With little more than a diagnosis, lots of questions and no time, couples inevitably turn to Google for answers. So rather than leaving them to the wilds of WebMD, the CDSS had the true experts answer their questions – people living with Down syndrome every day.

Down Syndrome Answers is a series of searchable videos that answer all of the 40 top Googled questions on Down syndrome as answered by people with Down syndrome. Launched during Canadian Down syndrome Awareness Week, the series covers everything from physical and intellectual development to the cause of the condition. Our videos offer a simple, humanizing window into the lives of people who are often misunderstood. People who, just by their very existence, can dispel some common misconceptions.

Phase 1 of Down Syndrome Answers was hosted on Youtube, allowing us to use the platform’s community elements, arranging videos into playlists to create a community hub where parents could congregate and spend time watching and learning from our complete video series.

By taking the data-driven approach of answering the most searched questions, we’ve ensured that our videos’ organic rankings will continue to rise in Google and Youtube. This means that Down Syndrome Answers is a self-sustaining, always-on campaign that will live far beyond its initial launch, providing expectant parents faced with a Down syndrome diagnosis a searchable resource today and into the future.

Phase 2, the live Facebook Q&A, was executed using the CDSS’ newsletter and facebook page to invite parents to participate in the conversation, creating another social hub where parents could come together and get the information and support they were looking for.

To date, Down Syndrome Answers has achieved:

• 519 million media impressions

• 101% increase in organic traffic to site, of this over 50% was through Google Search

• 893% increase in referral traffic to cdss.ca

• 240,000 of views, which is a significant amount since there are only 25,800 of Down syndrome pregnancies in North America every year.

• Down Syndrome Associations in 10 countries now support our assets as a resource for parents

• A Think with Google Best-in-Class case for search-based marketing