BACKGROUND: Social media platforms provide unique opportunities to promote public health campaigns, including tobacco cessation. The increasing prevalence of social media platforms provides a unique opportunity to promote public health initiatives, including tobacco cessation campaigns. This study examines the effectiveness of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube contents related to #tobacco cessation
METHODS: This study conducts a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube in facilitating tobacco cessation. The data was collected from each social media platform of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube by analysing top 100 posts. Key metrics such as engagement rates, sentiment distribution, and content type performance were evaluated to determine platform-specific strengths and limitations.
RESULTS: ​
The results highlight Instagram as the most engaging platform, with an average engagement rate of 12.4%, driven by its visual-first approach and effective hashtag usage, which boosted post reach by 40%. Facebook excelled in fostering community-driven discussions, generating 15.600 comments, the highest among the platforms. YouTube emerged as the leader in promoting positive sentiment (78%), with long-form educational videos over 10 minutes receiving the most favourable feedback. However, YouTube had the lowest engagement rate (6.7%), and Facebook exhibited limited virality with fewer shares compared to Instagram and YouTube.
Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in engagement and sentiment across platforms These findings suggest that platform-specific strategies are essential for optimizing tobacco cessation campaigns
CONCLUSIONS: Instagram is best suited for influencer-driven outreach and visual storytelling, Facebook for cultivating supportive communities, and YouTube for delivering in-depth, educational content. By leveraging these insights, public health initiatives can effectively enhance their reach, engagement, and overall impact in promoting tobacco cessation.