self-disclosure of private life, social media campaign, emotional contagion, cognitive processing, advertising appeals, political engagement on Facebook
Given the penetration of social media among citizens and the increasing use of Facebook to obtain election information, most Taiwanese political candidates are turning to public Facebook groups as a means of engaging with the electorate. This research used computerized content analysis to examine how 217 political candidates utilized three advertising appeal strategies, including rational appeals, emotional appeals, and self-disclosure of private life, in their Facebook group posts during regional legislative elections in 2016 and 2020. Additionally, this study explored possible influencing factors of using these strategies and how the usage of these strategies in candidates’ posts influenced Facebook users’ cognitive processing, positive and negative emotions expressed in their comments, and political engagement on Facebook.