3 Ways Energy Companies can Create a Positive Public Perception
Energy companies often have very limited strategies when it comes to managing their public perception. Usually it consists of a poorly managed social media account or a standard blog of self promoting news updates. And, if an energy company is running a social media marketing strategy at all, it’s often only a LinkedIn post or quick Twitter updates.
Of course, there is hardly any need for an energy company to rely too much on outbound social platforms or a YouTube channel. However, it can be a great idea to create a podcast to diversify your company’s content strategy.
According to PodcastInsights:
– 50% of U.S. households listen to podcasts, so you’ll definitely find your audience
– 94% of branded podcast listeners support this business on at least one social channel, which means a podcast can make your audience more active
– 69% of listeners are not against ads and promotions during a podcast, which creates more marketing opportunities for your brand
Another reason why you should have a podcast is that such a content format is extremely rare among energy companies. Those few who run an active podcast draw great benefits from it – podcasts help them retain authority in the energy industry and keep their audiences engaged.
Let’s take a look at the examples of several energy companies and see how they use podcasts to create a positive perception of themselves in the industry and beyond.
1. Share Your Expert Opinion on Industry News
The beauty of running a podcast is that you can choose any topic to cover as long as it’s relevant to your listeners. For example, if you’ve noticed that your audience is more into learning the industry news and your opinion on them, you can make it the main theme of your podcast.
Shell has been focusing its The Energy Podcast on the energy industry news for quite a while. The podcast episodes often touch upon the hottest topics currently discussed by the industry players. Shell also invites government representatives and regulators to share their opinion, like in this episode about electric vehicles:
It’s a very common idea to invite experts to a podcast to share their opinion. This helps make a podcast episode more credible.
But if you’re planning to involve more people in your podcast, you need an outline, which will help you plan the episode and make sure you don’t deviate from the topic. You can share the outline with all your guests, but don’t forget to proofread it first. You can use custom writing tools to edit and proofread your outline.
2. Get First-Hand Opinions from Key Industry Players
Another great content idea you can involve in your podcast is research from the energy industry. Your episodes can touch upon case studies, experiences from companies and corporations, all shared by real people who represent these businesses.
John Failla, the founder of Smart Energy Decisions, a renewable energy company, chose the strategy of involving case studies in his Beyond the Meter podcast.
Each Beyond the Meter podcast episode hosted representatives from other energy companies who shared their stories backed by research on a certain topic. For instance, the episode below shared a science-based outlook on the future of renewable energy:
This way, Smart Energy Decisions forms a positive image of itself by creating a close community within one industry and sharing useful insights others can take advantage of as well.
3. Show Your Contribution to Society
Apart from sharing industry news, you can also touch upon bigger topics in your podcast. For example, you can talk about the current societal issues, provide your take on them, and share your contribution to solving these issues.
The SOPOD, a podcast by Southern Company, one of the biggest energy moguls in the U.S., often brings to light the problems faced by the U.S. people. For instance, the last episode touched upon the new COVID-19 vaccine:
The episode featured some healthcare professionals who discussed the vaccine and debunked the myths surrounding it to make the listeners more informed.
Building podcast episodes around current societal issues shows that your energy company is not alienated from this world and that you’re doing anything you can to make a change. Such an approach can contribute greatly to the positive perception of your company.
People can have a very negative idea about energy companies, but creating meaningful and informative content can change this perception.
You can cover a variety of topics during your content – industry news, research and case studies, or even current issues connected to politics and society. As long as you stay authentic and committed to strengthening the connection between your company and its customers, your podcast will have an audience of loyal listeners.
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Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger at GetGoodGrade. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.
