Process evaluation of a nascent point of sale tobacco control website

Issues: Tobacco companies spend an overwhelming majority of their budget to promote and advertise products at the point of sale (POS). To address this issue, CounterTobacco.org was established as an online resource center for tobacco control advocates interested in implementing POS regulations. This process evaluation examined website content and ease of use in order to inform development of the site. Description: A mixed methods approach utilizing qualitative telephone interviews and a quantitative online survey was conducted with website users. Items collected information on user traits, site satisfaction, pages most often visited, and users' additional resource needs. Lessons Learned: An analysis of the results shows CounterTobacco.org has an educated clientele who use the website more as a starting point for POS tobacco control activities than a resource to conduct indepth research. To further engage this audience, CounterTobacco.org needs to shift from being a repository for investigating to a spark plug for innovative approaches to POS tobacco control. Recommendations: By shifting the website focus from resource archive to creative hub, CounterTobacco.org will help grow the nascent field of POS advocacy and better serve site users. Specifically, the website needs to increase its relevance on the internet by providing breaking news, a guide to past advocacy approaches, and a forum to connect like-minded experts. Providing these resources will expand CounterTobacco.org's reach and facilitate the development of new solutions for POS tobacco control advocates.