1. Title of Research Project Unique Clicks to Website (n)
Beyond Traditional Newspaper Advertisement: Leveraging Facebook Targeted Advertisement to Recruit Long-Term Smokers for Research
Lisa Carter-Harris, PhD, RN, ANP-C, Rebecca J. Bartlett Ellis, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, & Susan M. Rawl, PhD, RN, FAAN
Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, Indiana
Title of Research Project
Researcher’s Name
Department(s), University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Background
Methods
Results
Recruitment
18-day social media recruitment campaign using Facebook targeted advertisement
Procedures
Facebook ad targeted by age and keywords related to tobacco smoking in Facebook users profile, interests, and/or likes:
Keywords included “tobacco”; “tobacco smoking”; “smoking”; “smoking cessation”; “cigarettes”; “electronic cigarettes”
Table 2. Facebook Advertising Metrics of 18-day Campaign
Variable
Reach
(n)
Unique Clicks to Website (n)
Spent (cost per click)
Total
56,621
1,121
$500.00
Ad Placement
Desktop Right Side
4,527 22
$0.32
Desktop Newsfeed
7,409
190
$0.30
Mobile Newsfeed
42,059
894
$0.48
Audience Network
1,015 7
$0.11
Gender
Women
35,581
722
Men
20,269
378
$0.40
Unspecified
772 21
$0.29
Age
55-64
31,004
602
$0.44
65+
25,617
519
$0.46
Smokers are a stigmatized population, but an important population to reach for the purpose of research.
Innovative recruitment methods are needed.
Facebook has previously been used to recruit young adult smokers into health-related research and may be successful to recruit older adult smokers.
Facebook has over 1.5 billion active daily users worldwide; In the U.S., 71% of adults use Facebook.
Facebook is visited by 63% of individuals aged 50 to 64 and by 56% of individuals aged 65 and older in a typical day.
Using Facebook advertisement, researchers can market a recruitment campaign targeted by age, location, and keywords identified in the user’s profile and/or interest list.
Figure 1. Facebook Recruitment Ad
Results
Purpose
To evaluate the feasibility of Facebook targeted advertisement to recruit long-term smokers eligible for lung cancer screening for a descriptive, cross-sectional study.
Conclusions
Key Definitions
Health behavior research related to lung cancer screening participation is important and recruitment of current and long-term smokers is critical to success.
Facebook targeted advertisement was successful for recruitment of older current and former long-term smokers in this cross-sectional, descriptive study.
Facebook targeted advertisement offers the opportunity to reach a large number of potential participants at a low cost while providing privacy and anonymity increasing likelihood of recruiting a population that may experience stigma.
Researchers who desire to reach individuals engaging in lifestyle behaviors that may be stigmatized should consider Facebook as a viable option for study recruitment.
A newsfeed is a constantly updating list of stories in the middle of a Facebook user’s homepage.
An impression refers to the number of times an ad enters the screen for the first time (i.e., is ‘served’ to someone) either in their desktop newsfeed, mobile newsfeed, or as a right hand column ad.
Reach refers to the number of people to whom the advertisement was shown.
A click to website refers to a unique Facebook user clicking the web link embedded in the Facebook ad.
Table 1. Participant Sociodemographics
Total n (%)
Gender
Female
Male
194 (58)
137 (41)
Race/Ethnicity
White
Black
305 (92)
20 (6)
Education
Less than High School
High School Graduate
Some College
College Graduate
14 (4)
98 (30)
139 (42)
81 (24)
Annual Income
Less then $25K
$25K – 50K
More than $50K
104 (31)
157 (47)
68 (21)
Smoking Status
Current Smoker
Former Smoker
162 (49)
167 (51)
Methods
Acknowledgements
Study Design
Part of a larger study to psychometrically test the newly developed Lung Cancer Screening Health Belief Scales
Descriptive, cross-sectional design
Data collection with survey methodology
Inclusion Criteria
Aged 55 to 77 years
Current or former smoker (if former, quit within past 15 years)
30 pack-year tobacco smoking history or more
Not diagnosed with lung cancer
This work was supported by Grant 5T32 NR from the National Institute of Nursing Research Health Nursing and the Sigma Theta Tau International Iota Zeta Research Grant.