Instagram for Researchers: A Breakdown of Content Types and How to Use Them to Share Your Work [2024 update]

A list of the main types of posts that researchers and scientists can use on Instagram to share their work. Expect a short description, an example, a pro tip, and a few “good to know” goodies for each.

Instagram for Researchers and Scientists: A Breakdown of Content Types and How to Use Them to Share Your Work

As a researcher, sharing your work on social media, particularly Instagram, can open doors to new collaborations, increase the visibility of your research, and help engage the public. Instagram offers various post formats, each suited to different types of content and communication goals. Using Instagram can also be time-consuming – often, it involves sourcing or creating visual material (images, video and more), writing strong captions (up to 2200 characters – 300-400 words, if you’re in the mood), choosing hashtags and posting.

And then, of course, it’s time to promote your posts… But that’s a topic for another post.

Below is a guide to the main types of posts that we find are useful for researchers and scientists, and how you can use them to effectively communicate your research. We’ve included a rough guide to how long it might take you to create each content type to give you an idea of your time investment. You might be super-speedy, or more on the slow side, but at least you’ll have an expectation of what you are getting into if you choose this content type.

Tips for content types for Instagram for researchers

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1. Feed Posts (Image/Carousel/Video)

What can you do with this?
Feed posts are permanent (we like to say “evergreen”) and appear on your profile grid. They can be a single image, video, or a carousel of multiple images (up to 10) or videos, all accompanied by a caption.

How to use it:
Use feed posts to share key findings, visual data (graphs, charts), or highlight important milestones like a new publication or fieldwork highlights. Captions allow you to add context, cite references, and tag collaborators. Be sure to use strong keywords in your text that are good for humans to read, and non-humans to search, as well as a selection of 3-5 (perhaps even 10) relevant hashtags.

These can also be good formats for spontaneous posts: quick photos of you at work, an unfiltered reflection after a presentation, some images of your team and so on, all accompanied by a few words and hashtags.

Pro Tip:
Pair striking visuals with clear, concise captions to communicate complex concepts in an easily digestible way. Include relevant hashtags (e.g., #ScienceCommunication, #AcademicResearch #Discipline #NewResults – you get the idea) to increase discoverability.

Good to know:

  • Image dimensions: 1080 x 1080 px (square) | 1080 x 1350 px (portrait) | 1080 x 566 pixels (landscape)
  • Video length: Up to 10 minutes for single videos. For shorter videos, choose Reels, and for longer videos, choose IGTV
  • Creation time: 30 minutes to an hour (to curate images, edit, and write a caption)
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2. Reels

What can you do with this?
Reels are short, engaging videos (up to 90 seconds) designed for discovery. They offer features like music, text overlays, and effects to make your content stand out. They are Instagram’s solution to Tik Tok.

How to use it:
Use Reels to present mini-explanations of research methods, showcase experiments in action, or break down complex data into simple visual steps. For example, you can share a time-lapse of your lab work or a quick explanation of a concept in your field.

Pro Tip:
Incorporate trending audio or visuals to reach a broader audience. Use captions or text overlays to summarize key points, especially since not everyone watches with sound on.

Good to know:

  • Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 px (vertical)
  • Length: 3 – 90 seconds
  • Creation time: An hour to many hours (planning, filming, and editing a compelling Reel)
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3. Stories

What can you do with this?
Instagram Stories are temporary posts (photos or short videos) that disappear after 24 hours. They are available to your followers, so if you don’t have many followers yet, you might want to use Highlights instead. They’re great for quick updates, behind-the-scenes content, or polls, and you can integrate images, video, text, and interactive “stickers” that add extra interactive features, like links to more content and polls.

How to use it:
Use Stories to show progress updates on ongoing research, share real-time results from an experiment, or create engagement by asking questions related to your field. Because they are time-sensitive, they are also good for promoting events that are coming up soon. It’s also great for informal content like lab tours or conference attendance.

Pro Tip:
Use Instagram’s interactive features (polls, Q&A stickers) to create engagement. For example, ask your followers for feedback on research topics, or create a quiz related to your study.

