When used to support and promote professional activities, social media can be a powerful tool for faculty, researchers, and clinicians. Platforms like Twitter make it easy and convenient to disseminate research, expand professional networks, and interact with new audiences. Given all the potential benefits, it is important to develop an intentional social media strategy that will enhance one’s career. This webinar provides social media guidance for researchers and academics who are looking to build a professional, digital presence. Social media case studies, step-by-step instructions for conducting a “digital audit” and recommended tips for social media use are presented.

1. Developing a professional social
media presence on Twitter – Tips
and strategies for researchers
and academics
by
Sarah M. Mojarad
University of Southern California
Mojarad@usc.edu | @Sarah_Mojarad

2. Education & Professional
Experience
Boston University, BA Psychology
Northeastern University, MS Corporate &
Organizational Communication, specialization in
Social Media and Online Communities
@Sarah_Mojarad

3. Topics for Today’s Presentation
Motivations and opportunities
Issues and common concerns
Tips and strategy
Digital audit
Q&A
@Sarah_Mojarad

4. Why Use Social Media?
Digital Landscape
7.6 billion people in the world
5.1 billion unique mobile users
4 billion internet users
3.2 billion active social media users
3 billion active mobile social media users
@Sarah_Mojarad

5. Increase in Internet Usage

6. Social Media Opportunities
Professional Use of Social Media:
Increase research impact and audience reach
Conduct inreach
Improve communication skills
Control your own message
Combat misinformation
Become a trusted source of scientific
information for the public
@Sarah_Mojarad

7. Increase Impact and Reach
@Sarah_Mojarad

8. Social Media Increases Article Views
The more social media mentions an article receives
the more visitors it attracts from social media
referrals.1
1Wang, X.; Cui, Y.; Qingchun, L.; and X. Guo. (2017). Social Media Attention Increases Article Visits: An Investigation on Article-Level Referral
Data of PeerJ. Front. Res. Metr. Anal. 2(11): 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2017.00011
@Sarah_Mojarad

9. Social Media and Alternative Metrics
@Sarah_Mojarad

11. Improve Communication Skills
@Sarah_Mojarad

12. Improve Communication Skills
@Sarah_Mojarad

13. Improve Communication Skills
@Sarah_Mojarad

14. Control Your Message
@Sarah_Mojarad

16. Control Your Message
@Sarah_Mojarad

17. Control Your Message
Combat Misinformation
@Sarah_Mojarad

18. Online Role of STEMM Professionals
A source of credible information
Fosters trust and understanding with
patients and the public
Serves as an ambassador to one’s
profession, peers, societies, and
organizations
Avoids activities that can decrease the
public’s trust in STEMM communities
@Sarah_Mojarad

19. Be Authentic and Honest
@Sarah_Mojarad

20. Be Authentic and Honest
“…every deal I do, I never include my Instagram…it’s off
limits. It’s my personal world. I love just posting when
something is really authentic. I can smell a mile away
when something is not authentic.” June 24, 2015
July 19, 2015
@Sarah_Mojarad

21. Trusted Sources are Needed
@Sarah_Mojarad

22. Trusted Sources are Needed
@Sarah_Mojarad

23. Use Social Media to Increase Trust
@Sarah_Mojarad

24. Trusted Sources are Needed
@Sarah_Mojarad
We need you on social media!

25. Tips and Strategy
Improve your Twitter posts
@Sarah_Mojarad

26. High Quality Posts: Focus on Your Message
@Sarah_Mojarad
Article title
Key point
Link to publication
Figure
Authors are tagged
Specialized hashtags

27. Online Engagement
JCR. Licklider and Robert W. Taylor, The Computer as a
Communication Device, 1968

28. Engage Posts
@Sarah_Mojarad
#MedTwitter #SciComm

29. Twitter Like
@Sarah_Mojarad

30. Retweet
@Sarah_Mojarad
Shows up in your account feed
Shows up on your follower’s feed

31. Retweet with Comment
Retweeted content
@Sarah_Mojarad

32. Highly Engaging Post
Hashtags
improve reach
Video is
appealing and
builds a
positive
association
between USC
and Twitter
audience
@Sarah_Mojarad

33. Add Photos and Video
More context
Visual
Evokes emotion
@Sarah_Mojarad

34. Think about how to reuse
content for different audiences
Inreach perspective
@Sarah_Mojarad

35. Common Concerns
@Sarah_Mojarad

36. Concern: Lack of Time/Distraction
Average number of push
notifications per day: 46*
90% of text messages are
read within 3 minutes**
* https://www.businessofapps.com/
** https://info.mention.com/twitter-report

