1 City of Lomita Platforms Review
August 11, 2025
Submitted by:
Sara Madsen, Director
Barbara Beran, Senior Business Analyst
Devin Antonio, Business Analyst
Emma Totaro, Junior Business Analyst
2 Table of Contents
Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................3 About the City of Lomita...............................................................................................................................3 The Importance of Communications .............................................................................................................4 Engagement Approach...................................................................................................................................5 Lomita Communications Team......................................................................................................................5 Lomita by the Numbers .................................................................................................................................5 External Communications Methods...............................................................................................................8 Observations & Recommendations..............................................................................................................41 Recommendations........................................................................................................................................43 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................50 Appendix A – Interview Participants...........................................................................................................51 Appendix B – Policies .................................................................................................................................52 3 Executive Summary
To advance its existing communication and outreach practices, the City of Lomita engaged Tripepi Smith.
As Lomita experiences rapid growth within its business sector and residential community, the City is likewise scaling its delivery of high-quality services. This growth also necessitates an evolved approach to communications, ensuring that the Lomita community is informed about City business and services and has a conduit to communicate their needs and feedback to elected officials and City staff.
To identify gaps and opportunities for improvement with the City’s communication processes, the firm conducted interviews with City staff involved in related practices. Following interviews, Tripepi Smith analyzed the City’s current communication methods and developed a series of recommendations, which generally center on:
• Implementing a data-driven approach to communications; • Strengthening and standardizing planning processes across departments; • Optimizing, expanding and diversifying the City’s existing communication toolset; • Proactively planning ahead to better tell the City’s story; • Establishing a consistent and recognizable voice for the City’s communications; • Developing clear policies and practices for enhanced and standardized communications.
Tripepi Smith has outlined a complete list of observations and recommendations, including actionable steps, at the end of this report. By implementing the firm’s recommendations, the City would be completing a critical move toward the next level of its communication and engagement efforts with the residents of Lomita.
About the City of Lomita
Established in 1964, the City of Lomita is situated in Los Angeles County and is home to approximately 20,921 residents.1 The City covers an area of 1.91 square miles and boasts a small-town, family-friendly charm alongside convenient access to the beach. Lomita offers a variety of essential services to its residents, including community services, parks, recreational amenities, local business support and water and sewer services. The City contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for police services, the Los Angeles County Fire Department for fire services and Athens Services for waste management.
The median home price in Lomita is $792,100, which is $8,800 higher than the median home price in Los Angeles County.2 According to the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, Lomita has 7,506 households with an average of 2.69 people per household. The median household income in Lomita is $92,920, surpassing the Los Angeles County median of $87,760, with a poverty rate of 12.2%3.
The average commute time for Lomita residents is 26.2 minutes, which is shorter than the 30.8-minute average in Los Angeles County.4
In terms of the City’s demographics, 50% of Lomita's residents are White, 15% are two or more races, 15% are other races, 15% are Asian, 4% are Black or African American, 0.5% are Native American and
0.5% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Furthermore, 38.3% of residents ages five and older speak a language other than English at home5.
1 Based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
2 Based on the American Community Survey (ACS) 5 Year Estimates. 3 Based on the U.S. Census Bureau.
4 Ibid.
5 Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. 4 Mission Statement
The mission of the City of Lomita is to provide a healthy, safe and friendly small-town community where everyone can successfully live, work and play.11
Vision Statement
As a family-friendly City, Lomita will strive creatively and consistently to provide excellent public service and employee performance, with the intent to enrich the quality of life for every citizen, worker and business owner.12
Values
Professionalism/Integrity – The City will operate with utmost integrity, including treating all residents, customers and other members of the public with respect and professionalism.
Respect – Respect for others is a fundamental requirement for operating a professional organization. The City will respect residents, business owners, customers, each other, the environment and institutions.
Innovation/High Performance – The City will consistently strive for continuous quality improvement in everything it does. This includes creative thinking and finding innovative and cost-effective ways to accomplish the City’s goals in a fiscally prudent manner.
Health and Safety Awareness – The City will consistently strive to maintain public safety and health and to provide recreational opportunities by upholding established rules and regulations to promote community wellness in order to sustain a healthy environment.13
The Importance of Communications
Local government is the closest and often sole point of civic engagement for Americans. It is often a constituent’s only point of civic engagement in any given year. According to Gallup’s 2023 annual trust in government institutions and actors poll, local government is generally the most trusted level of government in the United States.14 Constituents have the opportunity to directly interact with elected leaders and City staff, which can contribute to or detract from this trust; leveraging these interactions provides Lomita an opportunity for engagement, creating a stronger, more connected community.
An effective communication strategy should empower Lomita to reach a wide swath of residents, businesses and visitors in a timely manner, promoting transparency on upcoming initiatives, meetings, alerts and events. A regular, consistent cadence of communication is critical to building trust and maximizing an agency’s impact; it also helps cities move with speed and collaborate with key stakeholders to prevent major progress from getting bogged down by misinformation. Building trust and managing expectations through proactive communication is key to maximizing the impact of these efforts.
The City of Lomita has the potential to expand its current communication endeavors for deeper community engagement. Enhanced and targeted communication efforts across all departments would benefit both residents and businesses. This report assesses existing communication methods, highlights successful approaches and identifies areas for improvement to optimize the City’s communication efforts. 11 From the City of Lomita’s Website.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
14 Sourced from Gallup’s “Americans Trust Local Government Most, Congress Least.” 5 Engagement Approach
The City of Lomita partnered with Tripepi Smith to research, review and analyze the City’s existing communication efforts across all departments. Tripepi Smith first partnered with Lomita for communications assistance in 2016. In the initial agreement, the City engaged Tripepi Smith to assist with water-related communications. This contract eventually expanded to include general communications, supplementing the City’s internal efforts.
The goal of the Platforms Review is to evaluate existing practices and recommend optimal strategies to further improve the City’s internal and external communication initiatives. Platforms included in this assessment are the City’s main website, social media accounts and MailChimp. Tripepi Smith completes Platforms Reviews through a combination of methods, such as weighing the City’s practices against local government communication best practices and quantitative data analysis.
This engagement was initiated on February 10, 2025, with Tripepi Smith conducting virtual interviews with City staff listed in Appendix A. Interviews focused primarily on the perceived quality and value of the City’s external communication tactics.
Lomita Communications Team
The City of Lomita does not have a dedicated communications office or an official Public Information Officer (PIO). Instead, the City’s social media platforms are managed collaboratively by various staff members within the City Manager’s Department and the Parks and Recreation Department, depending on the content and topic.
To support these efforts, the City also partners with Tripepi Smith as needed to draft social media content, articles, website updates and other communications materials. This collaboration provides additional support for the City in helping to enhance Lomita’s community engagement by ensuring timely, informative, and engaging content is shared across multiple platforms.
Lomita by the Numbers
The City of Lomita communicates with its residents and the broader community using several tools and methods. Each medium provides an opportunity to reach different audience segments to a different effect.
In attempting to reach a total constituency, an effective communications plan will leverage various platforms and tools such as websites, social media, email and printed collateral.
To establish and refine communication goals, it is essential to understand the demographics of Lomita and the most effective tactics to reach its residents. The charts below depict Lomita’s current communications audience across digital platforms, with data up to date as of August 11, 2025, unless indicated otherwise.
Statistic Count Notes
6 Estimated Facebook Audience Size19 8,100-9,60020 Calculated using Facebook Ads
Manager, targeting
the City of Lomita.
Facebook Followers 4,207
Instagram Followers 2,954
Nextdoor Members 8,308
LinkedIn Followers 452
YouTube Followers 70
X Followers 26
MailChimp Subscribers – General List 7,491
MailChimp Subscribers – Water 360
MailChimp Subscribers – Lomita
Projects
0 Population 20,92121 The racial makeup of
Lomita is:
• White alone:
49.8%
• White alone,
not Hispanic
or Latino:
37.9%
19 Tripepi Smith determined this audience through Facebook Ads by creating an ad targeted at Facebook users ages 13-65+ living or recently in Lomita. Facebook previously allowed advertisers to target only people living in a certain location, but as of May 2023, this metric was expanded to also include “people recently in this location.” Currently, this is the most accurate audience size estimate and targeting option for reaching everyone in a City. 20 Number is significantly smaller than Lomita’s population of 20,921 due to specific Facebook categorization that cannot be changed by users and the way Facebook interprets location data. 21 Based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
7 • Hispanic or
Latino:
34.2%
• Two or more
races: 15.4%
• Asian alone:
14.8%
• Black alone:
4%
• American
Indian and
Alaska
Native alone:
0.5%
• Native
Hawaiian and
Other Pacific
Islander
alone: 0.5%
Registered Voters 12,78325
Median Age 40.1
Housing Units 7,85326 • Owneroccupied
housing
units: 46.1%
• Renteroccupied
housing
units:
53.9%27
Median Household Income $92,920
Percentage of residents five years old
and above that speak a language other
than English at home
38.3%
Given the widespread adoption of social media and the algorithms used by these platforms, it is unrealistic to expect an audience on any social media site to match the size of an agency's potential audience or population. However, comparing the potential reach of these platforms and the population numbers with 25 Based on the Secretary of State Report of Registration. 26 Based on Census Reporter.
