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Top Marketing Trends for Utilities in 2025

This is shaping up to be a transformative year for the utility industry.

With advancements in technology, more personalized content and a greater focus on energy equity, utility marketers have the opportunity to build stronger customer relationships than ever before in 2025.

It’s a new year — and that means a fresh start to your marketing strategy. Discover the top utility industry trends shaping the future of utility communications in 2025 and beyond.

Meeting Customer Expectations With Hyper-Convenience

In today’s fast-paced world, customers increasingly seek greater convenience from every company they interact with, whether their favorite online retailer or energy provider.

Consumers demand services that are easy, fast and tailored to their needs and preferences. This trend, known as hyper-convenience, will continue to gain momentum as customers become accustomed to more convenient and streamlined experiences.

To keep up, energy providers must incorporate utility industry trends into their marketing strategies and provide outstanding customer experiences, from personalized communications to easy access to programs, services and resources.

Graphic listing examples of utility hyper-convenience from industry trends

Examples of utility hyper-convenience include:

Multichannel engagement: Engaging with utility customers through their preferred channels, whether a mobile app, website, text message or voice assistant.
One-click transactions: Adopting simple, user-friendly processes for everything from bill payment to program enrollment.
Proactive notifications: Keeping customers informed with real-time updates on outages, energy usage and billing.

Key takeaway: Showcase hyper-convenience initiatives in marketing campaigns to highlight how your utility is simplifying customers’ lives and keeping up with utility industry trends.

According to Matt Buecker, Senior Manager of Marketing and Customer Education at Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), utilities should focus on making every touchpoint in the customer journey as convenient as possible, from bill pay to program enrollment. Buecker also emphasizes the importance of continuously improving digital experiences to meet ever-changing customer expectations.

“As utilities, we do a lot of things with the goal to improve engagement, like creating an app or building a one-click landing page,” Buecker says. “However, we sometimes forget to come back to the experience and make enhancements. We should always be thinking of ways to expand capabilities and make the digital experience even better.”

For example, BGE makes it easy for customers to move their gas or electric service via their website. Moving is oftentimes a stressful experience, but this online form gives customers one less thing to worry about. Customers can choose from starting, moving or stopping their service. The utility also sends segmented emails to renters around the time their lease may be up for renewal to educate them about this convenient service.

Another example of digital trends in utilities is PSEG Long Island’s MySmartEnergy Portal, which makes it easy for residential and business customers to take control of their energy use. Accessible through the utility’s My Account, the portal allows customers to see their daily, weekly and monthly usage and track potential causes for higher or lower usage, such as weather changes or installing energy-efficient appliances.

Personalizing the Utility Customer Experience

In today’s modern world, personalization goes beyond adding a customer’s name to an email subject line. Utilities use advanced data analytics to deliver content and programs that align with individual preferences.

Examples include sharing energy-saving tips tailored to a customer’s home or sending relevant rebates to electric vehicle owners. One of the most essential utility industry trends in 2025, personalization fosters stronger relationships and higher engagement rates.

Graphic listing the best examples of utility personalization from industry trends

Examples of utility personalization include:

Tailored energy insights: Providing customers with personalized energy reports based on their usage patterns, highlighting opportunities for energy savings and cost reductions.
Custom alerts and notifications: Sending real-time updates about outages, billing due dates and energy usage thresholds tailored to individual customer preferences.
Customized email campaigns: Creating targeted email campaigns addressing customer needs, such as financial assistance programs for eligible households.
Localized content: Sharing updates or promotions relevant to specific neighborhoods or regions, such as new projects or community events.

Key takeaway: Customers expect communications that feel relevant and meaningful. Utilities need to invest in personalization to see improved engagement and loyalty.

Utility industry trends, like personalization, allow utilities to address customer needs, concerns and preferences. BGE marketers recognized that an area of their service territory was experiencing lower customer satisfaction due to outage-related issues. To let customers know they understood their concerns about reliability, BGE created targeted messaging for specific zip codes.

“We were able to identify customers in this part of town and how they consumed media,” Buecker says. “Then we took one of our campaigns centered around what we’re doing in the reliability space and targeted those customers. The campaign, which included emails, social media ads and even traditional media like bus shelter advertising, spoke to how BGE is working to make reliability better in their area.”

Personalization can also be used to better connect customers to valuable resources. FirstEnergy utilized SmartVX to connect with 181,200 customers and simplify complicated financial assistance information. The personalized videos used customer data to deliver highly targeted messages about one or more assistance programs.

Thumbnail image from a case study about personalized video trends for the utility industry

In the first four months of deployment, the videos achieved4,802 call-to-action (CTA) clicks and 10,413 unique video views. FirstEnergy achieved a 6.2% engagement rate in program enrollments in 2024, resulting in a 2% increase in engagement from the previous year.

