Session Description: Municipalities have an obligation to maintain a public presence in communities they serve. An extension of that obligation is fulfilled when municipalities maintain a virtual presence online. This presentation will discuss how online outreach tools serve to fill a communication gap that has developed as the public increasingly looks for information online. This presentation will specifically discuss the use of Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps, UStream, and Pinterest in promoting solid waste programs in the City of Los Angeles. Solid waste managers will learn how to use the popularity of these sites to spread information about solid waste programs within their municipalities. These tools can be used to spread information about particular solid waste campaigns, beneficial public programs or general education about solid waste issues.

Social networking sites can be a helpful tool in invigorating the solid waste marketing program. It is not intended to fully replace the benefits associated with advertising on traditional media outlets like print, television and radio. However, it can compliment traditional marketing approaches by reaching audiences that prefer to receive information digitally. More importantly, it shows that municipalities are using the same viral marketing techniques that private industry has already found extremely successful.