27 Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates. 8 the current number of likes, followers and subscribers on Lomita's social media accounts offers a quick insight into their growth potential.
Figure 1 – Lomita Audiences on Various Platforms as of August 2025.
External Communications Methods
Websites
City Website
The City of Lomita's website (https://lomitacity.com/) runs on the content management system WordPress.
Website analytics are available via Google Analytics. Because the City does not have a dedicated Communications Department, various staff members handle website updates or pass them along to Tripepi Smith if they are difficult or time-consuming. Typically, the senior management analyst, administrative analyst and management assistant handle the in-house website updates for all departments.31 Google Analytics – February 1, 2024–January 31, 2025
Google Analytics is installed on the City’s primary website, with this report including data from February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. Currently, there is no standardized protocol for analyzing website metrics from Google Analytics, nor is this data consistently reviewed or shared. The Assistant City Manager has access to the City’s Google Analytics property. Tripepi Smith is also available to pull and interpret data upon request.
General Traffic to the Website
In the same date range, 71,807 users visited the website 115,145 times (the number of “Sessions”32) and viewed 186,560 pages. Website sessions remained consistent for the majority of the year, except for an increase in June 2024. This increase is due to the City’s Founders Day celebration, which happens annually in June and honors the City’s history and milestones.
31 Departments request website updates through email.
32 A “Session” is the time a user is actively engaged with your website. 9 Figure 2 – Lomita Website annual website traffic sessions.
The City’s Google Analytics account does not filter out internal traffic from employees, which could lead to inflated website traffic figures and affect the accuracy of visitor behavior data. The City migrated to the new generation of Google Analytics, Google Analytics 4 (G4)35 in April 2023.
Website visitors largely come to the LomitaCity.com website in one of three ways:
1. They search for the City of Lomita (or other relevant terms) on search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. Due to Google’s privacy policies, search keywords are not available through Google Analytics.
2. They visit a browser bookmark, type the URL into their address bar or click/tap an email link. This is the “Direct” category in the chart below.
3. They visit the website by clicking on a link from another primary source they are already on, like social media or other websites.
It should be noted that unassigned traffic refers to visits where the source could not be identified or categorized, often due to limitations in tracking or referral data. 35 Google launched Google Analytics 4 in mid-October 2020. In 2023, Google Analytics stopped collecting data on the previous generation, Google Analytics Universal Analytics (UA).
10 Figure 3 – Website referral traffic sources (where users came from).
Top 10 Most-Viewed Webpages
The homepage is typically the most popular page on a website, serving as the main entry point for users.
This is true for LomitaCity.com. On Lomita’s website, 20.3% of pageviews from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, were of the homepage.
Figure 4 – Top 10 LomitaCity.com webpages (per pageviews). 11 Tripepi Smith notes that most users visit pages related to interactive City services and events, such as:
• Founders Day 2024 (4.4%) - #2
• Current bids and RFPs (4.2%) - #3
• Agendas and Minutes (4.1%) - #4
• Recreation Facilities (3.4%) - #5
• City of Lomita, 60th Anniversary (2.9%) - #6
Based on the most viewed pages, Lomita website visitors actively seek information on Founders Day in June and City operations, including requests for proposals and City Council agendas and minutes.
Notably, four of the top 10 pages are event or recreation-related and collectively account for almost 13% of pageviews on the website. This trend shows active resident participation in various Recreation and Facilities division’s events and programs, including Founders Day celebration, available recreation facilities in Lomita and youth sports leagues. These results reflect a strong resident interest in participating recreationally through events and programs.
Website Traffic Geolocation
Google Analytics estimates the location and language of the City website’s users by matching IP addresses with general geographic locations and noting the language settings in users’ web browsers.
According to Google Analytics,37 Los Angeles is the top location for visitors to the City’s website. This may be due to people who commute from Lomita to Los Angeles or Los Angeles to Lomita and visit the website while at work. Additionally, Los Angeles has a large population of 3,898,747 residents38 compared to Lomita’s 20,921 residents. With Lomita being significantly smaller, it is highly likely that some residents work in Los Angeles, or some workers live in Los Angeles.
The neighboring City of Torrance is the second-highest location, and Lomita is third. The remaining cities Google Analytics identified are also neighboring or close to Lomita, with six of the top 10 cities located in Los Angeles County and two cities outside of California, including New York City in New York and Warsaw in Poland. These outliers also may reflect the use of VPNs among site visitors.
Please note that many websites using Google Analytics can over report source location for IP addresses due to specific technical configurations affecting how some users route their internet traffic. Since Google determines a user's location based on IP addresses, which may be linked to the agency that owns them, users appearing in the top five locations may be residents of Lomita, even if their geographic data doesn’t reflect that. It is common, however, for large city centers to dominate lists like this. For example, in Napa Valley, San Francisco is the largest source of website traffic in the area. The second option, “(not set)” indicates visitors with location services turned off.
37 Google Analytics reports on the City in which users were located when they visited the website, not necessarily where they live.
38 Based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
12 Figure 5 – Top 10 list of users’ cities (best approximation per Google Analytics).
Site Search
Google Analytics offers a Site Search report, which provides data about the type of content users are searching for directly on a website. Currently, the City of Lomita has not set up tracking on the site search function.
User Device Preference
Google Analytics provides insights into the devices visitors use to access a website. It shows that 51.6% of the visitors to the City’s website used a mobile device, while 47.7% accessed it via a desktop computer.
This data indicates a slight preference for mobile browsing, suggesting that Lomita should prioritize mobilefriendly layouts when creating and updating web pages. Additionally, six users accessed Lomita’s website from a Smart TV, likely using AirPlay to browse through their television. 13 Figure 6 – Devices users use to view LomitaCity.com.
CMS Features
The City has some unique plug-ins that help the website run smoothly and be more easily accessible to viewers. These include features like file organization, increased user accessibility, form management, website translation, menu organization and a calendar.
Website Analysis
Favicon
Lomita’s website features the City’s seal as the custom favicon (short for “favorite icon”). A favicon is the 16x16 pixel image that displays next to the webpage title in your browser window. This is a best practice, as having the City seal as a favicon helps users identify the brand.
Figure 7 – The Lomita website favicon.
Content Organization
The City’s website header includes Lomita’s seal (which also serves as a link to the homepage), the City name, an option to change the language preference, the City’s social media platforms, an artificial intelligence (AI) search tool and tabs, including signing up for the e-newsletter, careers, a contact page, special events, Alert South Bay sign-up and the City calendar.
The header is followed by a navigation bar with a search bar and six parent pages: About Lomita, Government, City Departments, Community, Business and I Want To… 14 As of this writing, the homepage slider features the City of Lomita’s 60th anniversary video and seven images. For the video, the City includes a link to watch the video on YouTube and for the images, the City includes a link to the About page. Tripepi Smith typically recommends no more than six homepage sliders.
The slides transition at a moderate pace, allowing visitors to view the image and read the text before it transitions to the next image.
Figure 8 – LomitaCity.com homepage screenshot.
Mobile Design
The Lomita website has a mobile-responsive design that allows users to navigate the webpage easily through the web browser on their mobile devices. This is best practice, as website traffic from mobile devices is the primary entry point for the City’s website users, with 51.6% of viewers accessing the website via a mobile device.
15 Figure 9 – Screenshot of mobile City website.
The “mobile-optimized” version of the website presents the language preference, social media handles and tabs at the top of each page. Below that, the parent tabs are compiled into an accordion menu icon next to the search bar and the City seal. The rest of the information on the homepage is formatted as a single column, making the pages easy to read.
On additional pages throughout the site, the header, including the search bar, language preference, social media handles and quick tabs, remains at the top of every page, ensuring quick navigation and easy user access to popular pages.