“We particularly appreciated the ability to personalize the content for each of our income-eligible customers, a feature that significantly enhanced the effectiveness of our outreach,” says Nicole Frankenberry, Assistant Business Analyst at FirstEnergy. “The option to provide information in Spanish was a thoughtful addition, allowing us to better serve our customers and foster inclusion.”

Revolutionizing Customer Engagement With AI

One of the top digital trends in utilities today, Artificial Intelligence (AI), has become a game-changer for how utilities interact with their customers. From personalizing customer experiences to providing self-service options, AI enhances efficiency and satisfaction across the board.

By embracing AI, utilities can build stronger customer relationships, increase operational efficiency and achieve program goals. Utilities that invest in this utility industry trend will be better positioned to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s energy landscape.

Graphic suggesting ways that utilities can use AI to stay ahead of industry trends

By leveraging AI, utilities can:

Deliver personalized experiences: AI helps utilities analyze customer data, such as energy usage patterns, preferences and demographics, to create highly personalized messages.
Enhance efficiency: Manual processes can be time-consuming and prone to error. AI automates routine tasks, like email segmentation, message optimization and data analysis, saving time and improving accuracy.
Drive engagement: AI-powered tools can create compelling, data-driven content that resonates with customers, boosting engagement rates across multiple channels.

Key takeaway: AI empowers utilities to deliver personalized experiences, enhance operational efficiency and drive customer engagement through data-driven insights.

Generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Copilot, can be invaluable utility industry trends for customer-facing communications. Utility marketers often communicate to customers about complex topics containing technical industry lingo. AI can make these complicated topics more understandable and easily digestible to the average customer.

“I think AI is very helpful when it comes to communicating about these complex topics we deal with on a daily basis,” says Alex Trefry, Public Relations Specialist at Colorado Springs Utilities. “For example, you can tell AI to write at a sixth or eighth grade reading level.”

Another example of digital trends in utilities, Colorado Springs Utilities uses AI for sentiment tracking on social media. This tool allows the utility to track customer feelings and attitudes toward marketing campaigns, public service announcements and other social media posts.

“It’s a great way to ensure the messaging we have is on the right track, and if not, discover ways to adjust the tone to better connect with customers,” Trefry says. “There still needs to be that human involvement every step of the way, but it’s very useful for making sure our messages have the impact we intend them to have.”

Example of a social media post from the utility industry

Georgia Power‘s Marketing and Communications team plans to use AI to identify customers with higher bills during peak energy seasons. This utility industry trend will enable the utility to send personalized communications, such as directing eligible customers to energy assistance programs before they seek help.

These proactive communications will provide customers with a positive experience and reduce inquiries to the utility’s call center. AI can also help the utility with marketing tasks at scale, such as pulling customer data (e.g., zip codes, income level) and targeting customers with beneficial programs.

Example of a utility webpage promoting low income assistance programs

Preparing for the Future

As utility industry trends gain even more momentum in 2025, professionals are embracing these innovative tools and prioritizing customer-centric strategies. From leveraging AI to meeting customer demands for hyper-convenience, utilities are reshaping how they communicate and connect with their customers to build stronger relationships and foster greater trust in an ever-evolving landscape.

Learn how Questline Digital can help your utility incorporate these top trends into your marketing communications.

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Utility Crisis Communications: Best Practices + Examples

A crisis for a utility isn’t a matter of if, but when. Some emergencies arrive with warning signs, while others strike without notice — severe weather events to power outages and water main breaks. As an essential service provider, you carry a dual responsibility: restoring critical infrastructure and keeping your customers informed every step of the way. This crucial role requires a carefully crafted utility crisis communications plan built on proactive preparation and transparent engagement.

Why Do You Need a Utility Crisis Communications Plan?

Today’s customers expect instant updates and seamless digital experiences. They’ve grown accustomed to the “Amazon experience” — real-time engagement, transparent communication and immediate response to their concerns. This expectation doesn’t change during a crisis for utilities; if anything, it intensifies.

Recent studies have shown that utility crisis communication significantly impacts customer satisfaction and engagement. Utilities that communicate effectively during outages and other emergencies score notably higher in customer satisfaction metrics than those that fall short.

The key to success lies in proactive planning. When emergency situations arise, there’s no time to develop communication strategies from scratch. Having a well-thought-out plan ensures your utility can respond quickly, consistently and effectively when every minute counts.

