Analysis of mainstream and social media opinions of Marcellus Shale development.
Industry sponsered survey conducted by Gregory FCA Communications and GoMarcellusShale.com using data from Nielsen Online’s BuzzMetrics.
Key Takeaways for Shale Player Communication Strategies
Key Takeaway 1: Marcellus Shale has become a focal point of public interest in natural gas development and a lightning rod for media and online scrutiny and interest.
Key Takeaway 2: There appears to be a disconnect between how traditional media are perceiving Marcellus Shale development and how sentiment is being reflected in social media. In social media—which presumably is closer to real sources and user‐generated opinions—sentiment is more positive than what is currently being reflected in traditional media.
Key Takeaway 3: There appears to be a disconnect between traditional media’s more negative coverage of gas companies and sentiment that appears online for these same companies.
Key Takeaway 4: While public opinion toward Marcellus Shale is taking a drubbing in traditional media, natural gas is being covered positively by the media. Shale players need to align their communications strategies to the positive sentiment of natural gas, instead of the negative sentiment of Marcellus Shale development.
Key Takeaway 5: Shale developers need to speak more intensively with social media audiences about the benefits of natural gas in order to directly support the beliefs and opinions of the general public with the intent that this effort will eventually win more favorable coverage by traditional media.
Key Takeaway 6: The media has clearly taken a more negative perspective in their coverage of Marcellus Shale development, as compared to other major U.S. shale plays, with the exception of Utica Shale.
Key Takeaway 7: The meaning of words: The term “fracking” is more generally associated with lower sentiment than terms such as “horizontal drilling” and “natural gas drilling.” Even the terms “hydraulic fracturing” and “hydraulic fracking” are generally associated with more positive sentiment than the term “fracking.” Word choice is important in the court of public opinion.