A researcher at the Black Dog Institute in Sydney, Sandersan Onie has lived experience of mental ill-health. He was diagnosed with depression in 2015 and went through multiple suicidal episodes.
He says he knows how reluctant people can be to ask for help when they're struggling.
"That less than half of people who attempt suicide will actually reach out for help prior - meaning that if we are to reach them we need to meet them where they are."
Doctor Onie decided to focus his research on people's online search behaviours.
"Because you and I both know that we search things up on the internet that we would never ask another living soul."
His trial used Google ads. He inserted 40 keywords into the algorithm - words like depression, or suicide, sad, lonely, hopeless.
When someone typed in distress or suicide-related keyword or phrase up popped an ad - offering help. By clicking on the ad the user was immediately taken to a landing page full of resources: with the aim of offering an instant helping hand.
