How to make sure your messaging actually hits home

Researching and developing a scientific or technical project is one thing. Communicating your work and its impact to others requires an entirely different skill set. 

And yet, it’s vital that we get it right.

Effective science and technology communication is more important than ever. Humanity has some big problems to solve, and communities are looking for the information needed to make decisions and take action.

We also know that audiences today are more sceptical. 

Not only must we demonstrate authority in our area of expertise, we need to connect with our reader and show them how our values align with theirs. Without this step, our audience may not be receptive to our message.

Over the last two decades, our team has honed skills in science communications, exploring the tactics and strategies that illuminate understanding. As well as those that don’t. 

Here are our seven top tips for effective science and technology communication.

1. Know your objective 

Before you do anything else, make sure you’re clear on the purpose of your project. Is the aim to enhance a visitor’s experience of an exhibit or location? Or do you want your reader to take action, such as sign a petition or change their behaviour? 

The objective of the project will have a significant impact on the writing techniques you use, so it’s important to clarify this at the start. 

Then, get support for that objective from your project team. Consult with relevant stakeholders and document their approval. The objective informs the decisions you make at every stage of the project. It becomes a beacon, keeping you on course from start to finish.

2. Clarify your message

Once you’re clear on your objective, you can develop your messaging. If your reader only remembers one thing, what do you want it to be? How can you repeat and reiterate this message throughout your content to help it stick?

Knowing what not to say is just as important. When you’re immersed in research or development, it’s easy to get side-tracked explaining your process. You can get bogged down in technical details, when all your audience needs to know is the results of your hard work and how they impact them.

3. Know your audience

It’s common enough advice, but what does it really mean? 

It means that if you want your communication to be effective, you need to know who your audience is, how familiar they are with the topic and how your content is relevant to them.

The more you know about your audience, the better. Where and when will they be reading your content? Have they come searching for it or are you vying for their attention? The answers to questions like these will influence what you write about and how you write it.

The key to effective science communication is focusing on what the other person understands, not just on what you want to say.

4. Consider beliefs and biases

Values, beliefs and personal experiences can all influence how receptive we are to new information. What perspectives are your audience likely to bring to this discussion?

The misuse of science to support false claims has (understandably) bred distrust in some people towards facts and figures. Confirmation bias—the tendency to notice information that supports your existing beliefs and disregard the rest—is another factor that can affect how a reader interprets your writing.

How can you help dismantle the barriers between your reader and your content? Are there misconceptions that should be addressed? Will repeating any myths serve to reinforce them? What evidence, perspectives or testimonials could you use to build trust?

And then the tricky part—how can you acknowledge someone’s current belief while still offering a new perspective to consider?

5. Keep it clear and concise 

The writing style you need for conveying information to the layperson is likely to be very different from how you communicate with your colleagues and others in your field. Keeping science communication clear, concise and free of unnecessary technical terms is vital.

It’s easy to forget that your audience may not be familiar with the industry terms you use every day. Out of context, this is called jargon, and where possible, you should avoid using it. 

If you need to use technical terms, make sure you also provide easy-to-understand definitions. Consider using analogies and metaphors that your audience are familiar with to improve their understanding.

6. Create a visual explanation

Where it makes sense or adds value, use images to help communicate your message.  You can work with a designer to make complex or abstract concepts easier to understand, marrying text with photos, sketches, diagrams and infographics.

7. Beware the curse of knowledge 

The more you know about a topic, the harder it is to explain it to someone who’s not familiar. This is known as the curse of knowledge. Without even realising you’re doing it, you can assume the other person has the necessary background to understand what you’re talking about. 

This is often why science communication doesn’t resonate with a reader. A writer may provide background information, but not enough to meet the comprehension level of their reader. 

Putting yourself in the shoes of your audience is much harder than it seems. But as copywriters, we do this every day. We have the perspective and skills to ensure the reader has what they need to comprehend your message.

A copywriter considers all these aspects and more. Especially writers with a background in science communication. We can bring a human element to technical information. And the result is clear, compelling content that speaks directly to your reader and encourages action and understanding.