A few weeks ago, Mobility Portal España published its ranking of the 100 main eMobility influencers on Linkedin nationwide.
Third place went to Ferran Menescal Miralles, Sales Manager Iberia at KEMPOWER, with more than 30,000 followers on the largest professional social network.
He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the UPC University of Barcelona and in recent years has focused on facilitating the decarbonisation of transport to build a more sustainable environment.
Today, he engages in a one-on-one dialogue with this media outlet to learn in detail what his “behind the scenes” of a daily life marked by a balance between work in the eMobility world and its multiplatform influence is like.
Ferran, how do you feel about the term “influencer”?
I am not flattered. I prefer to be called a popularizer or evangelizer of electric mobility.
How does this question of being an evangelizer work?
My work is more about teaching and influencing, to open people’s minds to electric mobility.
I am not trying to convince, but to explain what I believe about electric mobility and where the future is going.
When did you first get into the world of online influence?
Since I entered the electric mobility sector, about 7-8 years ago.
I started it as a hobby, something I enjoy, and it has allowed me to connect with many people.
It is a balance between my work and my passion for electric mobility.
What was the platform that served as a gateway to this world?
Initially as a social media user, I have Facebook and Instagram on a personal level.
Obviously, I have never wanted to become a professional and it has always been just one more thing for me, friends, family and others.
In fact, many people who ask me for applications are not like Ferran Menescal, who is how I am on Instagram and I decline it because it is not really a professional profile.
Then, on LinkedIn, I’ve always liked it. I set a limit for myself, which is one post a day maximum.
How do you work on that daily post?
I have a folder on my phone with random photos and every morning, when I’m with the little one giving him a bottle or with the girls getting dressed for school, is when I make the post of the day.
You talk about your children and we often see them in your posts. How do you create a balance between an eMobility influencer Ferran and a more “private” Ferran?
I had to lock my personal profile because it was too much mixed up with my professional life.
In the electric mobility sector, we are in a bubble of believers in the electric transition, but sometimes the content falls on people who do not believe and complex debates arise.
Have you ever had any doubts about showing the “little ones” in your posts?
For me, it’s about being more natural. If my children are part of my electrified life, they are also part of the message. It’s their future too.
I always say that Gala, Lola and Bosco have a zero-emission footprint because they have only travelled by electric car.
Recently, an older lady recognized me from my videos and noticed that I had a third child.
It’s funny how people follow your life and that makes you closer.
Back to the posts, do you have a fixed schedule?
It’s always early.
People say to me: “Do you write your message in real time at 5 or 6 in the morning?”
I say yes, because I’m already standing in the morning and that’s when I throw it.
And… is that where it all ends?
No! Then, throughout the day, I have time to respond to comments and generate debate.
I think it is important not only to send a message, but also to respond, give feedback and reply.
Your LinkedIn posts often become a discussion panel…
Interesting conversations are created between people who may not even know each other, but they provide feedback and answers to each other.
It’s cool to see a dialogue with several people talking about the same topic and generating many messages.
How do you position yourself in the face of so many messages?
Sometimes I take a more passive stance, other times I intervene more actively. It depends on the comment.
If it’s something cool, like electric boats, the reviews are usually positive.
But if it is a message that creates controversy, you have to mediate and respond in the best way possible, both to those who disagree and to those who support you.
Compared to Twitter, the social network for users with character, how do you handle LinkedIn?
On Twitter, people behave worse because it’s more anonymous.
On LinkedIn, since it is a first and last name and they know the company, everyone is evaluated more.
Twitter is like the social network for angry people. On LinkedIn, people are more gentle and more careful about what they post.
Is creating content an easy task?
It’s not, you always have to find a balance between posting your brand and other things.
Sometimes it’s Kempower stuff, sometimes it’s electric mobility stuff, but I always try not to put an obstacle in the way of the transition.
That is, always thinking about evangelizing electromobility.
Do you have examples of how to achieve this?
Even if you see a charger that doesn’t work or a user who misuses it, sometimes you hold back a bit because what you want to show is that the electric world is easy.
Many times, when you see that a charger is not working, perhaps it is not the right way or channel to do it, because you could harm the progress of the sector.
How do you navigate the line between organic and sponsored content?
In the automotive and car testing sector on YouTube, I have never agreed to be a brand ambassador in order to maintain my freedom of opinion.
He always highlighted the positive aspects, but if a car had a problem, he always reported it to the manufacturer.
With Kempower, I have to be politically correct.
However, when it comes to cars, I can freely express my opinion. I never get it wrong, because I believe that we should add and not subtract.
Classic online discussion forums are changing, but in which direction?
Traditional forums have disappeared and moved to platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Telegram.
It’s hard to keep up with everything, but I follow a few podcast channels on Spotify that help me stay informed while I’m commuting to work.
Listening to podcasts is a good learning tool.
