Social media’s presence and influence is pervasive. In 2021, the Pew Research Center reported that about half of Americans get their news from social media at least sometimes. The National Academies of Medicine also identified social media as a widely used source for health information by the public. Users of social media include individuals of all ages, interests, socio-economic backgrounds, races, religions, and other audience groups. Social media’s low barrier to entry and accessibility makes it a platform where campaigns can provide important messages to underserved and historically marginalized groups. These factors make social media an essential and powerful tool for organizations conducting public health campaigns. To optimize the power of social media, we also use it as a research tool. Through social media listening, comment analysis, and social media contests, we conduct qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation to inform our campaigns. This panel will elaborate on the different methods in which social media can be used as a research tool, so that social media-based campaigns can better understand and respond to the interests and needs of its audience. The results of this research can be used by organizations to inform campaign messaging, potentially resulting in more effective and engaging campaigns.