How to Promote Your Research: 7 Essential Strategies for Academics
Actively promoting your book or journal publication can help call attention to the importance of your research, improve its discoverability and amplify your voice in the research community.
You’ve invested many months or even years in your research and now it’s finally published. But in today’s academic landscape, publishing is no longer the final milestone of scholarly work. In fact, it is just the beginning of your work’s public life.
This article outlines key strategies that can help increase your visibility, extend your impact, and connect your ideas with the world. We’ll be covering how to promote your research and publications online on social media, email, blogs, and webinars.
We will also look at other, more traditional methods of promotion, including how to leverage conferences, book reviews and institutional libraries.
Of course we’ll be right by your side when it comes to promoting your research. Here you can read what we do to help promote your publication.
Why should authors promote their research?
Research doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The purpose of scholarly work is to contribute meaningfully to academic discourse, to be seen, read, and built upon by other researchers and academics.
That’s why learning how to promote your research effectively can be just as crucial as the work itself. Learning effective promotional strategies can give the right boost to work in a saturated research landscape and can help establish and solidify your profile as a scholar.
Being proactive is key here. Putting a face or profile to what otherwise would just be a name on the page can make all the difference for authors.
Besides: More than ever, sound science communication is vital to build public trust and combat fake news. By promoting your work, you are demonstrating the real-world relevance of scholarly work.
How to promote your research online
Promoting your research through online channels has many unique advantages, but two stand out: speed and control.
Unlike more traditional promotion methods that rely on intermediaries or have long lead time, digital platforms like social media channels allow you to share your work directly and on your own terms, whenever you want, wherever you want.
This means that you control the narrative: You can shape how your research is framed, highlight the aspects that you find most relevant to specific audiences, and you can receive and respond to feedback in real time.
Below we have listed the most common digital channels for researchers and authors. We highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and what types of promotion they are most useful for.
Using social media to promote your research
According to the De Gruyter Brill Platform Dilemma report, nearly 70% of academics surveyed believe that social media will continue to be a key channel for engaging with colleagues and promoting their work.
Social media is especially useful for:
- increasing the visibility and impact of your work,
- broadening your audience,
- and boosting your academic profile.
That said, not all social media platforms are created equal, nor do all lend themselves particularly to academic content. From Bluesky to LinkedIn to YouTube, which platforms you choose and what you share there should be well considered.
How to promote your research with Blogs
It’s true that science blogging can feel like an extra chore on top of everything else you are already doing, like writing research papers, applying for grants, supervising students and so on.
But in spite of the additional work it might initially pose, blogging about your research can actually be a boon to your work overall. Writing a post for an already established blog or even deciding to launch and maintain your own blog can contribute to your public academic profile over time.
Here are some examples of academic-led blogs to get you inspired:
Consider submitting to the De Gruyter Brill blog! We publish articles written by authors and also conduct interviews on special topics. If you have an idea for a post, you can get in touch with us here.
How to write an effective blog post? Our advice is to focus on a specific topic, for example one specific research insight from your paper or an argument from your book. Create a strong yet specific headline and, like with any good writing, make sure the post covers the topic adequately and delivers on its promise.
Tone-wise blogs tend to be more conversational, which makes them the perfect platform through which to translate potentially complex ideas for a wider audience.
Promoting your research via Email & Newsletters
Email might seem routine and commonplace, but don’t underestimate its potential as a promotional tool: Curated newsletters and email blasts are reclaiming inboxes, and can be an easy and effective tool for authors to get the word out about their latest publications.
You can consider joining relevant mailing lists or email listservs and sending out an announcement email. Many universities offer listservs for specific subject areas. here are a few you can check out:
- Humanist Discussion Group (University of Cologne)
- LINGUIST (Indiana University)
- Cognitive Science Society Listserv
These mailing lists double as resources for researchers to stay up-to-date about developments in their fields or to connect with colleagues. Always keep in mind: too many emails or irrelevant emails have the opposite of the intended effect. So always consider your audience and the timing of anything you send.
Want more publishing advice? Sign up for the De Gruyter Brill newsletter.
Amazon Author Central & Other Bookselling Platforms
Whether you’re the author of a trade, educational, or academic title, Amazon and other book-selling sites can be used as an additional promotional tool – and an effective way to increase your sales.
