TY - JOUR

T1 - Facebook management as a tool for client communication and research recruitment in a companion animal university veterinary teaching and research hospital setting

AU - Müller, Anna

AU - Müller, Mark Mikael

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - BackgroundThere is little peer-reviewed information about the strategic use of Facebook in companion animal veterinary settings, including for research recruitment. This study evaluates the implementation and execution of a Facebook strategy in a University Teaching and Research Hospital setting and the use of Facebook as a veterinary communication and recruitment tool.MethodsAll posts published on the hospital's Facebook page, messages sent via Messenger, and Facebook insight data from April 2017 to November 2019 (31 months) were reviewed and categorized. Facebook as a recruitment tool was evaluated through a survey among the faculty.ResultsA total of 113 posts were published, the Facebook page had 3485 followers and altogether 590,877 users were reached. The use of a Facebook strategy supported consistent management of the Facebook page. The content was well aligned with the strategy. The survey showed that the faculty experienced a facilitation effect by their recruitment posts, although the actual recruitment varied and ranged from none to the vast majority of all recruited subjects.ConclusionsThis case-based, descriptive study gives insight and generates awareness about the possibilities and limitations of communication and research recruitment via Facebook. Further research is needed to evaluate if the findings can be generalized.

AB - BackgroundThere is little peer-reviewed information about the strategic use of Facebook in companion animal veterinary settings, including for research recruitment. This study evaluates the implementation and execution of a Facebook strategy in a University Teaching and Research Hospital setting and the use of Facebook as a veterinary communication and recruitment tool.MethodsAll posts published on the hospital's Facebook page, messages sent via Messenger, and Facebook insight data from April 2017 to November 2019 (31 months) were reviewed and categorized. Facebook as a recruitment tool was evaluated through a survey among the faculty.ResultsA total of 113 posts were published, the Facebook page had 3485 followers and altogether 590,877 users were reached. The use of a Facebook strategy supported consistent management of the Facebook page. The content was well aligned with the strategy. The survey showed that the faculty experienced a facilitation effect by their recruitment posts, although the actual recruitment varied and ranged from none to the vast majority of all recruited subjects.ConclusionsThis case-based, descriptive study gives insight and generates awareness about the possibilities and limitations of communication and research recruitment via Facebook. Further research is needed to evaluate if the findings can be generalized.

U2 - 10.1002/vetr.1318

DO - 10.1002/vetr.1318

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35092697

VL - 190

JO - Veterinary Record

JF - Veterinary Record

SN - 0042-4900

IS - 11

M1 - e1318

ER -