How to Promote an Annual Report

An annual report may feel like something which is just in keeping with your business and something for your common customers or those close to you might read when on your website, but with the right approach, it becomes a communications opportunity for corporate PR. Instead of letting it sit on your website (only ever seen by a few insiders), you can turn your report into a news-rich story that gets media coverage, stakeholder engagement and starts meaningful conversations.

Here’s how to give your annual report the attention it deserves, with Peppermint Soda tips you can take to your next board meeting.

1. Start with the narrative

Your annual report isn’t just numbers and accounts; it’s the story of your business journey over the past year. Before you publish:

• Define your themes — What were the big wins, the challenges, the turning points? Maybe you launched a new product line, expanded into new regions, or overcame unforeseen obstacles
• Pick signature stories — Customer case studies, a brave pivot, or internal culture wins are more digestible than page after page of KPIs and figures
• Create a strong executive summary — This is your hook for busy journalists, partners and media outlets. Something short and snappy will make them want to know more

2. Make it visually engaging

A dense PDF full of tables doesn’t make people excited to download your document, so instead, try making it more visually engaging by adding graphics and images to illustrate your data. Here are a few visual upgrades:

• Infographics and data visualisations — Show trends, comparisons, maps and charts with a clean design
• Pull quotes and highlight panels — Give readers quick takeaways as they flip through
• Photography and real people — Faces, operations in action, behind-the-scenes: these bring your report to life
• Interactive (if possible) — On your website, consider embedding parts of the report interactively (e.g. hover tooltips, expandable sections) to encourage exploration

3. Create a plan (pre-launch, launch, post-launch)

Think of your report launch as a campaign, not something that once published on your website is done and dusted. You can break it into three phases:

• Pre-launch (2–4 weeks before): Tease the key themes on social media. Share sneak-peek visuals or intriguing stats. Let stakeholders and partners know the report is coming and brief your spokespeople so they’re ready for questions
• Launch day: Issue a press release, publish the report on your site and send it to your subscriber list. Post a blog summarising highlights and share visuals across your channels
• Post-launch (the following weeks and months): Keep momentum going by sharing deeper dives into sections of the report. Turnkey stats into infographics or social posts. Use the findings as the basis for thought leadership content or follow-up commentary

By pacing your promotion, you make sure the report stays alive well beyond day one.

4. Write a press release

A press release is still one of the best tools to reach media and stakeholders. But, to make sure it works for you, make sure yours:

• Opens with a strong, newsworthy hook (e.g. “Revenue up 40 % in volatile market” or “Awarded top ranking in ESG metrics”)
• Focuses on narrative themes rather than just repeating numbers
• Includes key visuals or charts for media to download
• Provides a “read more” link pointing to the full report on your site
• Summarises the key takeaways for journalists in a digestible format

A great way of complementing a press release is to offer your spokesperson out to the media as a follow-up opportunity to find out more information about the report or new story itself. At Peppermint Soda, we also offer media training to help your spokespeople prepare for exactly this.

5. Leverage your website and SEO

Your website should be the hub for your annual report. To maximise impact:

• Build a dedicated landing page with a summary, download link, and visuals
• Write blog posts like “Top five insights from our annual report” to support the main page
• Add internal links to the report from across your website, including news, insights, or projects pages
• Optimise metadata and ensure the report page is crawlable so search engines pick it up as a key piece of content

6. Use social media strategically

Social media lets you push out bite-sized stories from the report. For example:

• Share bold stats or achievements as simple, visual posts
• Create LinkedIn carousels or X posts that summarise the report highlights
• Post staff quotes, client stories, or behind-the-scenes moments linked to your themes
• Run a live Q&A or webinar where senior leaders talk through the report’s findings
• Tag partners or stakeholders who feature in the report to encourage shares

Social promotion is one of the key ways you can promote your annual report to people who are already interested in your business. Generally, people who follow you on social media want to know what you are getting up to. So, posting news on social media is a great way of reaching people. He wants to interact with you. A social campaign or plan is a great way of reaching your audience and getting it shared independently, too.

7. Pitch your story to the media and trade press

Don’t just send your report out as a press release; pitch stories derived from it. That could mean:

• A feature on your growth journey or sector resilience
• An interview with leadership about key themes
• Comparisons that place your performance in a wider industry context
• Regional stories highlighting your local impact
• Human-interest pieces that showcase your people or communities

When we are promoting our new reports for our clients, we combine corporate PR with digital storytelling to create compelling media hooks. This helps to get your report seen across the right channels and by the right people.

8. Engage your internal audience and stakeholders

Your employees, board, and partners can be powerful amplifiers if they feel involved. Ideas include:

• A condensed, easy-to-read internal version (like an infographic)
• Town hall sessions where leaders share the highlights
• Ready-made social copy that staff can post on LinkedIn
• Encouraging feedback and questions to keep dialogue open

9. Monitor, measure, and iterate

Once your report is out there, track its performance:

• Downloads and page views
• Media coverage and reach
• Social engagement and shares
• Stakeholder responses
• Leads or partnerships generated as a result

The more you measure, the more you can refine the approach next year.

10. Keep the story alive all year

Your annual report shouldn’t be a “one and done.” Keep the momentum going by:

• Sharing quarterly updates or mini-reports
• Using evergreen visuals and infographics from the report in later comms
• Referencing your findings in blogs, social posts, and thought leadership
• Revisiting the key themes at board or stakeholder meetings throughout the year

This way, the report becomes part of your brand’s ongoing conversation, not just a document on the shelf.

Our Final thoughts

Promoting an annual report well turns what might feel like a compliance exercise into a communications milestone. With a strong narrative, visual interest, a considered launch plan, and continuous amplification, your report can become a meaningful touchpoint with your audiences.

If you’d like help turning your data into stories, producing polished design, or executing a compelling media and social rollout, the team at Peppermint Soda would love to chat. Drop us a message via our Contact page.

Want to talk more? Contact us today – [email protected]