Crafting a Comprehensive Utility Crisis Communications Plan

Creating an effective utility crisis communications plan requires careful consideration of multiple factors and scenarios. Here’s where to start:

Identify Potential Emergencies

Every utility faces unique risks. Start by categorizing potential emergencies specific to your operations, such as hurricanes, power outages, grid overload or water main breaks. Understanding these potential scenarios allows you to develop targeted response strategies for each type of crisis. For example, a utility in Tampa, Florida, will have different priorities than one in Anchorage, Alaska.

Prepare Effective Messaging

Develop pre-approved message templates for various scenarios. These templates should be easily customizable to address specific situations while maintaining consistent messaging across all channels, like your website, text, email and social media. Additionally, establish protocols for who can approve and distribute communications during a crisis.

Regular staff training ensures everyone understands their role in utility crisis communication. This training should include customer service representatives, social media managers, PR/media relations employees and leadership teams who may need to speak with the media or stakeholders.

Build Trust in Advance

Crisis management begins long before an emergency occurs. Building strong relationships with customers, community leaders and stakeholders during normal operations lays a foundation of trust that proves invaluable during difficult times. Content marketing plays a crucial role in this trust-building process through strategic storytelling across blogs, infographics, videos, social media, email newsletters and webinars — all designed to educate, inform and empower customers.

For example, Oncor used this Facebook post to showcase the hard work and dedication of its teams. The post highlights linemen working in sub-freezing temperatures, demonstrating its commitment to serving customers, even under challenging conditions.

Example of a social media post to communicate power outage restoration times to utility customers

As another example, WSSC Water provided an inside look into its processes by sharing this step-by-step infographic that explains how water main breaks are addressed, from reporting the issue to completing repairs. Offering clear information and setting realistic expectations reassures customers that their concerns are a priority and that workers are prepared to resolve issues quickly.

Example of a social media post to communicate about a water main break with utility customers

Posts like these educate the public and foster a sense of partnership and transparency long before a crisis arises.

Best Practices for Utility Crisis Communications

When implementing your crisis communications plan, following these best practices can ensure effectiveness.

Provide Communications Ahead of a Crisis (When Possible)

When weather forecasts or other indicators suggest the potential for service disruptions, proactive communication helps customers prepare and demonstrates your utility’s readiness. Encourage customers to sign up for outage text alerts or app notifications and share resources like:

Storm preparation checklists
Safety tips
Your outage map
Your mobile app
Updates about severe weather forecasts
How to report an emergency

Duquesne Light Company (DLC) created a Facebook post ahead of dangerously cold temperatures, noting that while widespread outages weren’t expected, DLC would increase staffing and monitor the forecast in preparation. It also provided tips for staying informed and conserving electricity and shared a link to its outage map and details about warming centers.

Example of a social media post for a utility to communicate a severe weather warning to customers

You can also prepare customers for severe weather and potential outages ahead of storm season. Questline Digital has ready-to-use email templates for outage communications to send during the off-seasons.

Communicate Honestly and Quickly

Transparency builds trust. Share accurate and timely information as it becomes available — don’t wait for a specific time, like the top of the hour. Establish a schedule for updates, but also prioritize urgency when new details emerge. Customers value honesty, even when the news isn’t ideal. Be upfront about the scope of the issue, the challenges your team is facing and the realistic timeline for resolution. This level of transparency helps manage expectations and demonstrates accountability.

For example, if a major power outage affects your service area, let customers know the estimated number of impacted households, what caused the outage and the expected restoration timeline. If you don’t have all the answers immediately, acknowledge this and commit to providing updates as soon as possible. Avoid speculation and focus on facts.

Questline Digital can assist utilities in maintaining transparency and timeliness through its Engage platform. This comprehensive solution enables the rapid deployment of communications across multiple channels, ensuring that critical updates reach customers promptly and consistently. Questline Digital also has crisis email templates for before, during and after emergencies or outages.

Ensure the Right Tone

The tone of your communication matters as much as the content. Aim for a clear, honest, humble and apologetic tone. Avoid sounding defensive or dismissive, which can erode trust and escalate frustration. Acknowledge customer concerns with sincerity and empathy while taking responsibility where appropriate.

Rethink Your Channel Strategy

Modern utility crisis communication requires a multichannel approach. Your message should reach customers wherever they are, whether through email, social media, text alerts or your website. Different channels resonate with different audiences, so a diverse strategy increases your ability to connect effectively.

Michigan’s Consumers Energy exemplifies the importance of a comprehensive channel strategy. During a 2019 polar vortex, the utility had a fire at its largest gas compressor station, disrupting natural gas delivery to two-thirds of its customers for two days in the frigid cold. It immediately executed a multichannel crisis communication strategy that included:

Partnering with the governor’s office to deploy emergency text alerts and TV banner messages
Hosting Facebook Live events featuring the CEO and SVP of Operations
Conducting a statewide press conference
Deploying community affairs teams for door-to-door communications with residents

The results speak volumes about the power of a well-executed utility crisis communication plan: Despite the severity of the incident, Consumers Energy earned the No. 1 ranking in customer satisfaction from J.D. Power in the Midwest Region that same year.

