With the growth of social media platforms in recent years, we can’t avoid mentioning them in the world of business. The population of social media has risen tremendously. From just 5 percent in 2005, the number of users has grown to 65 percent in 2015. And in 2020 it’s surely the most popular online activity – with almost 3.6 billion users. Social media networks seem like an endless source of information and an important way of communication these days. For those reasons we want to discuss how social media promotion to increase research citation – and what are the things, you can do about it.
It’s easier to upload research paper
One of the studies has shown that researchers find it easier and faster to upload their documents and research papers to social network sites, rather than official websites. These are often run by universities or other institutions, so reaching out to them and uploading that way takes more time. Instead, researchers are more likely to use ResearchGare or Academia.edu, where they can get as much as a 70% boost in citations in a period of 5 years. So, uploading your
The interaction
One of the obvious ways social media promotion increases research citation is the communication between researchers and other members of the academic community. Social media networks have made it easy to communicate – it’s fast, it’s free of charge, and enables you to easily share papers, photos, and other documents. This makes it so easy for all the academic world to interact and make a network much closer than the one built on official websites.
However, the one drawback mentioned about this topic is that some people believe that such communication lowers the quality of academic discussion. These discussions are also open to the non-academic world, which makes it even more vulnerable.
The overall positive effect
Academic social networks as well as other social media show a positive influence on the citation counts, as well as search rankings. The modern world of social media communication has impacted the academic world in a positive way, letting it be stronger in a modern manner.
Places for social media promotion
Research often think of social media as not suitable or simply not enough to promote their work. However, if you pick the networks well, you can see how social media promotion increases research citation on the spot. So, instead of considering the social media platforms places where you can share selfies and food pictures, dig deeper and see what are the ways you can use them to promote your work. Here are the most common networks where you can see that social media promotion increases research citation.
This social network is all about the latest news. Even though one tweet is limited to the maximum of 280 characters, it allows you to share links to your work the moment you want it. It’s an easily accessible network relevant to the academic world, as well as politics, humoristic pages, etc. So, if you have a new blog post, presentation, or research paper – instantly let the people know with just a few clicks.
Blog posts
Writing blog posts about your work and sharing your papers can connect you to a much wider audience. It also connects you to your readers. They will be able to comment and communicate with you in the comment section. Blogs are a great way to make some explanations rather than just posting a link.
ResearchGate
The platform dedicated to researchers can really spread the world in the right circles. Posting on ResearchGate can help you increase research citations among your ‘target audience’ – the academic world. It’s perfect for sharing your papers, discussing various topics, and promoting collaborations.
For a more business-like, yet wider range of promotion, you should run a LinkedIn profile. The network is made for professionals, people who run companies, and those looking for a job. Apart from looking more professional, you can post your accomplishments and update your profile as you do more. This will connect you to a specific group of people, and you can share links to your work.
Even though it’s widely used and considered less-serious, Facebook shouldn’t be left out in social media promotion. The advantage of Facebook is surely the number of users. Your papers can reach so many people using this social media platform. Furthermore, people interested in a certain topic create dedicated groups. By joining them, you can also share your work among interested members, where all can comment and discuss the topics you promote.
Social media promotion – a way to increase research citations
After listing all the networks and why it’s good to use them to promote your work – it’s time to start working on your social media presence. One of the main tips we can give you is – consistency is the key. Not a single way of promoting your work will be effective if you don’t post consistently and actually take your time to work on your profiles. Furthermore, picking more than one social platform is a great way to pred your range. Even though you don’t need to post on all of them, picking two or three will do the work. Just make sure that they are all up to date – it will make you look more professional and responsible.
Apart from regular updates, the following important figures in your niche will help you get the idea of what people like the best in terms of social media promotion. Explore your field on social media a bit more, so you can understand where you should aim and find ways to attract more readers – and therefore increase research citation.