Security
The City’s website has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, a best practice recommended by Tripepi Smith. An SSL certificate enables encryption of sensitive data during online transactions, which is especially important for Lomita since the City collects personal information through website forms. SSL certificates also improve website Search Engine Optimization (SEO) because Google uses SSL as a signal in its search ranking algorithms to ensure websites with SSL appear higher in search results. 16 Privacy Policy
The City’s website has a Privacy Policy page. However, it is not easily located when viewing the website as it is not in the header, footer or navigation tabs. To access the privacy policy, users have to use the website search function.
Lomita’s Privacy Policy outlines how the City gathers, uses, discloses and manages data they collect from the website. This is a best practice, as Lomita collects personally identifiable information through website forms.
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice
Lomita’s website currently lacks an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice. The notice should provide alternative resources to those with sight or hearing impairments to make content more accessible.
Additionally, according to AccessibilityChecker.org, Lomita’s website is not 100% ADA-compliant.41 While the initial audit of just the homepage identified multiple issues, some of these issues may already be resolved with the Userway widget that allows users to customize the webpage for their accessibility needs.
Some of these adjustments include options for more contrast, highlighted links, larger text, different text spacing, paused animations, a larger cursor, more saturation, dyslexia-friendly font, increased line spacing and text alignment.
Water Website
The City of Lomita’s Water website (https://www.lomitawater.com/) runs on the content management system WordPress. Google Analytics provides analytics for the website. Similar to the general City website, various staff members handle website updates or pass them along to Tripepi Smith.
Google Analytics – February 1, 2024–January 31, 2025
Google Analytics is installed on the City’s water website, with the following information including data from February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. Like the primary website, there is no standardized protocol for analyzing website metrics from Google Analytics, nor is this data consistently reviewed or shared.
General Traffic to the Website
In the same date range, 6,768 users visited the website 8,287 times and viewed 32,801 pages. Website sessions remained consistent for the majority of the year, except for February 2024 and other occasional spikes, which are likely due to the mailed water bill insert and news article updates.
Figure 10 – Lomita Water Website annual website traffic sessions. 41 Enter https://lomitacity.com/ into the URL box on https://www.accessibilitychecker.org/ to see the ADA compliance report of Lomita’s homepage.
17 The City’s Google Analytics account for the water website also does not filter out internal traffic from employees, which could lead to inflated website traffic figures and affect the accuracy of visitor behavior data. The City migrated the water website to G4 in March 2022.
Website visitors largely come to the LomitaWater.com website in one of three ways:
1. They search for Lomita Water (or other relevant terms) on search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.
2. They visit a browser bookmark, type the URL into their address bar or click/tap an email link. This is the “Direct” category in the chart below.
3. They visit the website by clicking on a link from another primary source they are already on, like social media or other websites.
Figure 11 – Water website referral traffic sources (where users came from).
Top 10 Most-Viewed Webpages
Similar to the primary website, the homepage is the most popular page on LomitaWater.com, serving as the main entry point for users. On the water website, 21% of pageviews from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, were of the homepage.
The figure labeled as “not set” in the first row is due to Google Analytics not being able to collect information about the landing pages visited. This could be caused by users coming back to the page later after the original session timed out, which starts a new session without a landing page. 18 Figure 12 – LomitaWater.com webpages (per pageviews).
Tripepi Smith notes that most users visit pages related to information about Lomita’s water, including:
• Water Quality Reports (2%) - #2
• Contact Page (1.5%) - #3
• Water Tours (0.87%) - #4
• Water Rate Information (0.81%) - #5
• 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (0.76) - #6
Based on the most viewed pages, LomitaWater.com visitors actively seek information on water quality and other important information, including water tours, rate information or consumer confidence reports.
Website Traffic Geolocation
Google Analytics estimates the location and language of website users by matching IP addresses with general geographic locations and noting the language settings in users’ web browsers.
Like the primary website, Los Angeles is the top location for visitors to the water website. As noted previously, with Los Angeles’ large population compared to Lomita’s smaller population, it is highly likely that some residents visit the water website while working in or visiting Los Angeles.
Warsaw, Poland is the second top location and Lomita is the third. The remaining cities Google Analytics identified are located in Los Angeles County, with two cities outside of California and two cities in northern 19 California. The outliers outside of California may also reflect the use of VPNs among site visitors, due to the same cities showing up as top users on the primary website. The second option, “(not set)” indicates visitors with location services turned off.
Additionally, as previously stated, Google Analytics can over report source location for IP addresses due to specific technical configurations affecting how some users route their internet traffic. Users appearing in the top five locations may be residents of Lomita, even if their geographic data doesn’t reflect that.
Figure 13 – Top 10 list of users’ cities (best approximation per Google Analytics).
Site Search
Like Lomita’s primary website, the City has not set up tracking on the site search function that is available through Google Analytics.
User Device Preference
Google Analytics provides insights into the devices visitors use to access a website. It shows that 73% of the visitors accessed the water website via a desktop computer, while 26% of users used a mobile device.
This data indicates a strong preference for browsing on a desktop, suggesting that Lomita should prioritize desktop layouts for the website. However, the water website still gets a fair amount of mobile users, demonstrating that Lomita’s water website should still be mobile-friendly to accommodate all users. 20 Figure 14 – Devices users use to view LomitaWater.com.
Website Analysis
Favicon
Lomita’s water website features the palm tree from the Lomita Water logo as the custom favicon rather than the City’s seal because it operates as an individual division within the City.
Figure 15 – The Lomita Water website favicon.
Content Organization
The City's Water website header includes the Lomita Water logo on the left (that also serves as a link to the homepage) and the City of Lomita’s seal in the background on the right. Additionally, on the right, there is a search bar and a phone number where you can contact the Lomita Water Division.
The header is followed by a navigation bar with seven parent pages: Home, Oversight, Infrastructure, Education, News, Online Bill Payment and Contact Us.
As of this writing, the homepage slider features five images with different tips and information:
• Learn about Lomita’s Drinking Water and View Water Quality Data (linking to the 2022 Consumer Confidence Report)
• Hi-Shear Site Investigation (linking to a broken link) • Lomita Water’s Mission (linking to the Oversight page) • Your Water is our Priority (linking to the page to report a water concern) • Conservation is Key (linking to conservation tips)
21 Figure 16 – LomitaWater.com homepage screenshot.
The rest of the homepage is simplistic and easy to navigate. There is a short paragraph about the City of Lomita’s Water Division and then a row of three columns with news, water quality results and an area to report a water leak.
Mobile Design
The Lomita water website has a mobile-responsive design that allows users to navigate the webpage easily through the web browser on their mobile devices. While only about 30% of users access the website through a mobile design, it is still a best practice to have a mobile-optimized design to cater to all users and devices. 22 Figure 17 – Screenshot of mobile water website.
The “mobile-optimized” version of the website compiles the parent pages into an accordion menu on the top left of the page. The Lomita Water logo, search bar and contact number are in a single column above the image slider. Similar to the header, the rest of the page is formatted as a single column, making the pages easy to read.
On additional pages throughout the site, the navigation accordion menu, Lomita water logo, search bar and contact number remain at the top of every page, ensuring quick navigation and easy user access to popular pages.
Security
The LomitaWater.com website has an SSL certificate. As noted previously, the SSL certificate is a best practice recommended by Tripepi Smith and has numerous benefits, including added safety features for users and better SEO on Google.
Privacy Policy
The Water website does have a Privacy Policy page, and it is linked in the website footer, a best practice so users can easily find the page. The Privacy Policy outlines how the City gathers, uses, discloses and 23 manages data they collect from the website. This is recommended as Lomita collects personally identifiable information through website forms.
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice
The City of Lomita’s water website currently lacks an ADA Notice. To make content more accessible, the notice should provide alternative resources to those with sight or hearing impairments.
Additionally, according to AccessibilityChecker.org, Lomita’s water website is not 100% ADA-compliant.
Tripepi Smith recommends auditing the City’s water website to make it more ADA-compliant to increase usability and accessibility for all users.
Newsletters and Bill Inserts
Mailchimp
The City of Lomita communicates with its residents regularly through email with Mailchimp, an email platform. Lomita is subscribed to the Essentials plan ($110/month). Lomita manages three email audiences:
• City of Lomita: 7,491 subscribers
• Lomita Water: 360 subscribers
• City of Lomita Projects: 0 subscribers
Mailchimp also allows users to create segments to organize an email audience. The City of Lomita has four segments: Lomita Water, Parks & Recreation, General City News and Unsubscribed Contacts. With the exception of Unsubscribed contacts (83 contacts), these segments are not differentiated, as they all have 7,491 subscribers. This is likely due to the City creating these segments within the last six months, with previous subscribers being added to all segments and new subscribers choosing to sign up for all three lists.
