Social Media to Promote Research: Introduction

This guide shows examples of how you can use social media tools and networks to promote your research

Developing a Social Media Strategy

Before you start using social media to promote your research, it is useful to think about your overall impact goals, who you are trying to reach, and what you want to communicate. Developing a social media strategy can ensure you use social media more efficiently and effectively by helping you:

identify and focus on the most appropriate tools and platforms, and avoid "wasting" your time
control your digital footprint to ensure social media adds to your professional reputation
track and monitor your social media impact to evaluate if it has a positive or negative effect on your overall impact goals

QUEST: Science Communication on Social Media: Good Practices
Practical advice on how to communicate about science effectively on social networks. The tips and recommendations were developed in collaboration with science communication professionals, who also field-tested the guidelines.
QUEST Podcast on Using Social Media
Practical tips and caveats on how to use social media to promote and communicate about your research from researchers at CERN & TCD
Fast Track Impact Resources
Downloadable templates, resources and podcasts from Fast Track Impact.
Social media for science communication
Useful blog post and video on using social media for science communication by Eva Amsen, writer and science communicator.
How to write a communications strategy
How to plan your communications effectively - a guide from the Overseas Development Institute, a non-profit think tank.

Overview of support services to increase you research impact

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Presentation Slides

Library Webinars

Build Your Research Skills @ UCD Library

This semester we are running in-person presentations and workshops on a range of practical topics to help support your research.

Click on the image above to book & attend any of these Library events

Why should I use Social Media?

Social media can be time consuming. However, when used strategically it can benefit you as a researcher by helping you:

Discover & “filter” new research & keep up to date
Connect with new contacts and build your network
Find out about funding opportunities, calls for papers etc
Increase the visibility of your research online
Communicate with audiences outside academia e.g. practitioners, policy-makers, the media etc.
Discover how people are engaging with your research, what they are interested in & get feedback

Caveats & Things to Consider:

However, using social media is not without its pitfalls and also raises concerns regarding data privacy. Before signing up to any tools or platforms:

Be aware that your profile is usually public

Read the small print - Who owns the data? Copyright and IP?

Third party services can close down without notice or be taken over/merged

Terms of Service; Didn't Read
A user rights initiative to rate and label website terms & privacy policies, from very good (A) to very bad (E).
Do academic social networks share academics’ interests?
David Matthews examines the approach of ResearchGate, Academia.edu and Mendeley to profit, user data and open access publishing (Times Higher Education)
Dear Scholars, Delete Your Account At Academia.Edu
Article by Sarah Bond, historian, suggests that researchers should consider alternatives to commercial organisations that aim to profit from researchers' data and work (Forbes)