[Paper Review] Facebook and political communication -- Macedonian case

Sali Emruli, Tahir Zejneli+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Sep 12, 2011

Social Media and Politics3 references3 citations

TL;DR

This study investigates the role of Facebook in political communication within North Macedonia, analyzing how political parties use social media for outreach, engagement, and public relations. It finds that Facebook significantly influences political discourse and voter engagement, with parties leveraging the platform for targeted communication and relationship management.

ABSTRACT

Analysis how to use Internet influence to the process of political communication, marketing and the management of public relations, what kind of online communication methods are used by political parties, and to assess satisfaction, means of communication and the services they provide to their partys voters (people) and other interest groups and whether social networks can affect the political and economic changes in the state, and the political power of one party.

Motivation & Objective

• To analyze how political parties in North Macedonia use Facebook for political communication and public relations.
• To assess the effectiveness of online communication tools used by political parties on social media platforms.
• To evaluate the role of social networks in shaping political and economic changes in the state.
• To understand voter satisfaction and interaction with political parties through digital channels.
• To explore the influence of Facebook on the political power and visibility of individual parties.

Proposed method

• Conducting a qualitative and quantitative analysis of political party pages on Facebook in North Macedonia.
• Evaluating communication strategies, content types, and engagement levels on party pages.
• Assessing the use of social media for political marketing and public relations campaigns.
• Analyzing user interactions, such as likes, comments, and shares, to measure audience engagement.
• Comparing communication patterns across different political parties to identify trends and differences.
• Using content analysis to categorize types of political messages and their intended audience impact.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do political parties in North Macedonia utilize Facebook for political communication and public relations?
• RQ2 What types of communication methods and content are most effective in engaging voters on Facebook?
• RQ3 To what extent does Facebook influence political power and public opinion in the country?
• RQ4 How satisfied are voters with the communication and services provided by political parties on Facebook?
• RQ5 What role do social networks play in driving political and economic changes in North Macedonia?

Key findings

• Political parties in North Macedonia actively use Facebook to disseminate information and engage with voters.
• The most effective communication strategies on Facebook involve regular updates, visual content, and interactive posts.
• Parties with higher engagement on Facebook reported greater visibility and influence in public discourse.
• Voter satisfaction with political communication on Facebook was positively correlated with responsiveness and transparency.
• Social media platforms like Facebook were found to significantly impact political campaigns and public opinion formation.
• The study observed a measurable shift in political communication toward digital platforms, especially among younger demographics.