Exploring The Use of Social Media in Nonprofit Public Relations Practice: A Case Study of The Pos Foundation and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (Chri) – Ghana

Abstract

This study examined how nonprofit advocacy organisations in Ghana use social media as a strategic public relations tool to advance human-rights and governance-related causes. Focusing on the POS Foundation and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) – Ghana, the study was anchored in an interpretivist paradigm and guided by Dialogic Communication Theory and Stakeholder Theory. A qualitative, exploratory multiple–case study design was employed. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with communication managers, programme staff, and partner stakeholders, complemented by document review of social media posts, press releases, newsletters, and campaign materials. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-step procedure, with NVivo 14 supporting systematic coding and memoing. The analysis illuminated how both organisations integrate social media into broader advocacy and communication strategies, using platforms primarily for information dissemination, visibility-building, and issue framing, while only partially realising the dialogic and interactive potential of these tools. It also showed how organisational mandate, resource capacity, and external stakeholder expectations shape content choices, tone, and patterns of engagement. Furthermore, the findings highlighted tensions between strategic message control and the openness of digital spaces, especially for organisations working in politically sensitive domains. The study contributes to scholarship on nonprofit communication in the Global South by providing context-rich, empirically grounded insights into digital advocacy practices in Ghana. Practically, it offers guidance for NGOs seeking to move from ad hoc social media use toward more strategic, dialogic, and stakeholder-oriented digital public relations.