Social networks what the tweet epa green 2010

What the Tweet? Social Networking &

How It Helps to Get the Word Out Presentation for

EPA Potomac Yard Green TeamAmerica Recycles Day 2010

November 17, 2010Jean M Balent

USEPA - Technology Innovation and Field Services [email protected]

703-603-9924

November 2010 1US Environmental Protection Agency

mailto:[email protected]

Overview of Session• What is social networking/social media?• Introduction to tools and sites:

• Youtube• Flickr• Twitter• Facebook

• EPA use of and policy on social networks• Resources, training, and more information


Web 2.0• Second generation of the World Wide Web,

especially the movement away from static webpages to dynamic and shareable content and social networking.

• Web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.

• For a more detailed history on the evolution of the web – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

November 20103

US Environmental Protection Agency

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

Types of Web 2.0 Tools

Type Description ExampleWeb Applications Applications to perform particular

functionsGoogle Docs, Google Maps

Social Networks Web spaces to create public presence and communicate

Facebook, Twitter

Video/Photo-sharing sites (social media)

Public site to view and share videos Youtube, Flickr

Blogs Public reverse chronology journal Greenversations

Wikis Mass-edited documents and webspaces

Wikipedia

Mashups Collection of web applications and other data sources

http://mapecos.org

Folksonomies Social bookmarking/tagging Delicious


Social networking• Social networks are web-based services that allow

individuals to: – construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded

system, – articulate a list of other users with whom they share a

connection, and – view and traverse their list of connections and those made

by others within the system.

* The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site.


What exactly are the social networking sites out there?

• Over 180 listed in wikipedia– Please note the list is not exhaustive

• Can be used for communication and updates:– Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace,

• Or for sharing specific types of media:– Flickr, YouTube, Slideshare, Scribd

• Lets watch a short video on what social networking is… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&feature=fvw


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&feature=fvw

Why should you care?

• There are over 100 million worldwide views per day on YouTube

• There are more Facebook users (350 million) than there are U.S. residents (309 million)

• Twitter will process about 10 billion "tweets" this year (There are about 6.7 billion people living on the Earth)


Important Considerations

• Easy to think of as communication platforms but social networks are much more!

• Blending of personal and professional lives• Newer generations have and expect INSTANT

access to information in PERSONALLY-SELECTED METHOD– information networks are HUGE– Information spreads RAPIDLY - VIRAL


General process to use a social network

• Many offer public anonymous searching, browsing and access to files (e.g. Youtube, Flickr, etc)

• Visit site and create account– Account must be verified, usually by clicking on a confirmation link in

email• Update your profile/representation in the site/community

– Think about professional vs personal and individual vs organization• Contribute information to the community

– Usually through website posting and uploads– Many newer mobile options

• Build networks by associating or establishing connections with other users– Usually a 2-part process where a request to connect is made and the

request is accepted or rejected


What does EPA use?• Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Dipity, drop.to,

IdeaScale, Slideshare, Ustream, and more• Learn more about EPA’s social media activities at

http://www.epa.gov/epahome/socialmedia.html


http://www.epa.gov/epahome/socialmedia.html

YouTube - www.youtube.com

• Founded in Feb 2005, bought by Google in 2006 for 1.6B

• Most popular online video community

• People discover, watch and share originally-created videos

• Youtube is the #2 Search Engine in the world


http://www.youtube.com/

EPA’s Use of YoutubeEPA has a channel updated weekly at

http://www.youtube.com/user/USEPAgov

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Primarily used as outreach during emergencies, public contests, and archiving of videos


http://www.youtube.com/user/USEPAgov

Other uses of Youtube

• Distribute training and information resources


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Other uses of Youtube

• Spread information about haz waste sites

November 2010 US Environmental Protection Agency

Flickr – www.flickr.com • Online photo and

video management/ sharing application

• Founded in 2004, acquired by Yahoo in 2005

• 4 Billion + images upload

• 7-40 million flickr users


http://www.flickr.com/

EPA’s Use of FlickrEPA has a photostream updated at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usepagov/

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Primarily used as outreach during emergencies, public contests, and archiving of photos


http://www.flickr.com/photos/usepagov/

Other uses of Flickr

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Community Members post photos of hazardous waste sites



Imagine if this was the image presented to the public of your clean up program?November 2010 18US Environmental Protection Agency


Some agencies communicate positive environmental work and change through photos on Flickr


Twitter – www.twitter.com • Short text updates, 140

characters, published to website

• “micro-blogging”• Creates an RSS feed that

people can subscribe or “follow”

• A searchable database of what’s happening now

• Updates often delivered to mobile devices for immediate notification

• Estimate 1B users by 2013


http://www.twitter.com/

EPA’s use of Twitter

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http://twitter.com/EPAgov

Used to spread the word on agency responses to emergencies, announce rule makings, publication releases etc.

Several offices at EPA tweet as well as programs to engage the public and keep them informed of timely news releases, due dates, etc


http://twitter.com/EPAgov

EPA’s use of Twitter


Other uses of Twitter


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Facebook - www.facebook.com• Started in 2003 by Harvard

student• A platform to share

announcements, requests for feedback, questions, and links with an interested community that also gives people a place to share information with each other

• Person-based, groups, or page-based accounts

• Average user spends almost 1 hour per day on Facebook

• “Zuckerburg’s Law”


http://www.facebook.com/

http://www.facebook.com/PollutionEngineering?ref=ss#!/?ref=home

EPA’s Use of Facebook • EPA’s official

facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/EPA

• Pick 5 for the Environment http://www.facebook.com/EPA#!/epapick5


http://www.facebook.com/EPA

http://www.facebook.com/EPA

http://www.facebook.com/EPA#!/epapick5



EPA’s Use of Facebook

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Regions are using Facebook to communicate activities at SF sites and engage the local community


EPA’s Use of Facebook


Other uses of Facebook

• Communities coordinate activities, share information about events


Teach yourself to Share!

• You can have presence in social networks WITHOUT creating accounts and profiles using share links

• Makes it easy for any site visitor to spread the word across social networking sites


EPA Policies on Social Media

• Representing EPA Online:– Represent your office – Respect your time and effort – Be transparent and honest – State facts, not opinions – Protect nonpublic information – Ethics apply, even online – Maintain records when applicable

• Site specific policies for creating profiles for Agency activities from EPA Social Media Blog and Community of Practice http://blog.epa.gov/socialmedia/


http://blog.epa.gov/socialmedia/

Remember

• No such thing as the ONLY site, network!• Social networks are just one of many

communication and outreach tools– Each one serves a particular purpose for certain

media• Recognized by the public as resources to

connect and share information…• See how one community uses them


Helpful Resources• DoD Social Media Hub http://socialmedia.defense.gov/

– Great source for training, general summaries, etc• Web Content.Gov

http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/technology/other_tech.shtml – Excellent summary of Government usage of social media and

best practices• In Plain English Youtube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/leelefever – Wonderful 2-3 minute videos explaining social media in basic

englishNovember 2010 32US Environmental Protection Agency

http://socialmedia.defense.gov/

http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/technology/other_tech.shtml

http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/technology/other_tech.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/user/leelefever

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Thank you!

• Feel free to contact me at– Jean M Balent, – USEPA - Technology Innovation and Field Services

Division– [email protected], 703-603-9924

• Archived TIFSD Social Media Information Series Online

• Reference and Tip Sheets Available


mailto:[email protected]

Social networks what the tweet epa green 2010

Technology

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