Content marketing is one of the most powerful tools that utility companies have at their disposal. It allows them to disseminate useful information and actionable solutions to a customer base in need of their expertise.
Some companies think that content marketing is as simple as adding a blog to their website. And it’s true that effective content marketing is driven by frequent blog posts about relevant topics that are keyword-driven and centered on issues that interest both business and residential utility customers.
But a successful campaign extends far beyond blogs. In fact, it requires a long-term plan, strategy and a deliberate set of actions. A content marketing campaign should also utilize search engine optimization, or SEO, strategies and incorporate additional channels, including social media and email. Here are five basic characteristics that are essential for creating engaging utility content:
Content is what all your other marketing efforts will build upon, so having a strong base is key. Start by focusing on topics your customers are most concerned about, and create content that addresses these issues in an in-depth yet accessible way. Talk to your customer service team: What are the questions or concerns that they hear most frequently? Then go from there. Content that offers useful and easy-to-follow advice on the issues most important to your customers will get more mileage because those are the issues that customers search for and will often share.
A successful campaign extends far beyond blogs. In fact, it requires a long-term plan, strategy and a deliberate set of actions.
The most effective utility content is customer-centric and adds value to the user. Create content that is specific to your area and that meets the needs of your customers.
For example, you can share tips about natural gas grills just in time for summer or explain how to monitor a gas meter if severe weather is impending in your area. In addition to useful information, the articles should also offer actionable solutions and links to local resources. These types of articles hit the mark because they anticipate a customer’s problem and provide several useful solutions, which adds value for the customer and increases your company’s credibility.
Many companies are aware of SEO but are unsure how to fully use it to their advantage. Due to their nature, the websites of most natural gas providers already have strong domain authority and serve to boost the visibility of their content marketing efforts. Anything published through their websites will automatically fare better in most search engines.
Another important SEO strategy involves finding the keywords and phrases that customers search for, then incorporating those words into your content. A quick search on Google’s Keyword Planner reveals that a high-volume key phrase in the gas industry is “natural gas benefits.” This means that your content will rank higher in search engines and will receive more click-throughs when this phrase is incorporated into an explanatory title like one of these: “The 5 Benefits of Natural Gas” or “How Natural Gas Benefits Homeowners in the Winter.” Keyword tools help you know what customers are searching for and what questions they need answered.
Quality content will get customers onto your website, but you need a way to continually engage with them. Content-rich downloads are an effective way to provide businesses and residential customers with the information they want in exchange for their valuable contact information.
For example, let’s say a customer reads an article on your blog about the advantages of using a natural gas grill. At the end of the article, you can include a free downloadable grilling cookbook or a video series about proper grill maintenance. All the customer has to do to gain access to this additional content is fill out a simple form with his or her name and email address. Once customers accept, you can automatically enroll them into an email series designed to provide supplementary information and a call to action.
Content marketing does not operate in a vacuum. A successful and engaging marketing strategy uses content across multiple platforms, including blog posts, emails and social media. Connecting the dots among all the channels ensures that your marketing efforts reinforce one another while moving the customer deeper through the funnel.
The more marketing platforms you have at your disposal, the more you should be integrating. For example, if you recently published a blog post regarding the environmental benefits of natural gas, be sure to include it in your newsletters, website banner ads, social media posts and other key customer touch points.
It’s important to remember this: Every content marketing campaign has the same goal—to educate consumers.
To give consumers the right tools to make the correct purchasing decisions when it comes to energy, it is imperative for utility companies to rank at the top of Google searches. To do that, they must create engaging digital content that allows them to remain top of mind for consumers.
Meg Goodman is the managing director of relationship marketing agency Jacobs & Clevenger. She has brought measurable, data-driven results to Chase, Serta, United Airlines, First National Bank of Omaha, Allstate and PayPal.