Social media has been under scrutiny over the past few years and for good reason. It is a powerful platform to relay information, or in some cases, misinformation, to the masses around the world, instantly. For this reason we thought it was an important and timely topic to discuss. Given that social media algorithms used by Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+, for example, are principally driven by engagement, so the more frequently you share, post, and click the stronger your networks can grow.

Facebook Fact Check

Facebook has faced controversy in recent months over their data privacy policies and less than rigorous fact checks. A 2017 Pew Research Center analysis, The Science People See on Social Media, recently analyzed six months’ of posts from 30 of the most followed science-related pages on Facebook, including National Geographic and the Discovery Channel (Hitlin and Olmstead, March 21, 2018; http://pewrsr.ch/2FPvcQc). They found that millions of people follow science-related pages on Facebook and that multiplatform organizations (listed above and others) including Facebook-primary feeds such as IFLScience are taking advantage of this large audience. The top 30 Facebook pages used in their study showed 29 percent of posts were based on new scientific discoveries, and 16 percent of posts were promotions or advertisement for media or events. Visual posts including those with videos explaining science concepts, highlighting new discoveries, or showcasing ways people can put scientific discoveries to use in their research yielded much more engagement. Engagement was based on shares, comments, and likes or other reactions. In light of these numbers, it is clear that Facebook can be a powerful tool for science outreach and disseminating your scientific breakthroughs.

In this era of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” scientists can— and some might say it is our responsibility to — use our vast training and expertise to actively participate in social media with the possible added benefit of creating a following and name for our science.

LinkedIn Highlights

Ethical self-promotion on your LinkedIn profile should highlight your strengths and what you can uniquely bring to a potential employer and future collaborator. Your LinkedIn headline offers 120 characters to relay how you wish to present yourself and it is a useful place to reinforce your value to potential employers and collaborators. The goal is to use this space wisely and be precise by including the most significant keywords applicable to your skillset.

The summary section of your Linkedin profile provides another opportunity for savvy self-promotion with space for up to 2000 characters, the first 200 of which are immediately visible. One recommendation is to use this space to write about your key strengths with a short paragraph discussing each one. If you’re actively looking for a new job it can be helpful to include your email address at the end of your summary section.

Tips for Twitter

In 280 characters or less, Twitter can move your science from a lab discussion to an international scientific audience. The use of Twitter among scientists, particularly in academia, is growing. Some scientists suggest that if you are presenting at conferences you may want to include your Twitter handle on slides and posters, which can facilitate future discussions about your research and increase your scientific impact.

Finally, there are a growing number of platforms focused specifically on peer-reviewed research, including Mendeley and ResearchGate. These sites are a great way to help promote and share your scientific discoveries among your peers. Along the same lines there are specific sites for different disciplines, including GitHub for computer scientists and BioMedExperts for life scientists.

Whatever platform(s) you chose, social media can be instrumental in advancing your science and scientific career. The key is to be engaged and apply your scientific rigor when writing posts. With social media, we as a scientific community can strive to improve transparency and promote more rigorous science and discussions.