The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Better Buildings Residential Network has developed a Social Media Toolkit to help residential energy efficiency programs assess and determine the best social media platforms for their programs to engage potential home energy upgrade customers by building brand awareness. Thinking beyond the one-way conversation of traditional publishing and achieving a two-way dynamic using social media networks allows your program to determine what potential customers value, so your marketing efforts can be tailored more effectively. 

This toolkit is the third Residential Network Voluntary Member Initiative—which provides a forum for members to address shared challenges with solutions—and includes tools, resources, and examples to help your residential energy efficiency program: 

- Select social media platform(s) based on your organization’s goals and time availability.

- Learn the dos and don’ts of social media to avoid common pitfalls that can end up backfiring.

- Hear from other programs that are already utilizing social media so as not to reinvent the wheel.