Mining Book
Social network for professionals in the mining industry
The Vision
The mining industry has many investment opportunities, but much of it is only known via word of mouth. By building a professional network along with industry insights, up-to-date financial data, and property listings, MiningBook will provide investors and industry professionals with valuable insights to make strategic investments.
Expertise
API Integration, Plugin Customization
Customized Plugins
- Quotemedia
- BuddyPress
The Challenge
Despite having multiple developers work on the site for a year, the site was still full of bugs and UX problems. As well, the code was very disorganized and best practices were not followed.
The client also wanted a few features for the MVP, such as building their own company database from a third party API and having classified listings.
Tech Highlights
Integration with QuoteMedia API to Build a Custom Company Database with Up-to-Date Financial Data
Developed a custom integration with the QuoteMedia to fetch the latest company information, and built an optimized MySQL database within WordPress for storing and updating this data daily.
This streamlined approach not only ensured up-to-date financial data but also improved data retrieval and site performance.
Create Guest Access with Members-Only Sections
Implemented a system where guests can access specific parts of the site, clearly labeling areas that require login as “members only”. This feature enhances user experience by providing a preview of available content while encouraging potential users to sign up for full access.
Custom Company Search Functionality
Replaced the default WordPress search with search results from the custom company database mentioned above, rather than searching through posts. Developed a custom search algorithm in PHP, tailored to the new database structure.
Code Consolidation for Improved Site Maintenance
Because the site was built by several developers, code was scattered across different plugin settings and files. I consolidated everything into a custom WordPress plugin and refined the child theme, significantly enhancing site maintainability and performance.
As well, I revised the code to follow security best practices to prevent hacking and code injections.
Rigorous QA Testing for Optimal User Experience
Came up with a detailed testing plan and implemented a thorough QA testing process across different browsers and devices, ensuring compatibility and responsiveness.
Client Results
Within 3 months, the MVP was done, QA’d and tested across different devices with their desired functionality.
As a result, the client can generate revenue by presenting the site to potential investors and sponsors.
The MVP features included:
- private messaging between users
- publishing industry news automatically via RSS feeds
- directory listings for properties and services
- ability to create posts in a public newsfeed
- ability to form and join groups
- add stocks to a watchlist to monitor prices