The Role of Social Media in the Activism Measures of Nonprofit Organizations : An Empirical Study of Nonprofit Organizations

Sammanfattning: Social media and its underlying technologies have created an advanced and sophisticated platform for digital activism. As a result, companies and organizations are undergoing a pivotal transition in how they reach and engage with users in a fast and efficient manner. Specifically, nonprofit organizations have taken advantage of using social media platforms to not only amplify their brand and image, but also spread awareness of their mission to larger audiences. The aim of this study is to delve into the use of social media in the activism measures of nonprofit organizations and determine its effectiveness across the organizations. First, an in depth literature analysis will explore social media and its impact on digital activism as well as how social media has been utilized by renown nonprofits in the case studies of Greta Thunberg, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Second, the study will depict both qualitative and quantitative data taken from local nonprofit organizations that explore the impact of social media towards their activism measures. The case companies used in this study are Dolgin Digital Media and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. After a thorough analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data, it was determined that social media is an effective tool for nonprofits to not only communicate their mission efficiently and quickly to a mass audience, but also as a mechanism for brand amplification.