Running head: Keith County Area Development 1

Improving Economic Well-being:

A Content Analysis of the Keith County Area Development Facebook

Hunter Reeves

Keith County Area Development Intern

May 17, 2017

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Abstract

This content analysis examines the common patterns that are expressed within the social media

of Keith County Area Development (KCAD). The research focuses on the Facebook of KCAD-

units of analysis were put into categories (e.g., Information, Community, Action) and tracked by

their frequency through subcategories (e.g., Information Regarding Keith Co.

Community/Business Development, Community Giving Appeal, etc.). By understanding the

common patterns of content posted, KCAD can gain insight into how to strengthen their

Facebook account.

Keywords: Facebook, social media, KCAD, area development, economy

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A Content Analysis of the Keith County Area Development Facebook

Introduction

Located in Ogallala, NE, Keith County Area Development (KCAD) is a small nonprofit

that aims to lead activities and partner with community members to broaden and strengthen

employment and commerce in Keith County. KCAD provides forums for strategic planning,

creative thinking, and collaboration. By recruiting community stakeholders that have a passion

for Keith County and want to assist in its progress, KCAD is able to strive in making the

community more attractive by promoting our strengths and confronting areas of needed

improvement.

Examining the nonprofit’s Facebook will offer an array of information on how KCAD

expresses their brand to the public. To better understand how KCAD communicates, a content

analysis was conducted.

The following research question was raised:

RQ: What common patterns are expressed within the Facebook of Keith County Area

Development?

This research question will help display what the nonprofit primarily posts about on

Facebook. Clearly expressing the common categories found throughout the Facebook posts can

help insiders understand the organization’s external representation. This understanding can be

used to either maintain current communication expressed through Facebook, or to update what

image KCAD expresses to their current followers and outside viewers.

*Note: A Twitter account was identified for KCAD but was not included within this

study due to only one post being present on the social media account.
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Method

Framework

The text of this research is the content posted through the KCAD Facebook account. A

total of 56 Facebook posts published between May 19, 2016 until May 12, 2017 were coded.

This time period was chosen to better understand the current social media content expressed by

the nonprofit. The unit of analysis is the entire Facebook post.

Categories

Each tweet and Facebook post was coded into one of three categories:

Information, Community, and Action. This category format was implemented from a previous

content analysis conducted by researchers Gregory D. Saxton and Kristen Lovejoy (2012). Each

Facebook post and Twitter tweet was first put into one of the three categories and later broken

down into subcategories (e.g., see Table 1 located in the Appendix). Each category is mutually

exclusive because the definitions are unique and straightforward, to avoid confusion.

Subcategories were chosen based on reoccurring patterns, they reflect main aspects of the KCAD

social media content, an exception being the Other category. The Other category serves as a

place holder for posts and tweets that do not fit into any other category, or those that can only be

defined as miscellaneous content.

Results

A total of 56 Facebook posts were coded to make 56 units of analysis. The results are

shown in Table 2 located in the Appendix. Table 2 shows the units of analysis broken into

category and subcategory, percentage, and an example of the unit.

The highest percentage of any category in the content results was Information Regarding

Community/Business Development, with a total of 19 units of analysis and a 34% out of the
Keith County Area Development 5

100% total. The lowest percentage of any category was Giving Thanks and Appreciation,

Community Giving Appeal, and Feedback Request. Each of the three categories contained 1 unit

of analysis and a 2% (i.e., 6% altogether) out of the 100% total.

Discussion

This research provides valuable knowledge regarding the type of Facebook posts that

KCAD portrays. The breakdown of the nonprofits Facebook from May 19, 2016 until May 12,

2017 offers insight into the types of messages that KCAD recently and regularly used.

It is significant to realize which of the three categories was used the most in each form of social

media. Within Facebook, Information had the most units of analysis with a total of 30 units.

The results of this content analysis help to provide a better understanding of the common

patterns expressed through the social media of KCAD. From the research, it is easily shown that

the nonprofit is successful in posting on social media, but there is a call for improvement.

Insights into the type of content being posted is clearly visible; moving forward the insights

could help to positively influence the type of media being shared and posted.
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Appendix

Table 1
Categorical Definitions
Category Definition
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Information
Information Information about the purpose and
opportunities at KCAD

Information Regarding Keith Co. Information regarding the community

Community/Business Development and business development of Keith County

Information Regarding Information regarding community and

Community/Business Development business development not specific to Keith

County

Community
Giving Thanks and Appreciation Messages of appreciation and thanks to
donors, volunteers, or community members

Acknowledging of Local Information about local, business, and

Business/Development Events development events in Keith County

Acknowledging of Current Information about current business and

Business/Development Events development events no specific to Keith

County

Action
Community Giving Appeal Asking for public participation in giving back
to the community

Feedback Request Messages asking for community feedback

Image Update Facebook cover or profile image update

Other Messages that did not fit into the above

categories
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Table 2
Content Results: Facebook
Category Example Freq. Perc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Information
Information “Find out how we can help recruit and 4 7%
retain the perfect person with our Tuition
Reimbursement Program. Contact our…”
Information Regarding Keith “**NEW** Tesla charging station COMING 7 12%
Co. Community/Business SOON to Ogallala!! Stay tuned for more
Development details!!”
Information Regarding “Some great insight on how to keep our 19 34%
Community/Business local, small businesses going strong!
Development http://www.nextave nue.org/keepi …”

Community
Giving Thanks and Appreciation “Thank you to all the businesses that 1 2%
helped in The Nebraska Department of
Economic Development Business…”
Acknowledging of Local “Have you heard? American Shizuki 8 14%
Business/Development Corporation is hiring in Ogallala! Don't
Events know anything about ASC? Come…”
Acknowledging of Current “**LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS** Take 8 14%
Business/Development advantage of this FREE training which will
Events provide tips to get more people through your
doors. Click on the link for more…”

Action
Community Giving Appeal “It's #GivingTuesday! Go out and Do Some 1 2%
Good Today!”
Feedback Request “Attention Downtown Stakeholders! KCAD 1 2%
would love to hear feedback and ideas for
Ogallala's Downtown. Please follow the…”
Image Update (e.g., current profile and cover pictures) 2 4%
Other “Husker Volleyball is still Number 1 in the 5 9%
nation (even after a tough loss to Ohio
State) and Husker Football…”

Total 56 100%
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References

Lovejoy, K. and Saxton, G. D. (2012). Information, Community, and Action: How Nonprofit

Organizations Use Social Media. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. 337-

353.