Energy Sector Content Syndication: Reach Your Potential Buyers

Being in the energy business, you might have a hint of the hot topic among B2B clients. And that is the demand for cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. In fact, you can feel the fierce competition to meet these demands among your competitors. 

However, there is still a way to beat competitors and make your target B2B clients check out your clean energy solution. We are discussing using content syndication, an effective tactic within your content marketing strategy.

LinkedIn data says that applying effective content syndication outreach campaigns can convert strangers into your first-party data assets. This information is compelling enough to make you check out what all syndication is about. Let’s learn how to leverage it for your energy business.

Why Should Energy Companies Prioritize Content Syndication As Part of Their Marketing Strategy?

You bet there are several compelling reasons for a B2B energy business to invest in content syndication: 

1. Leverage The Interest Of A Growing Energy-Based Readership

The clean energy support by renowned companies like NextEra Energy, Green Mountain Energy, and Bloom Energy drives public interest in sustainable energy solutions. Moreover, numerous businesses and policymakers seek information about clean energy, renewables, and energy efficiency. 

And the demand for relevant content is on the rise. Thus, it's clear that there is a vast and engaged energy sector that decision-makers can tap into. Content syndication allows you to present your content to such an audience. 

2. Achieve Marketing Objectives Effectively

Content syndication helps you strategically distribute valuable content on the right platforms and channels. Thus, it enables you to share your:

• Expertise
• Thought leadership
• Insights 

-with a more targeted audience. 

3. Enjoy Cost-Effectiveness

It is a cost-effective alternative to other marketing methods. You won't need to pour substantial resources into inbound campaigns that may have uncertain results. There are two reasons for that: 

• You can leverage your existing content assets for syndication. 
• You can create gated content and share it with target prospects that fulfill your ICP or buyer persona. 

As such, it significantly reduces your marketing spend while reaching more qualified leads.

4. Establish Authority

You must already know the trust and credibility needed in a B2B partnership, especially in the energy business. Content syndication allows you to demonstrate your expertise and thought leadership. 

You also share your content through reputable and relevant channels. Thus, it bolsters your company's authority and positions it as a trusted source of information. This authority can attract new customers, partners, and investors.
Quickly Generate Leads

Content syndication excels in quick lead generation. It strategically places content in front of the right audience at the right time. Hence, you can capture the interest of potential customers and generate business leads more rapidly than other marketing methods.

How To Reach The Right Audience With Content Syndication In The Energy Sector?

You can not waste your marketing efforts on any random prospect. Thus, you must ensure you are reaching out to promising prospects only. 

Start with identifying your target audience by analyzing lead data across different categories: 

Now, let's check out some key decision-makers you might encounter when pitching your energy product/solution:

• Facility Managers: These individuals are responsible for the day-to-day operations of a facility. These operations include energy management and the implementation of energy-efficient solutions.
• Energy Managers: Energy managers are specialists dedicated to optimizing energy consumption. They often lead energy-related initiatives within a company.
• Procurement Managers: In charge of sourcing and purchasing decisions, procurement managers are crucial in selecting energy products and services. You may typically see them in large organizations.
• Sustainability Officers: As the sustainability agenda is gaining prominence, sustainability officers are becoming increasingly influential. They focus on environmental and social responsibility, including energy efficiency and adopting clean energy solutions.
• C-Suite Executives (CEOs, CFOs, etc.): High-ranking executives have the final say on significant investments. They often prioritize cost-effectiveness and strategic alignment.

Based on the roles and preferences of your target decision-makers, you can modify your messages and approach to your syndicated content.

9 Steps For Syndicating Content To Target Energy Business Clients

Here are nine easy steps you can follow to syndicate your content to reach your target clients:

1. Pick The Content Type For Syndication

The first step is choosing the content you want to share with your target energy business clients. Again, you can make use of identifying your target decision-makers and their preference for content consumption. It'll help you pick the best content for distribution:  

You have several options:

• Thought Leadership Blogs/Articles: These are like sharing your expert opinions and insights in written form. It's akin to offering your clients a plate full of wisdom.
• Webinars: Think of webinars as hosting a live event online to discuss important topics with your clients. It's like inviting them to a virtual conference.
• Video Content: Videos are engaging and work great for explaining technical stuff. It shows your clients how things work through a visual presentation.
• Informative Infographics: These are colorful visual summaries of complex information about your energy solutions. It's like serving your clients a visually appealing platter of knowledge.
• Ebooks: These serve as comprehensive reports that provide in-depth information. It gives your clients a whole book of valuable insights.

2. Uphold And Update Content Quality 

After you've chosen the type of content, it's crucial to maintain its quality and keep it fresh. This step is about ensuring your content remains valuable over time. Here are the three steps you need: 

1. Update Research/Studies

You should update your articles or content with the latest research and studies related to the energy business. It works for both your existing and newly created content for syndication purposes. It keeps your clients informed with up-to-date information.

2. Ensure Ongoing Relevance

You need to ensure your content stays relevant to the needs and interests of your clients. If the industry or trends change, your content should evolve, too.

3. Optimize For Keywords

You can publish your content on reputable 3rd-party platforms or niche-based content syndication forums. So, to ensure your target audience doesn't miss your content, sprinkle relevant keywords and phrases into your content. 

It'll make them easily discoverable by your target clients when they search for relevant information.

3. Segment The Content Types Based On Decision-Maker(S)

You may have chosen the best content types to syndicate, but their appeal may vary depending on different decision-makers. To help you out in this, here is a table of content types based on segmented decision-makers:

This audience segmentation ensures your content is relevant and valuable to their roles and responsibilities.

