Some platforms are growing in popularity and offer interesting options for augmenting your science communication. This page will discuss TikTok, Spotify and WeChat.
TikTok: TikTok is an app you can download on your phone that allows you to post short video content. The content posted to this platform is usually irreverent, funny or otherwise memorable. According to Business Insider, TikTok has become one of the most popular social platforms among teens and Gen Z (link). TikTok allows for livestreaming of videos, and it also allows hashtag use. It could be good for answering science questions or posting insider looks at your lab or your science. You can edit video in the app itself, adding sound effects and a soundtrack. Make sure you’re concise – TikTok videos are only 60 seconds long. Like all platforms, make sure you engage in social listening before creating content. That will allow you to create the kind of content that resonates most with the community.
Spotify: Spotify is a sort of online music curation app, that allows you to put together playlists of popular music and share them with others. This is not a platform you would likely use on its own for science communication, however, it would be a great addition to your curated content to have a customized musical playlist reflecting your science. You could even experiment with a few different playlists that each represent different aspects of your work. Use your other social platforms to invite others to share the songs of your science on Spotify. In turn, if people on spotify find your playlist, they might be interested in also following you elsewhere.
WeChat: WeChat is a multipurpose messaging, mobile payment app and social network that is extremely popular in China. It has more than a billion monthly users, and is attempting to expand outside of China. Globally, it is a social media powerhouse even though many North Americans have not yet used it. WeChat hosts “mini-programs” or apps within the app which allow users to do different things. Depending on the mini-programs, users can use WeChat in many different ways, including uploading images or video, playing games, or even buying movie tickets. If you want to reach an audience in China with your science communication consider WeChat. And keep your eyes open to see if this penetrates the market in your part of the world.
Now that you’ve got an idea of how to create different kinds of content and where to put it, you might want to consider issues of open access and copyright, particularly if you’re going to engage in the practice of content curation. The next section will discuss online copyright, and how you can best use content from around the web while still respecting the wishes of the creators.