Key email types from the City include:
• City E-Newsletter: A biweekly digital newsletter providing news, updates and event details. • Specialized Notifications: Sent as needed, focusing on specific topics like water, surveys or urgent updates.
With a population of almost 21,000, most Lomita residents are not subscribed to receive emails from the City, including the e-newsletter.
The newsletter's content focuses on upcoming events, classes or programs, with some information about City updates, general seasonal information and announcements.
Currently, the City Manager’s Department drafts the biweekly general e-newsletter.
There is no standardized information-gathering process, as the City Manager’s Department has to gather information from old newsletters and contact local public agencies or department leads to get information.
Email Analytics
Mailchimp only offers email analytics with the Standard plan ($135/month for 10,000 contacts), not the Essentials plan that Lomita currently uses ($110/month for 10,000 contacts). On the Standard Plan, Mailchimp’s marketing dashboard would provide metrics on total sends, average open rate, click rate and unsubscribe rate.
24 ADA Compliance
Emails sent via MailChimp do not adhere to ADA standards, as most of the e-newsletters leverage flyers and do not include alternate text for images. Tripepi Smith recommends having e-newsletters that are textbased with supplemental images and alternate text to be ADA-compliant.
Branding and Voice Consistency
The outline for the e-newsletter does include the City logo, but does not follow other City branding, such as colors or suggested fonts. Additionally, it could be more well-aligned with the City’s other communication channels by ensuring that information is also posted across their social media platforms and linked back to the website.
Figure 19 – Screenshots of Lomita’s biweekly e-newsletter from February 21, 2025.
The e-newsletter is formatted as a single column, ensuring it is easy to read on both mobile devices and desktop computers. However, it is long, and many of the articles are lengthy, with some including up to seven paragraphs.
Additionally, some of the text on the flyers is hard to read if they do not span a whole column. To ensure better organization, the City could reorganize and prioritize included information and provide links to Lomita’s website for more information rather than including all the details in the newsletter. 25 Tripepi Smith recommends posting the e-newsletter stories to the City’s social media accounts to ensure maximum exposure to important information and upcoming events.
Figure 20 – (Left) Lomita Facebook post; (Right) Corresponding Lomita e-newsletter image.
As seen above, when information is shared across platforms, typically, it is created for social media first and then placed in the e-newsletter. While this ensures consistency in tone and branding, other information that is not placed on social media does not have the same consistency.
Quarterly Print Newsletters
In addition to the bi-weekly e-newsletters, the City sends out a quarterly print newsletter to each Lomita household. The City Manager’s Department drafts the quarterly newsletter.
To gather information, staff will contact department but often do not receive any updates. The content will often come from previous City Council meetings/staff reports and institutional knowledge of pertinent events/initiatives.
The print newsletter mostly focuses on staff announcements, upcoming events and programs and recaps of previous events. Additionally, Lomita includes information on other relevant information including the General Plan, CIP projects, its Sister City and City services. 26 According to staff and previous surveys, residents are most engaged with Lomita’s print newsletter and biweekly e-newsletters and use them to stay updated on upcoming events, City announcements and relevant information. Due to its high resident engagement rate, Lomita should continue leveraging the print newsletter while directing community members to other additional sources of information, like the City’s website or social media pages.
Print Newsletter Analysis
The print newsletter is a great source of information for residents to stay informed and continue to be engaged at City events and with City offerings. While print newsletters are expensive, they are a good way to make contact with hard-to-reach residents who may not have access to any digital platforms on a regular basis. Most of the information in the newsletter is centered around Lomita’s Recreation and Facilities Division but includes some other departments and City offerings.
Figure 21 – Screenshot of Lomita’s quarterly newsletter front page.
In the most recent edition, the front page is engaging, including the Lomita Newsletter logo and a picture of a recent CIP project. It also includes the date and two calls to action, including a QR code to access relevant links and a prompt to open the newsletter to view Spring Recreation Class information. However, there is an opportunity to rebrand the newsletter to better align with the City’s other marketing collateral. 27 Figure 22 – Screenshot of Lomita’s quarterly newsletter.
On the inside, Lomita has a clear table of contents, City Hall contact information and other relevant information that is easy to access and quick to digest.
Water Bill Inserts
The City also communicates with its residents through Water Bill Inserts, which are printed and mailed every other month alongside residents’ printed water bills. Tripepi Smith is responsible for drafting the content and designing each bill insert, while the City manages the printing and distribution.
To gather information for the inserts, Tripepi Smith consults with the Lomita communications team to identify relevant topics. The content primarily focuses on important water information, water conservation tips and upcoming City events or announcements.
Water Bill Insert Analysis
The Water Bill Insert is an effective way for the City to regularly share information with residents. It keeps them informed about City events and services, as well as updates from the Lomita Water Department. 28 Figure 23 – Screenshot of Lomita’s July Water Bill Insert.
The Water Bill Inserts are engaging and easy to read. They are formatted as a single-page document with information on the front and back using Lomita’s colors, fonts, logo and design style, ensuring a cohesive look across all materials. Each section of the Bill Insert is clearly organized, with important information presented on the front and upcoming events listed on the back. After distribution, each insert is uploaded to the Lomita Water website.
Social Media
Social media is a dynamic, cost-effective and highly adaptable communication tool that allows cities to connect with their communities in real time. Unlike traditional media, which primarily broadcasts information, social platforms foster two-way conversations, enabling direct engagement between local governments and residents.
In Lomita, social media content is gathered by the City Manager’s Department, who reaches out to department heads to complete a form identifying content that is worth sharing. Once the content is collected, it is shared with Tripepi Smith during bi-weekly check-in calls or via email for drafting. Additionally, Tripepi Smith holds a Bi-Annual Communications Meeting on-site with all department heads to gather potential content for the upcoming six months. These meetings help establish a clear communication roadmap for each department, allowing Tripepi Smith to effectively help plan monthly content. This 29 collaborative approach ensures alignment across departments and provides an opportunity for department heads to stay informed about city-wide activities and initiatives.
The City of Lomita is present on Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, LinkedIn, YouTube and X.
Site Username Followers Link
Facebook @CityofLomita,California 4,207 https://www.facebook.com/Lo mitaCity/
Instagram @LomitaCityHall 2,954 https://www.instagram.com/lo mitacityhall/?hl=en
Nextdoor @TheCityofLomita 8,308 https://nextdoor.com/agencydetail/ca/lomita/city-of-lomita1/ LinkedIn @CityofLomita 452 https://www.linkedin.com/com pany/city-of-lomita/
YouTube @CityofLomita3531 70 https://www.youtube.com/cha nnel/UCZkU5IjRuGnY1ng9qj
8N1Ig
X @CityOfLomita 26 https://x.com/cityoflomita
*Data in table as of August 11, 2025.
Nextdoor Profile
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s Nextdoor page has the highest follower count with 8,308 followers. From February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, the City published 53 posts, generating 25,067 impressions and 188 engagements (thank you43 and reply count44).
The City of Lomita’s Nextdoor postings are inconsistent and do not follow a set schedule, with many posts from other platforms not being shared on Nextdoor. Over the past year, only posts from Tripepi Smith have been published on the platform. Additionally, the profile is not fully optimized, lacking key details such as a bio, website link, and hometown information, and posts are not targeted to specific neighborhoods.
Enhancing the profile with this information would strengthen the City's presence and improve accessibility for residents seeking updates since this is the most followed social media platform. Notably, the bio currently links to the City’s social media policy.
The top organic performing posts from February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025, include:
43 Thank You Count is the number of reactions (like, heart, etc.) on your post. 44 Reply Count is the number of comments on the post.
30 • The announcement of three major construction projects in Summer 2024 throughout Lomita, posted on July 24, 2024, with 1,263 impressions and 4 engagements. • Sound the alarm event reminder, posted on June 11, 2024, with 1,218 impressions and 7 engagements.
• Employee spotlight feature posted on August 16, 2024, with 864 impressions and 5 engagements.
These top-performing posts indicate that the Nextdoor community is particularly engaged with City updates, local events and staff recognition.
Figure 24 – Top-performing posts on Lomita’s Nextdoor from February 1, 2024–January 31, 2025.
Facebook Profile
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s Facebook page has a following of 4,207 followers. From February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, the City published 163 posts, generating 445,387 impressions47 and 25,370 engagements.48 The City’s account gained 364 followers in this time period, representing a 4% decrease from February 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024.
