Exploring Social Media Engagement Strategies in Small Nonprofit Organizations: From Informational Sharing to Community Calling

Abstract

This study examined the social media activities of small nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in Los Angeles, particularly those with annual revenue under $500,000, to understand their strategies for audience engagement on Facebook. The study adopted a social media engagement framework and categorized messages into information, community, and action. The findings show that smaller NPOs predominantly focused on sharing information. However, combining information with action-oriented messages significantly enhanced audience engagement, particularly in the form of comments, shares, and likes. Community-building efforts, which require greater resources, were more limited. This suggests that small NPOs face challenges in maintaining two-way communication because of resource constraints that limit their ability to foster long-term community connections. Over 50% of posts delivered dual or triple codes, which highlights the dual nature of NPO communication—while providing essential information, organizations simultaneously issue calls to action. These triple-coded posts signify a multifaceted engagement tactic. Overall, this study highlighted the need for small NPOs to adopt more strategic, multifaceted social media approaches that not only raise awareness but call for action and foster community building. KEYWORDS: Small NPOs, social media, audience engagement, Facebook