Social media content boosts bat citizen science
A recent study involving Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, researcher at ICTA-UAB, investigates how social media content can boost public interest and participation in bat-focused citizen science projects.
Focusing on the Bat Monitoring Programme (BMP), the research shows that posts featuring infographics and images of people actively participating generate twice the engagement—measured by retweets, shares, and saves—compared to posts showing bats alone. This highlights that human-centered and educational content connects more effectively with audiences than wildlife imagery by itself.
Fernández-Llamazares and his colleagues report that over 30% of new visitors to the BMP website arrived via social media referrals, demonstrating the critical role of social platforms in expanding the reach and visibility of conservation efforts.
“The study reveals that simply showcasing bats is not enough; storytelling, educational materials, and emphasizing human involvement are essential to attract and sustain public engagement,” explains Fernández-Llamazares.
These insights offer valuable guidance for citizen science initiatives, particularly those focused on wildlife conservation, to maximize impact through strategic digital communication.