RE-POWERING THE ENERGY MARKET THROUGH CONTENT MARKETING

THE ENERGY SECTOR RIFE

CHALLENGES

INCREASED SCRUTINY BY REGULATORS AND NEWCOMERS OFFERING TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE ARE PLACING PRESSURES ON UTILITIES

THE FALL IN OIL & GAS PRICES ARE RESULTING IN CUTS IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURE AND JOB LOSSES

RENEWABLE PLAYERS AFFECTED BY LOSS OF SUBSIDIES FACE FIERCE COMPETITION FOR TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP

“LEVELS OF TRUST BETWEEN ENERGY COMPANIES AND WIDER SOCIETY HAVE

COME UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE”

SAM LAIDLAWCEO BRITISH GAS OWNER CENTRICA

WHAT’S CAUSING THESE CHALLENGES

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THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS A

HIGHLY POLITICISED

...AND REGULATED SECTOR

...WITH A DIVERSE, INFLUENTIAL AND CHALLENGING RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS

RENEWABLES GENERATORS

TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

EMPLOYEES

CONVENTIONAL GENERATORS

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATORS

REGULATORS

TRANSPORTATION NETWORK OPERATORS

MARKET OPERATORS

SOCIETY

PRODUCERS (PETROLIUM, BIOFUELS ETC)

INDEPENDENT SUPPLIERS

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

MINING (COAL, GAS, SHELL GAS, OIL ETC)

CONSUMERS

GOVERNMENTS

MANY OF WHOM ARE

INHERENTLY PREJUDICE

TOWARDS THE

INDUSTRY

IT IS CHARACTERISED BY LOW LEVELS OF TRUST

IN 23 OUT OF 28 COUNTIRES, THE GENERAL POPULATION DO NOT TRUST ENERGY CEOs TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT ( SOURCE: 2016 EDELMEN TRUST BAROMETER )

OF GLOBAL RESPONDENTS CANNOT NAME ANY CEOs ( SOURCE: 2016 EDELMEN TRUST BAROMETER )

82%

60%

...AND REPUTATION

INDUSTRIES FACING THE GREATEST REPUTATIONAL CHALENGES60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0FinanceENERGYPharmaMediaRetailConstruction FMCGEngineeringMobile

( SOURCE: IPSOS MORI REPUTATION CENTRE )

49%

WHICH IS OFTENNOT HELPED BY THEMEDIA COVERAGE

AND THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

AND WITH THE WORLD FACING

VAST ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES

THE LIST GOES ON...

CLIMATE CHANGE

WATER SECURITY

POLLUTION

OVER POPULATION

GLOBAL WARMING

WASTE DISPOSAL

DEFORESTATION

IT’S UNSURPRISING THAT BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS ARE CHALLENGING THE INDUSTRY ON...

WHAT IT DOES?

HOW IT DOES IT?

AND WHY?

ENERGY IS USED BY EVERYONE, EVERYDAY

EACH GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS HAVE THEIR OWN CONCERNS, QUESTIONS AND MEANS OF ENGAGING WITH INFORMATION

AND IT’S NOT JUST CONSUMERS WHO NEED TO BE ENGAGED

THE INDUSTRY NEEDS £100 BILLION IN INVESTMENT BY 2020 IN THE UK ALONE

AND FORMS PART OF A BUSINESS-CRITICAL DISCIPLINE

IN THE FORMAT THAT THEY WANT

TO RECEIVE IT

WHEN THEY WANT TO

RECEIVE IT

‘SPEAKS TO’ AND ‘ENGAGES’ ALL

YOUR AUDIENCES

THEREFORE – THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS A CONTENT STRATEGY THAT:

WHERE DO YOU START?WELL, THE ENERGY SECTOR OFTEN LACKS VISUAL AND CREATIVE CONTENT AS AN EFFECTIVE FORM OF COMMUNICATION

IS A MASTER AT EMPLOYING DATA, FACTS AND SCIENCE - VALUABLE CONTENT TOOLS

.........................SO HERE’S

ON HOW YOU CAN PUT THOSE TOOLS IN USE AND GET STARTED ON YOUR CONTENT JOURNEY..........................................

TIPS

REMEMBER – WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO COMMUNICATION, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL!

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR END AUDIENCE IN VIEW TO DELIVER CONTENT THEY NEED / WANT

C WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?

C WHO ARE THEY – THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS?

C WHAT ARE THEY INTERESTED IN?

