Maximizing the Impact of Your First Published Research Article

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Congratulations! Publishing your first article is a major milestone in your academic career. But your journey doesn’t end here—what you do after publication is just as important as the research itself. It will determine the true impact of your work.

To make the most of your hard work, you need to actively promote your article, engage with your academic community, and track its impact. We’re here to walk you through what happens after publication, including how to share your work, increase visibility, and build your research reputation.

Verifying Your Published Article

Before promoting your work, ensure everything is correct and properly indexed:

• Ensure proper indexing – Depending on the journal, your article should be listed in Google Scholar, PubMed Central, and other academic databases. (Indexing typically occurs 4-6 weeks after publication.)
• Save a copy – Download a PDF of your article for your records and future sharing.
• Find the DOI link – This permanent link (Digital Object Identifier) will be used in citations and sharing and is typically displayed near the title of your article.

Tip: If you notice any errors, contact the journal’s editorial team immediately to request a correction.

Adding Your Article to Your Academic Profiles

To build your academic presence, update your research profiles with your newly published article.

• Google Scholar – Ensure your author profile is set up and linked to your research article to increase its impact.
• ORCID iD – Add your publication to your ORCID profile to maintain a digital research identity.
• ResearchGate & Academia.edu – These platforms allow researchers to share and discuss their work.
• Publons/Web of Science – Helps track citations and reviewer contributions.
• LinkedIn – Add your article under “Publications” in your profile.

Tip: Keeping your academic profiles updated increases visibility and helps other researchers discover your work.

Promoting Your Article: Reaching a Wider Audience

Your article is valuable—don’t let it sit unnoticed! Promote it to increase readership, citations, and engagement.

Share Directly via Email, Text, etc.

It’s always a good idea to send a PDF or link to your research to colleagues and mentors for greater impact. If sharing a Cureus article, be sure to mention SIQ and ask them to rate your article after reading it!

Share on Social Media

Social media platforms are powerful tools for academic promotion:

• X (formerly Twitter) – Use relevant hashtags like #MedEd, #AcademicTwitter, #OpenScience to reach the right audience.
• LinkedIn – Share a summary of your article with key takeaways and invite discussions. (Include hashtags here, too!)
• Facebook groups & Reddit – Post in research or discipline-specific groups (e.g., r/AskAcademia).
• Leverage Cureus Article Promotion – Did you publish in Cureus? If so, check out our unique Article Promotion offerings to reach more people and increase the impact of your research article.

Example Post for X:

Exciting News! Our latest study on [topic] is now published in [Journal Name]! Read it here: [DOI Link] 🔬📄 #AcademicTwitter #MedicalResearch

Tip: Tag the journal you published in when sharing your work to increase exposure.

Announce Your Research via Institutional Channels

Your university, institution or academic society may have platforms to showcase research:

• University website & newsletter – Many institutions feature new publications on their websites.
• Department seminars & meetings – Present your findings to colleagues and faculty.
• Academic societies, etc. – Often have webpages to promote members' articles.

Tip: Reach out to your institution’s communications team—they may help craft a press release or feature your research for more visibility.

Publish a Lay Summary, Video, or Blog Post

Make your research more impactful and accessible to non-specialists by writing a plain-language summary:

• Write a short blog post – explaining your findings in simple terms.
• Submit to platforms like – The Conversation, Medium, or your institution’s blog.
• Create an infographic or video summary – for a visual explanation of your research.

Tip: Many journals allow authors to publish plain-language summaries—take advantage of this!

Engaging With the Research Community

Present Your Work at Conferences & Webinars

Attending and presenting at conferences or research day events helps you:

• Gain recognition in your field.
• Receive direct feedback on your research.
• Network with potential collaborators.

Tip: If you can’t attend in person to increase the impact of your research, look for virtual conference opportunities!

Collaborate & Engage with Other Researchers

• Invite comments on your article from colleagues and others in your network.
• Cite & discuss other researchers’ work related to your study.
• Comment on discussions related to your topic on X, ResearchGate, and LinkedIn.
• Look for new collaboration opportunities based on your research findings.

Tip: By engaging with other researchers’ work, you can promote your article and increase the chances of more citations and collaborations for your own research.

Tracking the Impact of Your Research

Monitoring how your article performs over time helps you understand its reach and influence.

Use Article Metrics to Track Engagement

Most journals provide metrics such as:

• Views & downloads – How many people are reading your article?
• Citations – How often is your work cited by others?
• Altmetric score – Measures mentions in news, blogs, and social media.

Tip: If your research isn’t being cited, increase its visibility by actively engaging with researchers in your field.

Planning Your Next Research Steps

After publication, think about how you can expand on your research and further increase its impact:

• Can you conduct a follow-up study?
• Are there new collaborations you can pursue?
• Can you turn this study into a conference presentation?
• Can you write a review article based on your findings?

Tip: Publishing is a continuous journey—use this experience to refine your next project!

Final Thoughts: Your Research Deserves to Be Seen!

Publishing your first article is a huge achievement, but getting it into the hands of the right audience is just as important.

If you actively promote your article, engage with the research community, and track its impact, you ensure that your research makes a lasting contribution to your field.

Key Takeaways:

• Verify that your article is indexed correctly.
• Update your academic profiles to showcase your work.
• Share your article on social media & academic networks.
• Engage in discussions & collaborations.
• Monitor citations and metrics to track impact.

Next Step: Now that you’ve published your first article, what will you work on next?