In a world saturated with information, recruiting participants for research projects represents a considerable challenge. Individuals, overwhelmed daily by a flood of information and constrained by busy schedules, are increasingly difficult to engage. Social media such as LinkedIn can be a great help in the strategy of promoting an ongoing study. However, without a well-thought-out plan, the scope of promotion can be reduced to our close circles, usually people who look like us.
These challenges of recruiting participants have ethical implications (e.g., research is not as diverse and inclusive as it should be), financial implications (e.g., costs associated with recruitment lead times can be high), and operational implications (e.g., recruitment lead times have consequences for the planning of other steps). These challenges require search teams to creatively rethink their approaches. But how do you reach new audiences from diverse backgrounds?
In this post, we invite you to discover some of our agency’s recommended strategies for optimizing recruitment via LinkedIn. These tips are in no way intended to replace the comments and requirements of ethics committees. They are also general and may not be adapted to certain fields of research. For considerations related to the use of social media in clinical research, see the article “Ethical Issues in Social Media Recruitment for Clinical Studies: Ethical Analysis and Framework” by Zimmermann et al. (2022) (reference recommended by Scikoop).
Promotional strategy for a study in progress: what are we talking about?
Promotion strategy refers to the plan designed to increase visibility and engagement around a study or research project. An effective strategy includes information on target audiences (participants, partners), key messages, varied and adapted communication channels, promotional materials, a timetable, and follow-up and engagement activities.
In this post, we focus on the use of LinkedIn, as a platform offering unique opportunities to connect with diverse audiences. However, its use needs to be part of an overall recruitment strategy.
Targeting the right audience: the key to success
Effectively promoting the recruitment of participants for a research project on LinkedIn starts with an often overlooked step: targeting. Before launching a recruitment campaign, it’s essential to precisely identify the profiles of intermediary individuals and organizations. potentially interested in relaying the project.
Start with a firestorm of ideas by asking yourself what types of relevant partners would be a priori willing to distribute your promotional material via their LinkedIn platform and other channels? What are the topics of interest to participants that might guide the choice of partners? What are the key positions to contact in the target organizations?
Once you have noted your answers, ghanks to LinkedIn’s advanced search tools, which you can access from the top left of your profile, it’s possible to filter users by sector, position, education or even interest group, and identify key organizations and companies. Creating a targeted list of individuals, organizations and companies, using Excel for example, is a crucial step in strategically directing recruitment efforts.
Engagement: more than just interaction
Once you’ve identified your target audiences, engage with them beyond simple interactions like “likes” or the occasional comment. It’s all about forging authentic connections by sharing relevant content and actively participating in discussions. Regular engagement establishes a climate of trust and familiarity, fostering interest in your research project. This process is inspired by the principle of reciprocity in social psychology: by providing value to your audience, you naturally encourage a positive response and mutual commitment.
Promotional content: the art of seduction
Your promotional content should be both informative and captivating. Take a streamlined approach, focusing on the crucial elements. To help you do this, ask yourself for each piece of information: is it necessary and indispensable? Content should always be self-supporting, i.e. sufficient in itself to be shared easily. Use attractive visuals and clear language to explain the purpose and value of your research. A polished, professional presentation will increase the interest and credibility of your project. Read our blog post to understand the key principles of design.
Among the information that could be included in your promotional content: a slogan (we don’t think about it enough), study subject, indemnities, practical implications, important dates, web link, and contact details.
You can create visuals on Canva, InDesign or Picktochart using formats as varied as 1200 x 1200 px (square type) or 800 x 1200 px (infographic type). The format of your visual will depend on several factors: quantity of information, target audience, type of search. Avoid the “carousel” format (several scrolling square images), as this type of content requires some technical knowledge to be uploaded according to best practices, which could complicate the task of your potential partners.
Publication strategy: an engaging story
For effective communication on LinkedIn, you can draw inspiration from Simon Sinek, an influential author and speaker, known for his bestseller “Start With Why” and his Golden Circle theory. Sinek stresses the importance of starting all communication with the “Why” – the deep, inspiring reason behind a project, before moving on to the “How” and “What”. This approach allows you to create an emotional connection with your audience and present your project in a convincing way.
A LinkedIn publication optimized according to Sinek’s model can be structured as follows:
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Why: Start by explaining why your project exists. This is the heart of your message, which should inspire and arouse interest.
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How to: Next, describe how you conduct your project. This includes your methodology, unique approaches and resources.
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What: End with what you hope to achieve. This could be the project objectives, the expected results, or what the participants will contribute.
A fictitious example of a research project aimed at improving the quality of life of people with autism:
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(Why) Our current research project aims to improve the quality of life of people with autism. This project was born of the desire to create a more inclusive and fulfilling world for them, by recognizing and valuing their unique place in our society.
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(How) We have chosen a mixed-method approach, combining interviews and questionnaires, with the active participation of people with autism and those close to them (family, friends, carers). This method aims to achieve a comprehensive and respectful understanding of the well-being of people with autism, integrating their personal experiences and perspectives, as well as those of their loved ones.
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(What) The aim of our project is to develop practical recommendations and tools for professionals and policy-makers, with a view to concretely improving the lives of people with autism. We plan to share our results with the community and positively impact current policies and practices.
For the rest of the publication, depending on what will be included in your visual, it may be relevant to include practical details. In addition, to maximize the impact of your publication, don’t forget to tag the people and pages identified in the targeting stage. This will help increase your publication’s visibility among the audiences most likely to be interested and engaged by your project. Finish with a clear call-to-action to encourage engagement (e.g. Want to learn more? Don’t hesitate to contact me; Are you interested in this subject and could you give us a hand in promoting the project? Contact me now).
Interaction and follow-up: don't neglect the details
The effectiveness of a publication on LinkedIn is not only measured when it goes live; it also depends on the interaction and follow-up it generates. It’s essential to maintain active engagement after the publication to maximize its impact. Here’s why:
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Responding to comments: Taking the time to respond to comments shows that you value your audience’s engagement. This creates a dialogue that can not only enrich your understanding of participants’ expectations and concerns, but also reinforce their interest and commitment to your project.
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Engaging in discussions: Actively participating in discussions related to your publication or related topics can increase the visibility of your publication. It also helps build a network of relevant contacts.
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Acknowledgements: Thanking people who share or comment on your publications is an important courtesy. It shows your appreciation for their commitment and may encourage future interactions. It also strengthens professional relationships, which are essential to the long-term success of any research project.
You need to plan several publications over the course of the campaign, with a few variations to avoid a feeling of repetition. As far as possible, avoid re-sharing your publications; LinkedIn always favors “Original” content. As such, if people agree to help you distribute your material, send it to them by messaging them on LinkedIn.
The last word
In summary, using LinkedIn to recruit research project participants requires a strategic approach, adapted to our information-dense age. It’s crucial to combine precise targeting, meaningful engagement and attractive, thoughtful content. However, LinkedIn is just one tool among many, and needs to be integrated into a global and diversified recruitment strategy. By remaining engaged and responsive, search teams can effectively transform their efforts on LinkedIn into tangible results, strengthening relationships with their community at the same time.
For advice on inclusive recruitment for healthcare research projects, check out the LinkedIn page of Scikoop, a Quebec-based start-up specializing in this field.
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We leave you with this post summarized in an infographic. To access the infographic in .pdf format, click here.
