Corporate websites around the world fail to meet the needs and requirements of their intended audiences.

In the key note speech at the KWD Webranking Middle East event in Dubai on December 5th, the principal findings of this year’s research were used to highlight the gap between what investors, business journalists and other users of corporate websites expect to find on the website and what public companies actually publish.

The situation is similar in most areas of the world, where demands for greater transparency and a better understanding of who leads the company and in what direction, are the challenges faced by corporate communications professionals addressing their online audiences. The additional problem is understanding how best to harness and use social media. The best companies in this year’s KWD Webranking report, irrespective of region, have proved that all this is possible.

The best website in Middle East this year was Al Khaliji Commercial Bank

The best website in the Europe 500 ranking is Telecom Italia

The complete list of companies and KWD Webranking results

Resources and more information

• Radio interview, Business Breakfast show at Dubai Eye
• Key note presentation KWD Webranking 2011 – Bridging the gap
• Images
• Press release, Middle eastern companies slowly improving transparency online