Yes, but Is It Good?

As a utility communicator, we’ve all had someone come to us and say: “Can you get this on the website? Thanks.” While the request isn’t exactly inspiring, there’s a certain satisfaction in checking that box and moving forward.

Box-Checking Isn’t a Very Lofty Goal Is It?

I get to meet a lot of utility communicators from across the country. Wherever I go, I see creativity, pride, and a willingness to share. Knowing the great things people are capable of tells me that the real measure of our success is not just getting something done, it’s about getting it done well and about content doing what it’s supposed to do. So, when someone says “get this on the website,” consider these three questions:

• Is it useful?
• Is it understandable?
• Will it be seen?

As the ‘comms person’ your management team is relying on your expertise and perspective to do the job well.

They’re not really asking you to check boxes, they’re asking you to bring your special gift to the task.

So, let’s make sure you are armed with the right tools and tactics to finish the task in a manner worthy of a world-class utility communicator!

Is It Useful?

I admit this is a loaded question. Different content is useful to different site visitors. Arguably, some content goes onto the website for compliance and regulatory purposes and may rarely if ever be seen. Still, we should always begin with an appeal to the usefulness of the content.

Think of the site visitor and remember: You aren’t the hero of the story: they are!

That’s the essence of visitor-focused design. How should we share your information while keeping the site visitor’s needs front and center? By roleplaying. Just sit down and pretend to be on the other side. What would you seek? What would you need to see to meet that need? Think of the kinds of things you would seek from your bank? Car dealership? Cell phone provider? And apply those to your utility. Ask why a person might come looking for:

• Critical information during an emergency (Pro tip: The Alerts App can quickly get critical info to the top of the home page!)
• Benefit programs like conservation rebates and scholarships
• Local feature and human-interest stories (Pro tip: The News Release App makes these easy to share on social media!)
• Technical details about interconnections or construction
• Regulatory, and compliance information

Sit in their shoes and pretend that you need that information. The person who needs line extension information might not yet live in your area. That’s important intel. They may be unfamiliar with the terrain, the road names, or the distance to your office. They will likely take care of this personal business in the evenings when your staff isn’t available. So, you should leverage an advanced webform that’s always available even when your team isn’t.

Is It Understandable?

This hinges on your ability to present information. That’s why you’re in the chair right? My go-to technique is called the Information Ladder: Start simple, then add detail, then provide full depth. So think in terms of the Information Ladder (The technical name is Progressive Disclosure ; )

• Layer one: Answer the question they are seeking in the simplest way possible. Distill the idea into its simplest form and write it into one sentence. Remember to speak to their question, not necessarily your answer.
• Layer two: Introduce the necessary details. This could be a few sentences, or a bullet list. Don’t go all the way into the weeds yet, just help them know if they’re in the right place.
• Layer three: Provide all technical, regulatory, and pricing details. For pricing, you might consider using the Powerful Rate Plans App. We know that prices change over time. The Rate Plans App allows you to store pricing information in ONE place and then display that information wherever needed on the website. When prices change, you don’t have to try to recall everywhere that information is listed. Just update it in the app, and the changes will automatically update wherever they are displayed.

Will It Be Seen?

People come to your utility website hunting for what they need. The visitor is in control and your job is to anticipate how they will navigate and lay the content in front of them in a way they will easily find.

• Where do they look first?
  • Main menu?
  • Footer?
  • Search Tool?
  • It could be any of these, so plan accordingly. Try a live test with a colleague and ask them to find something. Not their preference and repeat this test a few times. However you decide to put the content, try searching for it and ensure it appears high in the results. Pro tip: make sure that outdated content does NOT appear.
• What search terms would you use?
  • Seed your pages with plain language words that match the terms the site visitor would use – which might be different than your own technical names. For example, when you say net metering, others might simply say solar, or rooftop solar.
• Don’t bury things. Most of your web pages can exist in 1st or 2nd level navigation.
• Don’t forget your sidebar. People can be on one page and your side bar is a like a free advertisement for related pages.

Reach out to us! We’ve built over 300 utility websites and we have loads of real behavioral data. We also have people dedicated specifically to content strategy!

Form Follows Function

When you design a cool brochure, you wouldn’t transform that directly into a billboard right? You would need to alter the form to fit the function. So, when you create print material, remember that it will need to change when repurposed for web – this is especially true for your magazine/newsletter content. Here are some easy steps to repurpose that content:

1. Start with your existing work and edit the content down to 600 words or less (if possible)
2. Edit the text a bit and consider the “Information Ladder” to create layers of understanding
3. Create a plain page (or News Release Page)
4. Choose a great hero image with a lot of margin so it displays well across all types of screen
5. Add 1-2 supporting images. As you upload them into your gallery, be sure to add the alt text and the description. (Never use images that have text built into the image.)
6. If the page is a high-priority to your organization, consider a more visualized experience

In the end, your role isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about making every piece of content serve a purpose. When it’s useful, understandable, and visible, you’re not just posting to the website you’re building trust, strengthening relationships, and showing the value of a world-class communicator. A few extra minutes of planning and roleplaying, will do wonders for your content.

So the next time you are asked: “can you get this on the website” pause and ask the real question: Yes, but is it good?