Building Trust Through Educational Content: Why Evidence-Based Marketing Matters

By Birth & Baby University · Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read

Educational content is one of the most common ways doulas introduce themselves: a blog post on labor positions, a reel on newborn sleep, a guide to postpartum recovery. It can build trust, or it can undermine it if it is inaccurate, exaggerated or silent about uncertainty. This article reviews what researchers have found about the quality of birth information online, what Google and the Federal Trade Commission ask of publishers and advertisers, and what that means for doulas who want to market with evidence.

Key takeaways

• A systematic review of 69 studies found health misinformation on social media was prevalent, with rates reaching 87% in some studies, though misinformation about medical treatments was lowest at 30%.
• A 2025 study of 266 TikTok videos on epidural analgesia found 10% contained inaccurate information and overall quality was poor, with videos from medical sources scoring higher than those from non-medical sources.
• Google’s guidance on helpful content asks for clear sourcing, evidence of the expertise involved and background about the author, and warns against content made mainly to attract search visits.
• FTC rules on endorsements say endorsements must reflect honest opinions and experience, cannot be distorted, and that advertisers can be liable for misleading statements.

What the research and guidance say

The quality of what families see

The 2021 systematic review of health misinformation on social media included 69 studies across vaccines, drugs, noncommunicable diseases and other topics. Posts with misinformation reached 87% in some studies, misinformation about vaccines was common (43%), and the lowest levels were for medical treatments (30%), with a wide range depending on topic and method. The review did not focus on pregnancy. A scoping review of social media and intrapartum decision making found only five eligible studies; women used the internet consistently for pregnancy information, with 97% of 2,400 participants in one study, and this knowledge seeking was found to increase confidence in decisions, while studies identified problems with women’s ability to appraise information. A 2025 cross-sectional study of 266 TikTok videos on labor epidurals found 10% contained inaccurate information and that median quality was poor, higher for medical sources than non-medical ones. An Australian qualitative study found influencer content can both support and harm, through unfavorable comparisons and misinformation. These show a need for reliable content. They do not show that educational marketing increases bookings.

What search and advertising rules ask for

Google’s helpful content guidance asks whether content presents information in a way that makes people want to trust it, with clear sourcing, evidence of the expertise involved and background about the author or site, and whether it has easily verified factual errors. It also asks creators to avoid content that mainly summarizes others without adding value. The FTC’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 255) state that endorsements must reflect the honest opinions, findings, beliefs or experience of the endorser, may not be presented out of context or reworded to distort the endorser’s experience, and that advertisers are subject to liability for misleading or unsubstantiated statements made through endorsements. The Guides’ examples also say a testimonial that greatly exceeds typical results requires a disclosure of typical results, and that fake positive reviews used to promote a product are endorsements and can be deceptive. These are federal guides, not legal advice, and state law may add rules.

Where people place trust

In a Norwegian survey of 1,402 expectant women, 74% used quality-assured public health websites and 56% healthcare personnel, with 2% turning to influencers or bloggers. That suggests that visible sourcing and professional links may support trust, although it is one country and one sample.

What this means for doulas

• Cite and date your sources. Name the guideline, review or agency behind a statement, and the year you checked it.
• Say what is uncertain. Evidence-based marketing includes saying when research is mixed.
• Stay in scope. Education about options is different from advice about a person’s care.
• Handle testimonials carefully. Use real, permissioned words, do not edit them to change meaning and do not imply typical results that you cannot support.
• Review and update. Content about guidelines ages, so add review dates.

Putting the evidence into practice

• Write a short editorial standard for your content: sources from professional bodies and reviews, a review date, a plain statement of scope and a correction policy.
• Add an author line with your credentials, training and how long you have practiced, accurate and checkable.
• Before posting a health statement, trace it to a primary source. If you cannot, leave it out or label it as experience, not evidence.
• Ask clients for written permission to share testimonials, keep the original wording and avoid outcome claims such as cesarean rates.
• Schedule a yearly review of your top pages and remove or update anything outdated.

The bottom line

Educational content earns trust when it is accurate, sourced and honest about uncertainty. The evidence shows a real need for reliable pregnancy information and clear rules against deceptive marketing, but not that any specific content strategy fills your calendar. Keep it truthful, keep it dated and keep it within scope.

Related reading: Search Engine Optimization for Doulas: How to Help Families Find Your Services; How to Market Doula Services Without Using Fear-Based Messaging; How Do Expecting Families Find Doulas? Understanding the Modern Client Search Process.

This article is for professional education. It is not medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Check the standards of your certifying organization and the rules where you work.

Sources and further reading

• Suarez-Lledo V, et al. Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2021. Read the source
• Wright EM, et al. The Influence of Social Media on Intrapartum Decision Making: A Scoping Review. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing 2019. Read the source
• Bak BM, et al. Assessing the accuracy and quality of TikTok as a source of medical information on neuraxial labor analgesia: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia 2025. Read the source
• Chee RM, et al. Social media influencers’ impact during pregnancy and parenting: a qualitative descriptive study. Research in Nursing & Health 2024. Read the source
• Google Search Central. Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content (page read October 2026). Read the source
• Federal Trade Commission. Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, 16 CFR Part 255 (eCFR, read October 2026). Read the source
• Hansen MH, et al. Worries and information seeking during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study among 1402 expectant Norwegian women active on social media platforms. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 2025. Read the source

Educational content is most useful when it is accurate and clear about its limits. Birth & Baby University’s For Doulas page describes training and mentorship that can support evidence-informed practice. Whatever you publish, cite your sources, say what you do not know and check the advertising rules that apply where you work.

More for professionals: the Professionals Blog.