Prioritize Accessibility

Inclusivity is a critical aspect of utility crisis communication. Ensure your messaging is accessible to all customers, including those with disabilities or language barriers. Solutions like Questline Digital’s Engage Global Translate simplify this process by offering instant language translations for webpage content and email messages. With support for 134 languages, customers can select and save their preferred language at the click of a button, fostering a more inclusive engagement experience.

Address Customer Feedback

Monitor social media channels and customer feedback closely during crises. Respond promptly to questions and concerns, even if just to acknowledge that you’re investigating an issue. Timely interaction demonstrates active engagement and concern for customer needs while preventing small frustrations from snowballing into larger issues.

Follow Up After the Crisis

Once the immediate crisis has passed, maintain communication with affected customers. Share specifics about how many people were impacted and how quickly service was restored. Offer resources for recovery and demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement. You can also remind customers how to sign up for outage alerts and access the outage map and mobile app, helping them prepare for future emergencies.

Kentucky Power provides an excellent example of comprehensive final crisis updates. Its Winter Storm Blair restoration summary included detailed statistics on the impact (10,735 customers without power), specific repair information (27 crossarms, 33 poles and 401 spans of wire replaced) and clear completion timelines. Beyond sharing numbers, the utility also provided practical resources for ongoing customer support, including cold weather energy usage education, contact details and mobile app information for future outage monitoring.

Example of a social media post for a utility to communicate storm readiness and outage preparation to customers

Building Trust Through Effective Communications

A well-crafted utility crisis communications plan can demonstrate your utility’s commitment to customer service and community welfare. By focusing on proactive engagement, clear messaging and customer empathy, you can maintain trust even during challenging times.

Don’t wait for the next crisis to begin preparing. Start evaluating and strengthening your communication strategy today. Your customers — and your utility’s reputation — will thank you for it.

Learn how digital engagement solutions from Questline Digital will support your utility’s critical communications needs.

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Utility Self-Service Options Improve the Customer Experience

In today’s fast-paced digital world, utility customers expect seamless and efficient services. To meet these expectations, utility marketers are turning to utility self-service options, which put customers in the driver’s seat of their energy journey.

From chatbots to mobile apps, utility self-service solutions enhance customer satisfaction, build stronger customer relationships and streamline utility operations.

Empowering Customers With Utility Self-Service

Consumers increasingly demand services and solutions that are not only convenient but also personalized, intuitive and accessible anytime and anywhere. A recent study finds that two-thirds of adults worldwide prefer to make or receive online payments. Additionally, 67% of consumers prefer self-service options versus speaking with a company representative.

In fact, “hyper-convenience” is becoming a growing expectation for today’s consumers, no matter the industry. Hyper-convenience goes beyond simply offering online account access. It’s about providing efficient utility self-service tools that empower customers to manage their energy or water use, pay bills and resolve issues without the need for direct assistance.

“Hyper-convenience refers to the ideal level of convenience for today’s customers,” says Matt Buecker, Senior Manager, Marketing and Customer Education at Baltimore Gas and Electric. “Customers expect an instant and seamless process from every company, and that is what they are expecting from their utility, too. Every interaction must be convenient and easy.”

To ensure hyper-convenience, utility self-service has become a cornerstone of the modern energy customer experience. The latest research finds that 88% of consumers expect energy providers to have an online utility self-service portal. Customers want the ability to access account information, pay bills, report issues or explore energy-saving programs at their convenience.

By providing robust utility self-service options, you empower customers to take control of their energy usage and account management, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.

Why utility self-service matters:

Empowers customers: Self-service tools give customers control over their accounts, from paying bills to checking energy usage. This autonomy builds trust and satisfaction.
Meets evolving expectations: Utilities that embrace digital-first solutions align with customer demands for fast, seamless and on-demand services.
Enhances efficiency: Automating routine tasks, such as outage reporting or account updates, reduces the burden on customer service teams and speeds up resolutions.
Improves accessibility: Self-service is available 24/7, ensuring customers can manage their accounts at their convenience, not just during business hours.

Illustration showing common reasons why utility self-service options matter.

Chatbots Enhance Convenience

Utility customers want fast answers to their questions, whether it’s about billing, power outages or energy-saving tips. AI-powered chatbots, one of the most effective utility self-service solutions, provide 24/7 support and instant responses to common queries.