C WHAT ATTITUDES DO THEY HAVE TOWARDS THE INDUSTRY?

C WHAT MEDIUMS DO THEY USE TO DO THEIR LEARNING?

C HOW OFTEN DO THEY USE CERTAIN CHANNELS?

C HOW SET ARE THEY IN THEIR OPINIONS?

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE1

BEGIN BY ASKING YOURSELF THE

FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

FIND OUT WHERE AND HOW THEY CONSUME CONTENT. CREATING THE TYPE OF CONTENT THAT THEY DON’T NORMALLY CONSUME

WILL GET LOST IN ALL THE EXISTING NOISE OUT THERE

THE KEY TO BECOMING A STORYTELLER IS CREATING THE TYPE OF CONTENT THAT IS ENGAGING AND SHARING IT THROUGH

THE CHANNELS WITH WHICH THEY ALREADY INTERACT

IDENTIFY THEIR MEDIA HABITS2

IDENTIFY THE BURNING QUESTIONS AND DOUBTS EXPRESSED BY YOUR CUSTOMER AND CREATE YOUR CONTENT AROUND THAT

AIM TO BE THE FIRST TO ANSWER THEM IN AN EXCITING MANNER

CREATE CONTENT THAT SOLVES PROBLEMS3

DIFFERENT TEAMS PICK UP DIFFERENT NUGGETS OF INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS ON YOUR CUSTOMERS, SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THEM

GREAT IDEAS CAN COME FROM ANYONE, ANYWHERE.4

THE MARKETING TEAM

SHAREHOLDERS

AGENCIES

CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRES

SALES TEAMS

COMPETITORS

CLIENTS

ETC…

MAKE SURE YOUR BRAND VOICE SITS AT THE HEART OF ANY CONTENT

AND IS CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT

REINFORCING HOW AND WHY YOUR BRAND STANDS OUT FROM OTHERS

KNOW YOUR BRAND VOICE5

INSPIRE YOUR AUDIENCE BY.... C SHARING CUSTOMER STORIES C REAL LIFE SCENARIOS C EXPERT INTERVIEWS C AND CASE STUDIES

CUSTOMERS WILL BELIEVE AND TRUST YOUR CONTENT IF IT INCLUDES EXTERNAL VOICES WHO ARE NOT ON YOUR PAYROLL TALKING ABOUT YOUR BRAND

MAKE IT PERSONAL6

WHEN YOU COMBINE THE RIGHT VISUALS AND NARRATIVE WITH THE RIGHT DATA

YOU HAVE A STORY THAT CAN INFLUENCE AND DRIVE CHANGE

USE VISUALS7

NARRATIVE VISUALS

DATA

CHANGE

ENGAGE

ENLIGHTENEXPLAIN

C ALWAYS LOOK FOR FRESH TOPICS AND NEW ANGLES

C INCLUDE UNIQUE DATA AND EXPERT INSIGHT TO ADD CREDIBILITY

C DON’T GO ON AND ON, PIQUE CURIOSITY

C USE INFOGRAPHICS OR DATA VISUALISTAION TO BREAK DOWN BORING, CHUNKY DATA

BE DIVERSE8

ACCORDING TO FORBES

59% OF EXECUTIVES WOULD MUCH RATHER WATCH A VIDEO THAN READ TEXT

OF INFORMATION TRANSMITTED TO THE BRAIN IS VISUAL AND VISUALS ARE PROCESSED 60,000X FASTER IN THE BRAIN THAN TEXT( 3M CORPORATION )

USE VIDEO9

90%

MEASURE SUCCESS 10

C SET CLEAR OBJECTIVES AT THE BEGINNING THAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR CONTENT IS A SUCCESS OR NOT

C MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE AND REPORT ON THESE AND TWEAK FUTURE PLANS ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS

C WAYS OF ENGAGING WITH AND CREATING CONTENT IS FOREVER EVOLVING – MAKE SURE YOU STAY AHEAD WITH WHAT WORKS FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

PUT A MORE PERSONALISED AND CREATIVE FACE

TO YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS

TO DRIVE TRUST AND ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE

TO SUMMARISE:

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP RE-POWER YOUR CONTENT MARKETING EFFORTS, PLEASE CONTACT:

MIKE KERSHAWCUSTOM PUBLISHING CONSULTANTE: MK@RACONTEUR.NETT: +44 (0) 208 616 7417

WWW.RACONTEUR.NET