using social media to promote eecbg projects

Using Social Media to PromoteEECBG Projects

By Shelly ShinevarMichigan Energy Office

EECBG Analyst

Steps you can take to set-up and use social media to promote EECBG project success:

Develop a strategyGather materialChoose your social mediaSet-up your accountStart posting/uploadingMonitor results

Develop a strategy:

Establish what you want to accomplish with Social Media.

For example: Promote successful EECBG projects.

Gather material:

Collect material you can use to promote accomplishments.

For example: Photos, videos, press releases, news articles, etc.

Choose your social media: Facebook – You can post and/or upload information, press releases, photos, videos, links, etc.

Twitter – Good for smaller “sound bytes” of news or to post links to information.

YouTube – Great for collections of videos and/or ongoing videos.

Other sites – There may be appropriate sites or blogs that are administered by other organizations, groups or individuals where you can share promotional material.

For example: The Michigan Energy Office also posts press releases on the MichEEN (Michigan Energy Efficiency Network) site.

Set-up your account:

This involves following directions to set-up an account with your chosen social media.

For example: You will need to choose a user name, a password, and any other required information before you can start using the site. Always write down your user names and passwords for each site!

Start posting/uploading:

Follow directions given by your chosen social media site.

For example: Set-up or locate the material you are going to post or upload before going to the social media site. It will be easier to copy it, cut and paste it, or browse and upload it if you don’t have to hunt for it.

The City of Detroit received EECBG grants totaling $500,000 to help install new energy efficient lighting around the City.

One of East Lansing's new historical light poles with LED lighting.

• LED lighting upgrades in the Grand Traverse County Civic Center.

Indoor lighting upgrades in the Grand Traverse County Civic Center.

Genoa Township installed five Windspire wind/solar hybrid turbines with help from an EECBG grant of $94,919.

New Geothermal heating system installed at the Williamstown Township office with the assistance of EECBG funding.

Delta Township has completed building this beautiful walkway with the assistance of an EECBG Grant of $128,202. Delta Township residents can now enjoy the new Eastbury Pathway.

Cannon Township completed a pedestrian sidewalk loop connecting three neighborhoods with the Town Square Village unit, the Cannon Township Center, and the Cannon Trail with the assistance of an EECBG Grant of $64,144.

Calhoun County received $351,450 for this Multi-Purpose project, which included replacing chillers and installing a new roof.

New boilers in the Sault Ste. Marie City/County Building.

Laketown Township retrofitted the historic Felt Mansion with an energy efficient HVAC and hot water system with the assistance of an EECBG grant of $52,811.

The Felt Mansion is on National and State Registers of Historic Places and is located in Holland, Michigan near Saugatuck Dunes State Park by Lake Michigan.

The Eaton County Department of Resource Recovery, as part of their EECBG project, installed a solar tracking array to provide an educational component to the community.

Monitor results:You can choose how you are going to do this by creating your own charts or tables or by using tools that may be available on your chosen social media site.

For example: Facebook has an excellent monitoring tool called Insights.

Facebook Insights for the Michigan Energy Today Page

Insights Data Results

Inactive Page – 3/25 to 3/31 – 29 Reached; 2 TalkingReactivated Page – 4/3/12; Added at least 35 postsResults: 627 People Reached; 18 People Talking

+598 Reached after activation!

Benefits to using Social Media

You can share information quickly and easily with a wide range of people with just a click of your mouse! You can measure results in real-time using appropriate tools. Using social media is a cost-effective way to promote projects and to inform/update people.

Contact Information

Shelly Shinevar, EECBG AnalystMichigan Energy Office

Michigan Economic Development Corp.shinevars1@michigan.gov

Ph: (517) 241-4271

http://www.facebook.com/mienergytoday