What challenges are you facing as a communicator at your electric or broadband company?

Chances are, someone else has been there — and we’ve likely asked them about it on Pioneer’s national award-winning “The StoryConnect Podcast.”

Co-hosts Andy Johns and Megan McKoy-Noe record video podcasts throughout the year and podcast live from industry events, including Calix ConneXions and the Northwest Innovations in Communications conferences. An average of 60 Utility Pioneers tune in to each episode, with a total of more than 12,500 downloads.

With a fresh episode every week, ideas range from broadband labels and artificial intelligence to public speaking tips and internal communication tactics. Did you miss one? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Here are the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the year — plus two bonus episodes!

Top 10 Episodes in 2023

1. “What You Need to Know About New Broadband Labels,” with Jeff Smith, Vantage Point.

Broadband service providers will be required to display government-approved Broadband Fact labels at the point of sale. Vantage Point VP of Public Policy & Advocacy Jeff Smith explains what that might mean for marketers. (January | 102 downloads)

2. “Grant Writing Tips for Communicators,” with Will O’Donnell, Jefferson PUD.

Grant writing has become a significant part of Will’s job. He shares tips for applying for grants and why he thinks communicators — with some help from other teams — can be excellent folks to write the grants. (January | 101 downloads)

3. “How Can You Introduce New Employees to Your Co-op Story?” with Kathryn Green, Southern Rivers Energy.

Retirements and competitive hiring make storytelling critical for staff retention. How can you introduce new team members to your culture and keep them happy? Kathryn Green, of Southern Rivers Energy, shares her co-op’s onboarding process, which turns the first few days on the job into memorable moments. (May | 100 downloads)

4. “What Can LinkedIn Do for Your Company (and Yourself)?” with Karrie Carnes, Bonneville Power Administration.

LinkedIn provides utilities and broadband providers with an important audience segment they may not reach elsewhere. How can communicators make the most of that opportunity for their company and their own personal brand? (January | 97 downloads)

5. “How to Be A Better Public Speaker,” with author and speaker Erick Rheam.

Erick discusses how people who like public speaking — and those who don’t — can improve their skills to become a better communicator. (June | 97 downloads)

6. “For the First Time, Reliability is More Important than Price (and Other Trends),” with Scott Meyer.

Innovative System’s latest study into the habits of rural consumers found that local channels are increasingly important when it comes to video. But for the first time, reliability was a greater priority than price in regard to broadband service. Recorded LIVE at NTCA’s RTIME. (March | 96 downloads)

7. “Crisis Communications,” with Nathalie Strickland, Tennessee Valley Public Power Association.

Nathalie discusses ways to recognize patterns of crises, the first-mover advantage and other keys to being prepared to communicate when something goes really wrong. (January | 96 downloads)

8. “How Can You Engage Your Community to Celebrate Staff?” with Lorri Freeman, Singing River Electric.

After Lorri Freeman asked members for valentines, her co-op was overwhelmed by more than 500 handmade and heartfelt valentine cards. She shares this idea and other ways utilities can celebrate staff throughout the year. (February | 92 downloads)

9. “How Can Artificial Intelligence Support Utility Storytelling?” With Kyle Allwine, formerly with Northern Neck Electric Co-op.

Whether you’re writing a story or creating an image, prompts are key tools to help you effectively work with artificial intelligence. Kyle shares how he uses prompts to deliver different versions of original content and strengthen his storytelling (May | 91 downloads)

10. “How Can the Smart Rural Community Designation Differentiate Your Brand?” with Tim Gilford, LightStream.

After receiving NTCA’s Smart Rural Community designation, LightStream co-branded it with their own brand everywhere to underscore the value of their service. Recorded LIVE at StoryConnect 2023 (April | 79 downloads).

Extra Episode Love

Several of our top-downloaded episodes were published in January or February, gaining traction throughout the year. Here are two more recent episodes we loved, rounding out this year’s list:

“(Soft)Serving The Community With A Broadband Ice Cream Truck,” with Stuart Gregory and Carrie Binns, Bulloch Solutions.

“What’s the Magic Formula for an Engaging Utility Podcast?” with Tiffany Trueblood, Central Alabama Electric Co-op.

“The StoryConnect Podcast” Roots

“The StoryConnect Podcast” plays a critical role in Pioneer’s effort to turn pioneer.coop into a value-packed content resource for Utility Pioneers. Pioneer won two gold 2023 Spotlight on Excellence Awards from NRECA for the cross-channel storytelling strategy: Most Innovative Use of Digital Communication and Best Total Communication Program.

Since the podcast began in 2016, hosts Stephen Smith and Andy have interviewed industry thought leaders to spark ideas for Utility Pioneers. Megan joined the podcast as a host in 2022.

Behind the scenes, Associate Podcast Producer Sarah Wootten works with Lucky Sound Studios to edit the audio, write episode summaries and get the podcast published on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, pioneer.coop and other audio outlets.

Video versions of some episodes were added to this mix thisyear, and Pioneer’s podcast production team wrote an in-depth guide, “How to Stream Stories with Podcasts,” on how to create, launch and promote audio storytelling, too.

Get the free guide:

Ready to tune in? Search episodes by topic at pioneer.coop/podcasts, and subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Want to share your story on one of our podcasts? We’d love to hear from you. Send ideas to hello@pioneer.coop.