search, applying for jobs and creating talent communities.
Address specific target employee groups
List/search current opportunities.
A 13% increase
Offer talent community.
A 10% increase
This year, we have enhanced the research to encompass how well companies are using their sites to deepen engagement. There has been an increase in content that evidences market leadership and impact - although for the STi30 this still trails international companies and other markets. We will see how this trend evolves in the year ahead as we see digital leaders in Singapore growing this form of content.
Share insights
Publish case studies
Publish sustainability specific news
There is a clear trend for companies looking to extend their reach. Firstly by better harnessing the power of social media to reach and engage their audiences and secondly through search engine optimisation to raise visibility and presence.
As well as analysing the STi30 we also assess the digital communications of international organisations, the FTSE100 and a sample of the FTSE250. This highlights some real differentials between the different markets and listings – perhaps due to priorities, historical influences and the regulatory environment.
There are some significant divergences between Singapore and international organisations.
Whereas there is little difference between the provision of news articles or case studies, we do see a significant variance in other forms of richer content that tend to be used to reinforce a leadership position and purpose.
Whereas 55% of international companies provide insights or research only 23% of Singapore companies do so. Interviews and articles by the leadership team are provided by 42% of international companies yet only 7% of STi companies do so.
Another area under represented in the STi is the provision of an investment case or ‘why invest…’ content. Our analysis shows a mere 6% provide this content. By comparison 57% of international companies do so. This is a key lost opportunity to strengthen the entire narrative of the investor relations content and join the narrative thread from purpose through investment case, financial KPIs and performance.
There has been progress year on year in attracting the best talent. More sites than ever are enabling search and apply for jobs or the opportunity to join a talent community. However the one area of opportunity for STi companies is to provide better narrative on culture and values, and ‘why work here’ content.
If you'd like to know how your digital communications stack up, get in touch. We'd love to share this information and give you some recommendations on how you can better engage your stakeholders through digital.
Explore our thinking and learn from global thought leaders through
our blogs, podcasts, webinars, and events.