The Power of Social Media
for Science Communication
Social media has become a major tool for sharing ideas.
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2005 only 5% of
adults in the U.S. were using social media. By 2016, nearly
seven out of 10 U.S. residents used at least one social media site.
That’s a staggering rate of adoption.
While one may think of social media as a place where people
share photos of their family or tweet about the latest celebrity
gossip, it also hosts important discussions that can shape people’s
opinions about policy, safety, consumer products and other
weighty issues.
In a world where #fakenews is a pressing concern, it is increasingly
important for experts to participate in social media to
counter scare tactics, pseudoscience and other sources of misinformation.
Scientists and engineers bringing their know-how to
these platforms can help to elevate and inform these discussions. If
you’re one of these specialists, how can you start or improve your
use of social media for talking about science?
First, what do we mean by social media? When you hear the
term, you probably think of specific platforms like Facebook, Twitter
or LinkedIn, but what are the characteristics that define it?
User-generated content
Content on social media is primarily created by users of the platforms—
this includes status updates, blog posts, photos or videos.
Even when content comes from another source, such as a news
website, it is usually shared by users with commentary.
Interactive
Content on social media platforms can be liked, shared or commented
upon by other users. This allows messages to be amplified
throughout a community (“going viral”).
Relationships
Users are often organized into networks of people known both
in real life, like friends, family, and colleagues, as well as broader
networks of those who share common interests like residents of
the same geographic area, members of an organization or supporters
of a cause.
Frequently mobile
Because many of us use social media on phones, tablets and
other mobile devices, there are geographic connections that can
be made. This includes “checking in” to a location to let your
networks and others in that area know your status. It also allows
you to find out information about your surroundings, like usergenerated
reviews of nearby restaurants.
Immediate
The immediacy of social media allows for real-time sharing of
thoughts and reactions. A good example of this would be livetweeting
a talk at a conference or posting about a sports game
on Facebook. These posts allow interactions with fellow event
participants as well as those who are discovering about the event
firsthand from you.
Combining science & social media
What is science communication? It seems pretty simple—communicating
about science, right? Usually when people talk about
science communication, they’re referring to opportunities to
share scientific information and concepts with non-experts, the
proverbial “general public.” This can include kids at an outreach
event, museum attendees interacting with an exhibit, people reading
an article about a scientific discovery in the New York Times, or
researchers updating policymakers about scientific evidence so they
can (hopefully) make data-based decisions.
To successfully use social media for science communication, you
need to have an understanding of the platforms and what content
works best on them. You also want to consider your target are audience—
what messages resonate with them, what platforms they are
likely to be using and how you can connect with them. Consider
the message you want to impart and how to make it approachable
for those in your audience who may have little technical
knowledge. Most importantly, and something those with a science
background understand well, you’ll want to experiment. Try different
ways to use these tools to reach your audience, evaluate the
outcomes and then refine your approach for future attempts.
Tips for using social media
Brevity is the Soul of Tweets
Tweets and Facebook posts of around 100 characters have the
highest engagement. Think of them as a great headline that makes
you want to read the whole story or a questions that prompts a
conversation.
Engage
Imagine going to a party and talking only about yourself. You
arrive, tell a few great stories about yourself, then bolt out of the
room, ignoring the host
and other guests’ comments.
Unfortunately,
that’s how some people use
social media. Be a part of a
conversation.
Try humor
Humor can be a great way
to broach a complex topic.
Memes, for instance, are
a big part of social media
and often work because of
44 Spray May 2018
Chris McCarthy
Manager, Social Media & Member
Engagement, External Affairs
& Communications,
American Chemical Society
This paper was originally presented at the Southern Aerosol Technical Association (SATA) Fall Meeting.