Promote

Promote your work to build your research profile and ensure your work is read and cited. It can help connect you with potential collaborators. You can also provide context to your research, allowing a broader audience to connect with your work. 

There are three stages of promotion during the publishing process. These are:

  1. Prior to publication
  2. When you are notified the article has been published
  3. Following publication.

Visit Develop an engagement strategy for more information on promoting your work and engaging with your audience. 

Read Get visible or vanish: 10 tips for more information on the importance of promoting your research. 

Prior to publication

Before your article is formally published, you can still promote your work through pre-print servers and conferences. 

Pre-print servers

A pre-print is a version of your research that is made available prior to peer review and formal publication. There are a variety of pre-print servers for different disciplines where you can deposit your paper. 

Some popular servers are:

  • Arxiv for papers in physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance, statistics, electrical engineering, systems science, and economics
  • SocArxiv for papers in the social sciences
  • Repec for papers in economics and related sciences
  • BioRxiv for papers in the life sciences 

Conferences

You can often promote your work during the research phase at conferences. You might give a conference presentation to discuss your progress and the next steps in your research plan. This will generate interest in your research, which you can follow up when your article is published. 

Visit our Conferences Library Guide for more information on types of conferences and finding the right conference to attend. 

At point of publication

You can use a range of tools and resources to promote your work once you receive notification from the publisher that your article is published. 

Via the journal

Many publishers will grant you a limited number of downloads or access views to your article. For example, Elsevier ShareLinks service allows a limited number of days of free access via direct URL. It is best to share these links with colleagues and collaborators outside academia who may not have access to the journal or database. Always check with your publisher if you are able to share your work this way. 

UQ channels

UQ has a variety of channels you can use to promote your work. 

You may be able to submit a story to Contact Magazine, ChangeMakers, or Research Impact. Your email signature is another place you can highlight your publications by including a link to your UQ eSpace profile and links to your most recent publications. 

Social media

There are numerous social media platforms you can use to promote your work. Researchers in your discipline may use a particular platform and you should concentrate your efforts there. Ensure that your professional social media use is carefully separated from your personal social media use.

Consider the following platforms:

Improve the visibility of your research and reach broader audiences by making your posts appealing beyond your discipline or academia. Consider using:

Other media

Showcasing your research in publications such as The Conversation can lead to greater engagement and impact beyond academia. 

Visit Media and Communications for advice on ways to promote your research in the media. 

Post-publication 

Promoting your work post-publication can help influence the dissemination and reach of your research. If you are looking to share research on any one of the emerging collaborative platforms, you need to be aware of your rights and responsibilities within these environments. 

Academic social networks, such as ResearchGate and Academia.edu are platforms where you can share your research publications, connect with colleagues, and follow other researchers in your field. While many researchers share publications on these platforms, you should refer to any sharing policies by your publisher before doing so. 

Visit Copyright and publishing your research for more information. 

Explore the following are examples of academic platforms and networks:

  • Kudos - This platform helps summarise and showcase your research to a broader audience, connect with collaborators, and provide statistics of where your work is being discussed in social media and online

  • Loop - An open network for researchers that integrates journals and academic websites to showcase publications and achievements

  • Mendeley - Enables you to create and manage references, promote your publications and conferences, collaborate with colleagues, and track how often your publications are viewed 

  • Social Science Research Network (SSRN) - share their research in the fields of social sciences and humanities, access other academics' research, and communicate directly with authors and other subscribers about their research.

UQ eSpace

UQ eSpace is the University's institutional repository. It aims to create global visibility and accessibility of UQ's scholarly research by:

  • Enhancing discoverability of UQ research via search engines, such as Google and Trove
  • Allowing researchers to deposit publications, datasets, and open access material and view publication metrics
  • Maintaining the record of all UQ research publications and research data sets that feeds into central UQ systems including UQ Researchers and the Academic Portal
  • Enabling government reporting such as the Australian Research Council's Excellence in Research for Australia (under review) and the Engagement and Impact Assessment
  • Supporting the deposit of open access publications
  • Preserving and making digitised materials accessible.

Using UQ eSpace allows you to:

  • Get credit for and promote your research
  • Meet the requirements of open access compliance and institutional reporting
  • Keep track of your research metrics.

Visit the UQ eSpace guide for more information.