4. Learn About Regulatory Frameworks Related To Energy Content Syndication

In the energy industry, many standards and sustainability regulations are in place.
So, you need to learn all about these regulations and follow them. You can:

• Read up on industry-specific laws, codes of conduct, and environmental standards.
• Know what content you can share, how it should be presented, and what topics might be off-limits. 
• Follow privacy laws dictating how personal data is collected, processed, and stored. It involves the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in California.
• Follow Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines related to advertising and endorsements. You must disclose any relationships with advertisers or sponsors when syndicating content, especially paid promotions or sponsored content.

This transparency ensures that your audience can make informed decisions about their content.

Why is this important? Because if you don't follow these rules, you could get into legal 

5. Gain Consent Of Interested Leads To Share Your Content 

You've done your research, and you know what your audience needs. Great! But how do you reach the right people? You need to find interested energy leads and get their permission to send them your content.

There are various ways to do this, and it's not sending out spam emails. Here's how to do it correctly: 

1. Use Cold Calling

It means picking up the phone and calling potential clients. It's not always easy, but it's a direct way to connect with them. 

You can create a script for the cold call. It should lead prospects to check out the lead form link on your website. Just make sure to be respectful and professional.

2. Share Gated Content Via Cold Email

Offer valuable content, like an in-depth report or whitepaper, in exchange for contact information/subscription to the newsletter, etc. 

You can incorporate gated content links in cold emails, but must do it carefully and transparently. Clearly state that the link leads to gated content and briefly describe the content's value.

Plus, it's essential to respect email marketing laws and provide an option to unsubscribe. Also, ensure the content is genuinely valuable and relevant to the recipient. 

Overly promotional or irrelevant content can harm your cold email campaign's success and reputation.  You can add your gated content to your email list when someone downloads it. It's a fair trade – they get helpful information, and you get a chance to build a relationship.

3. Send Direct Email

It is also an option, but use best practices like:

• Addressing people by their names.
• Adding relevant information and coupons.

Here are some tips for leveraging direct emails to gain your target client's consent for further brand interaction: 

• Create a clear and concise consent form. Include the purpose of the interaction, contact details, and an opt-in checkbox. 
• Ensure the language is straightforward and not misleading. 
• Mention the client's ability to opt out anytime.
• Respect the target client's preferences for future interactions.

4. Leverage LinkedIn Inmail

It is a more professional approach. You can send messages to potential clients on LinkedIn, asking them to fill out lead forms. But remember to be polite and not pushy.

6. Use Automation Tools For Lead Nurturing 

You've collected a list of leads who have shown some interest. What do you do next?
Well, you can use automation tools to help with lead nurturing. This means you can set up a system that automatically sends relevant content to these leads based on their interactions.

For instance, you can create a newsletter series. So, when someone signs up or expresses interest in your energy services, they receive emails with informative and engaging content. It's like a drip feed of valuable information that engages your potential clients.

7. Establish A Lead Scoring Model 

Now, you may encounter some leads who are more interested in your energy services than others. That's where lead scoring comes into play.

Think of it like a points system. You assign scores to leads based on their responses and interactions with your syndicated content. The more they engage and show interest, the higher their score.

Here's a simple sample table:

As you can see, Mark Johnson gets the highest score because he's actively engaging with your content.

8. Pass High-Scoring Leads To Your Sales Team 

Finally, identify the super-interested leads in your energy services (the ones with the highest scores). Then, pass them over to your sales team.

If you have a lot of high-scoring leads, consider hiring Sales Development Representatives (SDRs). These experts specialize in reaching potential clients and turning those leads into paying customers. They'll use their skills to engage with these leads and help seal the deal.

9. Measure the Impact of Syndicated Content As Per Campaign Goals

Content syndication performance metrics are broadly categorized into two main aspects: lead volume and lead quality. These metrics help you assess the effectiveness of your content syndication efforts in generating leads for your business.

Let's break down each aspect:

Lead Volume Metrics

These numbers focus on the quantity of leads generated through your content syndication efforts. Lead volume metrics provide insights into your success in attracting potential customers and expanding your contacts database. You can measure:

• Total Leads: The total number of leads generated through syndicated content during a specific time frame.
• Leads by Source: Break down leads by the source of acquisition (e.g., syndication platform, partner websites, social media, cold calls/emails, etc.). It helps you identify which sources are the most effective at generating leads.

Lead Quality Metrics

These metrics focus on the relevance and potential value of the leads generated. These metrics help determine if the leads will likely convert into paying customers. You can measure: 

• Conversion Rate by Lead Source: Analyze the conversion rates of leads from different syndication sources. Higher conversion rates may indicate better lead quality from specific sources.
• Sales-Qualified Leads (SQLs): Measure the number of leads that meet your criteria for being passed to the sales team. This metric helps ensure that you're generating leads and high-quality prospects.

Pro Tip: Use UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters in your syndicated content links to track the source and medium of traffic. 

Make Content Syndicating Easier And More Effective With Expert Help

Now that you know how content syndication can help gain leads for your energy business, we have your last and most important advice. It is hiring a professional content syndication agency to reach the right audience and maximize the impact of your content. At Revnew, we pride ourselves on being the industry leaders in content syndication. Our approach is simple yet powerful.

With Revnew, you can customize your content type and precisely target your audience by choosing between contacts and accounts. We harness the power of various channels, including social media, email, and telemarketing, to ensure your content reaches your desired audience.

The magic happens when we provide you with a curated list of high-quality contacts who have demonstrated a genuine interest in your content. So, connect with us and elevate your content game to see exceptional results!

Discover how CGE Energy achieved remarkable engagement rates by tailoring content strategically in our case study;

Conclusion

Content syndication is vital for expanding your content's reach, boosting brand visibility, and driving more leads. It allows your valuable content to be shared on multiple platforms through various channels. Thus, you increase your product or solution's exposure and build relationships with the right people in the industry.