I’ve been pondering (and practicing) the use of social media platforms by researchers and academic units (e.g., departments, colleges, labs, centers) for some time now, and got a recent opportunity to distil my observations and reflections into a workshop and webinar series for the NIEHS-funded Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR) Superfund Program. I created 3 short videos on (1) why to use social media and 3 guiding principles, (2) comparison of different social media platforms, and (2) some best practices and cautionary tips.
Personally, I have shifted from simultaneously using all the platforms reviewed here — Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, WordPress, ResearchGate and AcademiaDOTedu — to a more strategic use these days. (Actually, I’ve never had a TikTok account, but I’ve scoped out academics who do, so I should correct myself!) Currently, my X account is deleted (but I still manage the X page for a research center), I deactivated Facebook, and use Instagram only for personal (not professional) reasons. LinkedIn is my primary social media platform for research/professional use these days, followed by YouTube (where I also manage the accounts of a couple academic units). My use of WordPress, ResearchGate and AcademiaDOTedu is sporadic, and what I would call “passive” in the sense that I find myself there every other month, and spending less than 10 minutes each time.
How do you use social media for your research, teaching and/or stakeholder engagement? Let me know if you have additional reflections, strategies and tips, and I hope you enjoy the video series. 🙏
Rahul Mitra 