If there was ever a marketing tool that was tailor made for the clean energy industry, social media would probably be it. Anytime you can create a marketing piece and get it in front of consumers without having to spend a great deal of money on printing and postage, you’re way ahead of the game. Such is the case with social media.
In the social media world, the “marketing piece” is usually nothing more than a simple post or tweet, the “distribution channel” is the social media site, and the “postage” is a keyword or hashtag. But, unlike physical distribution channels that often necessitate sending out hundreds or thousands of pieces to get a single inquiry, consumers of social media content have actively searched for that content by searching on a specific keyword or hashtag. These inbound leads are very highly qualified.
Another phenomenon that makes social media an effective marketing tool for the clean energy industry is the ease with which content can be shared. Remember, your social media content is a marketing piece. When consumers of your content share it with others, they’re lending their personal credibility to your message – becoming de facto spokespeople for your company. Let’s face it, people are more likely to read a social media post that was recommended by a friend than a brochure they receive through the mail. They’re also more likely to forward it on to their own social media contacts – that’s how content goes “viral”. This can be huge for clean energy companies that want to expand their prospect pool beyond consumers who are already sold on the importance and benefits of clean energy.
Finally, using social media as a marketing tool enables you to be very prolific in producing marketing content, and extremely nimble in its delivery. Here’s an example:
Let’s say a credible news article came out about a recent study that demonstrates how economical solar power systems are compared to traditional power sources without sacrificing dependability. In a matter of minutes, you could post a link to that article on your social media outlets along with your own comments about the article itself and the study cited. While this example isn’t of a marketing message about your particular product, such a message adds to your credibility as a clean energy expert. This helps to create and maintain your brand image – an essential component of any marketing strategy
Watch for future posts on marketing clean energy on social media. Meanwhile, If you have questions about how social media can help with your clean energy marketing efforts, or other marketing related questions, contact us online or call 408-529-8325.
