You’ve done the hard part. You’ve designed the study, collected and analysed the data, and published your findings. Whether it’s your first or your fiftieth, it’s a great achievement.
The other experts in your niche might read it, but how do you get your research to a broader audience and make a real difference?
This post will give you a quick rundown of exactly what you need do to boost the impact of your next scientific paper.
1 - Make a video abstract
Similarly to how a movie poster entices people to watch the movie, a video abstract entices people to read your paper.
Video Abstracts Make a Difference and are a great way to communicate the story of your research quickly and effectively.
In about 90 seconds, you can hook-in your audience and compel them to actually read your paper to learn more.
Use it in media releases, on social media, your lab’s website, grant applications and more: Animated Video Abstracts Make Your Research Fly!
*IMPORTANT: Video abstracts can take time to produce, so get started ahead of time to ensure that your video abstract is ready to go on publication day.
2 - Make a graphical abstract
A graphical abstract is a visual summary of a written abstract.
With some images and text, graphical abstracts are powerful attention-grabbers on social media, in media releases, grant applications and more.
You don’t need to take our word for it, research has shown that promoting a paper with a graphical abstract does lead to more article visits (Ibrahim 2017).
To find out more about the different types of graphical abstracts, and how you can make your own read our blog on How to Master the Latest Trend in Publishing.
If you’re feeling creative, get some inspiration from Our Favourite Graphical Abstracts.
3 - Post to social media
Twitter is the #1 social network used by the scientific community and a great place to share your research.
When used correctly to promote your research, Twitter can Predict and Boost Your Citations.
Feeling a bit lost in the noise? How to get the most out of your social media is easy, with our short Guide To Twitter Mastery For Academics.
4 - Write a media release
There are many good reasons to write a media release to promote your research.
In fact, there are 7 Reasons Why You Should Write A Media Release For Your New Paper, and each one can help to boost your impact.
A great way to get picked up by the media is to include a video abstract in your media release, because journalists favour stories that contain video content they can use for free.
5 - Present at conferences
We don’t need to tell you that conferences are a great way to promote your research and to make new contacts.
But we both know that preparing for a conference can be a pain. Well, take the stress out of making your scientific poster with our guide: How to Design an Award-Winning Conference Poster.
Pressed for time? No worries, turn heads and make a splash with our Free Stunning Conference Poster Templates.
Preparing for an oral presentation? We’ve got you covered too. Tell Them a Story: How to Avoid the Standard Boring Presentation.
Tweeting during a conference is another way to make new connections and get the most out of your time (as well as capitalising on the free travel 😉). However, what to tweet isn’t so obvious: check out our Do’s and Don’t in How to use Twitter at Conferences.
6 - Get onto blogs
Do you, your colleagues or your institution have an established blog? Great! Just like anybody else on the internet, they are probably looking for good content.
Consider starting your own blog. With tools like Wix and Squarespace, creating a blog is a breeze - and even free! Check out this article, for a nice overview of why and how to start an academic blog.
7 - Apply for awards
There are several research communication competitions out there, including Visualise Your Thesis: hosted by the University of Melbourne.
Thinkable has become the leading online platform for outreach competitions and funding competitions. It hosts a wealth of competitions in various disciplines; check out what’s on.
Fun fact: The Director of Animate Your Science, Dr Tullio Rossi, started his journey into science communication with a video abstract that won an award on Thinkable!
You can watch it 👇
The bottom line is, there are many competitions our there - use them to your advantage.
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