Currently submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jul 14, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 14, 2026 - Sep 8, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
From scroll to screening: a case study of social media recruitment for a mobile-based depression screening trial in the Netherlands
ABSTRACT
Background:
Recruitment is a major challenge in randomized controlled trials, especially in mental health research, where barriers such as stigma can discourage participation. Social media offers a scalable way to reach potential participants. However, there are limited reports on its practical application as a recruitment strategy in community-based research trials.
Objective:
This study aims to present a case study of social media recruitment in a Dutch mobile-based depression screening trial and to generate evidence and practical insights for future trials.
Methods:
Advertisements were designed for this study by combining stock photos and a video with six different behavioural messaging strategies: social importance, autonomy, social proof, commitment, altercasting, and shortage. Paid advertisements were deployed on Facebook and Instagram from December 2024 to March 2026 in nine campaign flights. Campaigns were continuously optimized via A/B testing, phased budget allocation, geographic targeting, and Meta Pixel tracking. Outcomes included number of impressions, reach, clicks, eligible participants, consenting participants, completed baseline assessments, and costs.
Results:
The campaign generated 2,682,854 impressions, reached 1,078,976 individuals, and resulted in 44,893 clicks (Clicks through rate = 1.67%; Cost per click = €0.33). Of 3,174 eligible potential participants, 2,013 signed consent and 1,504 completed baseline assessment (47.4% success conversion). Total advertisement costs were €14,808.73 (€9.85 per participant), and total recruitment costs including campaign management were €27,063.45 (€17.99 per participant). Recruitment improved after national expansion and Meta Pixel implementation. Autonomy-based advertisements consistently performed best across campaign phases.
Conclusions:
This study shows that social media advertisements can be a promising and scalable strategy for community-based mental health research recruitment. Phased campaigns, continuous optimization, conversion tracking, and autonomy-focused messaging supported recruitment of over 1,500 participants and offer practical guidance for future online trials.
Citation
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Copyright
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