Social Media Engagement in Public Administration: Communication Goals That Influence Reactions,Comments,and Shares

Abstract

Social media engagement—through reactions, comments, and shares—enables the public to interact dynamically with government-disseminated content. This engagement is valuable for real-time communication and for amplifying public awareness of programs, services, and rights. Despite its importance, prior research has overlooked the influence of government communication goals on such engagement. This article addresses that gap by examining objectives such as transparency, reputation management, coproduction, customer service, and citizen participation. Through an analysis of Facebook posts from 62 cities during Hurricane Florence, the article employs negative binomial regression modeling to explore how such goals impact public reactions, comments, and shares. Findings provide insights for aligning social media strategies with public administration objectives to increase engagement across various scenarios.

Keywords

social media engagement government communication goals coproduction and citizen participation

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