The Digital Campfire: Ritualized Linguistic Practices and Leadership Among Facebook Group Administrators

ABSTRACT Social media is a central arena for collective life, where communities form, identities are negotiated, and belonging is sustained. Within these spaces, Facebook groups stand out as key sites of community building, and group administrators (admins) emerge as pivotal figures who guide interaction and shape culture despite lacking formal authority. This study positions admins as a critical case for examining how digital leadership is performed through language. A qualitative analysis of 595 posts from 15 admins across diverse groups reveals four recurring discourse practices: emojis that structure and express, distinctive idiolects that signal leadership presence, ceremonial posts that act as a digital campfire creating continuity and shared routines, and cohesion‐oriented discourse that fosters gratitude, inclusion, and community pride. These ritualized uses of language demonstrate how admins construct and sustain community through everyday communication. The findings highlight discourse as a symbolic resource for identity and solidarity, offering new insights into how online communities are actively maintained. Beyond theoretical contributions, these insights can guide community managers, educators, NGOs, and other professionals in designing online spaces that strengthen participation, belonging, and social cohesion.