Demographic insights indicate that approximately 70% of the City’s Facebook followers are women, while 30% are men. The most prominent age groups of followers fall between 35-44 and 45-54 years old. 47 Impressions are the number of times your content was displayed to users. 48 Engagements are the total number of reactions, comments, shares, post link clicks, saves, other post clicks and other engagements.
31 Figure 25 – City of Lomita’s Facebook Page Gender/Age Distribution as of February 2025.
Additionally, Facebook identifies the hometown of page followers using app and desktop access patterns or user profile information. Below is a list of the top ten cities where Lomita’s followers reside. This data provides valuable insight into audience reach and suggests that the City is effectively engaging with both residents and nearby communities. Leveraging this geographic data can help refine content strategies, ensuring messaging resonates with key audiences and fostering stronger regional connections.
Figure 26 – Top Reported Locations Where Lomita Facebook Followers Reside 32 The City of Lomita actively maintains its presence on Facebook, posting about five times a week. The posts feature a variety of content, including employee spotlights, City announcements, public works updates, digital newsletter promotions, event promotions and recaps, SB1383 reminders, water tour promotion and community engagement opportunities.
As of this report, Lomita’s Facebook page is well-structured, featuring the City logo as the profile picture, a visually appealing cover photo and a fully completed About section with an introduction, contact details, City Hall hours and a link to the City’s website.
Tripepi Smith conducts weekly monitoring of social media comments to identify questions and inquiries, which are then brought to the City. Lomita occasionally utilizes Facebook’s event feature to highlight upcoming events, increasing the use of this tool could further improve reach and engagement. The City’s page is not currently Meta-verified and does not have the Facebook Response Assistant set up, which could help by sending automated replies to messages. Achieving Meta verification would reassure residents that the Facebook page is a trusted source for accurate information, while implementing automated replies through the Response Assistant would demonstrate the City's commitment to proactive communication and assure residents that their messages are being acknowledged. Additionally, the page is authorized to run social issue, electoral or political ads.51
The City occasionally utilizes Facebook boosted posts to enhance outreach for community events, including the 60th Anniversary celebrations. The budget for these posts is flexible, ranging from $10 to $750, based on the event’s significance and target audience. The City Manager’s Office does not have a designated advertising budget for these efforts but will review boosted posts on a case by case basis. Boosted posts are geotargeted within a five-mile radius of Lomita.
Between February 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025, the City has published boosted advertisements to this audience, allocating $750 per post. The campaign launched on April 24, 2024, ran for 30 days, promoting the 60th Anniversary celebrations and generating 3,390 post engagements, a reach of 33,257, and 152,431 impressions. The second campaign, posted on June 14, 2024, ran for 21 days and featured a video that achieved 23,595 thruplays, a reach of 16,541, and 36,869 impressions. 51 Social issue, electoral or political ads are ads made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office, a political figure, a political party, about any election, referendum, or ballot initiative, including "go out and vote" or election campaigns; or about social issues in any place where the ad is being placed. Obtaining approval to run these types of ads is crucial for Lomita if it intends to boost posts related to elections, ballot measures, civic engagement initiatives or discussions around social issues. It also allows the City to effectively reach its intended audience with accurate and authoritative information, building public trust and encouraging informed civic participation.
33 Figure 27 – Lomita’s Boosted Posts between February 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025.
In addition to the City’s official Facebook page, Lomita residents frequently engage with the Friendly City Facebook group (not affiliated with the City). This Facebook group is currently owned and operated by a Lomita resident. City staff have noted in interviews that residents often turn to this group for City updates rather than the official Lomita Facebook page.
The most successful posts on Facebook are those promoting community events, such as the 60thanniversary celebrations, and recaps of community engagement activities, like the Halloween House Decorating Contest. This indicates that Facebook users are particularly interested in local events and opportunities to stay involved in the community.
The top organic performing posts from February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025, include:
• The announcement of Lomita’s 60th anniversary celebration, posted on March 15, 2024, with 6,775 engagements.
• Save the date for Monster Dash 5k and 10k, posted on July 25, 2024, with 1,555 engagements. • Halloween house decoration competition recap posted on October 30, 2024, with 906 engagements.
Based on these top posts, the Lomita Facebook audience tends to interact frequently with local events and opportunities to stay involved in the community. The 60th Anniversary celebration announcement post had the most engagements during this timeframe because residents are invested in ways to be involved in the City and attend fun City events.
34 Figure 28 - Lomita City Facebook Top Posts from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.
Facebook Impressions
Figure 29 – Lomita Facebook Impressions from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025. 35 Facebook Engagements
Figure 30 – Lomita Facebook Engagements from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.53 Instagram
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s Instagram page has a following of 2,954 followers. From February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, the City published 669 posts, generating 338,778 impressions and 7,225 engagements. The City’s account gained 517 followers in this time period, representing a 300% increase from February 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024.
The platform attracts a younger audience, with the majority of followers under the age of 45. Notably, 24% of followers fall within the 25-34 age range, highlighting an opportunity to tailor content for a younger demographic. Additionally, Instagram’s audience mirrors Facebook’s gender distribution, with approximately 70% women and 30% men.
Figure 31 – Lomita Instagram Gender/Age Distribution as of February 2025.
Similar to the City of Lomita’s Facebook page, its Instagram profile maintains an active presence with about five posts per week. The content is standardized and mirrors Facebook posts. The bio section is wellstructured, clearly identifying it as the official City page and providing a direct link to the website for easy access to more information.
53 Other Post Clicks refers to the number of times users clicked anywhere in a post without opening a web link, reacting to, commenting on or sharing a post.
36 Most posts consist of static images, with some video content included. The video posts primarily showcase the City, such as the State of the City video. The City's Instagram account is set up as a business account, featuring a profile photo and bio that includes a link to the City’s social media policy. The account is not currently verified and does not include references to pages mentioned in post captions via a “link in bio” service.
The City does utilize Instagram’s pinned posts feature, with pinned posts highlighting fun facts about Lomita, Founders Day, the City newsletter and more.
Of the 669 posts published, 90 were feed posts, 565 stories and 6 Reels. Instagram stories accounted for the most content engagements with 189,921. During this time period, Lomita’s top performing posts included:
• The announcement of Deputy Okamoto passing away, posted on April 15, 2024, with 1,287 engagements.
• National Night Out announcement, posted July 17, 2024, with 302 engagements. • Save the date post for Halloween at Lomita Park, posted October 11, 2024, with 255 engagements.
Based on these top posts, the Lomita Instagram audience tends to interact frequently with CIty internal announcements and local events. Deputy Okamoto’s post had the most engagements during this timeframe.
Figure 32 – Lomita Instagram Top Posts from February 1, 2024–January 31, 2025.
While the City regularly shares stories, it does not use the story highlights feature to archive them publicly.
Additionally, the City does not utilize digital advertisements on Instagram. As of this report, the page is not currently authorized to run social issue, electoral or political ads; however, setting this up would be straightforward since the City's Facebook page is already verified for such ads. 37 Instagram Impressions
Figure 33 – Lomita Instagram Impressions from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.
Instagram Engagements
Figure 34 – Lomita Instagram Engagements from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.
LinkedIn
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s LinkedIn page has a following of 452 followers. From February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, the City published 9 posts, generating 79 engagements.
The City of Lomita primarily uses LinkedIn to share employment opportunities, but postings are sporadic and inconsistent, limiting its reach within the platform’s professional audience. The About section is welldeveloped, featuring a detailed bio, a direct link to the City’s website and key information such as company size. However, the City’s posting strategy is minimal, focusing mainly on job listings.
The top organic performing posts from February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025, include:
• Senior Management Analyst job posting, posted in October 2024, with 18 engagements and 4 reshares.
• Water Systems Superintendent job posting, in October 2024, with 10 engagements and 1 reshare. • Planning intern job posting, in March 2024, with 8 engagements and 3 reshares. 38 These top-performing posts indicate that job opportunities with the City generate a solid response, however, job postings are currently the only type of content shared, thus no conclusion can be made about what kind of posting is most effective for this platform, aside from a single announcement about Founder’s Day for the 60th Anniversary Celebration, which received 8 engagements and 2 reshares.
Figure 35 – Lomita LinkedIn Top Posts from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.
