Social Media Strategies for Health Promotion by Nonprofit Organizations: Multiple Case Study Design.

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Nonprofit Management
• Digital Health Strategies

Background:

• Nonprofit organizations are crucial for health promotion, increasingly utilizing social media.
• Limited evidence exists on how these organizations make decisions regarding social media for health promotion impact.

Observation:

• A multiple case study examined six North American nonprofits in cancer prevention and management.
• In-depth interviews and content analysis of social media strategies were employed.

Findings:

• A process model reveals three social media strategy types: replicate, transform, and innovate.
• These strategies are enacted in complementarity with existing information and communication technologies (ICT).
• Strategy type influences message content, format, and delivery.

Implications:

• Understanding the rationale, opportunities, and challenges of social media implementation is key.
• Integrating social media with existing ICT strategies can optimize health promotion efforts.
• Nonprofit organizations can achieve greater health promotion impact through informed social media strategy.