Universities and research institutions work hard to promote the crucial achievements of STEM research, yet their efforts usually reach only fractional audiences.
This disconnect between quality and influence exists even though universities, research institutes and hospitals are far more trusted than the news media.
If the Federal Government can cut $300 million in research funding with no public reaction or even media attention, it’s time to acknowledge that the current approach to public engagement with STEM research has failed.
The internet is a cesspool”
In 2008, then Google CEO Eric Schmidt famously called the internet a cesspool, arguing that it was becoming a breeding ground for misinformation. He urged publishers of legacy media – the traditional place people went to for information – to increase their digital output.
“Brands are the solution, not the problem… Brands are how you sort out the cesspool.”
Jump forward to 2020 and the weapons of mass misinformation are more honed than ever, driving vaccinations skepticism, election misinformation and climate change denial. People are confused. Who do they trust? Why don’t they go to the experts?
Because the experts don’t have a publishing strategy.
It begins with targeting a specific audience: industry, government, media, philanthropists, the public. The strategy then aims to establish you in their eyes as a leader in the areas you wish to be renowned for, whether it be concussion, antibiotic resistance, machine learning, aquaculture, cyber-security, ag-tech or mining.
Take, for example, health. If you Google a health issue, you will end up on the Mayo Clinic website, which has become a global brand because they focused on creating content of extraordinary value. The user experience is always the same.
Another at the apex of attention is the World Economic Forum. With an expert staff of just 10, a highly focused approach, and the ability to produce polished videos, they have over 1.4 million followers on LinkedIn, 7 million on Facebook and 3.4 million on Twitter.
In 2005, I launched the science magazine Cosmos with five staff and a small freelance budget. Quite quickly, Cosmos won ‘Magazine of the Year’ and became Australia’s leading popular science magazine, outselling international competitors. It’s amazing what you can achieve with a small team and a good publishing strategy.
For a publishing strategy to be successful, it needs commitment from the top – the CEO, Institute Director or Vice-Chancellor – because only top-down direction, acting with an expert publisher, can produce long-term thinking and buy-in across the organisation,
Creating content that builds audience and influence is a long-term investment, not a short-term marketing campaign. Right now, at universities and research institutes, one person is often expected to perform the roles of publisher, editor, journalist, scriptwriter, videographer, communicator, events coordinator and social media content producer. Lumping them together is a false economy.
Invest cleverly. What is the one thing that you know you can do superbly? Do it superbly to bring you more revenue, so you do more the following year. We also need researchers to move away from thinking that because they can write published research papers, they can write content that engages the general public. Employ professionals, check the facts and trust them.
Understanding your audience is critical
The mainstream media may be in an economic crisis but they still set the social and political agenda because they produce content people want to read.
They understand their competitors and where they sit in the market.
The blindspot of the mainstream media, however, is reporting on science. This presents an untapped opportunity to be the destination point for your areas of expertise.
In summary
When you look at your website and the content you publish, would you spend time on it if you didn’t work there? Are you getting an adequate return on investment? Do you know your target audience? Is your work appearing on the first page of Google searches? Does your website reflect the quality of your research?
If your answer to any of these questions is no, then you need a publishing strategy.
Featured photo credit: bernie_photo | iStock
Article by Kylie Ahern.
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