YouTube
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s YouTube channel has 70 subscribers. Lomita has uploaded 43 videos to its YouTube channel, which have a combined total of 4,265 video views. From February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, Lomita’s channel received 1,298 views across all videos. The City published 13 videos in this time period, with the most watched videos being:
39 • “City of Lomita 60th Anniversary,” (about a 3-minute video posted on June 18, 2024, with 675 views).
o A fun video recapping the history of Lomita and announcing the 60th Anniversary yearlong celebration.
• “Lomita Live, Work & Play 2024,” (a 5-minute video posted on November 27, 2024, with 163 views).
o A narrated video showcasing life in Lomita—capturing what it’s like to live, work, and play in the City — while highlighting key features that make it known as the “Friendly City.”
• “Lomita Legends Ceremony,” (a 17-minute video posted on July 12, 2024, with 71 views). o A video honoring individuals in the community with a distinct and historical connection to Lomita to celebrate its 60th Anniversary.
In addition to “City of Lomita 60th Anniversary” and “Lomita Live, Work & Play 2024” another top overall most viewed video on the YouTube channel is the “Organics Recycling in Lomita,” (a 3-minute video posted on June 14, 2023, with 1,068 views). This narrated video educates the residents on the new SB 1383 recycling program throughout California.
Based on these top-performing videos, viewers are most interested in ways to celebrate the City and new City updates. These top videos highlight Lomita to showcase Lomita, its rich history and the residents.
Tripepi Smith helped the City establish its YouTube page in January 2020 as a centralized platform for hosting various video projects, including the “Live, Work & Play” series, “State of the City” addresses and more.
The City’s YouTube page is not organized by the most viewed videos and are not the first to show up when searching the City’s name on YouTube; the platform’s algorithm prioritizes recency when determining search results. Although the most-viewed videos have historically garnered significant attention, the platform is designed to highlight newer content. Within the last year, the City has primarily featured Commission Meetings with occasional promotional content for the City. However, posting remains inconsistent, limiting the platform’s potential reach.
Videos typically receive 10-60 views, with the most-watched video reaching 1,068 views. To enhance the City's online presence and engagement, implementing a more consistent upload schedule — with a goal of at least one video per month — is recommended. Additionally, incorporating more City highlights, community stories and event recaps could help attract a broader audience and drive greater engagement.
The City does not currently utilize the YouTube Shorts feature. 40 Figure 36 – Lomita YouTube Posts from February 1, 2024– January 31, 2025.
X (formerly Twitter)
Of Lomita’s six main social media sites, the City’s X account has a following of 26 followers. The City of Lomita has not posted on X, despite the account being active since 2010, due to City staff being unable to access the account under the previous account email. Additionally, the account does not have a profile picture or a bio detailing City information or the social media policy. 41 Observations & Recommendations
Observations
Observations are notable statements of fact or insights that Tripepi Smith has gleaned from its review of all City platforms, materials and interviews. These are simplified points from all the content previously shared that both drive our viewpoints of communications in Lomita and inform our recommendations.
General
• The City has an informal communications team of three individuals and works with Tripepi Smith to assist with outreach.
• Together, the Communications team and Tripepi Smith offer a comprehensive suite of services, including website content management, social media management, newsletter development and distribution, graphic design, writing, media relations, photography and videography. • The City has identified contacts with local organizations and community groups but does not regularly collaborate with the groups.
• The Communications team reaches out to Department heads to gather information from each Department to showcase in newsletters, social media and on the website. However, this process is not formalized.
• Tripepi Smith brings together leaders throughout the organization to reflect on communications wins and lessons learned picked up in the previous quarter, serving to create a plan for outreach in the coming quarters. This is an in-person bi-annual meeting with all department heads, as a means of synergizing communication efforts.
Social Media
• The City of Lomita maintains a presence on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, LinkedIn and Youtube. Among these, Nextdoor has the largest audience.
Lomita does have an X account, but it is not currently in use. • Recently, the City has switched to a set weekly posting schedule of about five posts a week. This typically includes upcoming event information, event recaps, public works related updates and general City announcements.
• The posting schedule is developed through collaboration between City staff and Tripepi Smith during bi-weekly check-in meetings. The team consults the communications calendar created during the quarterly communications meetings with Department heads to ensure content is based on all departments’ needs.
• The recently approved social media policy has been posted to the City’s website and social media accounts.
• The City posts natively to social media platforms, whereas Tripepi Smith uses Sprout Social for all postings besides Nextdoor. Sprout Social is a social media management tool that provides post scheduling capabilities, metrics tracking and social listening. • The City does not regularly collect, analyze or report on social media metrics. Tripepi Smith has the ability to produce dashboard reports via Sprout Social.
Platform Specific Observations
Facebook
• Facebook usage dominates on metrics and acts as the City’s primary channel for ongoing content distribution.
• Throughout interviews, staff noted that a significant number of residents rely on the Friendly City Facebook group for local news rather than the City’s official page. • The City’s Facebook page is not currently verified but does have authorization to run advertising that is considered “political” in nature.
42 Instagram
• The City posts most frequently to Instagram, when combining social media posts and stories. • The City’s audience on Instagram tends to be younger, ranging from 25-44 years old, demonstrating a strong interest in community events and images that capture the community. • The Instagram account has experienced significant growth over the past year, gaining 517 new followers.
• The business account is not verified and does not have authorization to run advertising that is considered “political” in nature.
• The City’s Instagram highlights are out of date and not leveraged consistently.
Nextdoor
• This platform has the City's largest social media following and acts a vital channel for directly reaching residents, as the platform sends email notifications. However, inconsistent posting limits engagement opportunities. Tripepi Smith has observed that Nextdoor is the second most impactful platform for public agency communications after Facebook. • The bio is not fully up to date with essential City information, such as linking to the website, City Hall address and linking to other City owned social media pages. • Currently, the City does not actively target specific neighborhoods or districts in its outreach.
LinkedIn
• The City has a platform presence but does not actively leverage LinkedIn. Expanding LinkedIn use could broaden professional engagement with Lomita.
• Posts are sporadic and only focus on job postings within the City.
YouTube
• The City has a small subscriber base and video content is posted inconsistently. • The videos with the highest views showcase and promote the City (e.g. 60th Anniversary and Live, Work and Play videos), with the top two being created by Tripepi Smith.
X (Twitter)
• The City does not currently use X, which limits real-time engagement opportunities. • The City’s X account does not have a profile picture or bio leading to City information or Lomita’s social media policy.
Website (LomitaCity.com)
• Users visiting the City’s main webpage primarily focus on City events, recreation facilities and reviewing Agendas and Minutes.
• The webpage is mobile-friendly, ensuring easy access for all users. • The City primarily updates the website amongst internal staff, outsourcing select additional updates to Tripepi Smith as-needed.
o Departments will email the senior management analyst, the management assistant or administrative analyst with website update requests. Depending on capacity, time commitment and task difficulty, staff will either handle these requests internally or tap Tripepi Smith.
• Interviews with City staff indicate that the website is the City’s most comprehensive informational hub but is often not leveraged often enough (e.g. directing residents to the website). • A more structured internal approach to website updates could enhance usability and ensure information is up to date.
• The City has a Privacy Policy, but it is not linked in a visible or accessible location. • The City does not have an ADA compliance policy.
• The webpage uses Userway, a widget that increases user accessibility. • The City currently utilizes an AI search function to increase usability and speed of finding searched items.
43 Website (LomitaWater.com)
• Users visiting the City’s water website primarily focus on reviewing water rates and water quality reports.
• The website is mobile-friendly, ensuring easy access for all users. • A more structured internal approach to website updates could enhance usability and ensure information is up to date.
• The Privacy Policy is linked in the footer.
• The City does not have an ADA compliance policy.
Newsletters and Bill Inserts
• City staff noted that Mailchimp is primarily used for distributing the biweekly e-newsletter. • While the e-newsletter is opt-in only, the quarterly print newsletter reaches all households. In interviews, staff noted that residents appreciate receiving physical copies. • E-newsletters are not ADA-compliant and tend to be quite lengthy, which could lead to residents quickly scrolling through rather than reading each section. • Print newsletters are well-organized, include calls-to-action and provide a good amount of information for the upcoming quarter.
• Water Bill Inserts are mailed every other month and provide timely information in a clear and easyto-understand format.
Recommendations
Based on the observations above, Tripepi Smith offers the following recommendations to enhance the City of Lomita’s approach to communications and community engagement. Each general recommendation includes action steps designed to help improve the organization, execution and impact of Lomita’s community engagement efforts.
Enhance Cross-Departmental Collaboration
As a full-service City, Lomita has a wide range of communication opportunities on any given day. To ensure the City is well equipped to share consistent updates related to City programs and projects, the City would benefit from stronger inter-departmental collaboration and planning with staff involved in communications and Tripepi Smith.
