Now that you have created a playlist on Acaudio based on a research topic of your choice, it’s time to build the community. In this blog post I will share with you our 3 proven tips that’ll get you on your way to being the thought leader on the topic.
1. Record your introduction to the playlist
By now you know that Acaudio is an audio platform for academics to share their research with the world. So the playlist on your chosen topic is a gateway to bring in a variety of authors and audiences. And each of these authors and members, if motivated sufficiently, will bring in their networks to the topic too.
Given that you are the endorser of your topic and will be labelled so amongst the members, your introduction audio should be the motivating factor. But don’t worry, you don’t need to take a training course with Tony Robbins on how to motivate. We’ve prepared some key ways to excite people to contribute and join, summaries below:
Introduce yourself
This is a must! Academics, policymakers and listeners all want some context. You are the context. A friendly concise introduction about yourself and your experience, in light of the topic, breaks the ice. It makes the playlist virtually approachable.
Explain why this topic is important
The most successful thought leaders have always pitched why their topic is important and needs to be addressed. You may well know this ‘why’ more than anyone else in the world. Don’t be afraid of selling it and even more importantly don’t be afraid of voicing your opinion.
Make it clear who the playlist is for
You do not need to prepare an exhaustive list of who will benefit from the playlist or find it interesting. However, if you can even slightly define the audience you want the playlist to reach you will get it. For example, a playlist on “improving access to higher education” may be best suited for researchers of inequality, educators looking to improve student outcomes and education policy committees.
Suggest what you want it to achieve
Setting out the purpose is directly linked with better conversion rates of new contributors. Are you looking to raise awareness on a new line of work? Are there important developments you’d like to raise awareness for? Irrespective of the purpose, letting the audience know means authors will adjust what the present. It will also attract you the audiences that will fullfil this goal.
Finish with a call-to-action
We strongly advise you not to miss this step. Do not leave the introduction audio with a blurry end. Make it robust and clearly defined so that people know what next steps to take to keep up with you and the playlist. A good example would be “I’d like to invite all academics working on mathematics teaching and education or who have an interest in it to contribute their research and ideas. Please follow and share the playlist so that we can develop our understanding of mathematics teaching practices and reinvigorate the learning experience for people everywhere”.
2. Invite your colleagues and students to participate
The power of networks is something we have all seen and experienced at some point in life. It’s why social media platforms became so big and widely used. One of the things we know to be true is that when you invite your network, the network is far more likely to continue to grow than if you don’t. It’s also true that students are some of the biggest consumers of their lecturers’ research – so enabling them to contribute in these playlists gets them far more invested.
There are multiple ways you can invite your colleagues and students:
Use the invite function on the playlist
Every playlist gives you the option to invite your colleagues and students. The process is intuitive and allows others to share your playlist too, so that the network is never capped.
You are not limited to one invite, and can add all your students, lab, or department.
Announce your playlist formally
Another proven method for sharing the playlist you have endorsed is by making a formal announcement on social media, email or in your university’s newsletter. This is powerful because you simply cannot predict who will see it and which home feeds will pick it up.
To make it easy for you, we even create these posts for you for social media. All you need to do is get in touch on acaudio.com, and our designers will create something compelling tailored for you.
3. Provide updates and answer questions and comments
As contributions begin to come through, don’t switch from an active advocate of the topic to a spectator. Instead, check in regularly to get a better sense of who is keen on this topic and who is it impacting. The playlist function does NOT burden you with administrative tasks. It is self managed. So this gives you the freedom to return and participate like everyone else. The magic happens when people see that you are engaged – they too become more engaged and all sorts of collaborations and opportunities are creared!
Following these 3 steps will play a crucial role in making your name a recognised one in your area of research. Remember, it is not a zero-sum game. The potential of academic research is limitless and everyone has the opportunity to become a thought leader in their space. You are society’s real influencer, so it’s time to start letting the world know!