The effects of narrative communication and CSR fit on message engagement and substantive attribution in social media CSR communication

Drawing on narrative transportation and attribution theories, this study examines the strategic use of narrative in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication on social media. We tested the interactive effects of message style (narrative vs. non-narrative) and CSR fit (high vs. low) on the public's message engagement and substantive attributions. These factors were expected to shape positive public responses, including trust, positive megaphoning, and purchase intentions. We further proposed that the persuasive power of narrative CSR messages depends on CSR fit, with narrative communication having a stronger positive effect in low-fit CSR contexts. An online experiment using a 2 (CSR Message: Narrative vs. Non-Narrative) × 2 (CSR Fit: High vs. Low) factorial design was conducted with 306 participants. Narrative communication and high CSR fit both independently led to greater message engagement and more favorable substantive attributions. More importantly, a significant interaction effect emerged: narrative-based communication was substantially more effective at increasing substantive attributions in low-fit CSR scenarios. Ultimately, these substantive attributions positively led to consumer trust, positive megaphoning intentions, and purchase intentions. Our findings offer valuable guidance for corporate social media strategies. They show that companies, particularly those involved in low-fit initiatives, can leverage narrative messaging to cultivate perceptions of substantive attribution, thereby strengthening consumer trust and encouraging positive behavioral outcomes. This study advances CSR communication research by demonstrating that the effectiveness of narrative messaging is conditional upon CSR fit. It identifies engagement and substantive attribution as key mechanisms through which narrative CSR communication fosters consumer trust and favorable behaviors in a social media context.