Why Investor Relations FAQ Pages Matter in the AI Era
Why Investor Relations FAQ Pages Matter in the AI Era
How Smart FAQs Help Shareholders and AI Tools Get Answers Fast
AI is reshaping the way investors research and analyze stocks. Gone are the days of manually sifting through financial reports or sitting through endless calls. For many investors, AI tools are now doing the heavy lifting—scanning websites, pulling key data, and delivering insights faster than ever before. As AI-driven research becomes more popular, investor relations teams need to adapt how they communicate with investors. One powerful tool in their arsenal? The FAQ page.
FAQ sections aren’t new, but in an AI-driven world, they’re more critical than ever. Both investors and AI tools need quick access to reliable, up-to-date information. Let’s break down why FAQs are becoming a must-have and how you can make sure your company’s page stands out.
The Rise of AI in Stock Research
Investors are turning to AI to accelerate and broaden their research. Large-language models (LLMs) can process massive amounts of data and deliver insights on everything from stock trends to financial health. Investors want quick, real-time access to data that helps them make decisions. Transparency is more important than ever, and companies need to make sure the information they provide is clear, consistent, and easy for both people and AI to understand.
Why FAQs Matter in an AI-Driven World
So, why should IR teams invest in a robust FAQ section? Simple—FAQs make it easier for both investors and AI tools to get the answers they need.
On a recent episode of After Earnings, Yext CEO Mike Walwrath shared why “data as content” will continue to be an important theme for brands as GenAI proliferates. For well over a decade, Google has been the predominant search engine. GenAI platforms are causing an erosion in search share; however, with people increasingly using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and others to get to answers fast. The implication: Companies need to ensure their foundational data (site content) is accurate, relevant, and structured in a way that AI can easily read and provide answers to people looking for information.
Easy Data Access for AI Tools
AI loves structure, and a well-organized FAQ page is pure gold. By laying out key info like stock splits, dividends, and governance policies in a clear, concise way, you’re making sure AI tools can grab the data and process it accurately.
Building Trust with Investors
Investors value transparency, and a well-structured FAQ builds trust. If an investor knows they can easily find answers to key questions—like a company’s financial health or upcoming plans—they’re more likely to have confidence in the company.
Trust is also about ensuring information is relevant and up-to-date. Tools like Stakeholder Labs’ IR site management platform make it easy for IR teams to make fast updates to their pages on the fly. No-code tools empower IR teams to make quick edits without needing to wait for engineering support.
Supporting AI-Driven Comparisons
AI tools often compare companies side by side. A comprehensive FAQ page makes it easier for AI to pull the right data, giving investors better insights when comparing your company to others. It’s a win-win.
Faster Decisions for Investors
Investors need quick access to accurate info. FAQs give them fast answers to important questions, like when the next dividend will be paid or how your company is handling a new regulation. By providing this data upfront, you’re helping investors make decisions faster.
Best Practices for Creating and Maintaining Investor Relations FAQ Pages
Now that we’ve covered why FAQs are so important, let’s talk about how to make sure your page delivers. Here’s a quick guide:
1. Focus on the Right Questions
Look at what investors are asking the most. Pull questions from earnings calls, emails, or past shareholder meetings. Common topics like stock performance, dividends, shareholder services, and important news should be top of mind. Y
You might also use your FAQ page to educate would-be investors about your company more broadly. Where do you fit in the value chain of your category? What are the main business lines? What are your top three strategic priorities for the year or quarter?
Affirm, for example, uses its FAQ page to break down key metrics for investors.
2. Use Social Listening to Identify Gaps
Keep an ear on online conversations. Use social listening tools to monitor investor discussions in forums, social media, and financial networks. If you notice recurring questions or confusion, address them directly in your FAQ. This ensures you’re not only answering existing questions but also proactively providing clarity on hot topics.
Bonus: Social listening can also help understand where pockets of influence exist. For example, is a large shareholder breaking through with commentary on YouTube? Is there a particular publication or report that is generating buzz, positive or negative?
3. Keep It Simple
Use clear, concise language. Avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse investors—or AI tools. Whether it’s a person or a machine reading the FAQ, make sure your answers are easy to understand.
In this case, GenAI can be your friend. IROs can create straightforward bullet points about the key messages they want to get across in an FAQ response, and then use AI tools to finesse the wording to make it more digestible. For example, you might share bullet points and ask an GenAI tool to write it in direct, straightforward language at a 10th grade reading level.
4. Make It Searchable
Organize your FAQ by topic (think financials, stock performance, governance) and add a search bar. Whether someone’s looking for a specific question or browsing by topic, make it easy to find the info they need.
5. Update Regularly
FAQs aren’t “set it and forget it.” As your company grows, so should your FAQ. Update it regularly with new info, like earnings reports, stock splits, or regulatory changes. Investors (and AI tools) need the most up-to-date info, so keep it fresh.
6. Link to Detailed Resources
Sometimes a short answer won’t cut it. When the topic is more complex, link to detailed reports, earnings calls, or press releases. This gives investors and AI the option to dive deeper when needed. Include a CTA to subscribe for updates or authenticate shares within the FAQ page to drive engaged investors to connect directly.
Don’t forget to anchor a subscribe button to the FAQ page so you can connect directly with the people in the mindset of research with more frequent updates.
Once an afterthought, well-structured FAQ pages can help ensure that information about your company that is being fed into LLMs is intelligible and accurate. A well-maintained FAQ page builds trust, supports AI-driven analysis, and helps investors make informed decisions. By following best practices for creating and updating FAQs, your company can better meet the needs of today’s investors—and tomorrow’s AI tools.
Stakeholder Labs builds tools for modern organizations that want to up level their shareholder analytics and engagement to support long-term growth. Contact us to learn more.