TY - JOUR
T1 - Designing Social Media Fundraising Messages
T2 - An Experimental Approach to Understanding How Message Concreteness and Framing Influence Donation Intentions
AU - Xiao, Anli
AU - Huang, Yan
AU - Bortree, Denise S.
AU - Waters, Richard D.
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors thank the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication for supporting this study financially.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - This experiment examined the effects of fundraising message characteristics on donation intentions through a simulated social media campaign. A 2 (abstract vs. concrete message) × 2 (gain vs. loss framing) between-subjects experiment (n = 213) revealed that a message with detailed fundraising outcomes elicited a greater intention to donate through heightened perceived message credibility, perceived transparency, cognitive elaboration, and empathy. Gain and loss framing, however, did not result in significant differences in donation intentions. Theoretically, this study uncovered the psychological mechanisms through which message concreteness increases donation intentions. Practically, results of this study provided implications for drafting effective fundraising messages that can be disseminated on social media.
AB - This experiment examined the effects of fundraising message characteristics on donation intentions through a simulated social media campaign. A 2 (abstract vs. concrete message) × 2 (gain vs. loss framing) between-subjects experiment (n = 213) revealed that a message with detailed fundraising outcomes elicited a greater intention to donate through heightened perceived message credibility, perceived transparency, cognitive elaboration, and empathy. Gain and loss framing, however, did not result in significant differences in donation intentions. Theoretically, this study uncovered the psychological mechanisms through which message concreteness increases donation intentions. Practically, results of this study provided implications for drafting effective fundraising messages that can be disseminated on social media.
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U2 - 10.1177/08997640211022838
DO - 10.1177/08997640211022838
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85134446040
SN - 0899-7640
VL - 51
SP - 832
EP - 856
JO - Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
JF - Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
IS - 4
ER -