Let's face it, not many people know who you are, what you do, or the successes you've had unless you've shared the news. This information is spread through content (written press, photos, videos, graphics, etc) and that distribution of content has dramatically changed over the years for all industries, including mining and exploration.
Still, many (if not most) mineral resource companies typically decide to focus on permitting, construction and operations without really knowing the value of how communications and content can become an over-performing strategy and an integral player in these activities.
Furthermore, service providers in the mining and exploration industries typically do not harness the power of content marketing strategies to reach a larger yield of professional relationships and leads. Value and revenue are there for generating if you just choose to play and compete in these spaces. Right now, especially for service providers, it is an open-slate of long-term effective marketing strategies.
Clear Creek Digital has the stats to prove this through recent work and partnerships. We'd love to show you!
But the question still remains, how do you measure effectiveness of your online content? Are your efforts providing any positive results?
Here are six KPI's to gauge your efforts....
1. Domain Authority
Each company in the mining sector lives in a certain space. Perhaps you are predominantly a gold producer or a silver producer. Or perhaps you are an engineering firm working directly with a specific type of mineral processing. Whatever your "space," it is crucial you are seen as an expert or authority in it. Having other content link to your online information or website is a great indicator that your domain authority is successful.
2. Web Traffic
Your web traffic is the most powerful indicator of a successful content strategy. Are people finding and engaging with your content? What happens after they read your blog or watch your video? Do they continue to search your website and find value in it? As I always say, you can have the greatest web site in the world but it doesn't matter at all if people are not visiting it. Use Google Analytics to review your web traffic every quarter.
3. Search Results and Rankings
Being on page one of search results is incredibly important. Think of some typical key search themes your company might be found under and see if your company actually is found in that search. Why is this important? Even those business or companies at the top of a google search only have a 33% chance of being clicked on. That number drops to 14% for those in second place.
4. Subscriber Growth and Lead Generation
This key measurement is exceptionally important for service providers, yet operators will also find value in this as they look to expand investors and stakeholder groups. You need to allow your web visitors to stay continually engaged with your messaging and content by asking for an email address on your site (this is the very minimum). This allows your email database to increase and your relationships / leads to continue to add value.
5. Social Media Followers
There is a great saying out there in the digital marketing world that goes something like this: "If social media is the fire, content is the fuel." Social media would be nothing without producers of content and the followers that content generates. If you are strategic, deliberate and unfaltering with your content, you should see social media followers grow on your networks.
6. Social Media Shares
Using social media to put your content out there provides exceptional opportunities for social sharing on an exponential level. Think about it this way, when you post something on LinkedIn, you are sharing it with your network. If 1 person or 5 people or 30 people like that piece of content or share that piece of content, that is then being distributed to 1 or 5 or 30 other networks. Because of social media sharing, those contacts are well within your reach. You just need to provide good and engaging content to allow that to happen.