Good to know:

  • Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 px (vertical)
  • Length: Up to 15 seconds per story
  • Creation time: Minutes to create (simple updates or interactions) or hours to create (carefully-crafted, curated content)
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4. Highlights

What can you do with this?
Highlights allow you to save your Stories permanently on your profile so that they become evergreen content. You can categorizing them into different themes. They appear below your profile and can function as an overview of content that followers and prospective followers can exploe to get an overview of you, your research, your team, and what you do. This way, important information doesn’t disappear after 24 hours.

How to use it:
Create a “Research Highlights” reel where you store important updates or summarize key stages of your research journey. For example, you can dedicate one Highlight to your publications, another to lab work, and another to conferences you attend.

Pro Tip:
Design custom covers for your Highlights to keep your profile visually cohesive and professional. Keep each highlight updated with relevant content to build a strong research narrative.

Good to know:

  • Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 px (for cover images and content)
  • Creation time: Minutes to an hour (mostly repurposing existing Stories). Longer if you are creating highlights from scratch.
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5. Instagram Live

What can you do with this?
Instagram Live allows you to broadcast video in real-time, directly interacting with your audience through comments and questions.

How to use it:
Use Instagram Live to host Q&A sessions after a research publication, share live updates from the field, or collaborate with other researchers on real-time discussions. For example, you could interview a fellow scientist or discuss recent developments in your research area.

Pro Tip:
Promote your Live session ahead of time to ensure a good turnout, and prepare key talking points or questions to stay on track. You can save the Live video for later viewing or repurpose it into shorter content for other platforms.

Good to know:

  • Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 px (vertical, like Stories)
  • Length: Up to 4 hours
  • Creation time: Over an hour to a day (preparation and promoting your event)
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6. IGTV

What can you do with this?
IGTV allows you to upload long-form video content, up to 60 minutes, perfect for in-depth research explanations, lectures, or webinars.

How to use it:
Use IGTV to share detailed discussions of your research, record conference talks, or upload tutorials on complex methodologies. For example, you could post a full lecture on a specialized topic in your field or break down an experiment step by step.

Pro Tip:
Cross-promote your IGTV videos through feed posts and Stories to increase visibility. Think of IGTV as a mini-video journal for your research that your audience can revisit at any time.

Good to know:

  • Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 px (vertical)
  • Length: Up to 60 minutes
  • Creation time: Many hours to a day or more (filming and editing longer, detailed content)
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7. Notes

What can you do with this?
Instagram Notes are short status updates (up to 60 characters) that appear at the top of your followers’ Direct Messages feed for 24 hours.

How to use it:
Post quick announcements, such as “New paper published!” or “Going live at 5 PM to discuss our latest results.” Notes are informal and suited for reminders or spontaneous updates.

Pro Tip:
Keep your Note concise and actionable to grab attention quickly. Since they disappear after 24 hours, they’re perfect for short-term announcements or calls to action.

Good to know:

  • Length: Text-based, up to 60 characters
  • Creation time: Less than a minute (as it’s just text)

So what is the best type of content for you to use to share your science of research on Instagram?

As you can see, Instagram offers loads of opportunities to share posts about your research, research activities and research group using creative, engaging and authentic formats. So how can you choose what type of post to use?

As with so many things in life and in the world of communication, the answer is “it depends”. How much time do you have? If you have minimal time, spontaneous image posts and unfiltered stories may be best.

Do you want to create more polished content and drip-feed it over a few weeks or months? Images, videos, stories and highlights might be best.

Do you want to conduct interviews and Q&A sessions? Get ready to spend more time on scripting, recording, editing and publishing – you’ll be working with videos and IGTV.

Ultimately, what you post is all about your goals and the community you have – or the community you want to build. What’s important is that the content is created, that it’s consistent AND that it’s posted consistently and regularly, and that you engage with your community as they engage with you and your posts.

And that’s it!

Managing your research group’s online presence may seem overwhelming, but by following these ten tips, you can create a dynamic and impactful digital footprint. From building a user-friendly website to engaging with your audience, each step plays a crucial role in amplifying your research and reaching a broader audience.

Ready to elevate your research group’s online presence?

At SciComm Success, we have several tailored communication training and workshops designed to help scientists and researchers master the digital landscape. From how to use social media to how to build a website to getting started with your first podcast, we have loads of goodness to share.

Our interactive sessions provide hands-on training, practical tips, and personalised feedback to enhance your online strategy. Curious? Let’s talk!

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Interested in learning more about our communication workshops, training and coaching for scientists and researchers? Take a look around, or get in touch – we’d love to help.

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