According to a recent study, nearly 1.5 million people engaged in at least one conversation with a chatbot over the past year. More so, 51% of customers prefer interacting with AI chatbots for instant service. Integrating chatbots into your utility’s website or mobile app ensures customers have immediate access to help without waiting for a customer service representative.

To guarantee a positive customer experience, chatbots should be equipped to handle a wide range of inquiries and escalate more complex issues to a human agent when necessary.

Last year, Duke Energy designed a mobile app chatbot to help customers with top pain points, including billing and payments. This convenient utility self-service option provides detailed information about payment plans and even guides users through enrollment in autopay or financial assistance programs. In the first three months, Duke Energy’s chatbot logged more than 280,000 customer interactions and 104,000 chat sessions from 55,000 unique users.

Example from Duke Energy of the utility's mobile app chatbot that was designed to help customers with their top pain points.

When considering AI chatbots, utility marketers should keep in mind that this technology may not be preferred by all customers. Illustrating this point, BGE’s focus group research found that many customers appreciated the utility’s friendly customer service representatives and preferred speaking with a human agent.

“One of the comments we received a lot was that customers love calling BGE because they always get a friendly, helpful representative,” Buecker says. “Some customers prefer this way of communication while others want to email us or reach out to us on social media. I think the key is providing the best customer experience possible, no matter the platform.”

Call-out highlighting the importance of making your utility's chatbot intuitive and conversational.

To cater to diverse customer preferences, utility self-service options should be available across multiple channels, including web portals, mobile apps, email and even social media. This availability ensures customers can engage with their utility in a way that’s most convenient for them.

Easy Enrollment in Utility Programs

Customers appreciate simplicity, especially when navigating complex information like energy efficiency rebates or financial assistance programs. By streamlining the process of signing up for programs, services or communications, utilities can make it easier for customers to take action.

To improve the customer experience, it behooves utilities to offer simple, one-click enrollment options on their website or mobile app. This utility self-service solution reduces the friction of signing up for programs and ensures customers can quickly take advantage of beneficial services.

Why easy enrollment processes matter:

Convenience for customers: One-click enrollment eliminates barriers, allowing customers to quickly join programs and services with minimal effort.
Improved conversion rates: A simplified, single-step process reduces drop-off rates during enrollment. Customers are more likely to complete a task when they don’t need to navigate through multiple pages or forms.
Enhanced customer satisfaction: Quick, frustration-free experiences reflect positively on your utility, fostering trust and improving overall satisfaction.

For example, BGE created a convenient utility self-service solution for moving customers. The Customer Operations team developed a streamlined process that allows customers to easily transfer their services to a new address online.

Example of a utility self service option designed for moving customers by Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE).

To promote this convenient solution, BGE’s Marketing team strategically targets frequent movers or renters with tailored promotions. For instance, renters with one-year leases might receive promotions timed to align with the end of their lease term.

Questline Digital collaborated with Duquesne Light Company to develop a streamlined landing page for one-click e-Bill enrollment, making it as easy as possible for customers to make the switch. Monthly personalized email campaigns supported the one-click landing page, culminating in a holiday sweepstakes to drive participation.

Images pulled from Questline Digital's case study about Duquesne Light Company's streamlined one-click bill enrollment campaign.

Duquesne Light Company’s utility self-service solution proved successful, with more than 38,000 customer sign-ups during a seven-month promotion period.

By implementing easy enrollment processes and well-crafted landing pages, utilities can create stress-free user experiences that boost customer engagement, drive program participation and strengthen the utility-customer relationship.

Call-out highlighting the importance of creating clear, concise landing pages.

Mobile Apps: A Must-Have for Utilities

With a majority of customers relying on smartphones to manage daily tasks, a mobile app has become an essential tool for utilities.

A well-designed mobile app should allow customers to pay their bills, monitor energy usage, report outages and access personalized energy or water usage insights. Push notifications can also alert customers about upcoming bills, service disruptions or program eligibility, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Why mobile apps matter:

24/7 accessibility: Customers can access their accounts, pay bills and report issues anytime, anywhere, without needing to contact customer service. This accessibility is especially valuable during emergencies, such as outages or severe weather events.
Streamlined user experience: A well-designed app provides an intuitive interface for common tasks like viewing energy usage, setting up autopay or managing notifications. Everything customers need is just a few taps away.
Personalized features: Apps can deliver tailored experiences, such as personalized water conservation tips or customized alerts about billing due dates and outages. This level of personalization strengthens customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Push notifications: Utilities can send timely updates, reminders or promotional messages directly to customers’ devices. For example, an app can notify customers about planned maintenance, energy-saving opportunities or new programs.

Customers are increasingly interested in understanding their energy and water usage and how they can save money. Mobile apps that offer personalized insights based on consumption can provide immense value.

