Supporting Groundbreaking Offshore Wind Development in Maryland and Delaware
644 news articles
mentioning US Wind in 2023
All social platforms boosted their audience followers by double and triple-digit percentages
278% increase
in LinkedIn followers
Social Influence Score increased
by two points in 2022
Overview
US Wind, an offshore wind development company, is building Maryland’s first offshore wind projects that will create more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes in the region. The offshore wind energy industry in the United States is relatively young, making it challenging to maintain a positive media presence and build a robust digital footprint. The Hatcher Group has partnered with US Wind to maintain and enhance their media relations, social media engagement, and website presence. Hatcher’s work with US Wind taps our expertise in media relations, digital media, behavior change, disinformation and misinformation management, and website maintenance and management.
Challenge
The offshore wind energy industry in the United States is relatively young and there can be uncertainty around new energy technologies, making it challenging to maintain a positive media presence and build a robust digital footprint. There is a lack of awareness among the public, questions around the reliability of renewable energy technology, NIMBYism, and other opposing political and economic interests, and a challenging regulatory environment that can take years to navigate. Together, these hurdles can create difficulties in garnering support for offshore wind development despite its clear benefits to decarbonization, job creation, and energy independence.
Solution
Our partnership with US Wind has ensured they have their fingers on the pulse of the local, state, and national media landscape around offshore wind; they successfully roll out announcements of their community economic and environmental partnerships; their social media accounts are growing and engaging audiences while managing disinformation; and their website is fresh and up-to-date with the latest facts on their projects’ progress.
Securing support for offshore wind through the media landscape
To ensure a strategic approach to media engagement, we researched and developed a proactive media strategy. Hatcher drafted, edited, and sent press releases and statements announcing milestones—such as progress to permitting status, federal approvals, and positive community engagement—to local and national reporters. In addition, we monitored all related media coverage and delivered timely news clips to their executive team and board of directors. We also continued leading responses to reporter inquiries, updated the media strategy on a quarterly basis, and consulted the company biweekly, all to adapt to changes and challenges in the media landscape. The executive team relies on Hatcher to respond to reporter inquiries quickly and effectively and our response coordination take advantage of opportunities to place statements for publication in relevant articles.
Boosting US Wind’s digital presence
US Wind has engaged with Hatcher’s digital media expertise since the onset of our work in 2022, including full management of US Wind’s three social media accounts (LinkedIn, X, and Facebook). Our social media strategy focuses on increasing engagement with influential followers and partners, increasing the cadence of social media posts, and focusing on topics like the benefits of offshore wind, job creation, and community relations efforts to combat negative sentiment. To expand their digital media footprint, Hatcher developed and manages a US Wind YouTube page. Hatcher’s social media strategy and implementation has improved the strength of their social media presence by growing their following and deepening engagement.
Strengthening US Wind’s online presence
Hatcher also develops and publishes content to US Wind’s website for their various audiences, including press releases and news coverage for the media, as well as frequent updates for mariners to stay in the know about on-the-water research, construction, and other activities. Recently, Hatcher developed web content and outreach products for US Wind’s efforts engaging local minority, women, physically disabled, and veteran-owned businesses in offshore wind sub-contracting opportunities.
Impact
Hatcher’s media strategy and relations efforts have helped US Wind maintain positive coverage among the many challenges facing the renewable energy industry. In 2023 alone, our press releases and media statements resulted in 644 articles mentioning US Wind. Daily media monitoring and organic social media posts have helped the company be ready to respond quickly to narratives in both the traditional and digital media spaces.
Increasing posts and positive messaging across all three social platforms boosted their audience followers by double and triple-digit percentages compared to 2021 before Hatcher partnered with US Wind, with an increase in 278% of followers on their LinkedIn account alone. Hatcher also increased engagement across all three platforms, with LinkedIn seeing almost 18,000 post engagements. Our consistent posting strategy that disseminates positive or factual information on social media contributed to sentiment shifts.
Hatcher’s web content and outreach products successfully engaged local minority, women, physically disabled, and veteran-owned businesses in offshore wind sub-contracting opportunities.
Capabilities
Accessibility
Behavior change
Content
Crisis communications
Earned media
Graphic design
Social media
Strategic communications
Website: design