The tweeting org: using grounded theory to build a language for nonprofit organizational account use of Twitter

Abstract

The Internet has changed how daily life functions on both personal and organizational levels, especially since the advent of Web 2.0. Many options for communicating are available, each with its own unique language and user base. Twitter, with more than 200 million users worldwide, is a platform worth studying and, likes its compatriot Facebook, it has heretofore been free to use. For nonprofits with limited resources, such platforms could see good returns in active audience and message visibility - for little investment. Before return can be measured, however, what is being said must first be addressed. The researcher employed a grounded theory approach with a sampling of nonprofit accounts in order to construct an understanding of the platform's 'language'. This resulted in the discovery of both inter-organizational and cross-organizational normative practices, as well as the development of a coding instrument for use in future research.