Integrating data analytics into your utility self-service options allows you to deliver tailored energy-saving tips or recommend programs that best suit each customer’s lifestyle.

Last year, Georgia Power launched a new and improved mobile app for customers interested in the utility’s self-service options. Through the user-friendly app, customers can quickly and securely pay their bills using convenient options like Digital Wallet. They can also monitor their energy usage, conduct monthly comparisons and even get an estimate of their current month’s bill.

The Future of Utility Self-Service

Utility self-service options are no longer just a convenience – they’re an expectation among today’s customers. By implementing and optimizing tools like AI chatbots, streamlined enrollment processes and mobile apps, utilities can deliver a superior customer experience.

Investing in a robust self-service strategy is a win-win for both customers and utilities, fostering deeper engagement, increased loyalty and improved efficiency.

Discover how Questline Digital can help your utility develop seamless, efficient and effortless self-service options that improve the customer experience.

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How to Effectively Communicate Utility Sustainability Goals to Customers

Utilities nationwide are undertaking significant efforts to improve sustainability and reduce their environmental impact. However, the specifics of these utility sustainability goals and the steps being taken to achieve them are not always clear to the average customer.

In fact, according to J.D. Power, only 21% of U.S. electric utility customers know about their utility’s carbon reduction initiatives. Yet 80% of customers are served by utilities committed to a 100% carbon reduction target. This disconnect signals a need for better communication strategies to bridge the understanding between utilities and their customers.

The “Why” Behind Your Utility Sustainability Efforts

Effective communication helps customers understand the rationale behind a utility’s sustainability initiatives and encourages them to support these efforts. But before developing your strategy or crafting external messages, you must clearly define your utility’s sustainability mission.

Whether driven by regulatory compliance, climate change, environmental stewardship or social responsibility, your “why” shapes every aspect of your communication strategy. When your entire organization understands and embraces your underlying motivators, you can create authentic messaging that resonates with customers.

Strategies for Impactful Utility Sustainability Communication

Successfully communicating your “why” requires a comprehensive approach. Here are six key strategies to enhance your utility sustainability communication efforts:

Illustration showing six key strategies to enhance utility sustainability communication efforts.

Use Multiple Communication Channels

Utility customers come from various backgrounds and prefer different communication methods. To maximize engagement, it’s important to use a multichannel approach, incorporating email newsletters, social media posts, videos, bill inserts and articles. By casting a wide net across various platforms, you ensure your messaging reaches the maximum number of customers and that each customer can access information in their preferred format.

Each channel offers unique advantages. Social media can provide quick, visually engaging updates and allows for two-way communication, while detailed information can be provided through newsletters and articles. Using a mix of channels allows you to meet customers where they are and improves the likelihood that utility sustainability messages will resonate.

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), for example, distributed a press release announcing that it ranked first in the nation in the 2024 J.D. Power Sustainability Index – an evaluation measuring the nation’s largest electric utilities’ customer awareness, support, engagement and advocacy for their local climate sustainability programs and goals. LADWP also made short posts on social media celebrating the achievement to reach a broader audience.

Social media example from LADWP highlighting their ranking in the 2024 J.D. Power Sustainability Index.

Personalize Messaging With Data-Driven Insights

People want to receive information that feels relevant to them. By leveraging customer data, you can segment your utility’s audience and tailor messages to specific demographics, regions or interest levels. Customers in regions affected by extreme weather events may be more responsive to messages about climate resilience initiatives. At the same time, those in urban areas might be more interested in renewable energy investments or water conservation programs.

Advanced data analytics allow you to create customer profiles based on behavior, preferences and energy and water usage patterns, making it possible to send personalized messages that speak directly to each person’s values and needs. These customized messages help customers connect with their utility’s mission on a personal level.

Leverage Storytelling

Storytelling is another powerful tool for making complex utility sustainability topics more relatable and memorable. Customers are more likely to engage with stories that evoke emotion and provide context to utility sustainability initiatives. Share narratives about how your efforts impact local communities, reduce your dependence on fossil-based energy supplies or preserve local water supply.

Highlight employee stories that reflect your utility’s sustainability values. For example, Dominion Energy developed a video and article series called “Faces of Our Sustainable Future.” One video showcased Lisa, a Senior Sustainability Specialist who identifies opportunities to make her workplace greener and works to implement sustainable solutions.

Example image from Dominion Energy's article and video series, "Faces of Our Sustainable Future."

By humanizing your initiatives through storytelling, you create an emotional connection that helps customers understand your sustainability goals.

Visualize Information

Sustainability topics can sometimes be complex and challenging to understand, especially if they involve technical details or unfamiliar concepts. Visual content helps simplify these ideas and make them more digestible. Infographics, videos and animations can break down information into easily understood formats.

