Goals
Main Goal: Build and inform the global community of quaternary researchers about INQUA.
Sub Goals:
Positioning: position INQUA as the go-to authority in Quaternary research.
Community Building: grow a global community of scientists, students and enthusiasts. New audiences can be reached to enlarge the community, for example early carreer scientists.
News and events: Boost awareness and attendance for meetings, webinars, workshops and the congress.
Target Audience
Scientists and researchers — Quaternary-focused scientists.
Students — MSc/PhD candidates in Quaternary sciences.
Science Enthusiasts — Citizen scientists and museum-visitors.
Channels
X (Twitter)
On X there is already a big community of scientists who read and share the messages of INQUA.
X is a great medium for reaching out to this community and give them academic updates and share news and events.
LinkedIn
We recommend to add LinkedIn to your social media channels. LinkedIn is a great place for professional posts, like funding calls, career opportunities and meetings like webinars and the congress.
On LinkedIn there are already a lot of researchers who are connected to INQUA or to the INQUA page of the 2027 Congres. They like and share INQUA's content already.
We recommend to use Instagram to show beautiful visuals of the work of INQUA. Instagram is focussed on visuals like photographs and video's and attracts a younger audience. This makes it a great place for students and Early Carreer Scientists to engage in INQUA's program and share and like content.
Even though the INQUA Commisions have set up seperate pages on Facebook, we do not recommend to use this channel. Recent trends show a significant decline in Facebook usage among younger demographics and academic communities - two of INQUA's key audiences. Facebook’s algorithm also deprioritizes non-sponsored content, making it harder for organizations to reach followers organically without paid promotion. Given these shifts, focusing INQUA’s efforts on more relevant channels ensures better engagement and visibility.
Content
Regarding the content it is important to maintain consistency over the different channels.
You can do so by:
Using the same logo on all channels
Using the same description of INQUA on all channels
Post the same content on the same day on all channels
Use the same hashtags to refer to INQUA, for example: #INQUA #QuaternaryResearch
Occassionally refer to other socials channels
For content we recommend to post the (almost) same content on X and LinkedIn, but use different content on Instagram.
X (Twitter)
Goal:
Position INQUA as an authority in Quaternary research and inform the community about what INQUA is doing.
Content:
Give scientific updates on latest papers and findings
Boost awareness for meetings, webinars, workshops and the congress
X is perfect for quick updates from the field
Goal:
Position INQUA as an authority in Quaternary research and inform the community about what INQUA is doing.
Content:
Give scientific updates on latest papers and findings
Boost awareness for meetings, webinars, workshops and the congress.
LinkedIn is great to highlight personal achievements by members of the community.
Goal:
Community building with a younger audience (fellows and ECR members) through visual storytelling
Content:
On Instagram you have different ways of posting content:
Timeline
On your timeline you can make a post with a photo or video that will stay in your grid. This is meant for building a polished and permanent brand presence, showcasing high-quality content. Posts on your timeline are perfect for:The fellowship program itself
Applications for fellowships, projects and funding.
Boost awareness for meetings, webinars, workshops and the congress.
Stories
This is short-term vertical content that will stay on your profile for 24 hours. Here you can focus on real-time updates and behind-the-scenes content, for example made by fellows and ECR members themselves.Reels
A reel is a short video that are favored for trending audio, creative effects, and engaging content. This can be used to post about field and lab work by fellows and ECR members themselves.
Planning & Frequency
For the planning of your social media it can be convenient to use a content calendar, for example Google Sheets or a Trello board.
The planning of the messages itself can be done in the social media channels itself. X (Twitter) and LinkedIn have a planning-button if you make a post, Instagram can be planned through the Meta Business Suite.
You can also use a tool like Hootsuite or Buffer.
Frequency
There has been a lot of research to figure out the best time to post on social media, but your own statistics always give the best insights in your own audience.
That said, here is a good start for posting weekly on socials based on general research:
X (Twitter)
Number of posts:
2-4 posts
Best time:
Weekday mornings (8 am - 11 am), especially Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Number of posts:
1–2 posts
Best time:
Early in the morning (8 am - 10 am) or during lunch (12 pm - 2 pm) on weekdays, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Number of posts:
2–3 posts + 3–5 Stories
Best time:
Late in the morning or early afternoon (10 am - 1 pm), especially on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Tone of Voice
Write in an authoritative, but accessible voice.
Always use correct terminology and cite credible sources, but try to avoid excessive jargon. Instead try to explain clearly and factual.
Write in an approachable way.
Use everyday examples to explain difficult scientific issues, and minimize jargon without clear explanation.
Write inclusive and global.
Write in clear, internationally understandable English.
Write professional.
The texts should reflect institutional integrity and respect your audiences intelligence.
Write inspiring.
Frame scientific findings in terms of their relevance to humanity’s future. Use hopeful, motivating l
Example Captions
X (Twitter)
The INQUA Talk Series begins next week.
Dr. Amina Ndlovu will speak on Paleoclimate Records in Southern Africa: Lessons from Lake Sediments.
Date: 10 July
Time: 16:00 UTC
Free and open to all.
Register here: [link]
#INQUATalks #QuaternaryResearch #Paleoclimate
Introducing the INQUA Talk Series: Past Earth, Future Insights
We are pleased to launch a new public talk series highlighting key advances in Quaternary research from around the world. These talks aim to connect scientific knowledge about past environmental and climate changes to the challenges we face today.
The first speaker is Dr. Amina Ndlovu, presenting on:
"Paleoclimate Records in Southern Africa: Lessons from Lake Sediments"
Date: 10 July
Time: 16:00 UTC
Location: Online, free access
This series is open to researchers, students, and anyone interested in how Earth’s recent past can help inform our future.
Register here: [link]
#INQUATalks #QuaternaryScience #Paleoclimate #ScienceCommunication
INQUA is launching a new public talk series focused on the science of the Quaternary period.
First in the series:
Dr. Amina Ndlovu – Paleoclimate Records in Southern Africa: Lessons from Lake Sediments
Date: 10 July
Time: 16:00 UTC
Location: Online, free access
The INQUA Talk Series is open to everyone interested in understanding Earth's recent geological past and its relevance today — including students, researchers, educators, and the wider public.
Sign-up link in bio.
#INQUATalks #QuaternaryScience #ClimateHistory #Paleoclimate
Posts
Event Promotion
Posts on events like meetings, webinars and the congress. These posts can build up to an event, for example:
Announcing the event (save the date)
Call for registration
Announcing the speakers
Reminder for registration
Preparation of the event (live images)
The event itself
Recap of the event
Journal Promotion
Posts on a new journal and publications within this journal.
These posts can follow this order:
New journal
Highlighted publication (6x)
User Generated Content
Posts from members on the work that they are doing in the field and in labs to show more 'behind-the-scenes' images. For example:
Photos from the lab or the field.
Explanatory video about how the work is done
Take-over by one of the ECR members or fellows: They get access to one of the social channels (f.e. Instagram) to post about there work during a week.
Member Achievements
Respond or repost an achievement done by a member of INQUA.
For example:
Work anniversary
Publishing a paper/book/etc
How to use the templates
To work with the templates, we use Figma Buzz. This enables you to update the content while ensuring the design remains exactly as intended. You can access the templates through the following link: