A recent survey conducted in Canada showed how Instagram can be useful to civic and non-profit organizations in fostering political participation with people.

The Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge conducted a survey related to the country’s 2019 federal election to find out how Canadian citizens use Instagram in seeking political information. The findings showed that the respondents who used Instagram in obtaining political information were more inclined to interact with people they know instead of the accounts of professional promoters seeking to reach and involve people in their political campaigns.
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Highlights of Survey Results Showing How Instagram Users Responded to Political Content

During the 2019 Canadian federal elections, 27% of Instagram users who responded to the survey took interest in related political content posted by people they know. Of those who took interest. 21% reacted by sending direct messages.

Of the political contents posted by political candidates in Instagram, 19% of the respondents who use Instagram interacted with the related posts. Only 13% interacted with the posts shared by political parties; while only 10% reacted to posts of nonpartisan groups.

Political information shared by journalists and other public personalities elicited 21% interaction, more than the attention given to political contents shared by news outlets as only 13% of the survey respondents gave positive answers.

What is interesting though is that 22% chose “None of the Above” as answers to the query on how they responded to political information shared in Instagram in relation to the federal election. The key takeaway here is that people are putting more importance on inputs obtained offline and from those with whom they have genuine social ties; over communicators who are simply disseminating political information as part of a related profession.

Civic and NonProfit Organizations are Encouraged to Share Contents via Instagram

Based on the above findings, civil society groups such as unions and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to share their content in fostering political engagement among members; and with others who take interest in promoting their goals and missions.

Since Instagram users, particularly the members of the younger group, are more likely to interact with people they know, the recommendation is for civic groups to share content that can get the young people to become politically involved. Especially now that governments are looking to get more people vaccinated, yet seemingly hampered by people who are manifesting distrust.

In gauging if their contents are getting interactions, civic society organizations are likewise encouraged to use analytical tools such as those provided by sharemyinsights. Doing so will enable them to find out the type of Instagram content that works, and which posts need improvement in order to effectively cultivate the political interests of Instagram users.