It’s no secret. Oil and gas companies face an uphill battle when it comes to public perception. Even with President Obama wholeheartedly embracing fracking and touting its benefits in his State of the Union address, the industry is overwhelmingly seen in a negative light.
A slew of celebrities are at the forefront of the campaign aimed at convincing Americans that all the industry wants to do is pillage small towns and destroy the environment. According to this narrative, operators are nothing more than fat old white men bent on driving up prices and laughing all the way to the bank. We recently talked about how it is impossible for US companies to control oil prices when they contribute a fraction of its production. And anyone who has worked in this industry for one day knows how much companies contribute to the communities in which they operate. Unfortunately, these facts don’t stop the flood of negative press.
But, while some in the industry are resigned to quietly grumble about our ill-fated image, many more are stepping up to the challenge to shift perceptions and show Americans the truth about oil and gas. These brave souls are taking to several different mediums to tell their stories. Phelim McAleer has made waves with his highly-lauded documentary, Fracknation, which has garnered favorable reviews from some very unlikely places.
Perhaps the most courageous of them all are those companies that have taken to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Social media can be a scary place for any company, let alone ones with legions of haters waiting to pounce on their every move. This is probably why social is the final frontier for our industry. Yet, like any other frontier it must be conquered by those who are willing to bravely go where no man has gone before.
Therefore, it’s time to recognize the trailblazers of the industry and celebrate the accomplishments of 4 oil and gas companies that are killing it in social media.
#1 – Statoil:
First of all, let’s do the numbers. Statoil’s LinkedIn company page has 62,803 followers. They also boast 10,796 followers on Twitter, 6,391 Likes on their Facebook page and 112,272 views on their YouTube channel. But, my favorite social channel of Statoil’s is hands down their LinkedIn group. There are plenty of good oil and gas groups on LinkedIn (like ours!), but for me Energy Innovation by Statoil is a cut above. The members (all 27,627 of them) really know their stuff, and share intelligent and insightful links to a host of topics from across the energy spectrum. But, this didn’t happen by accident. Statoil strategically branded the group and set the tone with a great name. They then used the Group Profile page to ask several thought-provoking questions that prepare potential members to generate quality conversations.
Lesson Learned: LinkedIn groups are a great way for oil and gas companies to drive awareness and engagement around their brand. Start with the end goal in mind and intentionally name and market your group to achieve your goals. Tweet this!
#2 – Shell:
In some ways, including Shell in this list isn’t even fair. Basketball fans say Wilt Chamberlain has his own record book; you could say the same about Shell’s social media presence. The company has 5 different LinkedIn pages with a total of – get this – 494,176 followers. They also have a LinkedIn group with 16,755 members. Their presence on Twitter ain’t too shabby either clocking in at 115,426 followers. Then there’s “The Facebook” where they have 3,158,621 Likes and YouTube where their channel has racked up 12,209,350 views. Seriously, it just seems like they’re showing off at this point! But, just like Statoil, these numbers are no accident. Shell has a strategy and they relentlessly execute upon it. Their branding is consistent across every social network and they encourage people to join their communities and tell their friends. Good, bad or indifferent, they welcome all views and give everyone a voice in telling their brand’s story.
Best Practice: You can’t do social media half way. You can’t start a Facebook page or open a Twitter account, post every couple weeks or months and then complain that social networks are a waste of time. No, success requires an “all in” mentality from the top down. This doesn’t mean you have to be on every network, but you do have to be fully engaged on the one(s) you choose. Tweet this!
#3 – Chesapeake:
Led by the intrepid Lanie James, Chesapeake has one of the most innovative social programs in oil and gas. The company boasts 20,362 Likes on their main Facebook page, 18,583 followers on LinkedIn, 7,646 members in the Chesapeake Energy Careers LinkedIn group, 36,952 followers on Twitter and 619,431 views on YouTube. But, while all of those big numbers are impressive, what sets Chesapeake apart is their use of regional Facebook pages targeted toward various shale plays around the country. The company has separate pages set up for the Eagle Ford, Utica, Barnett, Haynesville, Marcellus and Rockies. These pages allow them to communicate directly with the residents in each region. This gives community members a place to have their voices heard. It also gives Chesapeake a place to address concerns and ultimately win fans.
Lesson Learned: Social media is the perfect place for brands to foster relationships. Forward-thinking oil and gas companies can leverage social networks to demonstrate their value to the communities where they operate. This will build trust and help Americans to see how important our businesses are to the economy – both locally and nationally. Tweet this!
#4 – Payson Petroleum:
Payson Petroleum is an independent operator from Dallas, Texas. Compared to the other three listed, they are tiny. At first glance, their social media presence seems modest as well. They have 119 followers on LinkedIn, 1,435 followers on Twitter and 2,556 Likes on Facebook. But, dig a little deeper and you’ll start to see just how cutting-edge this company is when it comes to social media. For example, did you know Payson Petroleum has its own iPhone app? It’s chocked full of features, like market news, oil and gas price forecasts, investment calculators and, of course, information about the great State of Texas. But, here’s the kicker; their YouTube channel has over 400,000 views! This is all the more remarkable when you consider that a lot of their videos are nothing more than their Director of Client Relations, Dan Nichter, sitting down with their CEO, Matt Griffin to ask him frequently asked questions about both their company, and the oil and gas industry in general. But, if you think about it, this is genius. They are using social media to educate potential investors. And it works. Each video is full of valuable information and demonstrates to their target audience (independent investors) that the company and its leadership are truly the experts in their field.
Lesson Learned: The best content teaches your audience and adds value to their life and business. In the process, you become seen as the expert in your industry and prospective clients organically seek you out. As Robert Rose of the Content Marketing Institute says, “With traditional marketing you tell people you are a rockstar. With content marketing you show them you’re a rockstar.” Oil and gas companies who understand this simple truth and can apply it to their investor outreach initiatives set themselves up for success, regardless of the economic conditions of the day. Tweet this!
The oil and gas industry is at a crossroads. The world is rapidly changing all around us. Many have chosen to ignore that change, hoping it will go away. But, if the last six years and Facebook’s multi-billion dollar IPO have proven anything, it is that social is here to stay. A small number of people in the industry get it, and many more are waking up to the new possibilities every day. Will you join the few, brave pioneers who are leveraging social media to building relationships, win fans and drive revenue? Or will you continue to stand on the sidelines and let the social revolution pass you and your business by? I know the choice I would take; what about you?
Our Thoughts
This is a great article for outlining how social media can provide tremendous value for oil and gas companies. It effectively captures the PR challenges that oil and gas companies face, and shows how social media can engage an audience in a positive way by:
• Building brand awareness (link – http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brandawareness.asp)
• Promoting the company and the work being done in the industry
• Building credibility and developing a reputation for being an expert
• Engaging and communicating with investors, residents of communities where work is being done, and the general public.
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