The social media landscape has changed for academics. Here are 13 thoughts on social media for faculty, researchers, and graduate students from Jennifer van Alstyne for The Social Academic blog.

1. LinkedIn is still my top recommendation for academics when it comes to social media.
2. There may be more directives you hear right now about your online presence than you’ve anticipated.
3. You don’t need to post on social media regularly if you don’t want to.
4. You can have a social media profile (even if you never post).
5. If you choose to leave social media, know that you don’t have to stay hidden.
6. There are many different ways to show up on social media now.
7. Do you have a social media buddy?
8. You can create private spaces for your communities and discussions.
9. You can also join a space that’s working to make change.
10. You can invite communication and conversations in less traditional ways.
11. For those of you who want to share your research online, you can build those skills.
12. Your thoughts and feelings about social media are helpful to notice as an academic.
13. Don’t want to be on social media right now?

LinkedIn is still my top recommendation for academics when it comes to social media

They’re a friendly way to have an online presence and choose what you want people to find about you.

I love that ORCiD expanded their profile options in ways that help humanities and arts scholars create stronger profiles that better reflect your contributions

That being said, LinkedIn profiles are more visually engaging. They rank high in search results. And, help you connect with people beyond research long-term.

There are many social media platforms for academics to choose from. General social media platforms, and research profiles / social media platforms.

There may be more directives you hear right now about your online presence than you’ve anticipated

Your university might want you to be on social media. I’ve seen this recently with institutions who’ve pivoted to more effective sharing of the research happening at their university. They want to share the people behind the research as well as how your research engages with and impacts people.

On the other hand, your college or university may tell you to not be on social media.

And aside from your employer, a professor shared with me that her grant application process now includes review of their social media profiles 😱

If you need to change or adapt how you’re using social media in order to feel safe, to protect what’s important to you, please do that. If that means leaving a platform temporarily or permanently, you can make that choice.  It’s okay to leave (even if you feel a bit sad).

You don’t need to post on social media regularly if you don’t want to

While some people like the practice of consistency, many of the professors I talk with feel they can’t prioritize much time for social media. Some academics don’t feel safe to post on social media, especially now. One professor shared that she wanted to post on social media, but the need to post weekly was overwhelming to the point where she hadn’t posted at all.

Faculty tend to say something like, “I have no social media presence, I never post,” when what I find is a professor who rarely posts, but when they do? “Wow, people were waiting to engage with what you had to say.”

Other professors are prolific, and writing for social media is already part everyday weekly (or daily) routine. Other professors are prolific, and writing for social media is already part everyday weekly (or daily) routine. Featured guests here on The Social Academic have shared “I love social media,” and “I post most days.” A close friend has never taken a social media break (she responds to my poll each year).

There’s a big range for how much people want to use social media as an academic. And, that may change for you over time too. That’s okay!

You can have a social media profile (even if you never post)

Most people are ‘lurkers’ on social media. If you don’t post or share content on social media, but still use it? You may like them. It’s okay to not post on social media about your academic life. You can have a profile and use it to connect with / follow people who have similar interests. It’s also okay not to post at all as an academic on social media.

When academics say “I’m not on social media,” they often mean “I’m not on X,” or another platform. But actually they are on LinkedIn, or have a Google Scholar profile, or ORCiD. “Not on social media” may be different from you than your colleagues and friends. That’s okay. It’s also okay if you’re really not on any social media at all. Or, if you don’t want to have a stronger online presence as an academic. You don’t have to put time and energy into this unless you want to.

If you choose to leave social media, know that you don’t have to stay hidden

There are still ways for you to create community if you’re seeking it. Social media isn’t the only way to connect with people online. It’s just one option for having that space.

You can re-find those connections elsewhere. Or, reconnect with people on that platform again in the future.

While you can totally leave social media forever (if you want to). Just know that you have agency in where and when you make social media part of your academic life.

There are many different ways to show up on social media now

Even if you didn’t like social media in the past, felt curious about trying something, or felt overwhelmed, you can always change up how you use social media. Treat it like an experiment.

It’s okay to try something out for social media. And, also okay to let go of that thing if you end up not liking it, get too busy, or want to stop for any reason.

I’m trying out Bluesky this year (let’s connect!). This is the 1st time that 3rd party tools have really helped me get connected: Sky Follower Bridge helped me find people I was following on X. And SkyFeed helps create custom feeds so you can find and be part of the conversation.

