Factors Affecting Donor Engagement with Charity Organizations’ Instagram Posts in Germany

Abstract

This thesis examines the impact of various Instagram content strategies on user engagement within the ten largest nonprofit organizations in Germany. The research study systematically scrapes and analyzes 1,667 organic Instagram posts over six months to investigate how variables such as content type (informational, interactional, transactional), content format (image, video, carousel), posting time, and follower count influence likes and comments. A weighted engagement metric, which assigns greater importance to comments, was created to measure the deeper level of engagement among audiences. Based on Engagement Theory, the research demonstrates that carousel posts generate significantly greater engagement compared to other formats, presumably due to its interactive, multi-image structure. While the overall content type did not significantly predict engagement in the comprehensive model, focused analysis reveal that interactional and transactional content surpass solely informative posts. Moreover, follower count significantly influences engagement; larger audiences are associated with increased interaction, but the effect levels off for mid-range to high-tier followership. Practical insights emphasize the necessity for organizations to create visually compelling, action-driven content that emotionally engages audiences. These findings highlight the importance of strategic content creation for nonprofit organizations seeking to enhance their reach and cultivate donor connections in a competitive digital environment. Future research may investigate Instagram’s algorithmic changes and alternative engagement indicators (such as shares and saves) to offer a more comprehensive understanding of social media marketing effectiveness.