Energize Your Marketing Strategy in An Age of Mistrust
There are unique challenges that come with promoting an energy brand in the current climate. But while energy brands continue to face heavy scrutiny amidst the cost-of-living crisis, there are still opportunities to connect with your target audience and build lasting relationships.
Creative, invested teams and the right channel strategies when marketing in the energy industry can help build consumer trust and cut through the noise.
So, enough telling, let’s starting showing.
We've had the opportunity to work with brands like British Gas, SSE and CrimeStoppers (for whom we run the StayEnergySafe reporting line) and to test out some of the most effective marketing activities for energy companies. These strategies have been proven to drive results and can help your company maintain a strong brand reputation and establish trust.
So, it's time to 'switch on' and take advantage of these powerful marketing tools.
The Art of Creative Videos and Visuals
Creative video and visuals are a multi-sector marketing trend, offering awesome strategic value, brand credibility and consumer trust for energy companies.
Shell's “Great Travel Hack” series is a brilliant example of how effective video marketing for energy companies can be used. As a prolific brand sometimes attracting controversial media attention, Shell capitalized on video series to encourage viewers to take eco-friendly road trips to showcase the fun side of sustainable travel.
With the help of short films, like the one below with Stay Energy Safe, energy companies can transparently convey various message types. Whether it’s informative, assertive or uplifting, videos - when executed right - help target audiences with honesty, transparency and, in some cases, urgency.
Mastering Content Marketing for Energy Companies
Content marketing is - and should be - an essential part of any digital strategy for energy companies. It’s a cost-effective way to reach audiences and build trust, costing 62% less than outbound means of engagement.
At BH&P, creative and content are king when marketing for energy companies. By providing information and concise answers to technical energy questions, for example in a blog article on something as niche as smart meter types, this builds consideration and consumer trust for energy companies and a sense of opinion leadership, demonstrating expertise in their field.
Equally, videos can also serve internal communications purposes, like British Gas’ RPU film, as an effective means of reputation management for energy companies. The video showcased BG employees sharing their personal experiences of working in their revenue protection unit (RPU).
This type of marketing in the energy industry effectively ignites the people, culture and values of the organization to appeal to a separate audience of recruits.
But there’s a simple way energy brands can power up further!
To strengthen consumer trust for energy companies, content should be accurate, relevant and timely in line with the trends of the moment. BP’s “Energy Outlook” report is an example. It not only reaps consumer trust rewards, but also the visibility granted by search engines that rank up-to-date content highly in results.
Radio Advertising for Energy Companies
Marketers often “tune out” when it comes to radio.
It’s usual to assume visual ads communicate more effectively than sound. Although crafting an effective radio advertisement is more difficult, this channel has advantages that other types of advertising doesn’t.
Especially, when it comes to reach, frequency and consistency.
Still not convinced? How about these three cool facts to make you think again about radio:
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The average listener listens to 20.4 hours of live radio per week
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88% of the population tune into radio stations every week
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The total average number of weekly hours listened to radio is 998 million.
Source: Rajar
Radio advertising is an excellent form of reputation management for energy companies. With effective, creative direction, radio campaigns can communicate empathetically to address consumer trust issues and concerns in meaningful ways via radio.
Consumer-centric radio campaigns, like First Utility’s “Switch Saver” ad highlighted potential cost savings for consumers when switching energy providers. This not only raised brand awareness, but also drives conversions.
There’s proof in the pudding too. After running a radio campaign for Stay Energy Safe, this generated a 25% increase in new website visitors. Equally, the advantage of radio’s localized targeting maximized conversions by 50% in energy theft hotspots.
Leveraging Social Media for Energy Companies
By now, social media is a staple in the digital strategy for energy companies and all industries. Social media marketing for energy companies is a cost-effective tool to connect with consumers, and earn share of voice in a competitive landscape.
This approach is also an excellent means of reputation management for energy companies. EDF Energy ensure their brand is well-regarded on their Twitter page by providing helpful advice, social listening, responding to queries promptly and empathetically, and promoting sustainability initiatives.
As social media trends continue evolving, it’s important to not completely ignore short-form video channels like TikTok. With the right influencers and creative approach, this can engage a new generation of energy bill payers.
Short-form video marketing for energy companies keeps communities posted on industry changes to provide support and advice. With 33% of TikTok users getting news from the app, this is a great way to communicate journalistic information quickly, cheaply and effectively.
Marketing in the energy industry is not easy. It takes a rigorous understanding of your own tone of voice and consulting on the best channels and creative approaches to take your brand personality to the public and strengthen consumer trust above all.
By utilizing all, or a mix, of these marketing activities for energy companies, your organization can ‘light up’ its reputation with a powerful presence that drives positive consumer perceptions, conversions and loyalty.
Consumer loyalty switches fast. Get started today and ask us about effectively integrating marketing activities for energy companies that actually work.
