Driving organizational communication impact on social media: Understanding Information, Relational, and Action content for Effective Resource Mobilization and Awareness in Africa

Abstract

The extensive utilization of social media for organizational communication across Africa underscores the undeniable importance of user interaction and perceived value. In response to this growing significance, researchers have directed their efforts towards understanding the user engagement, with a particular focus on service organizations. This study delves into the strategies employed by selected humanitarian service organizations in Africa, as they harness the power of communication content functions on LinkedIn to achieve their vital goals of raising awareness and mobilizing resources. By analyzing posts from 77 organizations operating in sub-Saharan Africa using bi-term topic modelling and a generalized linear regression model, the study's findings suggest that informational communication content functions are likely to increase awareness. However, action and relational or dialogic functions did not demonstrate significant effects on awareness creation or resource mobilization (fundraising). However, it is noteworthy that the impact of action and relational or dialogic functions on awareness creation and resource mobilization (fundraising) was not found to be statistically significant. On the other hand, the incorporation of captivating multimedia elements, most notably images, emerges as a highly influential factor in captivating the audience's attention and substantially boosting engagement for the purposes of awareness and fundraising. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding non-profit services, specifically humanitarian services, by exploring new factors that contribute to effective organizational communication on social media. Moreover, it offers practical implications for online communicators, stakeholders, and public relations professionals.