Amazon, for instance, has tools to help you boost your presence online, which can then be linked to in emails and social media platforms, thereby increasing your visibility.
What’s more, publishing your works on large digital platforms will add legitimacy to your work by showing that you take your work seriously. Consider creating a platform on sites like ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Google Scholar and others to ensure that potential readers or collaborators can learn more about you and your work no matter where they land.
How to promote your research traditionally
Next to digital channels, traditional promotional strategies like presenting at conferences or getting books reviewed still go a long way in academic circles. For a well-rounded plan to promote your research, consider these outlets along with your online activities.
Promote your research on Conferences & Book Fairs
Conferences and book fairs aren’t just about attending panels and hearing about other people’s research. See them as opportunities to actively showcase your work and connect with the people who can amplify it.
If you're launching a new publication, consider proposing a book presentation or Q&A session well in advance; these typically require coordination with organizers, so reaching out early is key. Sometimes these also take place online in the form of webinars.
You can also engage more informally: bring copies of your book or flyers, mention your latest research in relevant discussions, or network with publishers, librarians, and fellow researchers. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself as an author: these events are designed for exactly that kind of visibility.
Use Book Reviews to promote your research
Book reviews are an important medium for scholars to learn about new publications. They’re also a great way for authors to get more visibility.
A well-written review, done by a renowned expert in the field, can make all the difference. Although this promotion strategy is more indirect, as in you can’t write the review yourself, you can ask your peers whether they would be willing to write a review of your work, preferably in a relevant journal but also on platforms where publications are sold.
There are other methods of requesting reviews:
- When you go to conferences, take a few copies of your publication with you.
- Email people on your own distribution list or perhaps on a listserv.
- Put out a call for action on your social media accounts or on your website, if you have one.
Even though “getting reviewed” is a little passive, you can be proactive by reaching out to potential reviewers. As always, be sure not spam people.
You can sign up to Google Alerts to monitor any online references to you and your book. When a review about your book has been published (and if it’s good), share it on your social media accounts, in your email sign-off and among your contacts.
Libraries & Institutions can promote your research work
Librarians are experts at connecting people with the right content. They are another excellent resource for you to try and get your research in front of the right audience.
Recommend your title to your university or institutional library. Some of them will have a recommendation form on their website, in other cases you might be required to simply write an email. Make sure to include a valid explanation, like “I will refer my students to this resource”. If applicable, put the book in the recommended reading list for your students.
You can also try reaching out to your institution’s communications department and see if they would be interested in writing or posting about your book. You might have a good chance if your research is potentially interesting for a broad audience.
Frequently Asked Questions on How To Promote your Research
After publishing, a scholar's work is just beginning. Actively promoting your published research helps to raise awareness within the scientific community and beyond. It ensures your research findings are seen, read, and cited, which directly contributes to your research impact and strengthens your professional profile. The ultimate goal is to connect your expertise with new readers who can build upon your work.
Using online tools is key. Sharing your published articles or book via social media like Bluesky or LinkedIn can quickly generate interest. You can also create a compelling video abstract to summarize your primary research for general audiences, making your knowledge more accessible and engaging.
Beyond traditional academic indexing, you can optimize your work for search engines by using relevant keywords in your titles and abstracts. Promoting your work on platforms like ResearchGate or your personal blog also creates valuable links back to your work. A strong online presence increases the likelihood that your research impact will be recognized.
Open access significantly increases the potential reach of your work. By removing access barriers, you make your published articles available to a broader audience, including researchers in developing countries, journalists, and the general public. This can lead to more citations and a greater overall research impact.
To engage general audiences, focus on the main point and key takeaways of your new research. Instead of using technical jargon, use stories and real-world examples. You could write an op-ed for a newspaper or a blog post explaining the significance of your findings. Collaborating with professional communicators embedded within your institution can also provide valuable support.
Yes. Besides online tools, presenting your new research at conferences, getting your book reviewed in a scholarly journal, or recommending your work to institutional libraries are still very effective. These methods solidify your reputation in the scientific community and carry significant weight in many disciplines.
You can track the success of your efforts by monitoring downloads, citations, and mentions of your work. Metrics such as the h-index, which measures both the productivity and citation impact of your work, can be a useful indicator. Additionally, use tools like Google Alerts to track any online references to your work.
