frackingin the
digital l andscape
2014 Makovsky RepoRt
executive summary
social Media FoR social l icense One of the most under-utilized (and under-valued) tools for earning a social license in the oil and gas industry is social media, which encompasses a whole range of online communications tools and platforms for creating and shar-ing content, including messages, photos and videos. Social media users can quickly and easily organize themselves into communities linked by shared interests and tsimply gain access to a wealth of data about a company or industry.
According to the 2013 Pew Research Internet Project, 73% of online adults use a social media or networking site of some kind, and more than 4 out of 10 respondents report using multiple social networking sites. Analyzing fracking social media mentions from January to July 2014, we found that most of the conversation around fracking is taking place on Twitter from anti-fracking activists and groups.
These anti-fracking individuals and groups are not just organizing and energizing the opposition, they’re doing it in ways that neutralize the oil and gas companies’ bigger budgets.
digital tRUMps tv adveRtisingCompanies that choose to fight the fracking battle with out-moded tactics, such as massive spending on advertising, can expect less than stellar results. TV advertising still has value, but today it’s a tool, not the whole tool chest. In fact, only 25% of our survey’s respondents say they hear about
this issue from TV advertisements, while 77.8% say they hear about it from digital and social media.
Activists have stretched their modest budgets by focusing on more productive social media initiatives — including content-rich micro sites, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube — to provide succinct talking points to the members of their communities and add urgency to their messages. These groups and individuals have used digital and social media to amplify their message, attract new followers and mob-ilize these individuals — making it difficult to achieve a “social license to operate.”
Entering the rough-and-tumble digital and social sphere requires not only new technologies and networks, but a new organizational mindset as well: a mindset that is open to collaboration and interaction.
Facts MatteRGoogle the word “fracking” and the very first entry is an activist site called “Dangers of Fracking,” which references
the movie, Gasland, and urges readers to “help support the FRAC Act.” Meanwhile, here in the real world, the price of gas and oil are down; America is experiencing its first new industrial build in 40 years; and energy independence is more than just a pipe dream. There is simply no way America is going to turn away from natural gas.
All the devices, websites and platforms that support social media produce a tidal wave of data. With the help of detailed analytical tools, a company can better understand activists, identify influencers, look for pat-terns, refine messages, and fine-tune content on the fly.
Using the survey results as a starting point, Makovsky further explored the issue of fracking in social media. Social media conversational data was segmented and filtered using several sophis-ticated analytical techniques to identify trends and make comparisons.
Here are some of our findings as well as commun-ications recommendations for the oil and gas industry:
1. There were approximately 1.3 million mentions of fracking from January to July 2014.
ReCOMMenDAtiOn: In order to gain valuable insights about audiences and conversation drivers, companies must develop social listening programs.
2. The dominant conversation drivers are the environment and legislation.
ReCOMMenDAtiOn: To connect with audiences and shape the conversation, companies must use the insights gained through social listening to tailor their messaging and content.
3. An extremely high volume of industry share of voice is derived from negative viral stories.
ReCOMMenDAtiOn: Companies must proactively monitor for these situations and crisis communi-cations should be applied when appropriate.
4. Anti-fracking groups are generating 2000% more Twitter impressions in the U.S. than supporters.
ReCOMMenDAtiOn: The industry must increase their social followings and share compelling content with more frequency.
5. Anti-fracking individual activists are havinga significant impact at the local level.
ReCOMMenDAtiOn: The industry must empower individuals with factual and interesting informa-tion, and make it easier for them to share it to influence opinions.
deep eXploRation and RecoMMendations
In the U.S., 38% of people
say they hear about
fracking through social media;
41% say internet news.
In the U.S., 71% of people
say that they hear about
fracking every week.
hyDROfRACking (fRACking) COntinues to be a polarizing issue for many Americans. A comp-rehensive survey on fracking conducted from June to July 2014 by Makovsky, one of the nation’s leading integrated communications consultancies believe that fracking is one of the most important environmen-tal issues today. Furthermore, the majority of our survey’s respondents (71%) say they hear about the issue every week.
For companies and associations in the oil and gas space, a social license to operate — reflecting the local community’s acceptance or approval of a project or presence — is emerging as a critical success factor for resource development. A social license is not something you acquire by filing an application and paying a fee. It takes more than money to win the hearts and minds of the communities in which you operate. It takes responsible, ethical behavior; good relationships with all stakeholders; and timely, effective, forth-right communications.
It can be a scary process, ceding power to an outsider — especially an opponent — but people are open to conver-sations and new ways of looking at the world. Talk with them (not at them) and most will listen…and some may pass along a different point of view.
tHe digital oppoRtUnityPublic attitudes about fracking are still in flux. In New York, our survey found that about a third of the public has never heard of fracking. In Ohio, almost three-quarters favor waiting on making up their mind about fracking until more studies are done. And in New York, Colorado and Texas, survey respondents agree that there should be more regulations that ensure energy companies are using fracking in a safe and responsible manner, but they also agree that the process can be done in a safe and responsible manner without harming the environment.
