Call for experts: Social media for research impact

I (Mike) am writing a book on social media for research impact with Marcel Bogers — an expert on open and collaborative innovation. We appreciate your help!

The book has a working title — Social Media for Research Impact — and will combine the expertise in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship from Professor Marcel Bogers and my own (Mike) practical work experience helping academics and universities boost their impact through social media. It will be published by Routledge and is likely to be released in the autumn of 2025.

We want this to be a collaborative project, and we’re looking for experts, case studies, and stories to enrich the book. Below are some key topics where we’d love to hear from you (or someone that you can suggest to us in your own network)!

What we’re looking for:

The concept of ‘research impact’ and social media

We need experts on the theory of research impact and how social media practices tie into it. This includes the interplay between scholarship, policymaking, and public engagement.

Social media identity and personal branding

We want insights on how scholars build their online presence. Which platforms work best? What strategies succeed? We’re especially keen on case studies of academics that have built a strong online identity.

Increasing research visibility and impact via social media

We need case studies of scholars who’ve used social media effectively. Have you seen great examples of posting techniques, use of infographics, or creative sharing strategies? Let us know!

Customizing your information environment

How do academics use social media to manage the flow of information? If you’ve developed methods for filtering feeds and managing your time online, we’d love to hear about them.

Automation, AI, and social media

We’re exploring the pros and cons of automation for academics: What works well? Where are the risks? We want to hear from people using tools like scheduling apps, chatbots, or AI content recommendations, custom GPTs for content creation, or tools to find related social media posts and accounts.

Navigating the dark side of social media

We need stories and strategies around handling the challenges of social media: Trolling, self-censorship, burnout, and more. We’re particularly looking for case studies from scholars who have social media experience in politicized or controversial fields.

Kindness and generosity in academic social media

We want to explore the positive side of social media. Do you know of scholars who share openly, help others, or spread kindness in academic spaces? We want to hear those stories.

The future of social media for scholarly impact

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the future of social media for research impact. What promising strategies are on the horizon? Which older approaches might be worth revisiting?

We want diverse perspectives

We recognize that Marcel and I bring certain biases to this project: We’re both men, from Western Europe, and embedded in traditional academic culture.

So we’re actively seeking diverse voices — from different cultural, geographical, and disciplinary backgrounds. We want to hear from:

• Scholars from underrepresented communities
• Non-academic stakeholders affected by research
• People in different fields and stages of their careers

Interested?
We’d love to hear from you!

Email me Mike on mike@mikeyoungacademy.dk if you have any ideas.

This is a collaborative intellectual journey — and we hope you’ll join us!

Does your department, faculty or university need to boost its researchers’ international impact? My workshops in social media introduce researchers to the systematic use of LinkedIn, Bluesky, Reddit, X and other specialized social media and tracking applications. All Mike Young Academy workshops are bespoke and custom-fitted to specific scientific fields. Workshops can be held in-person, or online as a combination of video-conferenced live-sessions with group ‘breakout’ rooms, individual feedback, and homework.