This page goes through some tips for increasing your research visibility and explores the support available at the University of Essex for its researchers to increase their visibility.
On this page:
The more visible you and your research are, the more:
You dedicate so much time and effort to your research, ensuring it is visible means that effort doesn't go to waste.
Rather than thinking of managing your visibility as a luxury that "I'll do it when I have time", it's important to factor into the core of your research process. This doesn't mean you have to become a social media influencer dedicating your life to being visible, but there are a few simple habits that can have a big impact.
Our increasing research visibility page has some quick tips for getting started.
Increasing your research visibility can be quick and flexible. Here are some tips to get you started - you don't need to do all of them; just choose what works for you, buffet-style:
The University of Sheffield also has a series of short videos with some tips you may find useful.
For a compact, all-in-one guide with tips for increasing your research visibility, consider downloading our "Good Practice: Increasing research visibility and reach" booklet, available below. You can also get a physical copy for yourself or colleagues by contacting the Research Services Team.
Social media can be a great way for researchers to connect with each other and those who can benefit from their research.
In 2023, we hosted a Social Media for Researchers panel discussion, bringing together researchers from a variety of fields to share their experience and tips for using social media effectively. The key points were summarised in our blog series:
Please note, these were written prior to the recent developments with X/Twitter so some information about this platform may no longer be accurate.
The discussion covered a number of important topics, including how to engage effectively and safely, and how to get the most from social media. Each blog has a summary at the bottom, however here are some quick highlights:
You can find more information about some of the social media platforms that researchers commonly use on our Online Research Profiles guide.
The University’s Communications Team offers a range of guidance on using social media and other communication methods researchers may find beneficial:
Essex researchers can also directly contact Christian Leppich , Digital Content Lead, for further support with social media and communications.
Open research is a movement and collection of best practices aimed at opening up all stages of research to promote transparency, integrity, and equity.
Adopting open research practices can also help increase your visibility in a number of ways at different stages of the research process. Here are a few examples of how open practices can help your visibility, along with all the other benefits of Open Research:
To summarise, openness throughout your research process increases the number of people with the ability and desire to engage with your work. Get in touch if you have any questions or ideas.
The Centre for Public and Policy Engagement (CPPE) at the University supports the development of relationships between researchers, policymakers, and the public to help improve people's lives. The CPPE aims to help researchers engage with the public and policymakers to improve the impact and reach of your research. They provide training and funding through the Research Impact Toolkit on Moodle and host the Louder than Words Podcast , showcasing the positive impact researchers are having in the community and on global issues.
One of their initiatives is the Public Voice Scholars Scheme (PVS) - a initiative for researchers to provide thought and practice leadership on public and policy engagement. It helps to support researchers to share their expertise in their field and represent the University. As with the other initiatives from the CPPE, this aims to showcase the positive impact of our researchers and let them take the lead in engaging with the public on the issues that matter to them.
The CPPE is a good example of Open Research in practice, demonstrating the benefits for researchers, the institution, and the wider community.
The Knowledge Exchange Team helps researchers at Essex to build relationships with organisations, businesses, and policymakers nationwide. They connect researchers with these groups to help you to raise your profile, increase your impact, and earn from your research.
They can help you to draft contracts and agreements, negotiate consultancy arrangements, and participate in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). They also provide training to help you find these opportunities and ensure you can make the most of the fruits of your research efforts. Find out more on their webpages .
This page explains some of the ways you can increase your research visibility. There are many things you can do to increase your visibility and lots of support from across the University to help get the word out there about your work.
If you want to take things further, consider the following:
If you have any questions, would like to arrange a training session for your team or students, or would like some support that isn't on our webpages, feel free to contact the Research Services Team.
Except where otherwise noted, this work by University of Essex Library and Cultural Services is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
