Marketing your Research

Kathryn Muehlberger, Communications Specialist

March 2020

The recent novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has stimulated scientists to openly share their research to help remedy the ongoing public health crisis. However, many researchers are unsure of how to get started with marketing their research, especially with regard to the appropriate ways to disseminate their findings, how to reach their target audience, and most importantly, how to collectively assist both the public and research community in addressing relevant situations. We outline the benefits of marketing your research in this brief, informative article.

In short, marketing your research exposes your work to others who may be interested, which often affords new research opportunities and potential collaborations. The question is, where do you even begin? Below are our tips to help you get started:

1. Update and/or create a social media profile - as an individual or as a laboratory - for one (or more) of the major platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and WeChat). It is essential to add as much professional information about yourself and your research as possible, in order to broaden the search categories. Science Twitter is also a great hub for the scientific community.

2. Do you have a personal website you can feature your research on? Perhaps a website dedicated to your research laboratory? If so, we recommend:

             a. Upload your abstract, a figure, or a short summary video to your website, or embed a link to your published work.
             b. If you have a science blog, be sure to create a post about your new study.
             c. Add a link to your website in your email signature.

3. Get in touch with the marketing or communications department at your institution. Can they promote your work on the university’s website or social media platforms? Could they set up a workshop for you to lead? Reach out to learn how you can get involved.

“If you follow these basic starting points, you’re on track to boosting your research impact while simultaneously increasing public awareness of relevant events. Lastly, we note that marketing your research not only advances scientific communication and outreach, but also demonstrates the value and importance of science to policymakers and the public.