An infographic could illustrate how a utility’s energy mix has shifted from fossil fuels to renewables over the years or explain how new energy-efficient technologies benefit both customers and the environment. Videos showing behind-the-scenes footage of a sustainable energy utility’s projects can also capture customers’ attention and make these efforts feel real and relatable.

A collage of some Questline Digital sustainability infographic examples.

Empower Customers With Resources

To foster support, your utility can empower customers with resources that help them participate in utility sustainability efforts. Providing educational materials about energy-saving practices, explaining renewable energy options and offering guidance on water conservation are ways to help customers feel they’re part of the sustainability journey. E-newsletters can help deliver these resources and build engagement by going beyond promotions and transactional messages.

Dedicated webpages also give customers easy access to a one-stop shop for utility sustainability information and tools. Georgia Power, for example, has an environmental stewardship webpage that includes resources for caring for the natural world, both at home and in the community. There are tips for saving energy at home, a link to enroll in paperless billing, a tool for calculating how much money and greenhouse gas emissions can be saved by switching to an electric vehicle (EV) and more.

Example from Georgia Power's customer-designated environmental stewardship webpage.

Empowering customers might also involve sharing information on rebates for energy-efficient appliances, setting up online portals for tracking personal energy usage, running community workshops on sustainable energy practices or hosting live webinars with utility experts. When customers feel they have the knowledge and tools to contribute, they’re more likely to appreciate and support the broader goals for utility sustainability.

Be Transparent

Transparency is at the heart of responsible communication. Customers value honesty, especially when it comes to utility sustainability, where “greenwashing” (the practice of making misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service) has become a growing concern. Utilities that openly share their successes and challenges gain greater credibility and customer trust.

It’s important to regularly update customers on your utility’s progress toward sustainability goals. For example, PSEG releases regular reports to demonstrate its impact and continued focus on key sustainability efforts. Its most recent report gave updates on company achievements and priorities for a wide range of topics, including air emissions, energy efficiency and waste minimization.

Cover image from PSEG's 2023 Sustainability Report.

Other ideas for transparent communications include creating a dedicated webpage or a regular newsletter section that offers progress reports on specific goals, such as emission reductions or water conservation efforts. You can also share quick updates on social media of your utility’s wins.

Being transparent about achievements andchallenges shows customers your utility’s commitment to genuine sustainability rather than only presenting a positive image.

Becoming a Leader in Utility Sustainability Communication

At a time when customers are increasingly interested in environmental issues, utilities have an opportunity to position themselves as sustainability leaders. By effectively communicating utility sustainability goals, you can foster customer support and contribute to a broader cultural shift toward environmental responsibility, benefiting both your utility and the communities you serve.

The path to sustainability is a shared journey. Find out how Questline Digital’s solutions can help you engage, educate and empower customers to join you in building a more sustainable future.

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Invest in Your Utility’s Future with Engaging Communications

Engaging communications are not just a tool for day-to-day interactions — they’re an investment in your utility’s future, driving satisfaction, loyalty and participation across programs. As customer expectations shift toward proactive, digital and personalized communications, utilities face the opportunity to create meaningful touchpoints that not only keep customers informed but also foster stronger, long-term relationships. Utility customer engagement depends on having an active role in your customers’ lives.

An effective communication strategy can increase customer awareness and participation in programs, support education efforts and improve the perception of your utility within the community. But achieving this success goes beyond simply delivering messages; it requires developing content that resonates with specific customer segments, using data as a guide and choosing the right communication channels to maximize utility customer engagement. As utilities across the country adopt advanced metering, renewable energy programs and other forward-thinking initiatives, investing in clear, accessible and engaging communications has never been more critical.

Customer-Centric Messages Drive Utility Customer Engagement

Today’s utility customers expect more than just reliable service. They want meaningful, transparent communications that show their utility understands their needs and is working to better serve them. Crafting customer-centric messages means focusing on clear, empathetic language that addresses common pain points, such as high bills, energy and water usage and ways to save money. A customer-centric approach reassures customers that their concerns are understood and prioritized, fostering a strong foundation of trust and driving utility customer engagement.

Developing segmented messaging strategies is one way to make sure your utility caters its communications to different customer groups. For example, high-energy users might appreciate tips on energy efficiency and seasonal savings, while new water customers might need an introductory welcome guide to your utility’s services and programs. By personalizing outreach based on customer segments, you ensure each message feels relevant and valuable. This personalization also ensures your utility addresses specific questions and proactively solves issues before they arise.

In addition to tailoring content, transparency is key. For example, you could provide an easy-to-follow video explaining balanced billing, like Questline Digital developed for PSEG Long Island.

