Supporting Lifestyle Change with Facebook + Instagram Ads
Change Health Research Group
The Change Health Research Group is an academic, patient-oriented health research program based in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. Focused on lifestyle intervention in primary care, they are running a research study on how supported lifestyle changes can help Albertans with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and metabolic syndrome improve their overall health— and get back to what they love.
The Goal
The CHANGE Health Research Group aimed to recruit 50 individuals in the Edmonton region with COPD and metabolic syndrome for a six-month study. COPD is a progressive lung condition that makes breathing difficult by restricting airflow to the lungs. Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
The main challenge with this campaign was trying to recruit applicants with both conditions because most people with metabolic syndrome aren’t aware that they have it. This added a layer of difficulty to study recruitment, but it was a challenge we were eager to tackle.
The Approach
To recruit people who met the specific criteria for this study, it was essential for us to understand what people with COPD and Metabolic Syndrome might be going through. By knowing what might stop them from participating, we would know how to address their concerns and motivate them to apply for the study.
We conducted a journey mapping session with the study team. This collaborative group exercise had key project members contribute their ideas and experiences to help us understand the mindset of ideal trial participants. The information collected helped us identify where, when, and how to talk to potential participants.
Our journey mapping session identified several key messages that we turned into advertisements.
We also built a landing page for the campaign that helped inform potential participants what was involved in participation and how they could apply to participate.
Ready to make lifestyle changes that stick?
These ads speak to people who have had limited success in the past, or are in the midst of trying to make lifestyle changes and find coping methods for their current health struggles.
Enjoy movement again.
This lighthearted concept makes people smile, and is especially relevant for people who have lost the ability to enjoy activities they previously did due to the symptoms of COPD.
Change is possible.
These ads inspire hope that change is possible and that it can be done incrementally. They speak to those who may find it overwhelming to take the efforts required to improve their health.
Facebook’s advertising policies are much stricter than those for regular Facebook posts, especially when they’re about personal health information. We carefully crafted our ads to avoid topics like weight loss and dieting, and refrained from mentioning specific health conditions like COPD, metabolic syndrome, and high blood pressure.
Instead, we focused on the positive aspects of the study: helping people make sustainable lifestyle changes. We made it clear that the study was for people looking to make lifestyle changes and that they would receive six months of no-cost support in reaching their goals. This included group sessions with health care specialists like a dietitian, exercise specialist, psychologist, and respiratory therapist.
We ran a three-month online advertising campaign through Facebook and Instagram, starting with a web traffic campaign for two weeks and then moving to a lead generation campaign for the remaining ten weeks.
The Results
The ads successfully generated a large amount of interest in the study. The Change Health team received over 300 form submissions during the three-month campaign. These submissions included enough eligible applicants that Change Health was able to meet their recruitment goals and end the campaign.
1,074
Application form opens
300+
Form submissions
2,628
Website visitors