From the Text100 Digital Index Energy
One of the world’s leading communications companies, Text100, completed a Digital Index Energy influencer study in June. The data “showed” the key influencers shaping the German energy sector including people in; politics, science, industry, and the nongovernmental sector, etc. The press release here, makes some interesting assertions, particularly where the use of social media is concerned with regard to Germany’s energy debate.
The report shines a light on some governmental influencers using social media, such as German Environmental minister Peter Altmaier. But as for NGOs and others, Text100 portrays scientists, journalists, and others outside government as a bit muted. With corporate energy decision makers as making ineffectual use at best (in my view), I would put social media adaptation and engagement in the energy debate more succinctly at “we could care less” – but good PR does dictate diplomacy in most cases. Without micro-analyzing any of these profiles for actual influence, it seems fair to suggest here that CEO level operands in social media are not yet what they should be.
A great many of these mentions over the past 30 days have been scientists, journalists, and activists along with political figures.
Looking for myself even the companies Text100 mentions as somewhat engaged show a residual social media presence. @RWE_AG and many others are simply deaf, while even the The German Renewable Energy Federation, or BEE (@bEEmerkenswert) scarcely addresses issues posed on twitter by army of interests. Just search the #hashtag #EON, for an instance and the tweets light up. Of course we have not done extensive correlation of relative influence and mentions here, but a cursory examination suggests Text100’s data and conclusions are only partially correct.
I’m testing a very fine tool for measuring and displaying just such correlations ironically. Mention, a powerful media measurement tool heralded by TechCrunch, Mashable, The Next Web, and many others, shows very quickly moment to moment social media mentions across the landscape. The image above reflects my “mention alert” for the German term Energiewende. On top of this, it appears journalists and individual tweeters are in fact far more powerful in social influence than politicians.
A marketing RaDaR pie
As for scientists and media? I found the science sector particularly vodiferous in the space. Glenn Carlson PE PhD, or @CarlsonEngineer, is but one of many. @wolfgangsterk, @OliTab, @DrSchwark, Greenpeace’s @taraconnollyGP, @LarsGrotewold and hundreds of others are in this conversation. While each of these stakeholders may not have the 60 + thousand followers of the Energy Minister, their influence is staggering when compared overall.
Finally, highlighting the German discussion on Energy is a sound scientific approach to understanding, then informing for communicative and business purpose. Text100 has done an excellent job, though somewhat abbreviated. With reports such as this one from the UN Department of Social and External Affairs having been floating around now for years, and a now army-like array of social media pioneers blue in the face evangelizing, does it seem strange so many smart people are still resistant to change? This Slideshare, recommended back in 2010 via the same document I mentioned, is a primer on starting up effectively any SM arm, big company or small. Here, just for the sake of forward motion, I have embedded it below.
And for those out there wanting the cutting and academic edge to adapt to social-mobile fluency, Forrester’s Nate Elliott is the tip of that sword. So that decision makers reading this share and understand the connection here, the “news” Text100 was trying to disembark, the messages those environmental concerns are tweeting, and the evangelists such as Elliot up there have researched, this is all about “have to” strategies for business, not “want to” – those energy customers carry lots of different voting mechanisms. Start thinking about communicative business, as Elliot and others content:
“No piece of the model is naturally more important than any other.”