Top Messaging Themes That Connect with the Conservation Audience

Purpose of This Research

Using qualitative research to identify key messaging opportunities by analyzing 400 pieces of competitor content, what audience members are talking about & interested in, as well as what’s trending on:

• ‍Organic: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (Twitter), YouTube 
• ‍Paid: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Display, Search, X (Twitter), YouTube
• ‍Owned Media: Blogs, Websites, Emails ‍

To inform new topics, and content opportunities for the environmental audience from June - November 2023.  

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Competitors Analyzed

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Audience Conversation:

What is this audience talking about?

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Audience Interests:

What is this audience interested in?

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Trending Terms:

What terms are trending in this space?

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Competitor Content:

What’s performing for competitors?

This was the only sports-related content bucket that was uncovered in the analysis.

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Competitive Opportunities:

What are people talking about that competitors are posting about as well?

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4-Way Intersection:

What are audience members talking about, what are they interested in and what terms are trending about those topics?

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Art for the Environment

Use art to help tell stories to a broader audience about the environment in a digestible way.

Partner with artists interested in environmental messaging. Parley launched an omnichannel campaign with a shark attack survivor who… only photographs sharks.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: Leverage paid content with this message. Currently, competitors are only focusing on organic channels for art-based content, with a focus on Instagram, Facebook and blog posts.
• The term ‘nature & landscape photography’ was popular in 2022 but saw less interest throughout 2023. In November it saw a +233% search interest increase YoY.
• This audience has an appreciation for the arts. 14% being interested in Arts & Culture. 6% are interested in Photography, followed by Design (2%).

Engagement 21K 

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Engagement 21K 

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*Blog Post

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Technology & Innovation

Introduce viewers to environmentally forward alternatives with a narrative approach.

Discuss (1) the problem you’re trying to solve, (2) what options you have to solve it, (3) why it’s beneficial, (4) how it works.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: Organic YouTube, Instagram and X are where competitors are focusing this content. Try posting on TikTok to avoid more saturated channels.
• The terms ‘urban forest’ (+52%), ‘planet-heating’ (+40%), and ‘rising sea temperatures’ (+8%) have seen YoY growth in search interest.
  (i) Use these terms to create content that addresses potential solutions from a technological lens.
• On average, 13% of the competitor’s audience are interested in Science & Technology.

Views 319K | Engagements 2.7K

Solutions don’t need to be high tech, they can be as simple as new approaches with unique materials. 

Views 61.2K | Engagements 451 

Patagonia uses an X thread to breakdown an interesting Samsung innovation.

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Environmental Education

Break down broad environmental concepts in a targeted and specific way. 

Educate in a way that discusses your topic from a different lens each time: politically, scientifically and conceptually.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: Competitors are using blogs and organic social media. Create “Why” content, like Patagonia’s “Why Do We Keep Buying New Stuff?” that other competitors are not leveraging.  
  Blog posts in this category are about 630 words long.
• The terms ‘environment & climate change’ (+1773%), ‘marine biodiversity’ (+16%), and ‘ocean conservation’ (+4%) have seen YoY interest growth.
  (i) Educate people on broad environmental concepts using these keywords to rank organically online.
• This audience has a deep desire to learn. 19% of the competitor’s audience are interested in Education.

Views 753K | Engagements 54K.

Protect Our Winters uses Paid Search to reach new potential readers. Try Paid Social to leverage that open space.

People want different perspectives about the environment and ways to learn about it.

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Raising Awareness

Show the impact of climate change or social causes in an immediate manner.

This type of content saw +72% more organic social engagement than average across analyzed content.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: This content is on all channels except Paid Social. Create top of funnel ads that raise awareness about a topic, then remarket to viewers with ads that show how they can take action. 
• The term ‘food insecurity’ (+4%) is seeing YoY growth in search interest. Experiment by drawing parallels from your discipline to this crisis.
• 10% of the audience is interested in Animal Welfare, and people asked about 395 questions about animals and the environment over the period. Connect with them by honouring mistreated animals and exposing industry practices that are harming more than helping.

Views 1M | Engagements 63K

Shocked members of society are starting to document and share what they’re witnessing to raise awareness and learn more.

Views 20M | Engagements 1.5M

Spend $793 | Impressions 53K 

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Company Purpose

Use emotion to drive interest in people who are not naturally inclined to take social action.

This type of content saw +15% more ad spend than average engagement across these competitors’ analyzed content.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: This content is saturated on organic social media. Create content for blog posts, email and paid social awareness campaigns. 
• ‍People need the “why” to buy into your brand and your message. If viewers don’t know why you support a cause, or why you care, it is hard to connect. Videos represented 47% of the analyzed content.
• Apply this concept not only to you but your ambassadors in feature posts. Patagonia does this well in this post, connecting a climbing athlete to their connection to the land.

A very interesting conversation on the psychology of “deserving something” when it comes to attention and convincing people to take action on issues.

Spend $16K | Impressions 1M

Views 7K | Engagements 187

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How to Make a Difference

Make actionable and direct opportunities for prospects who don’t know where to start.

This type of content saw a +22% higher read rates than average compared to analyzed email content.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: Post this content on organic social. Competitors use email, blogs and paid search to promote their programs.
• ‍Promote skill-forward applications. 
  (i) Patagonia’s Action Works pairs people with tangible skills in design, for example, to non-profits that need that support.
• Blog posts tend to average 330 words, simply stating the issue with a direct way to take action.

This is +91% higher than the average read rate of the competitor’s analyzed emails (11%).

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Human Impact

People asked about 303 questions about this topic from June to November 2023.

Be a leader in the conversation about the impact humans have on the environment.

• Create a series that takes man-made disasters and analyzes them from a retrospective lens. 
• Discuss what really went wrong, how it has impacted the environment and people over time and what could have been avoided or prevented for the future.

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Kids & Environment

People asked about 40 questions about this topic from June to November 2023.

Children are eager to learn in the right setting—create content to educate them.

• YouTube is a huge platform for children’s content. This report from 2022 discovered that within 6 months the top children channels generated 71B views.
• Creators are making their own content for kids to address climate change while educating them on how to make an impact.

Views 166M | Engagement 2.6M 

This viral video is 45 seconds and shows a girl getting involved in helping replant a tree.

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Initiatives

People asked about 355 questions about this topic from June to November 2023.

Be results-forward from previous initiatives. People want to know exactly what comes of your actions.

• Partner with more D2C brands. Audience members are often talking about brand partnerships—they are interested in them but curious about what exactly they do.
• Highlight your ambassador’s work & accomplishments with your organization.

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Broader Implications

People asked about 280 questions about this topic from June to November 2023.

Be realistic and straight-forward with your content. 

• People want to know what happens if they don’t take action.
• Create segmented blog content that addresses various aspects of ocean conservation and how each element could affect the future if not properly maintained. 

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Athletes in Action

Celebrate the environment by showing how people use its landscapes.

This type of content saw +8% more organic social engagement than average across analyzed content.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Channel Whitespace: This content is predominantly on organic social channels with some YouTube and Display advertising. Try adding athlete content to emails and blog content to rank for your ambassador’s names. 
• Outdoor sports like hiking and camping have the highest sports affinities amongst this audience. 
• To reach the sports audience, continue integrating marketing plans with your athletic ambassadors. Have them create content performing their craft, write about their competitions and share their athletic journeys.

Views 465K | Engagements 37K

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Engagements 1K

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Spend $7.3K | Impressions 489K

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References:

1. IN FOCUS: MIKE COOTS

2.The Paris Agreement For Dummies: Part 1