Small and medium-sized business utility customers can be a tough group to engage and motivate. Many utility companies have gone the extra mile to create programs specifically geared toward them.
According to Opower, only a mere 5% engagement is the norm.1 Engaging the unengageable has long been a challenging roadblock for utility and energy marketers. In an era of social media and electronic communications, content marketing for utilities might just be the answer to this common industry challenge.
Content marketing is more than blog posts and emailed newsletters, although it typically utilizes these tools. Content marketing for utilities is an entire strategy that also includes other elements and content. When properly implemented, content marketing can optimize and drive traffic from search engines to ultimately engage even the elusive utility customers.
Why utility and energy customers will engage.
Content marketing for utilities is typically thought of in the context of engaging utility customers through a series of corporately driven communications. Engaging customers in this low involvement category has always been a challenge. Transforming content to start with the customer mindset, and their search behavior, can leverage inherent opportunities to be in the right place at the right time.
Additionally, informative, thought-provoking content, whether it's an emailed newsletter or content in a blog, can serve as the catalyst that prompts a request for an in-person meeting or a lead for energy management programs. For example, if your utility offers energy audits, content can get the business decision-maker thinking about related topics and encourage that customer to contact the utility or energy company for an on-site audit, assessment or other services.
Getting social.
As many utilities have launched social media efforts, they’ve continued to be faced with the challenge of engaging customers with their social media outlets. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media sites have proven to be more influential than anyone could have guessed. Fast Company reveals that four out of five people participate in social networking on average.2 Additionally, 60% of those people who use the Internet to research products and services learn about specific companies and brands from social networking sites.
Many utility and energy marketers have grappled with how to transform their social media strategy to be more customer-centric. It's essential for energy and utility companies to have something useful and meaningful to say: genuine, valid reasons to initiate a conversation on Facebook or Twitter that draw customers to their websites.
Content marketing for utilities is tailor-made for doing just that. What's shown to be the most effective way to utilize social media is to post an intriguing but short blurb about a recent blog article, maybe even including a sentence or two from the article along with a link that will take interested people directly to the blog post. Additionally, customers can "like" and "share" the social media posts, which magnifies the reach and the impact of the initial post.
Engaging via email.
Building an email list is vital for many energy and utility companies because it offers a cost-efficient vehicle to communicate with customers. Customers may not log onto a utility company's website every day or even every week, but these users are likely to check their email several times an hour. Many utilities are still setting parameters for how to leverage email to best engage with customers, while meeting their business and marketing goals.
Content marketing for utilities can prove to be a valuable tool to capture those desirable email addresses, specifically with opt-ins. Once an energy or utility company is already driving traffic and promoting content through search engines and social media, users can opt in, providing their email addresses to receive a "freebie.” This can include something as simple as a free report on saving money or providing guidance on energy efficient equipment. The utility offers valuable information for free in exchange for an email address.
Strong content marketing creates engagement and initiates a meaningful dialogue with customers. Content marketing is an effective strategy that utilities and energy marketers should adopt to meet a number of different objectives. To learn how your company can build a cohesive, actionable utility or energy content marketing strategy, set up a time to get our personalized assessment and recommendations for your company.
Sources:
1. Opower
2. Fast Company
