**This article was originally written and posted on Trevor Hall's (Clear Creek Digital Founder) LinkedIn account back in December.
The mining industry, on a global level, continues to fall into difficult times. News reports throughout the industry show commodity price drops, continued layoffs, dividend cuts, mergers, acquisitions, and closures.
But throughout the bleak headlines, we also come across some very unique and innovative messaging to bring an unrecognized public value of the industry we all deeply rely on. Behind every dark corner one will find stories of success and innovations.
Whether you are a publicly held mining company, a professional association or a member of the mining community, here are a couple things to keep in mind as we wade through these difficult times. If you follow these ideas, the analytics will point to a great deal of data the industry can utilize to regenerate the market and its social license.
1) Know your Sentiment Index Number: Social media tools and management programs are filled with incredible amounts of data. Trust me, if a 20-something from Bangkok tweeted about your company, that mention is aggregated into digital "emotions" one could say. The less trust the public perceives from you, the lower the sentiment number.
This year (2015), I saw BHP Billiton drop from a fairly decent mid-level sentiment number (50 out of 100) to a most deplorable number (10-100) following the Samarco tailings disaster. We recently shared this information in a recent Clear Creek Digital webinar.
2) Use Snap Chat: This idea might cause more than a few eyes to roll. But looking at the numbers, more millennials are on the program than ever before. If you would like to attract those age demographics and recruit them into leaders of the industry, Snap Chat is a viable tool to so. We can start by finding them and leading them into a career of tremendous opportunities.
3) Be in Front of the Upturn (when it happens): As the current commodity market dips and lowers itself into an area many have not seen in quite some time, those who absorb the downturn with grace and transparency will become the subtle victors in the end. Use digital communications, like social media, to inform your communities and your stakeholders of the continued value you add to the global economy.
Now might be a fabulous time to plan a strategy of effective communications and dialogue when the market is back from the brink. What resources will you need to maintain and increase momentum? What is your perception of an effective social media presence and internet-driven dialogue? What will your website look like then compared to now? Start planning for these realities.
Remember, we are here to help you with your digital communication strategies. Let us know how we can be of assistance.