Whether you fund science, do science or teach science, effective science communication is critical for bridging the gap between you and your audience. The general public are genuinely interested in the work being done within the scientific community. Instead of simply hiding your work behind paywalls and layers of jargon, you should be distilling your science down into easily digestible content that everyone can understand. When science communication is utilised in tandem with other marketing strategies, it helps to build a sense of authority and gets people more excited about your work. In turn, the more the general public appreciates and supports your scientific endeavours, the more funding and resources will become available. It’s a win-win!

The core difference between Pitch Science and a traditional marketing agency is my deep understanding of your work. Traditional marketing agencies are simply not as equipped to effectively communicate your science concepts because they lack scientific understanding. It takes years of training to decipher academic articles, especially if the goal is to then convert those papers into accurate yet accessible online content. I am a neuroscientist by training, with a PhD and years of experience at the lab bench. This unique combination of research experience and digital communications expertise means I can effectively turn your science into compelling stories.

Most other science communication agencies have a particular focus on more traditional forms of media, such as press releases, PR campaigns and brochure/report creation. This approach can often neglect modern online media platforms. My focus on digital communications will put your organisation in direct contact with your target audience and effectively grow awareness of your brand within the wider community. My services are designed to help you on your online journey at every step of the way, from branding and web design to ongoing content creation, consulting, and training your scientists to communicate their work themselves.

My content request pipeline makes working with Pitch Science a more flexible and cost-effective option. I only create online content when it’s specifically requested. So, when you know you’re about to release a big paper or achieve a scientific milestone worth sharing, you simply put in a content request on the client portal. I even have a New Paper Content Package to make the process even easier. I also understand that your need for scientific content will likely fluctuate in line with research outputs and funding cycles, so I don’t require any ongoing commitment to content creation. This means you can have an inactive client account with Pitch Science when you’re busy working away in the lab on your next big idea, ready for you to reach out when the time has come to share the results.

Finally, as a smaller consultancy rather than a big agency, I provide my clients with a highly personalised, white glove service. When you work with bigger businesses, you risk becoming just ‘another client’. But I am passionate about developing meaningful client relationships and care deeply about the success of each person and brand I work with. I am always focussed on you so that I can provide you with the best results-driven and creative science communication solutions possible.

Online media is the future of communication and news consumption. People are increasingly accessing their news online and being active on social media for hours every day. The progressive shift towards online media consumption highlights the critical importance of utilising digital communications as the core component of your overall marketing strategy. Online media is a unique way to generate a two-way dialogue with stakeholders and the wider community. By directly and regularly reaching your target audience, you can build loyal relationships, brand awareness and a sense of authority to holistically nurture an impactful brand image.

Plus, if you represent a not-for-profit, you’ll likely know that donations by average Australians are at the lowest they’ve been since the 70s. Meanwhile, the public expects to learn more about the projects they’re funding now more than ever. So, it’s important to meet and educate potential supporters in their online spaces to drive ongoing engagement and donations.

Generating scientific content that reflects the groundbreaking work being conducted should be an important component of any scientific brand’s marketing and PR strategy. Yet during my time at the lab bench, I noticed that many of the marketing teams at science organisations are extremely good at what they do but they generally lack the training to decipher and then communicate the complex science they’re promoting. More often than not, this means they don’t even try to tangibly share research findings and they rarely employ a science communicator for their team who can accurately transform the science into content.

The main reason these organisations don’t employ a science communicator is that the need for scientific content can fluctuate in line with current research output and funding cycles. So it doesn’t always make economical sense to have a science communicator on staff if there’s not always science needing communicating. By instead outsourcing science communications, there is less commitment to consistent and large-scale content generation. Since I produce specialised scientific content only when you need and request it, working with Pitch Science is a far more cost-effective and flexible way to include science communication within your marketing strategy.

My services are generally aimed at research institutes, not-for-profit organisations, healthcare providers, laboratory groups, scientific start-ups, individual researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, science educators, and any other science-based brands who need assistance developing accurate and effective online scientific content. If you think we’d be a good fit, then please reach out!

My onboarding process for potential new clients involves several key steps. After receiving an enquiry form on the website, I’ll send through a booking link for an initial discovery meeting to ensure that I’m the right fit for generating your specialised scientific content. This is to get a better understanding of your organisation's specific goals and determine how I can best support your needs. I’ll then send through an initial quote for you to review and accept. When my services have been agreed upon, I’ll then send through a finalised contract for signing. Both documents will be always available on the client portal for ease of convenience. Then comes time to collect more granular information through my onboarding form on the client portal. These forms are customised to the different services I offer and designed to collect all the information I need. Once you’ve completed the onboarding form, we’re all set and it’s time for me to get to work!

