What Are Mining Companies Actually Buying When They Pay for Digital Marketing?
Recently, I spoke with a writer researching digital marketing for exploration and mining companies.
He was seeing more companies announce marketing agreements and wanted to understand what those arrangements actually delivered.
It’s a fair question. A dollar amount and a contract term tell you very little about the audience, the work involved, or what success is supposed to look like.
After nearly 20 years working with public companies, I think we need to get much clearer about those things.
I remember encouraging a CEO to get onto social media back in 2012. I've met resistance most of my career.
Today, I’m seeing more exploration and mining companies participate, and I believe AI has helped make that possible. Creating visuals, drafting captions, and scheduling content have become more accessible.
That’s progress.
But easier content creation doesn’t automatically lead to better communication. Companies still need to consider what they’re saying, who they’re trying to reach, how each post supports their strategy, and whether it meets disclosure requirements.
I see two recurring problems. Some companies publish a news release, put the headline on a graphic, and share it with a link to the release, adding little or no context. Others produce a steady stream of content without a clear purpose, consistent messaging, or enough attention to compliance.
Both can leave the audience struggling to understand the story.
Inside the company, everyone knows how the latest update fits into the project. Outside it, someone may be encountering the company for the first time. They haven’t read the previous six releases. They may not understand the terminology. And they probably won’t work through a technical presentation before deciding whether to keep reading.
We need to give them a starting point.
What is the company working toward? What did this result add to its understanding? What remains uncertain? What happens next? Why should investors care today?
Answering those questions makes technical information easier to follow while preserving its meaning. It also gives interested readers a reason to explore the supporting disclosure.
That’s a significant part of my work at BULLVISION: building an investor communication strategy around the people, projects, and priorities well enough that someone outside the company can follow the story.
"Technical accuracy means little if the audience can't follow the story. Investor communication only works when it closes that gap." Anna Dalaire, Founder, BULLVISION Consulting Inc.
Our conversation also covered measurement, a question that comes up constantly in digital marketing for public companies.
Before committing to a campaign, management should understand what the budget covers: content development, advertising, distribution, fees, and reporting. Management should agree on the audience, the purpose, and how the work will be assessed, then expect analytics reports that are actually delivered and explained, not just filed away.
Impressions can help show how widely content was distributed. Website visits, subscriptions, questions and engagement provide additional evidence of what people did next. Those actions need careful interpretation. A click on a social post may differ from a visit to the company’s website, and neither proves someone became a shareholder.
Useful reporting explains those distinctions and helps management decide what to continue, improve or stop.
We also discussed what happens after a campaign ends.
An interview, podcast or paid placement can introduce your company to someone else’s established audience. But what happens when those people look you up?
If your website is outdated, your presentation is hard to find, or your ongoing content doesn’t explain the project, you’ve created another roadblock. The introduction got their attention. Your own communications need to give them a reason to keep following.
And I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: leadership has a role here, too.
People invest in people. In junior mining, where so much depends on management’s ability to make decisions, raise capital, and advance a project, the people behind the company are a significant part of the investment decision.
If you want people to consider investing, you need to give them opportunities to get to know—and assess—the team they’re being asked to trust.
A CEO’s consistent digital presence can help investors understand how management thinks, what it is focused on, and how it explains both progress and setbacks. Fifteen years ago, that presence was rarely treated as part of the job. Today, I believe being visible and accessible online is part of a CEO’s responsibility. It takes preparation, judgment, and respect for disclosure requirements.
Conferences deserve the same deliberate approach. I value meeting people in person, but what is the end goal?
Who are you trying to meet? What do you want them to understand? How will you stand out, and what will you do after everyone goes home?
Digital communication can support that work before and after the meeting, helping turn a brief introduction into an ongoing connection.
These activities become more useful when they support a coherent story over time. Companies can build familiarity, answer recurring questions, and give people reasons to keep following as the project develops.
I’m encouraged to see more exploration and mining companies investing in marketing, investor communications, and exploring how AI can support that work. But the news release, website, social content, paid promotion, and leadership presence all need to work together. Looking at the analytics across those activities helps management understand what draws attention, what people do next, and where they lose interest. Without that connected view, it’s difficult to know what’s working, or whether the next marketing dollar should be spent differently.
When someone discovers your company online, can they understand the story, find the supporting information, and see a reason to keep following? And can you tell whether the marketing you’re paying for is helping?
That’s a question worth answering before you sign the next marketing cheque.
For more on how investor relations, communications, and marketing work together to help small-cap companies get found, understood, and followed, subscribe to the BULLVISION newsletter.
About the Author: Anna Dalaire is President & Chief Creative Officer of BULLVISION Consulting Inc. With more than 17 years of experience across capital markets, investor relations, corporate development, compliance, and marketing, she helps small-cap public companies turn complex developments into clear, compliant communications and connected digital visibility.
Disclaimer: Published by BULLVISION Consulting Inc. for general information and education. This article reflects the author’s professional perspective and is not investment, financial, legal, tax, or technical advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment.
References to search and AI visibility are general observations. Results vary, and no particular ranking, inclusion in AI-generated answers, investor engagement, or market outcome is guaranteed. Public-company communications should be reviewed against applicable disclosure requirements and company policies, with qualified professional advice where needed.
