Social media has provided us with an unprecedented opportunity to make even the smallest brands global and provides the added bonus that content can go viral worldwide. However, with this new medium, comes a new challenge for industries like Oil and Gas, which still rely on “old school” methods to communicate effectively with their global audience.

The most successful brands in the O&G industry to master social media are @Shell and @BP, why, because they have successfully adopted a brand voice.

Interacting and responding to the general public on social media and putting a ‘human element’ at the forefront of their communications is what these Oil and Gas businesses have done very well.

By successfully adopting a brand voice and by uploading quality content such as commenting to contemporary issues such as investment, oil exploration, the environment etc., onto carefully selected channels they have built a strong social media presence.

A recent tweet by @BP has included most of these essential ingredients. They’ve embedded a cartoon Youtube video in their tweet, as part of their continuing campaign that showcases their investments in America.

BP has 94,000 followers on Twitter. It may not be the Oil and Gas company with the most followers, but it does a great job in sharing news about its business online.

Social media is only set to grow and therefore it presents a prime opportunity to any company in the Oil and Gas industry to spread the word and participate in online conversations. The point is that, in a world where information and choice are available at the touch of a button, whether b2b or b2c brand, it’s no longer enough to simply follow the “old school” approach.

Finally, there is no sure recipe for success when connecting with an audience through social media, specially within the Oil and Gas industry, but one thing is true: brands need to be interactive and timely, and most of all approachable – and that’s the role of social media.

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