Do you have a social media buddy?

This is something most faculty, researchers, and grad students have never considered. But it’s so nice to have someone you can talk with about these things. Even if they’re not on social media. If something goes wrong for you…if you feel uncomfortable, or you feel unsure? Have someone to talk to, especially if you’re a professor feeling anxious about being in online spaces right now.

Groups I worked with on strategic social media and communications each created space for their team to be open about worries / anxieties / things that hold people back from online spaces, like on social media. The Principal Investigator said, “Please do come to me if something happens.” Like, they can’t promise to have all the answers, but no one should suffer in silence. For Principal Investigators, faculty who mentor graduate students (or other faculty), if you’re open to bringing up a conversation about social media that can be really helpful for people.

You can create private spaces for your communities and discussions

My friends and I have a Slack group together where we chat most days. It’s a great place for us to connect. There are days when I don’t check my social media but I get to connect in this other container.

It’s okay to reconsider the spaces and containers in which you network.

You can join a space that’s working to make change

There are places where you can get involved more actively, whether that’s in your research field, community, or another network. For instance, I joined The Action Potential from Dr. Raven Baxter (Raven the Science Maven), a group of researchers, scientists, and people who are using their strengths to stop disinformation. To enhance each other’s networks for good, especially in terms of science and research communication. We connect on Discord.

Many groups of people working to make change meet in online spaces like Zoom. You don’t have to create that space, there are places already existing where you can get involved more actively if you want to.

You can invite communication and conversations in less traditional ways

If you’re in research or Higher Education, and you’re someone who still wants to engage deeply with people? Consider starting a podcast, YouTube channel, blog, or even a Reddit.

Reconsider how you’ve thought ‘an academic on social media’ should look like. Gone are the days where “you have to be on Academic Twitter.” It’s okay to try something new, many people are exploring their options right now. You can too.

Here’s 19 ways to have a stronger online presence that aren’t social media.

For those of you who want to share your research online, you can build those skills

Even if you feel unsure about social media, you can build your capacity to get better at sharing the things you care about online. I was on The Researchers’ Writing Podcast from Dr. Anna Clemens where we talked about leveraging social media as an academic.

• (01:25) Introducing Jennifer van Alstyne
• (05:00) Should academics be on social media?
• (08:25) How much time and energy should academics invest in social media?
• (11:25) Cultivating an audience on social media
• (19:10) How academics can post about their research and papers
• (24:35) Tips about posting (and reposting!) 
• (26:32) Which social media platform is best for academics
• (34:35) Optimising your social media feeds 
• (37:05) Utlising hashtags and tags
• (40:35) Incorporating social media a part of your writing and publishing process 
• (41:50) Accessibility guidelines for social media
• (44:00) Mindset and feelings about sharing your publication on social media

Your thoughts and feelings about social media are helpful to notice as an academic

I tend to ask professors:

• How do you feel about the time you spend on social media?
• Is that more about what you’re doing (like the actions you do when you’re on social media)? Who you’re interacting with? Or, something else?

Because if you “spend a lot of time on social media” and you feel pretty good about it–like you mostly enjoy your time rather than “I get sucked into mindless scrolling”? Great.

But if you have negative feelings about the time you’re on social media? That’s okay too. You have agency in how you show up in this and other online spaces. It’s okay to change that up in some way (like posting more, less, or not at all) too. Considering those questions may help you prioritize your time.

Don’t want to be on social media right now?

Or maybe, you haven’t been on social media as an academic for a while? Take a break whenever you need one. I share this with professors again and again because oftentimes we forget. One faculty member felt guilty they’d been gone so long. They felt like they couldn’t come back (even though they kinda wanted to). Whatever you do in terms of how much you use / don’t use social media is okay.

You can always take a break from social media as an academic. That break can be as short or as long as you need it to be. If you’re in charge of a social media account on behalf of a research group, lab, or academic department, it’s okay to ask for help so that you can take a break you need.

If you don’t want to do social media or you want to have an online presence beyond it, consider a personal academic website.

You can create space for yourself online as an academic beyond social media. Or, instead of social media. For instance, making your personal academic website or research lab website. You can have a free website with Google Sites or Owlstown. If your an academic, your website can share your research, teaching, and resources too. You can create your own space online with your website project.

Plan on making your website, or already have one live? The Personal Academic Websites Contest will be back this year. I hope you’ll enter your website to win an award. Get inspired from past award winning academic websites.