The CTSI Participant Recruitment Program offers a social media recruitment service to identify and engage potential study participants through paid advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. PRP works with the study team to create a social media recruitment strategy and posts the advertisements on a centralized UCSF Research Facebook page. Advertisements are developed using images that are representative of the target population and ad text is written at a maximum 8th grade reading level. PRP time and Facebook ad fees are billed to the study team, see cost details below. To get started or learn more, submit a consultation request.

Image: Social media ads for the UCSF PRIORITY study (left) and MOTION study (right)

Social Media Recruitment Service Set Up

Onboarding Process

Schedule your initial consultation with PRP by submitting a consultation request.
After your initial consultation, you will be asked to fill an intake form to initiate your study into the Social Media Recruitment Service.
The PRP team drafts an “Advertising Strategy Document” (10-15 days post intake form submission) with campaign images and texts.
- Your intake form should detail your target audience (age, language, location, interests) and campaign images, if possible.
Devise the website link for your campaign during the document creation.
- Teams typically create an eligibility survey on RedCap or Qualtrics, or you may want to refer them to your study website.

Cost

Initial set-up: $440 (4 hours at $110/hr). Set-up time includes project management, developing Facebook advertising strategy document (ad language, target audience filters, ad images), IRB guidance, and launching the ad on Facebook (ad set up and Facebook approval process).

Ads in additional languages will be billed $110 (1hr at $110/hr)
One round of adjustments to ad content and/or audience selection is included in the initial set-up fee.

Monthly maintenance fee: $110. Maintenance fee includes time spent monitoring Facebook comments and inquiries, providing standard ad metrics (clicks, views/impressions, and total amount spent), and other maintenance (updating budget, pausing ad, responding to Facebook support inquiries, and updating study website link in ad) on your ad.

Facebook advertising costs: $10/day minimum. This will be charged to the study team as a pass-through cost; daily advertising budget will be determined by the study team.

Additional Adjustments (billable): The following adjustments are not included in the monthly maintenance fee and will incur an additional charge
of $110 (1 hour at $110/hr):

Creating an ad set in an additional language.
Providing assistance to enhance or review your intake survey.
Post-launch optimization of your social media campaign, such as modifying the target audience, ad text, ad image, and custom metrics reporting.
Any other adjustments, typically those requiring more than 15 minutes to complete, will be billed at a rate of $110 per hour.

Information for Current Users

Factors That Impact Success of Your Social Media Campaign

Creating an efficient screener

1. Include a Welcoming Message:

Add a "welcome" message at the top of the form to provide context for potential participants. Keep it concise and easy to understand. Here’s a basic template:

“Thank you for your interest in <<STUDY TITLE>>, a study about <<ONE SENTENCE STUDY DESCRIPTION>>. Please fill out the form below and we will contact you to discuss the study further and determine eligibility.”

You can add a few more details if necessary—but be selective! It’s important to keep this text short and easy-to-understand.

2. Provide Multiple Contact Options:

Include a phone number, email address, and a study website to cater to diverse communication preferences.

3. Keep Screening Questions Brief:

Limit eligibility questions in the pre-screener to a maximum of four, ensuring quick completion. Reserve sensitive questions for later.

4. Offer Contact Options:

Collect not just contact information but also details like preferred language, best time to reach the participant, and preferred method of contact. Include an "Other comments" section.

5. Ask for Referral Source:

Include a question about how participants heard about the study. This information aids in evaluating recruitment strategies.

6. End of Survey Message:

Inform respondents about the next steps and when you will contact them after they complete the form. Consider sending an automated email with this information.

7. Bonus Tip: Seek Feedback:

Have someone unfamiliar with the study complete the form and gather feedback. Revise the form based on any difficulties or unclear questions.

Preventing Fraudulent Interest Form Responses

Add Captcha Verification

To prevent spam and bots, include a Captcha verification question, especially if using Qualtrics.

Check for Multiple Entries:

Implement an IP address check to flag duplicate or potentially fraudulent responses from the same or similar IP addresses.

Capture Survey Completion Time:

Record the time taken by participants to complete the survey and analyze it for inconsistencies or rushed responses.

Include Free-Text Questions:

Incorporate open-ended questions to assess response quality and authenticity.

Repeat Questions with Different Wording:

Ask the same question in different ways to identify inconsistencies in responses.

