How to increase the visibility of your research

To give your hard work the recognition it deserves, it’s essential to start planning how you’ll promote it. Using a range of offline and digital strategies, you can boost your work's impact, enhance your citations, and find new readers for your research.

Growing your article’s visibility helps your work in several ways:

• Reach a broader audience, including researchers, funders, policymakers, and practitioners.

• Increases the likelihood that others will cite your work.

• Builds your reputation in your field through a visible publication record.

• Strengthens your academic profile and supports grant applications and career development.

• Accelerates the real-world impact of your research through widespread access.

Keywords are specific words or phrases that capture the main topics of your content. When someone searches for information on a topic, they type keywords into a search engine. So, if your manuscript contains those keywords, it's more likely to appear in their search results.

Using the following techniques to improve your keyword ranking is called search engine optimization (or SEO).

Why are keywords important?

• Using the right keywords helps your research to be discovered. The more precise and relevant your keywords are, the easier it is for people to find your work.

• Academic databases and search engines index content based on keywords. So your manuscript shows up when related topics are searched.

• Keywords highlight the core themes of your research, ensuring that your work attracts the right audience – those specifically interested in your field.

How to choose the right keywords

1. Like any good book, an informative and descriptive title is important – it should reflect the main focus of your research.

2. Put yourself in the shoes of someone interested in your research. What search terms would they use?

3. Choose specific phrases that directly relate to your work. Avoid general terms that are too broad.

4. Different people might search for the same topic using different terms. Including synonyms can help cover a broader range of searches.

5. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or academic databases can help you identify high-impact keywords.

An online profile is a digital representation of your professional identity. It includes information about your education, research interests, publications, and professional achievements. Creating profiles on various platforms helps build visibility and connects you with the global research community.

Loop: Loop offers metrics on your work's views, downloads, and citations, and a benchmark score of your article’s views against other Loop users. Create and update your Loop profile.

ResearchGate: Ideal for sharing publications, asking questions, and collaborating with peers.

Academia.edu: Great for sharing papers and finding collaborators.

LinkedIn: A broader professional network where you can connect with researchers, industry professionals, and academic institutions.

ORCID: Provides a unique identifier for researchers, ensuring your work is correctly attributed to you across platforms and publications.

Google Scholar: Centralizes your publications, tracks citations, and helps with SEO through Google’s search capabilities.

Press releases

Work with your institution's press office to issue press releases for significant findings. This can help capture public and media attention, increasing the reach of your research.

Blogs

Posting to blogs (or running your own) allows you to share your research insights, detailed explanations, and industry news in an accessible format. Research popular blogs in your subject area and see if they accept guest posts. This can help connect you with an existing audience who are already interested in your field.

Forums

Participating in academic and research-focused forums enables you to engage in discussions, seek feedback, and stay current with the latest trends. Posting on forums like Stack Exchange, Reddit (subreddits related to your field), and specialized academic forums can build your reputation and connect you with a community of experts and peers.

• Stay updated on what others in your field are doing and show your interest by following their profiles and work.

• Join conversations, comment on publications, and share insights. This helps build relationships and establishes you as an active community member.

• Keep your profile current by adding new publications, achievements, and updates about your research.
  

Publishing your research in an open access journal means that your work is available to anyone with an Internet connection. When your research is freely accessible, it increases the chances of being read, cited, and shared. This amplifies the impact of your work and helps you connect with a broader, more diverse audience.

To learn more about why researchers publish this way, explore the benefits of open access.

Here are some of the most effective methods of measuring your work’s reach and impact, within your academic community and beyond.

Citation count

This primary metric indicates the number of times other researchers have cited your work, enabling you to assess the academic impact of your research. Citation practices can vary by discipline, and older articles typically accumulate more citations over time than newer ones.

Altmetric

These ‘alternative metrics’ capture a wide range of online interactions with your research, including mentions on social media, coverage in news articles, blog posts, and citations in policy documents. Platforms like Altmetric provide detailed attention indicators, such as the distinctive donut, visually representing the level and sources of your research's attention.

Usage metrics

Usage metrics provide insights into how often your research is accessed, downloaded, or viewed; these are available on your Loop profile.

Learn more about tracking your article's impact.