Developing an effective social media content strategy plan for international integration: case study on International House Kuopio
Marium, Zara (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026052516190
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026052516190
Tiivistelmä
International House Kuopio faced challenges in engaging international residents through social media due to the absence of a structured social media content strategy. The aim of the thesis was to identify content preferences and information needs of international residents in Kuopio, analyse the current social media practices of International House Kuopio, and thus develop an effective social media content strategy to enhance engagement and support international integration.
The research employed a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. An online survey of international residents in Kuopio gathered data on demographics, information preferences, and social media usage patterns, while qualitative data was gathered through interviews. The case study further involved analysis of internal documents, employee interviews, and social media analytics across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Other International Houses' social media practices were analysed for benchmarking.
The findings revealed that many international residents were unaware of International House Kuopio's existence and its social media presence. A significant mismatch was identified between residents' preferences for interactive, personalised content and the organisation’s approach to information-heavy posts. Based on these insights, a social media content strategy plan was developed using the SOSTAC framework. The strategy aimed to improve audience engagement, increase awareness of the organisation, and strengthen communication with the international community in Kuopio. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
The research employed a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. An online survey of international residents in Kuopio gathered data on demographics, information preferences, and social media usage patterns, while qualitative data was gathered through interviews. The case study further involved analysis of internal documents, employee interviews, and social media analytics across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Other International Houses' social media practices were analysed for benchmarking.
The findings revealed that many international residents were unaware of International House Kuopio's existence and its social media presence. A significant mismatch was identified between residents' preferences for interactive, personalised content and the organisation’s approach to information-heavy posts. Based on these insights, a social media content strategy plan was developed using the SOSTAC framework. The strategy aimed to improve audience engagement, increase awareness of the organisation, and strengthen communication with the international community in Kuopio. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the proposed strategy.