| Sumario: | Background: Study recruitment can be challenging, especially when targeting busy young adults with a chronic illness. Objective: This article describes the challenges and successes encountered during internet-based recruitment of young adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methodology: This research employed a descriptive, correlational design by collecting anonymous data using internet-based recruitment without offering research incentives. Results: The nationwide sample (n=284) recruited over a six-week period was initiated April 29th, 2019. From 772 registered clicks on Facebook and Google ads, the final recruitment cost of $1,249.13 resulted in an average cost $4.40 for each completed survey. Conclusions: This study did not support recent literature describing successful collaborative methods with IBD-focused internet groups. Multiple internet-based IBD organizations and administrators of closed Facebook groups denied the researcher the opportunity to access group members through posting of the research link to the group site. Facebook ads outperformed Google ads and unpaid methods, including snowball recruitment through Facebook and Twitter. There were two deployments of Facebook ads campaigns during the 6-week data collection period. Facebook ads were the most effective for a young adult 18-35-year-old population with chronic illness. Lessons learned from a social media recruitment campaign may help other researchers recruiting similar populations with chronic illness.
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