The document discusses the many challenges facing the energy sector, including increased regulation, technological changes from newcomers, falling oil and gas prices, loss of subsidies for renewables, and climate change issues. It notes that trust in energy companies is low and that the industry faces reputational challenges. It then provides tips for developing an effective content strategy to better engage the diverse stakeholders in the industry by understanding audiences, identifying their information needs and media habits, using different types of visual and narrative content, and measuring the success of content efforts.

1. RE-POWERING THE ENERGY MARKET
THROUGH CONTENT MARKETING

2. THE ENERGY SECTOR
RIFE
CHALLENGES

3. 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

4. “LEVELS OF TRUST BETWEEN ENERGY
COMPANIES AND WIDER SOCIETY HAVE
COME UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE”
SAM LAIDLAW
CEO BRITISH GAS OWNER CENTRICA

5. WHAT’S CAUSING THESE CHALLENGES
? ?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

6. THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS A
HIGHLY
POLITICISED

7. ...AND
REGULATED
SECTOR

8. ...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

9. MANY OF WHOM ARE
INHERENTLY
PREJUDICE
TOWARDS THE
INDUSTRY

10. 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%

11. ...AND REPUTATION
INDUSTRIES FACING THE GREATEST REPUTATIONAL CHALENGES
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
FinanceENERGYPharmaMediaRetailConstruction FMCGEngineeringMobile
(SOURCE: IPSOS MORI REPUTATION CENTRE)
49%

12. WHICH IS OFTEN
NOT HELPED BY THE
MEDIA COVERAGE

13. AND THE POWEROF SOCIAL MEDIA

14. AND WITH THE WORLD FACING
VAST ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES
THE LIST GOES ON...
CLIMATE CHANGE
WATER SECURITY
POLLUTION
OVER POPULATION
GLOBAL WARMING
WASTE DISPOSAL
DEFORESTATION

15. IT’S UNSURPRISING
THATBUSINESSES
AND CONSUMERS
ARE CHALLENGING
THE INDUSTRY ON...
WHAT IT
DOES?
HOW IT
DOES IT?
AND
WHY?

16. ENERGY IS USED BY
EVERYONE, EVERYDAY
EACH GROUP OF
STAKEHOLDERS HAVE THEIR
OWN CONCERNS, QUESTIONS
AND MEANS OF ENGAGING
WITH INFORMATION

17. AND IT’S NOT JUST CONSUMERS
WHO NEED TO BE ENGAGED
THE INDUSTRY NEEDS
£100 BILLION IN INVESTMENT
BY 2020 IN THE UK ALONE

18. 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:

19. 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

20. ......................SO HERE’S
ON HOW YOU CAN PUT THOSE
TOOLS IN USE AND GET STARTED
ON YOUR CONTENT JOURNEY......................................
TIPS

21. 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:

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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…

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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%

30. MEASURE SUCCESS10
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

31. PUT A MORE PERSONALISED
AND CREATIVE FACE
TO YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS
TO DRIVE TRUST AND ENGAGE
YOUR AUDIENCE
TO SUMMARISE:

32. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP RE-POWER
YOUR CONTENT MARKETING EFFORTS, PLEASE CONTACT:
MIKE KERSHAW
CUSTOM PUBLISHING CONSULTANT
E: MK@RACONTEUR.NET
T: +44 (0) 208 616 7417
WWW.RACONTEUR.NET