Likewise, while aforementioned staff members play a key role in executing the City’s communications work, the City may consider forming an official Communications department or division, further solidifying responsibilities and expectations related to outreach.
In addition to the bi-annual communication meetings with Tripepi Smith, the City may consider implementing shorter, monthly department head meetings as an additional opportunity to align efforts across teams.
Community Collaboration
To enhance collaborative efforts with prominent community groups, the City has an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships with local organizations, neighborhood associations and businesses.
Establishing a structured outreach plan will help maintain a two-way dialogue with community leaders, where the City can proactively solicit feedback and updates from a diverse sect of the Lomita population.
Tripepi Smith recommends creating an outreach list of community groups and designating a point of contact at the City to facilitate outreach on a monthly or quarterly basis. Depending on the size and influence of the aforementioned groups, the City may consider setting up standing meetings with designated points of contact for regular updates and collaborative opportunities on events and initiatives. Growing these 44 professional relationships will increase the likelihood of community group leaders sharing City communications with their associated networks, further maximizing the distribution impact of Lomita’s messaging.
Social Media Strategy
Create a Structured Social Media Schedule
To strengthen the City’s digital presence, the City could create a content calendar for social media by leveraging the communications calendar filled out during communications meetings. This would also be an apt time to define high-priority messaging and allocate paid advertising budgets for events or initiatives with a clear call-to-action (e.g. completing a survey, providing feedback on a project, signing up or attending an event).
Additionally, conducting monthly analytics reviews ––such as through a metrics dashboard created by Tripepi Smith–– will help the City to refine strategy for each platform based on engagement trends and topperforming posts. The City may also consider refining content strategy across platforms with consideration for audience and platform characteristics, such as LinkedIn or Nextdoor.
Increase Video & Reels Content
Increasing the generation of video content should also be a priority for the City, as they typically generate higher engagement compared to static posts.
Content for Instagram Reels should be shot in portrait orientation. To increase engagement rates, the City may consider creating shorter video previews (10-15 seconds), which will link out to a longer-form video on YouTube, for example. Video content on Instagram should focus on highlighting familiar faces and places in the community, such as event previews, behind-the-scenes glimpses of City operations or features highlighting City employees and prominent community members/businesses.
Content for YouTube should be shot in landscape orientation and focus on long-form topics. This might include full interviews with City employees or community members, event recaps, historical information about the City or showcasing in-progress or completed public works projects, for example.
These dynamic and visually engaging formats will help bring City initiatives to life and foster a stronger connection with residents.
Invest in Digital Advertising
Investing in social media advertising will further amplify key messaging. Allocating a set budget for boosted posts will expand the reach of important announcements and initiatives, ensuring content is seen by a larger swath of Lomita. Strategic promotion of high-impact content will maximize visibility and enhance real-life engagement with the City.
Likewise, the City may consider leveraging boosted social media content to Google Ads, implementing display or search ads for high-priority topics. Google Ads can help the City reach more residents who aren’t using social media; the platform also provides more detailed audience targeting capabilities. If the City is creating video content with a call-to-action, Google Ads also allows users to place advertisements on YouTube.
Verify all Social Media Platforms
To enhance credibility and trust, the City should prioritize verifying all social media platforms when available. A verified status not only signals the authenticity of a profile, but also increases visibility in algorithms, helping City messaging reach a wider audience. Verification reassures residents that they are 45 receiving accurate and official information, reducing the risk of misinformation from unofficial sources.
Additionally, a verified badge can enhance engagement by encouraging more users to interact with posts, knowing they come from a reliable source. In particular, the City should explore verification on Instagram and Facebook. While YouTube also provides verification, pages must have at least 100,000 followers to apply. Verification can be purchased on X for $84 per year.
Regularly Post E-Newsletter Items
To maximize exposure to important information and upcoming events, the City should share e-newsletter content on all social media platforms. This approach will increase visibility and boost resident engagement.
Furthermore, the City should include a link to the e-newsletter for additional information. This will encourage more residents to sign up, resulting in greater engagement with the newsletter.
Platform-Specific Recommendations
Each social media platform plays a unique role in reaching different segments of the community, and optimizing their use will strengthen overall engagement.
Facebook
• Engagement can be enhanced by implementing a structured posting schedule, maintaining a consistent number of posts each week to share timely and engaging information, and further identifying content suitable for paid promotion.
• In the City’s bio, it is also important to include the City Hall address for residents to easily identify an on-site visit.
• Enabling Facebook Response Assistant would allow the City to send an automatic response to any direct messages received, such as: “Thank you for messaging the City of Lomita. A representative will respond to your inquiry shortly.” Contingent on staff capacity and the designated point-ofcontact, the City could also add a timeframe for responses, such as 48 hours. This will provide the community with the comfort that their message is being reviewed by City staff, while providing clear expectations for transparency.
• Given that Facebook remains the most widely used social media platform in the U.S., increasing the frequency of posts and maintaining consistency should be a priority to maximize engagement. • To maximize engagement, the City should continue prioritizing event promotions, community highlights and interactive content that encourages resident participation. • To further enhance accessibility for residents, adding the full City Hall address would be valuable.
To enhance cross-platform visibility, it is recommended that the City add links to its other social media accounts. Additionally, the page currently lacks a call-to-action button — adding a “Contact Us” button could make it easier for residents to reach out.
Instagram
• Maintaining a strong focus on community event-related posts will help connect with a younger demographic.
• To enhance usability, general categories should be added to Instagram highlights with clearly labeled covers, making it easier for users to navigate and find relevant information (e.g. Events, Meetings, Initiatives).
• Regularly updating the City’s LinkTree on a weekly basis with the most recent links featured in posts will ensure seamless access to key resources. It would also be beneficial to identify the most crucial links to remain constant in the City’s LinkTree (e.g. City calendar, City Council page, etc.) • The City should also further leverage Instagram stories. The City should consider posting unique content to stories (e.g. Day in the life from a City staff member), as well as resharing the City’s feed posts to maximize visibility. When applicable, the City should also reshare content from partner agencies to the Instagram story for timely messaging. 46 • As Instagram recently updated dimensions for how posts are displayed on user pages, the City should aim to format media as follows: 1080x1350 pixel image (4:5 aspect ratio) for a portrait or vertical format, or 1080x566 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio) for a landscape format. Instagram's grid now displays posts in a 3:4 ratio.
• As previously mentioned, Instagram Reels are an area of expansion for the City. In particular, the City can create Reels content by using phone cameras, making this a more accessible means of video creation.
• Leveraging LinkTree more effectively would allow followers easier access to links shared in post captions.
• Incorporating more reels, which are prioritized by the Instagram algorithm, would make the City’s Instagram page more dynamic, engaging and likely to reach a wider audience.
Nextdoor
• Given the City’s large audience, Nextdoor should be used consistently for all important City announcements. Ensuring that more updates are posted on Nextdoor will maximize visibility among residents, as these posts are sent directly to users' email addresses. • The platform profile should be fully optimized, with a complete and informative page bio to establish credibility.
• The City may consider leveraging the neighborhood targeting feature for certain types of communications, such as construction impacts.
• To maximize LinkedIn’s potential, the City could enhance its presence by posting more consistently and diversifying content to include city achievements, employee spotlights and upcoming events, fostering greater engagement with professionals and job seekers alike.
YouTube
• This platform presents an opportunity to further showcase Lomita through long-form video content.
The City should aim to increase the frequency of video uploads, different from City Council meetings, to at least once a month.
• As the City expands video content, the channel should be promoted across other social media platforms, including previews of long-form videos on YouTube. • Video content should highlight the City's unique attributes and community, making the page a valuable resource for existing residents to learn more about their City while attracting potential visitors, new residents and businesses. The City may consider further leveraging Tripepi Smith for professionally shot and edited videos.
LinkedIn
• The City should expand content beyond job postings to include updates on City initiatives, employee spotlights and community partnerships.
• Likewise, the City should increase tagging of relevant partner and employee pages to maximize organic impressions.
• To foster further engagement with the City’s LinkedIn page, the City’s leadership team should create personal profiles and add Lomita as their workplace, encouraging the rest of City staff to do the same. Once staff are engaged with the City on LinkedIn, encourage engagement with the City’s posts.
X
• The City should consider following the same posting schedule as Facebook and Instagram on this platform to further expand reach.
• Short form updates and timely content performs the best on this platform, such as traffic or construction notifications, or information on incoming storms. 47 • If the City has a presence on X, it will also further enable the City’s social listening and ability to engage in broader community conversations.
