Facebook recruitment of young adult smokers for a cessation trial: Methods, metrics, and lessons learned

Abstract:

Further understanding is needed of the functionalities and efficiency of social media for health intervention research recruitment. Facebook was examined as a mechanism to recruit young adults for a smoking cessation intervention. An ad campaign targeting young adult smokers tested specific messaging based on market theory and successful strategies used to recruit smokers in previous clinical trials (i.e. informative, call to action, scarcity, social norms), previously successful ads, and general messaging. Images were selected to target smokers (e.g., lit cigarette), appeal to the target age, vary demographically, and vary graphically (cartoon, photo, logo). Facebook's Ads Manager was used over 7 weeks (6/10/13–7/29/13), targeted by age (18–25), location (U.S.), and language (English), and employed multiple ad types (newsfeed, standard, promoted posts, sponsored stories) and keywords. Ads linked to the online screening survey or study Facebook page. The 36 different ads generated 3,198,373 impressions, 5895 unique clicks, at an overall cost of $2024 ($0.34/click). Images of smoking and newsfeed ads had the greatest reach and clicks at the lowest cost. Of 5895 unique clicks, 586 (10%) were study eligible and 230 (39%) consented. Advertising costs averaged $8.80 per eligible, consented participant. The final study sample (n = 79) was largely Caucasian (77%) and male (69%), averaging 11 cigarettes/day (SD = 8.3) and 2.7 years smoking (SD = 0.7). Facebook is a useful, cost-effective recruitment source for young adult smokers. Ads posted via newsfeed posts were particularly successful, likely because they were viewable via mobile phone. Efforts to engage more ethnic minorities, young women, and smokers motivated to quit are needed.

My opinion:

Social media advertising for smoking cessation clinic client recruitment is deemed effective according to this research. This proves that there are still many people that actually in need of smoking cessation clinic, but are too shy too actually search cessation clinic themselves or reaching out to colleagues to search for help. Social media anonymity of searches and browses leads people that previously don't know where to look for help to quit smoking into easily accessed smoking cessation program.

While this is understandably easy to implement and will effective if applied anywhere social media is actively used, it's not really well suited for school campaign on smoking cessation programs. Social media is designed to reach more people, while several ads can be directed to a targeted audience, social media programming cannot target member of certain school members for ads, as their target is countrywide clients to generate pay per click for the ads.

Social media used as advertising method is very good and will be very effective if applied in larger scale than school, especially if nationwide. This method should not be used on school program of smoking cessation, as the ads target won't be fitting and large cost maintenance to be calculated.

Reference of journal:

Ramo, Danielle E. et al. "Facebook Recruitment Of Young Adult Smokers For A Cessation Trial: Methods, Metrics, And Lessons Learned". Internet Interventions 1.2 (2014): 58-64. Web.