In the last decade, the number of publicly traded companies among the top 50 markets has nearly doubled. Yet, due to declining research budgets, the average number of companies tracked by a stock analyst has decreased from more than 11 in 1996 to slightly over 8.6 in 2004, according to CFO Magazine. The pressures are obvious for investor relations professionals - either a company must be more transparent through effective IR or risk not appearing on the investment radar screen.

Corporate governance, reporting transparency, news, market intelligence, and stock prices need to be accessible by shareholders in order to make informed decisions. The proper utilization of the Internet and associated mobile strategy are increasingly important when developing IR best practices.

Social networks are used to connect with people and gain experiences that are based on personal interests. Due to increasingly active lifestyles, mobile phones have become a device of choice for many stakeholders.

Marketers are faced with an increasingly competitve and crowded environment. Consumers are bombarded with advertising causing traditional approaches to be less effective. Marketers that capitalize on the mobile channel have the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. Messages can be specifically targeted to certain users depending on their phone, location, and usage habits.