The relationship between humanitarian NGO communication and user engagement on Twitter

Abstract

One of the few actors whose mission is to provide support and advocacy for refugee communities with limited access to information and services are humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This study examines the narratives produced by the leading humanitarian NGOs on one of the most popular social media platforms today—namely, Twitter. The study investigates which narratives are most popular among global NGOs and whether the way they frame the refugee issue is related to Twitter engagement. The findings contribute to scholarship on online communication and user engagement, and also inform humanitarian NGO practices and policy discussions regarding media and migration.