How can you use multimedia to enhance research communication?

1 Why use multimedia?

Multimedia can make your research more accessible, attractive, and memorable. It can help you reach a wider and more diverse audience, including non-experts, policymakers, media, and funders. It can also help you stand out from the crowd and create a lasting impression. Multimedia can include images, videos, podcasts, infographics, animations, interactive maps, and more.

2 How to choose multimedia?

The first step is to define your purpose, audience, and message. What do you want to achieve with your multimedia? Who do you want to reach and influence? What key points do you want to convey? These questions will help you decide what type of multimedia is most suitable for your research. For example, if you want to explain a complex concept, you might use an animation or a video. If you want to share a personal story, you might use a podcast or an interview. If you want to illustrate a trend or a comparison, you might use an infographic or a chart.

3 How to create multimedia?

The next step is to plan and produce your multimedia. Depending on your budget, skills, and time, you can either do it yourself or hire a professional. There are many tools and platforms available online that can help you create multimedia, such as Canva, Piktochart, Powtoon, Audacity, and YouTube. However, you also need to consider some best practices, such as using clear and simple language, choosing appropriate colors and fonts, adding captions and credits, and respecting copyright and ethical issues.

4 How to share multimedia?

The final step is to distribute and promote your multimedia. You need to choose the right channels and platforms to reach your target audience and maximize your impact. You can use your own website, blog, social media, newsletter, or email. You can also use external platforms, such as research repositories, online journals, media outlets, or podcasts. You should also monitor and evaluate your multimedia performance, such as views, downloads, likes, comments, and feedback.

5 How to learn more?

If you want to improve your multimedia skills and knowledge, you can access various resources and opportunities online. You can find tutorials, guides, examples, and courses on multimedia production and communication. You can also join online communities, networks, and events that focus on research communication and dissemination. You can also seek advice and support from your peers, mentors, or experts in the field.

6 How to start?

Now that you have learned some basic tips and tricks on how to use multimedia to enhance your research communication, you are ready to start. You can begin by reviewing your current research outputs and identifying potential multimedia opportunities. You can also brainstorm some ideas and draft a multimedia plan for your next project. You can also experiment with different formats and styles and see what works best for you and your audience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?