3 ways to boost research discoverability

3 Things You Can Do to Boost Research Discoverability

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The true impact of research is felt only when it is noticed and discovered by a vast pool of the general public and fellow researchers. Therefore, it is crucial to take the necessary actions to boost research visibility. The research work ought to be distributed appropriately and made accessible to a wide audience. The right tools and techniques can vastly improve the chances of a research work receiving attention.

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Here are three things that you can do to enhance the discoverability of your research.

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Become an SEO Champion

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Search Engine Optimization encompasses a variety of techniques used to ensure that search engines such as Google can read the content in a webpage, article, etc. Good SEO practices improve discoverability by allowing a piece of content to rank highly in relevant search results. 

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A search engine uses “crawlers” to identify keywords and links, among other things, to identify the type of content in an article and the topics discussed in it. Here are some tips that can help you reap the many benefits of SEO.

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• Using images in your content can be a great way to improve discoverability. You can go one step further by adding ALT text to the images. This makes your content accessible and also helps with SEO.

• Wherever possible, add links to other trustworthy sites within your article as this is one of the ways in which search engines judge the credibility of your content.

• Use relevant keywords sparingly. Do not overload your title and abstract with too many keywords because that can be counterproductive.

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Embrace Social Media

As of January 2021, there were 4.20 billion active social media users globally—that’s more than half of the world’s population! On the internet, you can potentially connect with millions of people at a fraction of the cost of reaching them through offline channels. With the right strategy, you can make the most of social media and draw attention to your research from around the world. 

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Consider the following questions while creating a social media strategy to promote your research:

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• Who is your audience? 

• Which social media platforms do your audiences most commonly use? 

• What are the best ways to engage with your online community? 

• What type of content appeals to your target audience the most?

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Get Blogging

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A blog is a great way to capture the attention of and engage with your audience. Maintaining a regular blog helps you create an engaged community with the people interested in your research fields. Unlike social media posts that are short and sometimes impersonal, blogs give you more room for informal interactions and discussions with your community.

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When starting a blog, consider the following tips:

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• Be casual. Maintain an informal, conversational tone in your blogs, and encourage frequent interactions among your community of readers.

• Be consistent. When you blog consistently, you are more likely to attract and retain readers. Posting high-quality content on a regular basis is a sure-fire way to grow your audience.

• Be concise—or maybe not? The question of “What is the ideal word length for a blogpost?” seems to have a wide variety of answers. Don’t hesitate to experiment with the length of your posts and identify what your audience responds to well!

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Further Reading

• The University of Pittsburgh, Increase research visibility.

• Research HUB, Increase research visibility.

• London School of Economics Blog, How to write a blogpost from your journal article.

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