37. Suggested Solutions
Strategic Use
@Sarah_Mojarad
Adjust notifications
Follow accounts that are related to
professional activity
Tweet with purpose

38. Adjust notifications
@Sarah_Mojarad

39. Accounts related to discipline:
Adjust alerts
@Sarah_Mojarad

40. Tweet with purpose
Strategic Use
@Sarah_Mojarad
Provide updates on field or latest research
Follow accounts that are relevant to your
discipline
Use account at professional events
Add general and discipline specific
hashtags #MedTwitter #AcademicTwitter

41. Common Concern
Misinformation
@Sarah_Mojarad
Information online is not always accurate
Fake information can lead to ill-informed
decisions that have consequences
Combatting misinformation can lead to
trolling and negative consequences

42. Professionally Packaged
Misinformation
@Sarah_Mojarad

43. Professionally Packaged
Misinformation
@Sarah_Mojarad

44. Why Misinformation Spreads
Echo chamber
World views
Familiarity
Oversimplification
Complex truths and reality
@Sarah_Mojarad

45. Tips: Combatting Misinformation
Find commonalities
For public engagement, aim to influence those on
the fence—not people who have already formed a
strong opinion
Engage others with the “lurkers” in mind
Know when to exit the conversation
Listen to the other person’s perspective—don’t
interrupt
Always take the high road
@Sarah_Mojarad

46. Common Concern
Fake Experts Online
@Sarah_Mojarad
No peer-review or gate keepers online
It is difficult to determine which sources
are truthful or are using science for
unethical personal gain

47. Fake Experts
@Sarah_Mojarad

48. Fake Experts
@Sarah_Mojarad

49. Fake Experts
@Sarah_Mojarad

50. Social media needs credible sources
@Sarah_Mojarad

51. Credible Sources
@Sarah_Mojarad

52. Trusted Sources
@Sarah_Mojarad

53. Social Media and Credible Sources
Social Media Accounts
Authority, expertise, reputation, affiliation, and
source
Who follows and engages with the account?
Does the person have the background to be
speaking on the topic?
Content
Quality (spammy?), tone, bias, clarity, spelling and
grammar
@Sarah_Mojarad

54. Common Concern
No Guidelines or Rules
@Sarah_Mojarad
It’s important to know what can/should
be communicated and what should
remain offline (copyrights, papers,
patents, or privileged information that
should remain private)

55. Create your own rules
Congratulate others on successes
Constructively highlight issues in STEM and
academia
Share information through “tweetorials”
#SoMe #MedTwitter #SciTwitter #SciComm
Keep content varied on each platform
@Sarah_Mojarad

56. Social Media Tips
Tips for Social Media Use
Build a professional network on Twitter
Quality posts over quantity
Hashtags can help your posts reach wider
audiences
Don’t be afraid to engage others online with
comments, likes and retweets!
@Sarah_Mojarad

57. Rethink a Digital Presence
@Sarah_Mojarad

58. Conduct a Digital Audit
Confirm
information is
up-to-date
and accurate
Determine if
your content
aligns with
your overall
personal
brand and
objectivesUse
disclosures on
public facing
profiles
@Sarah_Mojarad

59. Review Google Search Results
Look beyond
the first page
Delete old
profiles to
remove
outdated
photos
If you’re
unhappy with
content and
can’t remove
it, adjust
settings to
manipulate
search
results
@Sarah_Mojarad

60. Review Existing Profiles
Link branded
content
together
Make
adjustments
when needed
(add a
disclosure
statement)
Be
consistent
with public
facing
profile
images,
titles and
bios
@Sarah_Mojarad

61. Digital Audit
Review in
“public mode”
Don’t
overlook
comments
or posts
Use bio
sections
strategically
@Sarah_Mojarad

62. Implement Changes
Recently updated
images and biography
@Sarah_Mojarad

63. Implement Changes
@Sarah_Mojarad

64. Monitor, Manage, Update
This process is ongoing and will require periodic
checking.
Google Alerts is a free tool you can use to monitor
updates to your search results. To set it up,
designate keywords (your name and area of study).
Specify how often you’d like to receive an email
alert for updates.
@Sarah_Mojarad

65. Thank you!
Contact Information:
Mojarad@usc.edu
Twitter: @Sarah_Mojarad
Instagram: @Sarah_Mojarad
YouTube: SarahMojarad1
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/SarahMojarad