More and more studies are being conducted to analyze the wealth of information available to us. Companies need to know what works and what will work fast. While many industries have embraced social media, the oil and gas businesses have been a little slower to pick it up.
A 2014 study projected that the U.S. oil and gas industry would increase 27% by 2020, thus, creating a more competitive environment for the industry. Social media was not only expected to impact marketing for product and technology, but also to be utilized as an aid when recruiting along sites like LinkedIn to bring talented personnel into companies.
OTC noted drastic increases in online mentions following trade shows in 2018. Similar results are expected to increase drastically, as mentions on Facebook and Twitter proved to be a bolster to the industry. OTC suggests there is more to be understood from your social media presence; merely selling and promoting products is simply one tool. More can be accomplished, including problem-solving through crowdsourcing, connection with those that can benefit your industry and access to a wealth of knowledge through various online communities that specialize in your field.
Tradeshows are great places to try out new marketing platforms. OTC Houston rated hashtags from various entities and found that innovative and unique hashtags used during tradeshow events can help further brand recognition and awareness. With some strategy and creative brainstorming, you can aid in your brand becoming known worldwide.
Rigzone found that they could reach over 31,000 people on Twitter by promotion of something they coined the "Wall of Opportunity", which was a recruiting platform meant to attract others to their brand. Not only did Rigzone engage in social media in this way, they made a landing page specifically for sharing their recruitment opportunities. They also utilized video content to address pertinent topics, such as what not to ask a recruiter at a trade show, etc.
This innovative approach to marketing attracted many individuals in both the physical and digital world. Clear vision and an exceptional strategy can go a long way to bolster your line media presence.
Creating brand awareness, selling products, educating others and posting jobs on social media can be the corner stone in reinventing your company's strategy. Dale Lunan points out in his article regarding social media for the oil and gas industry, that there is yet another platform that social media offers, which has emerged over the years.
Groups like Greenpeace and Stand.earth have used social media to drum up support for its anti-oil agenda. More recently, the Keystone XL in Canada , these companies took to social media to protest oil and gas field developments.
Lego was lobbied to cut ties with Shell over its plans to drill in the Arctic. 350.org and Break Free from Fossil Fuels used their online audience to successfully protest global oil exploration. In this event, over 30,000 people engaged in this social media movement.
The point Lunan has unveiled is the impact of a well-planned and executed social media following. These examples demonstrate the far-reaching effects of social media on the possibilities of what can be accomplished through this world-wide platform. Lunan suggests that the oil and gas industry learns from these campaigns by countering with the same gusto. Policy Horizons Canada suggests that the oil and gas companies need to counter this anti-oil onslaught with the use of social media to address customer concerns and meet their consumer base needs.
The director of Mount Royal University's Institute for Environmental Sustainability, Connie Van der Byl suggests using social media as a way to filter, collect and analyze what works for your company and determine how to best reach your audience. She suggests that data obtained from online resources should be implemented in your marketing strategies, which has been a disadvantage for those companies not utilizing social media data.
CONCLUSION
Correct social media use across the board has been shown to have lasting impacts on the oil and gas sector. While oil, gas and energy companies were considered a slower adapter to many forms of social media, they have begun to make waves in this arena.
Social media can drastically change your reach at tradeshows, recruitment outreaches, new product unveiling, education, brand recognition and company initiatives. When executed properly and creatively, you can have access to a world-wide market of individuals who would otherwise never engage in your services or mission.
Demographics vary on what will work best for your company. It is best to know your target audience and be informed as to what is important to them. Different regions of the world will utilize different platforms. Your approach for reaching those in the UAE will be different when approaching individuals or companies in Canada.
As with any marketing method, you will want to use the research available to you. Facebook offers analytics on business pages that will help you to hone in on your target audience. Landing pages can be created to measure traffic during tradeshows and the use of hashtags will let you see who is talking about your company.
The world of digital media is ever growing. Specific statistics are still being analyzed as to the effectiveness of different media platforms in the oil and gas sector. As of 2016, data was still so new in this arena that there was some difficulty understanding why social media is paramount to the success of oil and gas companies. In just a few short years, we now understand that it is indeed important for this industry. Undoubtedly, we will have even more proof as time goes on.
Be creative, be ready to innovate, know your numbers and have fun. Social media marketing is meant to be an exciting, engaging and effective way to reach your highest potential.