Content Analysis of #Tobacco Cessation on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms have emerged as influential tools for disseminating health-related information and behaviour change interventions. Tobacco cessation campaigns increasingly use digital media platforms to reach wider audiences, raise awareness, and encourage quitting. However, the effectiveness of different social media platforms in promoting tobacco cessation varies depending on their content style, engagement mechanisms, and audience interaction. Aim The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of tobacco cessation-related content across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube social media platforms. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional content analysis was conducted using the top 100 publicly available posts related to #tobaccocessation from Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The posts were evaluated based on engagement rate, sentiment distribution, and content type performance. Quantitative analysis was performed to compare platform-specific strengths and limitations. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. Results Instagram demonstrated the highest engagement rates through visually appealing and influencer-driven content. Facebook facilitated community-oriented discussions and supportive interactions among users. YouTube was highly effective in delivering detailed educational content and demonstrated predominantly neutral sentiment, while Facebook and Instagram showed higher positive sentiment. Significant differences were observed among the platforms in terms of engagement metrics and content performance. Conclusion Each social media platform contributes uniquely to tobacco cessation communication. Instagram is effective for visual outreach, Facebook for community support, and YouTube for educational messaging. Integrating the strengths of all three platforms may improve the effectiveness of public health tobacco cessation campaigns.