The best mining and metals websites
The best mining and metals websites
Introduction
This week, we’re kicking off the first article in a new series we’re bringing to the Blender blog where we spread the love and pick some of our favourite website designs from different industries. It seems fitting to begin this love fest on Valentine’s week. We’re not just looking at companies with the coolest animations or prettiest images. We want to see which public companies are using digital elements to their advantage in all aspects: annual reports, mobile-friendliness, social media, and more. We also want to show our clients and community alike what some of their peers are up to, and hopefully inspire them to think about getting a website redesign in 2016. Without further ado!
Dated like the rocks they’re digging up?
First up: Mining and metals! Companies in the resource industries have a reputation for being slow adopters when it comes to newer digital initiatives. That’s definitely not always the case, and we want to show some love for those companies blazing the trail in their industry. Here are seven mining companies who all others should take notes from when it comes to their website design and digital marketing. All our mining clients, listen up!
1. Anglo American
Fullscreen videos throughout the site that play effortlessly, and a unique ‘At a Glance’ video offers an alternative to the usual dry paragraphs in the About Us section. Each page of the site sticks to the same design and colour theme, from the homepage to the investors section, preventing any branding confusion or design ‘drop off’.
Our favourite part: Embedded Twitter boxes
While many mining sites encourage investors and website visitors to ‘Follow Us on Social’, Anglo American allows people to tweet to them directly on their website. An embedded Twitter area and a button labelled ‘Talk to Us’ really opens communication and personalizes the company. This embedded Twitter function continues throughout the website. Each page has a ‘Talk to Us’ button that, when clicked, opens a box so a user can tweet Anglo American right on the page they’re viewing.
2. Newmont Mining
The most important parts of the company are easily featured right on the homepage. From a Twitter Timeline to their Third Quarter Results, each element is part of an intuitive layout. Fullscreen slider images immerse a user in the company’s story.
Our favourite part: Featuring original content
It’s slightly unusual for a mining company to prominently feature their latest blog post or an educational video about gold right on their homepage, but Newmont Mining stepped outside the box, and we think it’s really working for them. Newmont has an entire separate website for their original content called ‘OurVoice’. The blog is separated in the categories, ‘Performance’, ‘Environment’, ‘Community’, and ‘People’, and is updated almost daily.
3. B2 Gold Corp
We’re very proud of the B2Gold project we completed and launched at the end of 2015 for a variety of reasons. The detailed CSR page with fullscreen imagery and personal stories really gives people an idea of how B2 Gold contributes to surrounding communities, and the homepage features the most important information for investors.
Our favourite part: Project Map 2.0
If there’s anything we’d want to feature, it’s the mining company’s interactive project map that’s unlike any other in the industry. Clicking upon each location zooms to give a profile about the country, from population to GDP. The map’s unique icons also explain the different development, exploration, and producing areas of the company.
4. Kiewit
We’re in love with this homepage. Textured imagery gives the website a unique feel and, the images coupled with a bold yellow brand colour really sets Kiewit apart from other mining sites.
Our favourite part: Great use of icons
The navigation on this site is clean and intuitive, both on the top and the bottom. We love the icons across the middle of the page that direct users to different aspects of the site. Sweeeet.
5. Teck Resources
Teck Resources is a Canadian resource company that has nailed their website design. Sliding homepage banners offer quick links to their latest projects and investor numbers. The homepage’s interactive map also showcases the regions where Teck is focusing on copper, zinc, Steelmaking coal, and Energy.
Our favourite part: that mobile-friendless, though
While all these websites look great on a mobile phone or tablet, Teck Resources takes the cake. We’d argue the site almost looks better on a phone. Besides just the beautiful way the site looks on a phone, it’s also incredibly easy to use. Clicking one button at the bottom of the homepage allows a user to download Teck’s latest sustainability and annual reports.
6. Glencore Mining
Glencore’s site is very successful in their use of colour. Oftentimes, companies with a multitude of different colours on their homepage can just look sloppy or generic, but Glencore uses many colours while still keeping a cohesive feel.
Our favourite part: Grid lookin’ good
We love a good homepage grid. Glencore’s use of a gird layout on their homepage works so well because each box features a bold tagline such as ‘Make a Difference’ and ‘Global Network’. There’s also a live ‘Share Price’ box on the homepage for investors to follow along without needed to click on the investor section.
7. NOVAGOLD Resources Inc.
NOVAGOLD, a Canadian-based company, is one of our current favourite projects. Interactive icons keep audiences engaged in NOVAGOLD’s story, and big taglines on each slider of the homepage and inner pages easily direct users to where they want to go.
Our favourite part: investor section
When we were creating this section, we thought a lot about how we’d want a page to look and function if we were investing in a mining company. NOVAGOLD’s investor section is simple and straightforward, while still staying cohesive with the other, more ‘exciting’ pages. Anything a current or potential investor needs to learn about the company, from annual reports and share structures to FAQs and factsheets, is right on the page.
Marika Hirsch
As Blender’s Content Manager (aka ‘Resident Wordsmith’) Marika enjoys bringing readers the latest and greatest in both digital trends and IR tips. Follow along on Twitter:
