Clinical trials are vital to advance healthcare but finding volunteers can be challenging. When the National Institute for Healthcare Research (NIHR) launched a new research hub in the south of England, their mission was clear: connect with local communities and spread the word about volunteering opportunities. Social media would be key to making this happen.
Communications Manager Chrissy Sturt turned to me for guidance on making the most of Instagram and Facebook.
The challenge
Chrissy was already savvy with social media but she wanted to tap into the latest trends to promote opportunities for public involvement in healthcare research. She needed specific insights on maximising engagement and reach across both platforms.
Tailored training
Together, we explored:
- how to harness the power of Reels and Stories
- making the most of paid social media
- best practice examples from healthcare and the nonprofit sectors
- practical strategies to grow the NIHR’s new accounts.
The session was hands-on and focused on the NHIR’s specific needs, going beyond general tips to create a concrete action plan.
The impact
Chrissy quickly put her new knowledge to work, seeing excellent results with Reels on both Instagram and Facebook. As she put it: “I’d recommend Karen’s social media training. She has a thorough knowledge across all platforms, and real insight into algorithms and ads.
“She went above and beyond to assess our accounts and had many good suggestions for how we might grow our embryonic accounts. I’d highly recommend her bespoke courses.”