Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels

Abstract Seeking to understand how Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) can optimize their message design in social media, this study explores the impact of two narrative strategies on multiple levels of audience engagement. With many studies in charity appeals on how to better desig...

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Main Authors: Wenye Mao, Yuko Nishide
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-02-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04470-2
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author Wenye Mao
Yuko Nishide
author_facet Wenye Mao
Yuko Nishide
author_sort Wenye Mao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Seeking to understand how Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) can optimize their message design in social media, this study explores the impact of two narrative strategies on multiple levels of audience engagement. With many studies in charity appeals on how to better design the message, limited research was conducted regarding messaging strategies on social media. To fill these gaps, we investigate the effects of the narratives, including social media narrative medium (videos, posters, posts) and narrative mode (personalized narrative), on different engagement levels. A scenario-based experiment method was adopted. The results show that personalized narratives significantly affect short-term behavioral intention (information-related behavior and one-time donation). In contrast, the narrative medium does not have a significant effect on both short-term and long-term behavior (green behavior and volunteering). This research contributes to the message-level literature on ENGO social media communication and provides practical implications for ENGOs in terms of crafting messages.
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publishDate 2025-02-01
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spelling doaj-art-3fe7551c361d4f48934ad2e3b5f3b3822025-02-09T12:25:37ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-02-0112111110.1057/s41599-025-04470-2Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levelsWenye Mao0Yuko Nishide1Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku UniversityGraduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku UniversityAbstract Seeking to understand how Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) can optimize their message design in social media, this study explores the impact of two narrative strategies on multiple levels of audience engagement. With many studies in charity appeals on how to better design the message, limited research was conducted regarding messaging strategies on social media. To fill these gaps, we investigate the effects of the narratives, including social media narrative medium (videos, posters, posts) and narrative mode (personalized narrative), on different engagement levels. A scenario-based experiment method was adopted. The results show that personalized narratives significantly affect short-term behavioral intention (information-related behavior and one-time donation). In contrast, the narrative medium does not have a significant effect on both short-term and long-term behavior (green behavior and volunteering). This research contributes to the message-level literature on ENGO social media communication and provides practical implications for ENGOs in terms of crafting messages.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04470-2
spellingShingle Wenye Mao
Yuko Nishide
Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
title_full Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
title_fullStr Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
title_full_unstemmed Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
title_short Crafting the messages for environmental NGOs: how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
title_sort crafting the messages for environmental ngos how narrative medium and mode shape different engagement levels
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04470-2
work_keys_str_mv AT wenyemao craftingthemessagesforenvironmentalngoshownarrativemediumandmodeshapedifferentengagementlevels
AT yukonishide craftingthemessagesforenvironmentalngoshownarrativemediumandmodeshapedifferentengagementlevels