Social presence and digital dialogic communication: engagement lessons from top social CEOs

ABSTRACT This study expands the conceptual framework of dialogic communication on social media by incorporating a social dimension via social presence. Through a content analysis, we explored how dialogic internet principles and social presence strategies were implemented in top social CEOs’ Facebook posts to generate public engagement outcomes. Results showed that top social CEOs used a variety of dialogic principles on Facebook. Yet, 1-way information strategies were still more commonly used. Critically, dialogic principles, such as providing information of interest to publics and creating dialogic loops and the affective and cohesive strategies for projecting social presence effectively enhanced public engagement outcomes of reactions, likes, shares, and comments. Theoretical contributions and strategic implications on digital dialogic communication and leadership communication in public relations are discussed.

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