Conduct a General Reasonableness Test:

Review responses to identify outliers or unreasonable answers that may indicate fraudulent entries.

Consistency Checks:

Check for consistency in responses across different questions, looking for discrepancies that might indicate fraudulent entries.

Randomize Question Order:

Randomize question order or response options to deter guessing and ensure authentic responses.

FAQS

General FAQs:

What is the Social Media Recruitment Service Set Up and what is the cost?

The Social Media Recruitment Service includes the creation of a recruitment strategy in cooperation with the PRP team, obtaining IRB approval, and PRP’s management and operation of ads on Facebook and Instagram. An initial cost of $440 covers project management, development of an advertising strategy, IRB advice, and ad launch on Facebook.

How can I begin the onboarding process for the Social Media Recruitment Service?

To start, schedule an initial consultation with PRP by submitting a consultation request.. You will be asked to complete an intake form after the consultation to begin the setup process.

What is included in the Advertising Strategy Document created by PRP?

The document contains campaign images and texts, ad language, and target audience filters. Drafting typically takes between 10 and 15 business days.

How can I modify the language in my ongoing Facebook/Instagram campaign?

Please email [email protected] to change the language. Study teams can modify the language as they deem suitable, in compliance with Meta advertising policies. Help in creating new post text is chargeable at $110 per hour.

Are advertisements posted on both Facebook and Instagram?

Advertisements are published on both platforms by default. Study teams can choose to advertise on either platform.

Will I get metrics reports for my campaign?

Yes, metrics reports are delivered to study teams monthly. For an in-depth report that examines metrics by location (state), age, gender, post text, and image, contact [email protected]. Custom metrics reporting is an “additional adjustment” and costs $110 per hour.

Can we run ads in multiple languages?

Yes, PRP can operate ads in several languages. Study teams will be in charge of translating the original ad language. However, ads in extra languages will cost $110 per ad set.

Cost-related FAQs:

What does the monthly maintenance fee cover, and how much is it?

The monthly maintenance fee of $110 covers tasks such as monitoring Facebook comments, providing ad metrics, updating budgets, and responding to Facebook support inquiries.

How is the cost of Facebook advertising determined?

You set a budget for each ad when advertising on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, or Meta Audience Network. The actual amount spent may vary from your budget, and you’ll be charged based on the number of clicks your ad gets. See the Meta Ads Charges Information for more information.

Are there extra costs for adjustments to the ad content or audience selection?

Yes, adjustments like creating an ad set in another language or post-launch optimization will incur an additional a fee of $110 per hour.

Information for Current Users:

What factors influence the success of a social media campaign?

Factors such as an efficient screening form, appropriate demographic filters, alignment with the target audience’s interests, inclusive imagery, and concise yet informative post text significantly influence the success of a social media campaign. These factors, when considered and implemented strategically, can greatly improve your social media campaign’s success.

How can I devise an efficient screener for my study?

Include a friendly message, multiple contact options, brief screening questions, ask for referral sources, and provide an end-of-survey message informing respondents about the next steps. Refer to ____ for more guidance.

How can I avoid fraudulent interest form responses in my study’s screener?

Incorporate Captcha verification, check for multiple entries, and refer to our guidelines for additional measures.

Campaign Optimization:

How can I enhance my social media campaign for better outcomes?

If your campaign is not attracting the desired interest, consider engaging with the PRP team for post-launch optimization assistance. Please be aware that extensive post-launch optimization might incur extra charges.

Audience Diversification on Meta Ads:

How can I broaden my target audience on Meta ads?

To diversify your audience, collaborate with PRP to identify additional demographic filters, interests, or languages that align with your study objectives. Consider consulting PRP for advice on creating ad sets for different audience segments.

Does Meta ads offer specific strategies for reaching a broader audience?

Yes, PRP can work with you to customize your advertising strategy to reach a diverse audience. This might include creating ads in multiple languages, incorporating culturally relevant imagery and texts, and using various targeting options to ensure inclusiveness.

Metrics Reports:

What kinds of metrics reports can I get for my social media campaign?

You will receive standard metrics reports, including clicks, views/impressions, and total amount spent. PRP can also provide customized metrics reports based on your study’s specific goals. (Note: Customized metrics reporting may incur additional fees.)

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Social Media Recruitment Service

Information for Current Users

Factors That Impact Success of Your Social Media Campaign