• The City should make their City logo the profile picture. • The City should add relevant City information, including a short bio about the account, a link to Lomita’s website and a link to Lomita’s social media policy, in the biography section.
Website (LomitaCity.com)
Establish Clear Website Processes
To ensure the City’s website remains up-to-date and that website requests are processed in a timely manner, the City should consider establishing a formalized process for website updates. This would mean designating one or more staff members as webmasters, denoting which staff member handles updates for different sections of the website. To help organize the receipt of website update requests, the City may consider creating a ticketing system for internal use, either by embedding this form onto the City’s intranet or creating a password-protected page on the City website for staff to submit requests. This will better enable information gathering and tracking the status of updates.
Likewise, continuing to leverage Tripepi Smith for larger-scale updates — such as page redesigns or page creations — will help keep the website a dynamic and engaging resource.
Implement a Monthly Review Process
Lomita should strongly consider establishing a monthly review process for department pages. This scheduled time will encourage departments to regularly assess and update their respective sections of the website, ensuring that information remains current and reducing the need for urgent updates due to outdated content. To help integrate this process into the regular workflow, departments may consider assigning specific subpages to the respective staff members as subject-matter experts, lessening the burden on one specific employee to keep track of all content. For projects with ongoing updates, departments may consider creating a spreadsheet to organize status and ensure synergy across the team for timely website updates.
Regularly Analyze Website Metrics
Lomita should establish a monthly process for analyzing and comparing website metrics. This process should include examining key data such as page views and the number of visitors. When analyzing this data, it is essential to compare the metrics to those from the previous month and the same month in the previous year to identify any fluctuations. Additionally, the City should track how many individuals follow links from social media to specific pages, as this can indicate resident interest and guide the City in future content creation.
Ensure ADA Compliance
When reviewing and updating the website, Tripepi Smith strongly recommends ensuring that all website content is ADA-compliant. This will enhance accessibility for every member of the community. The most common issue for non-compliance is not including alt-text for flyers. Leveraging the Userway tool installed on the City’s website will provide feedback on ADA status for real-time updates.
To be compliant, Lomita should create an ADA notice policy and link it in the website footer to ensure easy access. The policy should also outline non-communications related ADA matters.
Likewise, the City may consider implementing a quarterly ADA compliance check and remediation. The Userway tool can scan the website to assess compliance issues. Dedicating a staff member to implement these updates will be key to maintaining ongoing compliance. Likewise, when updating the website, users should be well-versed in ADA requirements, which will lessen the need for retroactive updates. 48 Increase Visibility of Privacy Policy
Tripepi Smith recommends placing the Privacy Policy page in an easy-to-access location, such as the website footer.
Finish Setting Up Google Analytics
The City should consider setting up Google Analytics as much as possible to get the most out of the tool and have maximum data available to analyze. This includes setting up the site search to collect user information about what users are searching for on the site.
Consistently Link to Lomita’s Website
To encourage increased website traffic and maximize the City’s most robust resource for residents, Lomita should direct community members to the website by consistently linking to relevant pages in any communication materials, including social media posts, newsletters and press releases.
Website (LomitaWater.com)
Finish Setting Up Google Analytics
The City should consider setting up Google Analytics as much as possible to get the most out of the tool and have maximum data available to analyze. This includes setting up the site search to collect user information about what users are searching for on the site.
Update the Image Slider on the Homepage
Two of the five images in the image slider are outdated or have broken links, decreasing the site’s usability.
The City should update the 2022 Consumer Confidence Report to the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report.
This should be a yearly update as the new report is released to ensure the site is up to date.
Additionally, the slide about the Hi-Shear Site Investigation sends users to a broken link. The City should update the link to the proper page or remove the slide.
To increase readability, Tripepi Smith recommends slowing down the transition pace for the slides.
Currently, the images move too quickly to read the full information on each slide.
Ensure ADA Compliance
When reviewing and updating the website, Tripepi Smith strongly recommends ensuring that all website content is ADA-compliant. This will enhance accessibility for every member of the community. The most common issue for non-compliance is not including alt-text for flyers.
Additionally, the City leverages the Userway tool on the primary website. To increase acessibility for all users, Tripepi Smith recommends utilizing the Userway tool on the Lomita Water website as well. Once installed, this tool will provide feedback on ADA status for real-time updates.
To be fully compliant, Lomita should create an ADA notice policy and link it in the website footer to ensure easy access. The policy should also outline non-communications related ADA matters.
Likewise, the City may consider implementing a quarterly ADA compliance check and remediation. The Userway tool can scan the website to assess compliance issues. Dedicating a staff member to implement these updates will be key to maintaining ongoing compliance. Likewise, when updating the website, users should be well-versed in ADA requirements, which will lessen the need for retroactive updates 49 Newsletters and Bill Inserts
Expand Mailchimp Usage
Email notifications are a cost-effective tool for local government organizations to directly communicate with residents, businesses and other key stakeholders. Many cities have a variety of dedicated email lists that residents can subscribe to for consistent updates. To take advantage of this tool, Lomita should expand MailChimp usage beyond the biweekly newsletter to include:
• Public Works Updates: Provide residents with ongoing alerts about updates with the City CIPs. • Special Announcements: Deliver timely alerts about major City developments. • Event Notifications: Reinforce community participation in Recreation events through targeted messaging.
• City Council Notifications: Signal when City Council agendas are posted, or if meetings change or become canceled.
Once the City establishes more specific email segments, a custom sign-up form should be updated on the website.
Conduct Opt-In Campaigns
The City of Lomita should consider conducting regular opt-in campaigns to increase e-newsletter subscriptions and reach a wider audience. Other cities have gained more subscribers through these campaigns by holding raffles to win City-branded merch or investing in paid advertising to boost their messaging. Likewise, the City could consider taking out an ad in a local newspaper to advertise the City’s e-newsletter and other notifications.
Optimize Formatting for E-Newsletters
While the e-newsletter has a decent number of subscribers, the length can make it difficult to read in its entirety. The City should consider reorganizing the biweekly newsletter to focus on timely and important information. Articles should be concise, ideally no longer than two paragraphs, linking to Lomita’s website for further details.
Additionally, the City should present upcoming events in a list format instead of relying on flyers with inconsistent branding that are not ADA-compliant. A simple event list will be easier to scan, and residents who want more information can click the corresponding link to access additional details on Lomita’s website.
Increase Accessibility in Printed Newsletters
While the printed newsletters regularly utilize QR codes, the City should also include URLs in its design in addition to the QR code so individuals without access to smartphones can still access the webpage with additional information or event sign-ups.
Rebrand Printed Newsletter
The current printed newsletter has a distinct identity that does not align with the City’s branding. Lomita should consider rebranding the printed newsletter to ensure it integrates seamlessly with the City’s current branding and other marketing materials, such as social media posts, the e-newsletter and the website. This rebranding should include the use of specific colors and fonts, as well as the inclusion of Lomita’s logo.
Regularly Gather Information from Departments
To create a more effective e-newsletter and a quarterly newsletter that features relevant information from all City departments, Lomita should leverage a communications calendar to track stories. Ideally, staff should receive this call for content two months before the quarterly newsletter's print deadline. Additionally, the Senior Management Analyst should obtain regular updates from each department to proactively include in the bi-weekly newsletter.
50 Conclusion
It is Tripepi Smith’s hope that this Platforms Review report provides a steppingstone for establishing policies and best practices that empower Lomita to better communicate its story to residents, businesses and visitors.
As the City looks to increase public trust and encourage participation in civic processes, planning ahead to execute proactive messaging and leveraging existing tools will be critical solutions. Standardizing departmental processes related to communications will boost Lomita’s ability to build a cohesive operation, creating more bandwidth to expand efforts and position Lomita in a positive light.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide the City of Lomita with a comprehensive review of its communication infrastructure and practices. In combination with the efforts of City staff, Tripepi Smith will continue to provide guidance on short and long-term strategy, with the hopes of inspiring those involved in City communications to embrace strategic planning for outreach efforts. 51 Appendix A – Interview Participants
Name Position
Juan Ibarra Senior Management Analyst
Janpier (JP) Adamzadeh Management Assistant
Emma Kelley Parks and Recreation Director
Lina Hernandez Assistant City Manager
52 Appendix B – Policies
City of Lomita – Social Media Policy
53 54
City of Lomita – LomitaCity.com Privacy Policy
55 City of Lomita – LomitaWater.com Privacy Policy
56