Culturally Responsive, Targeted Social Media Marketing to Facilitate Engagement with a Digital Parenting Program

Abstract

Latinx families who have experienced immigration are often exposed to traumatic experiences before, during, and after migration. Exposure to trauma is associated with health challenges, however responsive and supportive parenting can strengthen adjustment of children who have experienced adversity. Systemic barriers in the U.S. make accessing parenting interventions difficult for immigrant Latinx families. This study investigated the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a culturally tailored, direct-to-consumer (DTC) social media marketing campaign to engage Latinx parents who have resettled in the U.S with a digital parenting program, Parenting in the Moment. Video and graphic advertisements were delivered on a prominent social media platform in English and Spanish, with each advertisement employing varying messaging tactics. The campaign reached a total of 2,902,440 viewers and engaged 41,835 people who clicked on the link to the parenting program’s webpage. Each link click cost an average of $0.71. Advertisement type and language was associated with advertisement link click, with videos and advertisements in Spanish receiving more engagement compared with English and graphic advertisements. When analyzed separately, the engagement with each video theme differed within English and Spanish advertisements. The current study serves as the first step to understanding the use of digital DTC marketing to engage parents who have experienced immigration with parenting services. Findings support culturally tailored, social media marketing as a cost-effective strategy for increasing access to and engagement with parenting programs for immigrant families.