The information flow has irrevocably changed: from the traditional one-way “push” model common to traditional media to a new multidirectional “pull” model, in which a company and its stakeholders are on a more equal footing. Now is the perfect time to effectively use digital and social media to acquire that precious social license by commun-icating the true story of fracking and how it will transform our world.
makovsky.com
insight: The environment is the top concern.
enviROnMent AMeRiCA’s eneRgy neeDs DepenDenCy On fOReign Oil jOb CReAtiOn + the eCOnOMy eneRgy COsts DepenDenCy On fOssil fuels
Q. Is fracking one of the most important environmental issues today?
Q. Are energy needs one of the most important issues today?
wHat aRe yoUR biggest conceRns aboUt FRacking?
How does tHe entiRe coUntRy Feel aboUt FRacking/eneRgy?
43% 13%
57% 87%
yes nO
yes nO
u.s. fRACking Cities
sOCiAl MeDiA pRint news televisiOn ADs
38%
30%
25%
34%
27%
18%
insight: Only 25% of oursurvey’s respondents hear about this issue from TV ads, while 77.8% hear about it from digital and social media.
AlMOst neveR MOnthly bAsis eveRy week just AbOut eveRy DAy
wHeRe do yoU HeaR aboUt FRacking?
insight: The majority of respondents hear about the issue every week.
OuR suRvey wAs delivered via social media, specifically lev-eraging geotargeted Facebook ads to solicit responses. There are two sample sets. The first is from a group of respondents that live in one of nine areas where shale gas is produced or is currently being debated. The second is from respondents that do not live in one of these areas (anywhere in the US) for comparison. In total there were 1600 respondents, 1205 of them are from the nine fracking areas.
How oFten do yoU HeaR aboUt FRacking?
MetHodology
u.s. fRACking Cities
u.s. fRACking Cities
televisiOn news inteRnet news
makovsky fracking tracking survey
15%20%
30%31%
53%
42%52% 43%
35%40%
29%
10%
DenveR, CO
el pAsO, tx
fORt COllins, CO
bisMARCk, nD
ChARlestOn, wv
pittsbuRgh, pA
AlbAny, ny
pieRRe, sD
MiDlAnD, tx
location oF FRacking cities
makovsky.com
3,300gOOgle plus
3,881
insight: The dominant conversation drivers are the environment and legislation.*
*407k MentiOns nAtiOnAlly, 14k in COlORADO
insight: Anti-fracking groups are generating 2000% more impressions in the U.S. and 430% in Colorado.*
* 143k nAtiOnAlly, 4780 in COlORADO, DAtA fROM 20 MOstACtive ACCOunts
insight: Anti-fracking individual activist are shaping the conversation and have a significant impact at the local level.* *3,916 Anti vs 392 pRO MentiOns, DAtA fROM 20 MOst ACtive ACCOunts
conveRsation dRiveRs
twitteR sHaRe oF voice
individUal activists on twitteR
Anti-fRACking pRO-fRACking
u.s.
u.s.
COlORADO
COlORADO
COlORADO
0 25 50 75 100
legislAtiOn eCOnOMy/jObs enviROnMent eneRgy COsts lAwsuits CliMAte ChAnge
eneRgy inDepenDenCe ACCiDents/sAfety
Anti-fRACking pRO-fRACking news
social listening: u.s. and colorado
1,322,000 Mentions
insight: Approximately 1.3 million U.S. fracking mentions were analyzed from January 1st to July 10th, 2014—the majority coming from Twitter.
social listening
1,192,807
122,387
AnADARkObp AMeRiCAChesApeAke eneRgyChevROnCOnOCOphillipsDevOn eneRgyDte eneRgyenCAnAexxOn MObilMARAthOn OilOCCiDentAlshellsOuthwesteRn eneRgy CO.williAMs eneRgy
0 20 40 60 80 100
yOutube
3,300
viDeO
MeDiA
geneRAl
fORuM
blOg
eneRgy coMpanysocial sHaRe oF voice
insight: A largeportion of the fracking conversation happens on social platforms, reinforcing Makovsky’s survey results.
makovsky.com
fOunDeD in 1979, Makovsky is one of the nation’s leading integrated communications consultancies, focused in energy, financial services, professional services, health and tech-nology. The firm attributes its success to its original vision: that the Power of Specialized ThinkingTM is the best way to build reputation, sales and fair valuation for a client. Based in New York City and Washington, D.C., the firm has agency partners in more than 30 countries and 40 U.S. cities through IPREX, the second largest public relations agency partnership, of which Makovsky is the founder.
Makovsky's energy communications experts have an extraordinary record of success help-ing energy clients achieve their business goals. That's because we understand energy on a deeper level. Our energy practice is led by Andy Beck, former head of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy, and our staff has decades of experience working with com-panies just like yours.
We hope that you enjoyed some of our digital insights into the issue of fracking. The data
presented in this report is a subset of the actual data collect and analyzed.
tO leARn MORe about our findings andMakovsky’s advanced social media analytical capabilities, please contact Andy Beck.
andy Beck, Executive Vice President, Energy 202-587-5634 [email protected]
1425 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005
contact
Makovsky eneRgy
makovsky.com
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