Maximizing Twitter Content to Inspire Engagement: Analysis of the International Ocean Discovery Programs 20182020 Accounts

Social media platforms allow for rapid knowledge sharing, networking, and the opportunity to build a virtual community. As a publicly funded program, the US International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) uses social media platforms as a critical component of their outreach and science communication efforts. To best engage with online audiences and learn how to effectively appeal to a broader audience, we analyze three years of Twitter content (20182020) from two accounts associated with IODP; the JOIDES Resolution Science Operator, College of Geosciences at Texas A&M University (@JRSO_IODP) and the research Drilling Vessel JOIDES Resolution (@TheJR). We defined categories for all the tweets (n = 1600) based on their content, selecting categories that align with previously published Twitter science communication analyses and cover the range of information tweeted on both accounts. We also identify elements of a tweet, focusing on images and language crafted to engage with the audience. Tweets were assigned to one of nine categories and could have up to 13 elements. We identify which categories of tweets and what elements of a post have the highest engagement. Quantifying the performance of such posts on Twitter is important to expand the reach of posts, engage a broader, more diverse audience, build community, and foster partnerships and collaborations among community members. These results have broader implications beyond the IODP community, as data can be used as a guide for maximizing an accounts impact to maintain and grow a diverse following.