Cross-Platform Strategies of Interest Groups on Social Media: How Affordances Shape Online Advocacy

Interest groups are increasingly leveraging a diverse range of social media platforms to engage with both policymakers and the public. This paper explores how firms and interest association adapt their communication strategies to the affordances of social media platforms. While prior studies have focused on a limited range of platforms and predominantly Western contexts, our study expands the scope by examining interest groups’ use of a broad range of platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and emerging networks like BlueSky and incorporate cases from both Western and Global South contexts. Using large language models and image classification tools, we analyse how different platform affordances shape the textual and visual content strategies employed by these groups. We argue that because different platforms provide unique affordances and cater to distinct audiences, the content generated by interest groups varies significantly. For example, platforms that enable longer posts and offer closed spaces for members or followers are more likely to be utilised for organizational maintenance, whereas visually driven platforms are more often leveraged for political messaging. Our findings reveal significant variation in how interest groups communicate across platforms, shaped by platform-specific affordances and audience compositions. By examining these variations, we contribute to a deeper understanding of the strategic communication practices of interest groups and the evolving dynamics of digital public spheres.