Lure and learn

by Aaron Goldfeder

Utilities and other organizations running energy efficiency programs have a demand problem. Smart investments in home energy efficiency–in unexciting upgrades like insulation, air sealing, duct sealing and furnaces–can almost immediately provide positive returns on investment (ROI). But consumers aren’t looking for those upgrades when they think about energy efficiency. What are they looking for?

High efficiency windows and solar panels. When it comes to saving energy in a home, these are the terms homeowners are searching for online. Why do people want expensive products that take 15 to 30 years to provide a return on investment? Because they’re easy to visualize and therefore come to mind more easily, especially when compared to duct sealing and insulation.

Utilities and businesses promoting ROI-driven home energy efficiency might think that they shouldn’t provide information about the “bad” ROI investments (renewable energy or windows) on their websites, but they might want to reconsider. By creating content that relates to what people are looking for, you can attract homeowners to your website through natural searches, then educate and redirect them toward more cost-effective energy-saving measures. It’s the online version of “bait and switch”–call it “grab and educate” instead.

From Education to Emotion

Unfortunately, there is a bit more to it than education.