New short study published: Videos in investor relations

Video formats have become an integral part of the everyday lives of many media users. Young “Generation Share” investors in particular prefer information on capital market topics in video format – be it content from media and finfluencer or from companies (Jonas et al., 2022).
The short study examines the use of videos on the investor relations websites of DAX 40 companies.
By Amelie Heinz, Mirjam Hörl, Antonia Rüth, Meike Schröder, Lara Wegmann and Christian P. Hoffmann
Key findings and outlook
- The use of videos on the IR websites of the DAX 40 companies varies greatly. One indicator here is the number of videos, which varies greatly (between 0 and 55 videos).
- Explanatory videos in particular are mostly found on level two of the websites and are therefore prominently placed. They address a broader audience. The relatively frequent event recordings, on the other hand, usually have to be searched for in event overviews or archives. There is hardly any search for video formats, specific links or tabs. In this respect, the accessibility of the videos can be optimized.
- To play most videos, an external link must be called up, which represents a hurdle to use. Direct integration of the videos on the IR websites, on the other hand, makes it easier to watch the videos.
- Most videos can be accessed without restriction. Companies therefore make the information from the videos available to all interested parties.
- The large number of videos from 2021 and 2022 could be due to progressive digitalization in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue.
- The distribution of IR videos via other platforms, such as social media, was not investigated. This would be appropriate for the usage habits of young shareholders in particular.