Degree Name
Master of Science
Department or Program
Mass Communication and Media Arts
Advisor
Veenstra, Aaron S
Abstract
Social media has become an important part of donor and public relations for nonprofit organizations. But with various social networking platforms available, millions of potential viewers and countless theories and techniques, it can be challenging for these organizations to know what works in real-life situations. This study looks at three popular social media theories and how they are implemented into a live, nonprofit, social media campaign. These theories of dialogic communication, emotional appeals, and attitude formation are found to be greatly beneficial to both the daily maintenance of nonprofit social media pages, and for specific fundraising campaigns. This case study acts as a guide for future research, and a source of practical insight for current nonprofit organizations. Through a process of content analysis, data examination and personal interviews, an understanding of the most effective tactics for using social media to run productive fundraising campaigns and build public support is clearly established.