How to get more from your research animation
Publishing your video is the beginning, not the end. Here is a practical plan for turning one research animation into something you can use across your university, conferences, teaching and public engagement.
Your first 30 minutes after publication
Before posting everywhere, make it easy for someone to find the video again in six months. These three tasks do most of the foundational work.
Save the official link
Keep your SciTube publication URL and, where available, the video DOI alongside the DOI for the original paper. Check the title and attribution.
Put it on your profile
Add a short description and link to your lab, staff, personal or project page. Ask your departmental web team to embed it if appropriate.
Write one useful introduction
Explain who the research helps, the main question and one reason someone should watch. Link to both the animation and original paper.
Easy to overlook: check the licence and reuse conditions before uploading a video file to a new platform. Linking or embedding the official version is often the simplest starting point. Check your institution's policies too.
Nine useful places for your animation
You don't need all nine. Pick two or three based on the people you want to reach.
Staff and lab pages
A short feature and the permanent video link make the work easy to discover alongside your publications.
University news teams
Send your communications officer the video, a two-sentence summary and the source paper. Give them a clear reason to cover it.
ORCID and related profiles
Add an appropriate link or research output record where the platform supports it. ResearchGate and similar services have different content rules.
LinkedIn and societies
Write to the relevant professional community, not everyone. Ask your co-authors and department to share where useful.
Conferences and talks
Use a still or short introduction in slides and put a QR code on posters pointing to the official video.
Classes and open days
Use the animation as an accessible entry point before a deeper paper, discussion or lecture.
Reports and updates
Show what was produced, whom it was designed for and what engagement evidence you actually have. Do not treat views as proof of real-world impact.
New partners
Help a potential collaborator, employer or industry partner understand the project without asking them to read a full paper first.
Journal supplements
Ask your journal whether video summaries or supplementary material are accepted, and follow its format and copyright rules.
What this looks like in practice
University of Warwick: a professor links his SciTube video in the public engagement section of his profile. See example ↗
Michigan Medicine: a university research-news article directs readers to the SciTube explanation. See example ↗
National Core Indicators: a research organisation announced its animation as a more accessible way to explain findings to stakeholders. See example ↗
Three ready-to-use messages
You can use these for any research animation, whether or not SciTube produced it. Replace the bracketed details and write in your own voice.
Email to your university communications team
LinkedIn or project update
Text for an academic or laboratory website
QR code tip: point the code to a stable publication or DOI link rather than a temporary download. Add a short printed URL below it for anyone who cannot scan, and test the code from a physical printout.
A simple four-week distribution plan
Give it a permanent home
Update your researcher profile and project page. Send the short communications-team email. Share with your immediate co-authors.
Reach one relevant community
Post for a particular audience or send the video to a society, stakeholder group, patient organisation or professional network.
Bring it into real conversations
Use it in a seminar, meeting or teaching session. Prepare a QR code for upcoming conference materials.
Record what happened
Collect legitimate feedback, invitations, teaching uses and collaborations. Revisit the link when the topic returns to the news.
Measure more than views
View counts show that a video was played, but they do not explain who watched, whether they understood, or whether anything changed. Keep a simple record of uses that you can actually substantiate.
Keep a record of: where the video was hosted or featured; events or courses using it; specific audiences reached; relevant questions, comments or feedback; invitations or new collaborations; and any follow-up activity.
For impact reporting: distinguish activity (publishing a video), reach (who encountered it), engagement (how they interacted) and outcomes (what happened next). Only claim outcomes you can evidence.
For formal references, including the difference between a video's DOI and the original paper DOI, see SciTube's How to Cite guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put my SciTube animation on my own website?
You can normally link to the public SciTube page. Embedding or independently hosting the video should follow your agreement and the platform's licence or permitted-use terms. Ask your web team to use an approved embed method.
Should I upload it to every platform?
Not necessarily. A permanent source link and a few relevant audiences often make a better starting point than posting without a plan. Each platform has different technical and licensing requirements.
Can it go into a grant or REF/ERA impact case study?
It may be useful as part of a documented public engagement activity. Eligibility and evidence standards vary. Don't claim a video alone demonstrates societal impact or satisfies any particular assessment requirement.
Will journals accept a video abstract?
Some journals accept video material, but formats, access, permissions and submission policies differ. Check with the editor before treating an independently published animation as formal supplementary material.