Choosing the Right Platform for Your Science / Climate Content
Platforms, everywhere
The first question I hear most about starting with science communication is: WHERE DO I EVEN START?
Today it seems like the platforms for sci com are as diverse as the topics they cover. From traditional print to the dynamic world of social media, each platform offers unique opportunities… and challenges. But how do you choose the right platform for your science content?
First of all, below is an excerpt of the Creators For Climate workbook. It’s a nice overview to know where to start, depending to your own strengths and interests! At Creators For Climate we’re mostly interested in digital science communication, so that’s what we’ll focus on here.
As you can see, there are a lot of similarities but also differences between the platforms. Now, let's delve into the pros and cons of various mediums to guide your decision-making.
So where do I start?
In our earlier blog we focussed on the importance of being comfortable when you start out creating. If the learning curve is too high, you might not stick to creating content because you need to put in tooooo much time (been there, done that).
Therefor I suggest taking a look at the three big media types online and what platforms would be a great fit for you.
Those are Copy, Audio and Video.
Crafting Creative Copy
Whether you don’t feel so comfortable yet being on camera, or you are just one hell of a writer, writing copy can be a nice intro to science communication. Chances are you are already used to writing scientific papers and reports, but now you can get a little bit more creative than color beyond the lines of strict academia.
I’m going to be honest, copy won’t always get the most viral attention, but it’s something we like to call ‘evergreen’ content. Just like this blog you’re reading now, evergreen content can always be found by search engines and picked up through article curators. It also allows you to practise the art of writing itself, which is great when you want to make some scripts for a future video.
Great places to start:
Your own website with blog
Blogging on websites like Medium, Tumblr,…
Writing short form snippets or threads on Twitter (Or should we say X), or Meta’s new Threads
Sharing long form blogs or articles on Linked In
Attention to the Audio people
Audio is an interesting medium to create for. It allows you to connect more personally with your audience and share your more of your unique interests, humor and emotions with the person listening to your content. This is great for people who don’t want to bother with the extra layer of filming video, like to talk a lot and maybe don’t want to show their face to the whole world just yet.
The main content to create here will be podcasts, but even those are so diverse in format and structure that you can go in multiple directions. A lot of podcast follow the interview type, where you have interesting conversations with interesting people. But don’t let that stop you from dreaming up other concepts! You can easily start creating your own podcast for free.
Podcast ideas:
Interview
Narration
News in your field
Talkshow
Short facts about your field of study
Viral Video (and more)
I might be a little bit biased, but even to online platforms video is seen as the holy grail of content at the moment. The combination of different media makes that you can craft a story with added layers and, by extension, emotions. This is for the people who really want to share their message with the world and are okay with putting themselves out there. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to be extraverted to get started.
With the rise of short form vertical content it has become really easy to get started with video content. It allows you to test in a low effort way, feel for what works for your audience and what workflows work for you. And since there is so much attention on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it’s really easy to get picked up by the algorithm.
Long form video, aka what we can see on Youtube, also remains a great option. If you have more to say than a 1 minute video can cover, this might be more for you!
Where to start
Tiktok
Instagram Reels
Youtube Shorts
Youtube (long form videos)
Facebook
Linked In
Aligning Platform with Purpose
Choosing the right platform for your science content is not just about reach and popularity; it's about aligning the platform's strengths with your communication goals.
Whether you're aiming for in-depth discussions, real-time engagement, or wide distribution, understanding the pros and cons of each medium will help you reach your audience. So if you haven’t defined who your ideal reader, listener or viewer might be, it’s now the time to do that! (We have a blog about that too)
Join the Movement
If you want to learn more about where to start with your science communication I might have something for you. In the e-book below I’ve compiled a 30 day challenge which gets you through all the steps of communicating your research. No prior knowledge required. The goal is to get more science content on the web, and we have to start at the start!
Sign up for the waitlist of the Science Communication 101 and be an integral part of our community of change!
Community driven knowledge
We’re testing the workbook with a handful of driven scientists at the moment. Please join the waitlist if you want to be notified when we launch.
