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Perception is reality. Faced with more work and less time to do the

job, channels of communicating are more likely to break down.

When reaching and effectively engaging with your audience falls short of both their and your expectations, it compounds negative perceptions.

Social media can help.

It is EPA’s policy to use social media where appropriate in order to meet its mission of protecting human health and the environment.

EPA is using social media tools to create a more effective and transparent government, to engage the public and EPA’s partners, and to facilitate internal collaboration.

Social media provides another set of tools to help EPA accomplish its mission.

Your time and resources. Social media is free; like a puppy. Requires feeding, attention, thinking outside

the box.the box.

Plan to engage in conversation. Plan what you will provide on a regular basis Plan what it will take to gather that

information.

Key Questions:

What are your goals? Who is your audience?y What type of information do you want to share? How much time / resources do you have to commit

to this communication effort? How sensitive is the topic?

Foundation - good content on the web! Plain language information Maps Photos and graphics Visuals are always a good idea!

Momentum Sharing between social media sites (example: share blog

posts on Facebook and Twitter) Use your web content

Engage: Listen and Respond You are creating and joining a conversation. Answer / respond to questions when possible and

appropriate. Even when irrelevant? YES - guide them to the right place Even when you can't answer? YES - acknowledge the

inquiry, reply that you don't have the information /answer at this time.

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Why start a Facebook page? Great solution for communities that you cannot

travel to often. Most similar to in-person conversations. Easy to engage in community discussion. Easy way to share information and images

Users need an internet connection (computer or mobile device)

facebook.com/CDAbasin facebook.com/USEPAHousatonic

facebook.com/USEPAHousatonic Longstanding cleanup project PCBs Wildlife, human health concerns PR challenges

Superfund mega-site in northern Idaho Mine waste (primarily lead) contamination, property

cleanups, repositories, source control, remedy protection…

Deep understanding of the community Technical capability Writing / speaking style Cultural sensitivity Don t “advertise” for the agency

Review and vet deliberately; monitor daily Gain the trust of your team; critical for

timeliness Share tips

No need to be formal

Provide information that will be useful to

the community

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the area! door-

to collect mples from

and sampling helps

l d l l hlead levels in the (A JTI graduate was

help with the effort!)

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July 15th post: Dust sampling now offered in the area! Workers are going door-to-door, offering to collect dust samples from vacuum cleaners and mats. The sampling helps measure lead levels in the home. (A JTI graduate was hired to help with the sampling effort!)

Use pictures where possible

July 15th post: Dust sampling now offered in Workers are going to-door, offering dust sa vacuum cleaners mats. The

Respond to questions!

measure home. hired to sampling

Raid your archives U.S. EPA Scientific Diving Program Agency-wide program managed from R10 Over 600 “likes” www.facebook.com/EPADivers

Pictures help to tell the story

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Users need internet connection or cell

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Efficient one-way sharing of information and data

Two-way also possible Users need internet connection, or cell phone, phone

that is able to receive SMS (text) messages

https://twitter.com/EPAaerovox https://twitter.com/epacolumbia

Managed by EPA’s Columbia River Coordinator since August 2009

Uses #Columbiariver to amplify message Highlights key EPA actions that could affect

Columbia River Serves as an important OneEPA outlet Twitter “widget” embedded in the web page

http://www2.epa.gov/columbiariver

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– ' it s like a tweet and that

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Why share pictures? “Pictures are worth a thousand words” You can submit one-time photos, info-graphics,

maps for a specific reason. Can easily reflect achievements, events, does not

need to be something you care and feed every day. Users must have an internet connection

(computer or mobile device)

Northern California tribes complete major illegal dump cleanup The Cleanup of New Bedford Harbor

The Bristol Bay Watershed

Why write a blog post? An informal, online conversation that can be more

personal and in depth about a topic. Can be one time for a specific reason.

Take the time to respond to comments, as the author. It's the closest virtual a conversation such as you would in the closest virtual a conversation such as you would in the grocery store, sidewalk, about what you do and why.If people take the time to read what you have to say, and comment, say thanks. Easy way to build relations.

Users must have an internet connection. Computer or mobile device.

Midvale, UT: Working together for a successful cleanup... Cleaning up Newtown Creek

Gowanus Canal Restoration in Action A Tale of Two Phases

Foursquare Why post tips? Good for a technical savvy, urban audience. Limitation: Users must have a smartphone. Provides “tips” at a particular location Tip it s like a tweet (short and sweet) that people Tip (short sweet) people

can access at a specific place. Can include a link and a photo.

Accessed through the Foursquare app on smartphones

https://foursquare.com/item/50917f38498e5bcb653b401f https://foursquare.com/item/5061d66ce4b09b3387acb177 or https://foursquare.com/item/50477173e4b01dd396bd2424 or https://foursquare.com/item/50479fcce4b0aa9a70b5a133

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EPA is using social media to communicate with a wide variety of different audiences.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EPA Region, geographical, and

program pages Twitter:

Blogs & Discussion Forums: Greenversations family It’s Our Environment Region, geographical, and

program blogs YouTube:

www.youtube.com/usepagov Twitter:

@EPAgov Region, geographical, and

program accounts Foursquare:

https://foursquare.com/epag ov

Google+: www.google.com/+EPAgov

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/usep

agov Challenge.gov: one account

http://challenge.gov/epa More social media at EPA

All EPA social media accounts must be approved by your manager, your office’s Web Council Member, and the agency Social Media Lead.

Web Council Members: http://www2.epa.gov/webgu

ide/web-council-members-

EPA Web Guide Social Media http://www2.epa.gov/webgu

ide/create-and-maintain-content#social

Terms of Service Agreements http://www2.epa.gov/webgu

ide/terms-service-agreements EPA C t P licy ide/web council members

and-other-key-web-contacts Jessica Orquina, EPA Social

Media Lead orquina.jessica@epa.gov 202-564-0446 Twitter: @JAOrquina

EPA Comment Policy http://epa.gov/epahome/co

mmentpolicy.html Using the EPA Comment Policy

http://www2.epa.gov/webguide/using-epa-comment-policy

EPA Social Media Accounts http://www.epa.gov/epahom

e/socialmedia.html

Jessica Orquina – EPA Social Media Lead, Office of Web Communications Orquina.jessica@epa.gov

J h F l C i I l Jeanethe Falvey – Community Involvement, Social Media and Web Communications Falvey.jeanethe@epa.gov

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