As health communicators, we often struggle to demonstrate the success of our campaigns and show their impact on health behavior. We are relegated to the basic 'click', 'tweet', and 'like' data that is readily available to us to show results - and yet that is a small measure of success and does not demonstrate health behavior change.

So how do we beyond this and start measuring behavior change?

Well, I am going to make a statement here – and it may seem like a strong one – that measuring behavior change with social media is possible.

How do you reach hard-to-reach segments of the population? This is the question at the heart of a provincewide social marketing initiative to support early childhood development in Quebec, Canada. The Lucie and Andre Chagnon Foundation, which funds the initiative, challenged a social marketing team to find ways to encourage and support parents, so they provide the right stimulation for children under the age of 6 years.

Hello. My name is Amelia. And I am a digital communicator.

I've taken the long way around to get to where I am today. I first thought I would work in public health and development, but ironically that just led me to become interested in the communications field. Along the way, I also took a couple of detours to explore becoming first a chef, and then a painter… but I finally circled back to communications - this time with a strong focus on digital media - and that is where I have been for almost 10 years now.