Thumbnail image showing utility customer engagement through PSEG Long Island's Balanced Billed video.

Maybe your utility delivers upfront information about rate changes or prompt updates during outages or service disruptions. When choosing the type of communication to prioritize, it’s important to understand your customers’ pain points and potential challenges. Showing customers that you understand these challenges and are actively working toward helpful solutions will lead to a more positive utility customer engagement experience. Additionally, when customers see their utility’s commitment to clear, honest communication, they’re more likely to view their utility as a trusted partner.

Maximizing Customer Engagement with Multi-Channel Communications

To ensure a strong and secure future for your utility and customers, it’s important to prioritize reaching customers effectively and meeting them where they are on their preferred platforms and channels. A multi-channel communications approach keeps your messages accessible and impactful, whether customers interact with you through email, social media, text messaging or a mobile app. Each channel has unique strengths and allows customers to choose how they prefer to engage with your utility. By diversifying your approach, you increase the chances that your message will reach customers in a way that’s both convenient and memorable, thus continuing to drive utility customer engagement.

Additionally, consistency is imperative when using multiple channels. Regardless of the platform, each communication should reflect the same tone, messaging and call-to-action to give customers a cohesive experience across touchpoints. This unified approach builds recognition and trust as customers come to recognize and anticipate your utility’s unique voice. For example, if you’re running a winter preparedness campaign, the same key points can be echoed through emails with seasonal tips, social posts with quick reminders and texts with links to emergency resources. Consistency across these channels reinforces your message and keeps it top of mind.

Example of outage communications utilities can use to boost customer engagement.

Finally, a multi-channel approach opens the door to valuable data that will help your utility continue to invest in its customers. By tracking utility customer engagement rates across different platforms, you can learn more about where and how your customers prefer to engage, helping you to define the proper methods for outreach. If a particular group of customers is highly responsive on social media but not as active on email, that insight can guide your next campaign. Using data to continually adjust your multi-channel strategy allows your utility to maintain high utility customer engagement levels and continuously improve customer satisfaction.

Leveraging Data to Drive Engagement

Data is one of the most powerful ways your utility can invest in its future. It helps you better understand customer behaviors, preferences and needs, which in turn helps you better strategize your communications to drive utility customer engagement. Analyzing data from various areas, such as program sign-ups, energy or water usage patterns and social media, allows you to uncover utility customer engagement trends and tailor outreach accordingly.

For example, if data shows that customers prefer text updates about power outages or service interruptions versus email communications, your utility can proactively develop and send SMS messages with alerts and resources. Leveraging this type of data empowers utilities to address specific customer needs, further driving utility customer engagement, satisfaction and trust.

Additionally, reviewing data helps utilities better understand exactly who their audience is and what they need. No two customers are the same, and data-driven insights allow for more personalized approaches to communication and utility customer engagement. Segmenting communications based on customer needs and interests will continue to drive utility customer engagement as you provide acutely relevant information and resources.

For example, FirstEnergy was able to deliver very personalized communications through Questline Digital’s SmartVX personalized video program. The utility wanted to increase awareness and enrollment in state and federal financial assistance programs. Using SmartVX, FirstEnergy delivered relevant, personalized information to customers about programs they were eligible for.

Each video was customized with an introductory mention of the FirstEnergy operating company, the account holder’s name and information on one or more financial assistance programs that could be a great fit for their needs. Spanish versions were also created to engage with FirstEnergy’s diverse customer base. The videos were highly successful, achieving a 6.2% engagement rate in program enrollments in 2024, resulting in a 2% increase in engagement from the previous year.

Example of utility customer engagement with FirstEnergy's SmartVX personalized videos.

Data also allows your utility to see the effectiveness of your communications, helping you continuously improve your strategy. Tracking metrics like open rates, click-through rates and customer satisfaction scores gives utilities real-time feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. This information will help your utility continue to invest in things that are working and put time, energy and attention toward new activities when something doesn’t prove successful. This flexibility will help drive increased utility customer engagement and satisfaction in the long run.

Utility Customer Engagement — Worth the Investment

Investing in utility customer engagement isn’t just about driving immediate results but building long-term trust and loyalty. For utilities, engaged customers are more likely to enroll in new programs, embrace digital tools and positively respond to rate changes or service updates. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to demonstrate value, provide meaningful support and strengthen the customer relationship.

In today’s world, a commitment to customer engagement is a commitment to future success. By investing in communications that prioritize the customer experience, utilities can stay ahead of changing needs and ensure their services continue to meet the highest standards of satisfaction and reliability. The returns on this investment are clear: stronger, more engaged relationships with the customers and communities that utilities serve.

With Questline Digital’s support, investing in engaging communications becomes a smart investment in your utility’s long-term success.

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