To streamline working together, you’ll be given access to a dedicated account on my client portal. This digital collaboration space ensures seamless communication every step of the way. With a user-friendly interface, you can easily track content, manage invoices, schedule meetings, and more, all in one convenient location. My emails will often include easy links for viewing specific tasks and other documents on the portal. Another way to find the portal is through the button at the top right of my website. I like to avoid pesky passwords, so the portal login works through magic links sent to the email address(es) associated with your client account. Once we start working together, I’ll let you know once your portal account is all set up and ready to go.

Want to watch the portal walkthrough video? Click here

My content creation services span a variety of content types, including social media posts, email marketing, blogs, infographics, and more. I take an individualised approach to each and every brand I work with, but all content is focussed on connecting you with online audiences in a meaningful way. I can take your research papers, as well as relevant papers from your field, and meticulously extract key findings and insights to ensure that your research is accurately represented. Then I craft captivating and accessible online content that flawlessly integrates into your existing strategy to educate and excite online audiences about your work.

My goal is to make science content a flexible and easy addition to any marketing strategy. That’s why I developed my content request pipeline, so that I will only produce science content precisely when it’s needed. This approach saves you time and money, whilst still seamlessly incorporating science communication into your overall digital marketing strategy. On the client portal, clients can access a content request form. Submitted content requests will be added to my content task list. I make the content based on your submitted information and once it’s ready, you’ll receive an email request for your feedback and approval.

I take a different approach when working with researchers rather than science brands. My researcher branding packages are designed to meet the unique needs of researchers, helping to communicate their expertise, build credibility, and engage with a wider audience. The brand identity packages are less extensive and only include the specific brand assets that researchers need to stand out. Similarly, the website design packages are tailored to individual researchers and research groups to include specific services that aren’t inherently included in science brand packages, such as the embedding of Altmetric badges. For research groups, I also give each individual group member their own unique About Me page so that the website boosts exposure for everyone involved, from undergraduate researchers to the PI. Meanwhile, my science branding and website design packages are far more extensive, reflecting an organisation’s need for a more comprehensive solution.

In my experience, some science organisations like to keep everything in-house. I can also appreciate that it’s not always feasible or wanted to outsource content creation or branding to an external business. By providing 1:1 coaching sessions, I’m giving these organisations the opportunity to get an outsider perspective on their scientific content strategy that they can take away and use to personally enhance their online impact. It’s a great in-the-middle option for those ready to get help and advice, but not quite ready to let go of the reins.

My talks and workshops have ranged from 15 minutes long to a half day training session. I work with each individual organisation that reaches out about my speaking services to curate a training session that meets their needs. This may depend on their audience, the content needing to be covered, and whether they would prefer an interactive workshop or a one-way presentation. If you want to learn more about how I can teach your scientists to communicate their work more effectively, fill out the enquiry form and we can have a chat.

My goal is to complement your existing marketing strategies so that you always put your best foot forward when communicating science online. You might already have an amazing marketing team with a strategy focused on building brand recognition and awareness. In this case, I would help to specifically market your research outcomes rather than focusing on your overall brand. In collaboration with your marketing team, I can create accurate scientific content that can be disseminated alongside existing marketing materials to enhance the wider understanding of your work. This can be conducted on either an ad hoc basis through my content request pipeline or on a more regular basis, depending on your unique needs.

If you don’t have an existing marketing team, that’s okay too! If needed, I can create your brand identity and website design to make sure you have brilliant branding from the outset. Then I can work independently to generate scientific content specific to your brand. I always tailor my approach to suit each brands specific needs.

Ultimately, the more people are aware of and comprehend the findings of your studies, the greater the likelihood for a ripple effect based on your work. With hundreds of papers released each day, it's easy for findings to go unnoticed and get lost in the noise. But by developing a strong research brand and creating content related to your work, you can directly share your science and communicate its relevance and practical implications to a wider audience. This can generate organic traction for your work, increasing engagement and amplifying your reach. It also shows a strong commitment to open science practices and can boost exposure for each member of your lab group, from undergraduate students to the most senior post-doc.

By disseminating research findings widely, your group can nurture support and collaboration from various stakeholders, including policymakers, other research groups, industry professionals, and people with lived experience. The increased exposure for research outputs through an effective brand allows you to demonstrate the real-world impact of your work more easily. This often leads to increased funding opportunities due to more competitive grant applications, greater adoption of new technologies or practices, and the development of evidence-based policies.

Many people think of a brand identity as something that only businesses have, but there are so many reasons why investing in personal branding is a good move for your scientific career. Nowadays, standing out as a scientist online requires more than just groundbreaking research – it needs a strong and cohesive strategy. A strong personal brand can help to enhance your research discoverability and make it easier to gain media attention for your work. It’s a particularly effective way to showcase your achievements, skills, and the unique value you bring. When applying to future scientific jobs, it can help set you apart from other applicants. Creating your own researcher brand identity will leave you less reliant on institutions and 3rd parties. It will be something that you can keep with you throughout your career trajectory, as you change research groups or even start your own. It can evolve alongside you over time as you go through your unique science journey!