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This is the original slide deck that was presented by the EPA at a Web 2.0 workshop. I then took this deck and gave it a facelift. For my article on this slide make-over, visit http://mike-pulsifer.org/2009/06/slide-make-over-epa-greenversations/
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Greenversations at a Glance
Blogging at EPA
Introduction
• Learn about the concept,
development and
implementation of the
Greenversations blog.
Agenda
• Content Development Process
• Process/Protocols for
Comments/Replies
• An Acceptable Way of Communicating
• Legal/Policy Issues to Consider
• Comment Policy
• Staff Time Required
• Server and Security Details
Overview
• Gain an understanding of how
all of the pieces of fit
together to make blogging
successful at EPA
Greenversations: Why?
• Put a human face on the big blank box
• Share personal stories of environmental
thinking (e.g., buying a car, gardening)
• Clue readers in re: breadth of EPA’s work− Emergency response− Research− Partnerships
• Speak in a new way
• Supplement, not replace, other channels
Content Development Process
• Get approval from the
Communications Director(s) (CD)
• CD’s submitted names of possible
bloggers
• A Blogging Guide was developed to
help train the bloggers and
define responsibilities
Who Does What?
• Office of Web Communications•Coordinating blog posts•Coordinating review through OGC•Proofread, format and upload the posts, and
•Moderate comments
• Supervisors•Commit staff time•Commit to obtaining approvals from management
• Bloggers•Complete training about blogging•Write a short introduction about themselves
•Submit blog posts with suggested links and images
•Review and Reply to comments posted on their blog post
Process/Protocols for Comments/Replies
• Since the blog posts are usually inspired by something related to the bloggers work, the author has first hand knowledge of the subject, and are encouraged to reply to the comments posted to their blog.
• This encourages an ongoing dialogue… in fact we have a blog post from last May that still receives comments, and has resulted in a follow-up blog post.
Song of the CoquiThursday, April 23rd, 2008
Resulted in two
follow-up posts:
one last May
resulting in 78
comments, and
another this past
January as an
update
A little more about ongoing dialogue…
Currently we have several regular features in the EPA blog:
− Three weekly features• Question of the Week (Monday)
− Gets the most comments: usually at least 50 and have been over 650 at times
− Advertised to 55,000 news release recipients
• Science Wednesday− Run by research/development office
• Bilingual Thursday− English/Spanish were in same post, now split− Managed by our Hispanic Liaison w/three writers
Bottled Water Follow-Up PostFollow-Up: Why Do You Drink Bottled or Tap Water?
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
About the Author: Dominic Bridgers was a summer intern in the Office of Public
Affairs.
I usually drink whatever is convenient for me. If I’m in the house I will fill the
glass up with tap water, but if I’m on the go I think bottled water is more
convenient.
I collected data from the July 7th Question of the Week, “Why do you drink bottled or
tap water?” The majority of the bloggers responded that they drink tap water
primarily because they have easy access to it, you think it’s healthier, it’s cheaper
than bottled water, and it tastes just as good as or better than bottled water.
However, some of you prefer bottled water over tap water because it is more
convenient, it tastes better and you think it’s healthier.
Thank you for taking your time in responding to “Why do you drink bottled or tap
water?”
An Acceptable Way of Communicating?
• Marcus Peacock, EPA’s former Deputy
Administrator wanted to do a blog
• He picked the name “Flow of the
River” and wrote a blog with links
• Submitted a photo of himself near a
river
• Invited guest bloggers to his blog
• Current Greenversations bloggers
vary from across the Agency
Legal/Policy Issues
• We did a lot of research…
• Keeping politics out keeps the blog
fresh and less dated.
• Blogging Guide meant everyone
“blogged by the same rules”
• Federal Agencies are often at a
disadvantage, and need to make sure
there is no implied endorsement
• POLICY− What kind of topics would we cover− You have to take comments and allow criticism or the blog becomes biased
• LEGAL− Avoid ongoing enforcement actions and regulations under development
− Disclaimer issues (bloggers personal views)
− Comment policy was based on other comment policies on already successful blogs
Comment Policy
• No vulgar language, personal attacks
of any kind, or offensive terms that
target specific ethnic or racial
groups
• No promotion of services or products
• Comments must be on-topic
• Do not make unsupported accusations.
• Reporter questions will not be
posted.
Staff Time Required
• The EPA Office of Public Affairs web team has recently doubled in size. The plan is to operate with overlapping teams. There is one staff member who has the lead in managing the blog
• All in all, about ½ FTE is used in the management of the Greenversations blog.
Is the Blog Hosted on an Independent Server?
• EPA has their own server
• Much of Marcus’s initial blog was hosted on Typepad.com
• We had to go outside of EPA because the Chief Information Officer’s shop didn’t have the capability in-house at that time to host a blog
• The CIO did a requirements analysis and chose WordPress as EPA’s blog software.
• The CIO set up a blog server. We used it knowing any security issues had already been addressed through the CIO’s office.
Summary• When trying to implement a blog, it is beneficial to talk to others about their experiences.
• Keep in mind the desired end product…who’s your audience, what are you trying to convey. For us, we wanted to put a face on EPA, convey the breadth of what we do, and create a conversation around the environment.
• Do the “legwork” upfront to avoid problems, establish your policies and guidelines and enforce them, and rob others blind. Use what’s already out there and working and tweak it to your liking.
EPA’s Greenversations at a Glance
• Content Development Process− Identify bloggers, develop blogging guide
• Process/Protocols for Comments/Replies− Bloggers monitor and reply to comments− Develop a comment policy
• Legal/Policy Issues to Consider− Keep it fresh by keeping politics “out of it”
− Implied endorsement− Avoid ongoing enforcement actions and regulations under development (OGC review)