Engagement Patterns With #NaturalRemedies on TikTok: Formative Analysis

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Social Media Analysis
• Health Communication

Background:

• Emerging social media platforms like TikTok are increasingly used for health information dissemination.
• Understanding user engagement with health content on these platforms is crucial for effective health communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify content formats and indicators of expertise associated with higher engagement on TikTok for #NaturalRemedies.
• To assess the feasibility of using engagement metrics and thematic coding for analyzing health narratives on TikTok.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 118 TikTok videos tagged with #NaturalRemedies.
• Quantitative analysis of engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments).
• Qualitative thematic coding to identify content formats and expertise cues.

Main Results:

• Specific video formats and clear cues of expertise were associated with significantly higher user engagement.
• Thematic analysis revealed common themes in natural remedy discussions, including perceived efficacy and user testimonials.
• Engagement metrics correlated with thematic content, indicating platform suitability for health narrative analysis.

Conclusions:

• TikTok is a viable platform for studying health narratives and user engagement with natural remedies.
• Identifying engaging content formats and expertise cues can inform health communication strategies on social media.
• Engagement metrics and thematic coding are feasible methods for analyzing health content on emerging digital platforms.