Wind power is certainly a great case study for telling a story via social media.
The wind power industry is unique. Its roots range from political to global to niche small businesses. Hoping to be one of the leaders in a cleaner environment, the United States is relying on wind power as one of the main sources to back the latest carbon emissions claims. Additionally, the wind power growth in Germany is so great that energy regulators may actually have to scale back. If you’re not yet linked to the wind power industry in one way or another, you will want to join in on this industry, because it’s growing in a big way. Luckily, its broad roots have generated a pretty large presence on social media, making the wind power story a very easy one to follow.
LinkedIn has proven itself over the past two to three years as a leader in industry-related news. This business-minded social media channel is an ideal place to follow and engage with the wind industry. Companies and industry leaders alike have created groups for discussion and sharing. Take a look for yourself at some of the most engaging and active groups and companies: Wind Energy Forum, Wind Power Energy Professionals, EWEA and AWEA
Twitter is also a big part of the wind power story on social media. Global Wind Day is the most recent example. EWEA partnered with the Global Wind Energy Council to promote and support this event both on the ground and in the digital world. They used two main hashtags: #GlobalWindDay and #my2euros to bring attention to the wind power industry. The event was held worldwide, and participants were asked to use either hashtag to show their support on June 15th at 12 p.m.
Used in the correct manner, hashtags are a great way to create or follow a story on Twitter. Their usefulness has been questioned by advertisers and business executives alike, but with campaigns like Global Wind Day, it’s hard to argue against their worth. Hashtags certainly help create a lasting digital footprint.
Publications, though not always thought of as traditional social media, are a huge part of the wind power story online. The main contribution from publications online are in the ways of blog posts that almost always feed in and weave through social media. For example, the North America-based publication, Wind Power Engineering and Development writes content on a regular basis. The publication also ran a wind turbine photo contest through their website, Twitter and Facebook channels.
In terms of blogs, AWEA has a very up-to-date, engaging blog called Into the Wind. AWEA makes great use of imagery and video to help tell the story.
It is not one of these pieces alone that will tell the story of wind power. It is the integration of websites, channels and the engagement and discussion from people across the globe. The wind power story isn’t over, in fact, we are just getting started. Will you join in and catch the breeze?
