Social Media Manual

Your Visual Abstract was optimized for displaying on social media, especially for Twitter® and LinkedIn®. Studies have shown that displaying your research on Twitter® can increase article views by up to 2.7 times. You can also display your visual abstract on your lab’s website or on a conference poster. Think of it as a business card for your publication.

Your Visual Abstract was carefully designed to be displayed on Twitter® and LinkedIn®. Images and fonts were chosen to grasp your readers’ attention and convey the key findings of your research in seconds (see examples below). Just upload the image file with your Visual Abstract on LinkedIn® or Twitter®. Of course you can use any social media channel of your preference. Just keep in mind that with some providers you may have to adjust the image size to display the entire VA.

Example of a Visual Abstract on LinkedIn®

Example of a Visual Abstract on Twitter®

Example of a Visual Abstract on Instagram®

While posting on social media channels, following things should be kept in mind regarding the description:

• Description should be short and crisp. Try to be as succinct as possible when writing on your topic.
• Your post should explain in “simple words” what the research is about.
• Try to add the important keywords in the description.
• Try to use less articles like “a”, “an” or “the” as they make the sentences longer and provide less value in the description.
• Use headings, bullets and lists where possible to make the description posts easier to read.
• Keep paragraphs to only two or three sentences.

Hashtags play a vital role in marketing your research and trend it on social media platforms. When used well, they are a powerful tool that can enable you to increase your social media reach and boost your views. Following are the tips to use #hashtags on social media platforms:

• Hashtags should be relevant to your research. This makes sure you get connected to the right audience.
• Your used social media hashtags should be relatable to your target audience.
• Try to create relevant hashtags which are commonly used in your domain on social media and resonates with your target audience. 
• Besides being unique, it is paramount that the hashtag is clear when it comes to the message it relays. It should match the research you intend to showcase. Don’t let it be vague or ambiguous. A hashtag that is not very clear on the message might end up giving out a wrong message.
• Lastly, the simpler the hashtag, the easier it is to understand. Not to mention, the easier it is for others to use. That is why it is advisable to keep your hashtags short and straightforward. Lengthy hashtags tend to be difficult to read. Therefore avoid them as much as possible.