"Boylen has developed and implemented an excellent solution for us that meets customer needs and also allows us the flexibility to configure and upgrade our website to incorporate regional differences and multiple languages."
This is a true partnership that has evolved over many years. Codan is South Australia’s 13th largest company and Minelab is a key contributor to growth. Boylen was engaged to redesign and develop the Minelab website, applying a brand refresh and making significant improvements to the user experience.
An International Audience
Minelab is part of ASX-listed Codan and sells world-class products to a global market. The key goal for this project was to improve the user experience for people in non-English speaking countries. Boylen took a multi-tiered approach, which included:
Content localisation: users see imagery and text relevant to them, within their region. For example, African audiences see photos of local people using detectors in familiar environments. Products that are most popular in a certain region are front and centre, while content that does not apply will not appear. Minelab staff can easily adjust localised content.
Translations: these were imperative, as evidence shows much higher conversion rates when people see information in their own language. The solution we developed allows translators to enter content for an infinite number of languages, which are increased as the Minelab audience grows. In addition, the website has the smarts to seamlessly fetch missing translations on the fly. A complex strategy for the implementation of translations is hidden behind an extremely simple and clear interface.
Brand overhaul
Minelab had recently re-branded and it was important to ensure consistency with its online presence. In close collaboration with Minelab, Boylen workshopped the design and user experience to complement the new branding.
The new website is dark and moody. It features textures and bold contrast in colours. The tone of voice, navigation and appearance across desktop and handheld devices have all been carefully considered.
Supporting an international network of Dealers
Minelab relies heavily on its international dealer network.
It is important that all dealers have access to training and marketing resources that relate to their particular region.
The new website supports dealers with education via a customised training portal. It also provides password-protected access to resources in the Collateral Library.
Critically, the new website also empowers dealers by passing on leads via customised 'Where To Buy" functionality.
Where To Buy / Dealer Locator: a bespoke website feature allowing users to quickly locate a nearby dealer. The website detects a user's location and displays local dealers in either a map or list view, with search functionality. Dealers can be sorted and filtered based on location, whether they are authorised Minelab dealers or the type of dealer. Users are then provided with an easy path to contact a dealer and complete their purchase.
Dealer Portal: restricted access for dealers, with a Collateral Library of sales material and branding assets that can be downloaded in various formats. Items can be filtered by product, type, region and language. The tool integrates with Minelab's own file share system for ease of management.
Dealer Training Tool: an overseas solution was costing Minelab a fortune. Boylen facilitated the replacement and integration of a new solution, which allowed Minelab to provide product videos, resources and quizzes to dealers, specific to their region and language. This multi-lingual solution ensures that dealers are armed with the power of knowledge and it also helps that it "took a zero off the bill", saving the company a considerable sum.
"This new platform will enable us to greatly expand our product training throughout our large worldwide dealer network. We can now concentrate on developing training content without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure and delivery method."
Hundreds of thousands of people belong to the Minelab community, ranging from recreational enthusiasts to experts in metal detecting.
The new website offers a variety of ways for this community to engage with each other, and with Minelab.
Treasure Talk Blog
Detectorists share stories on finds, detectors, products, configuring settings, etc. The blog is content rich with videos and photos, with moderated commenting and the ability to share content on social media.
Public Submitted Success Stories
There are some 400,000 people in Minelab's online community. A focused campaign of engagement, especially arund the sharing of their finds, is inspiring and entertaining.
It is a true community, not a sales-focused platform. The enthusiast content is supplemented with news and events information from Minelab, as well as a dynamic feed of YouTube videos direct from Minelab's YouTube profile.
Minelab Products
Minelab sells an experience, which has the world's best products at its core. Users have a well thought out pathway to navigate products, their features and specifications, and view images and videos that inform the purchasing process . Behind the scenes, Minelab staff have access to a Product Manager that allows them to customise layouts per product and apply translations for content.
“The best websites are a hybrid of marketing and a business tool. They continually evolve to exploit new tech and social trends to increase sales and reduce the staff workloads. Minelab and Codan have this rare level of understanding built into their corporate DNA, right across their business, which is why they have been so successful.”
