Many INFORMS journals maintain a social media presence to share newly published research, highlight special issues, showcase authors, and engage with the scholarly community. Across the portfolio, these efforts vary widely: some journals maintain active LinkedIn pages or X (formerly Twitter) feeds; others use community-driven LinkedIn groups; one journal maintains a thriving Substack; and a few maintain older accounts that are now largely dormant. This variability is natural. Social media activity should always reflect the interests, comfort, and availability of the volunteers involved.

These guidelines are intended to support Editors-in-Chief (EICs) and editorial board members who wish to use social media to promote their journal. They are not prescriptive rules or performance expectations. Rather, they offer practical guidance, guardrails, and examples drawn from the approaches already in use across our journals. Editors may lean into these recommendations as much or as little as they wish. Social media is a supplementary activity, and it should fit comfortably within the time and enthusiasm the editorial team has available.

Core Principles for Journal Social Media Use

Journal Accounts Represent the Journal and INFORMS

INFORMS journals serve a broad and international academic community, and maintaining a nonpartisan, research-focused tone helps ensure that journal accounts remain welcoming and appropriate for all audiences.

A journal-affiliated social media account speaks for the journal and, by extension, for INFORMS. These accounts should be used for scholarly, journal-related content such as research highlights, calls for papers, editorial announcements, conference engagement, and community-building among authors and readers. They should not be used to share personal or political commentary, advocacy positions, or views unrelated to scholarly publishing. Editors are always welcome to express their personal perspectives through personal accounts; journal accounts are not the appropriate venue for such expression.

Professionalism and Tone

All participants engaging with a journal-affiliated social media account are expected to comply with the INFORMS Code of Conduct .

Posts from journal accounts should reflect the professional standards expected of INFORMS publications: clear, respectful, and constructive. Disagreements over published work or field developments may arise, and discussion is welcome when it is scholarly in nature. Social media, however, is often not the ideal setting for extended debate. Editors are encouraged to redirect potentially contentious discussions into private channels or email when appropriate.

Journal Pages vs. Community Groups

Many journals maintain formal “company pages,” which represent the journal and therefore must follow the core principles in this document. Other journals participate in or host more informal community groups — such as LinkedIn groups for Marketing Science or Service Science — where content may be posted by a mix of editors, authors, and community members. These groups serve as communities of practice and do not function as official journal communication channels. Editors participating in these groups may help cultivate discussion but should be mindful that community members post independently and the journal is not responsible for moderating every contribution.

Getting Started: Choosing Platforms and Establishing Accounts

Selecting a Platform

Most INFORMS journals that maintain a social media presence do so on LinkedIn. This platform is a natural fit for scholarly publishing because it attracts an audience of academics, practitioners, and students, and content posted there tends to have a longer period of visibility than on faster-moving platforms. For many editorial teams, LinkedIn is the most manageable starting point.

Several journals also maintain accounts on X (formerly Twitter). X can be useful for conference interaction and rapid dissemination of articles, but it requires more frequent posting to remain visible. Journals should consider using X only if someone on the editorial team is already comfortable with the platform and enjoys using it.

A few journals maintain accounts on other platforms. Organization Science, for instance, uses a Substack to share editor-curated essays and highlights. This model is well-suited to journals whose editorial teams enjoy writing longer-form commentary and engaging deeply with their community. Facebook pages exist for some journals and communities, though most have seen very limited activity in recent years and may simply remain as archives of earlier engagement.

Creating or Updating an Account

When creating a new journal account, editors should use a shared, non-personal email address whenever possible. This helps ensure continuity when editorial leadership transitions. The Managing Editor for the journal should be added as an owner or administrator to maintain consistent access and help with account oversight.

Phone Verification and Two-Factor Authentication

Some platforms require a mobile phone number during account setup for security verification or two-factor authentication (2FA). When possible, journals should use a shared departmental phone number or a service such as Google Voice that can be accessed by more than one administrator. Avoid tying the account to an individual editor’s personal number, as this complicates continuity and access during editorial transitions. The Managing Editor can assist in identifying an appropriate number or in coordinating a shared verification method.

Editors are welcome to tailor the voice and style of their journal’s account to match the personality of the editorial team, provided the core principles above are maintained. INFORMS brand assets — such as journal logos and color palettes — are available for use and help ensure a consistent identity across the portfolio.

The INFORMS Code of Conduct should be prominently displayed and linked to from your journal’s social media profile.

The INFORMS Branding Guide is a helpful tool in navigating approved INFORMS messaging and visual representation, including INFORMS colors and logos. You do not need to display these on your social platform, but we hope you will use them to help ensure consistent messaging across all INFORMS publications and community social platforms.

Graphic Resources

INFORMS maintains a consistent visual identity across its publications, and editors are encouraged to use approved, journal-specific graphics (available at Graphic Resources) on their social media accounts to help reinforce that identity. If you have need of additional graphics, please advise your journal’s Managing Editor and we will do our best to accommodate your request within INFORMS’ overall branding framework and graphical guidelines.

Available graphics and suggested usage:

INFORMS logos
Journal cover thumbnails
Journal email headers — these graphics, useful for email banners, include the journal nameplate and a portion of the underlying cover image.
Journal nameplates — these graphics include the journal nameplate on a solid horizontal bar of the journal’s color.
Journal squares — these graphics, useful for avatar/profile images, include the journal nameplate and a portion of the underlying cover image.

The following hex color values correspond to the primary colors used on the covers and branded web elements of INFORMS journals and may be helpful when creating graphics or designing posts:

Decision Analysis	#1f9c66
Information Systems Research	#f29554
INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics	#656c9b
INFORMS Journal on Computing	#7fbc42
INFORMS Journal on Data Science	#0b395a
INFORMS Journal on Optimization	#00a1ad
INFORMS Transactions on Education	#c8982c
Management Science	#8a8db2
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management	#ab1d3f
Marketing Science	#004f6e
Mathematics of Operations Research	#e7764c
Operations Research	#1f3e7b
Organization Science	#aacf7f
Service Science	#0384c2
Stochastic Systems	#d69929
Strategy Science	#ed7725
Transportation Science	#6a2875

What to Post: A Practical Approach

Social media posts do not need to be elaborate to be effective. A brief message highlighting a new article, paired with a link and a sentence summarizing its contribution, is more than sufficient. Many journals make use of simple formats such as “Article of the Week,” “From the Latest Issue,” or “Editor’s Pick.” Others highlight their authors, spotlight special issues, or announce awards.

The goal is not volume but consistency and clarity. A manageable rhythm — perhaps one or two posts per week during active periods — is more valuable than attempting to cover every article or milestone. Editorial teams should post only as often as their time and interests reasonably allow.

Posts written in accessible, non-technical language tend to attract broader engagement, especially on LinkedIn, where many readers are practitioners or scholars outside the immediate subfield. Editors may also choose to tag authors or co-editors when appropriate, as this can help amplify visibility.

Engaging with comments can be a rewarding way to build community, though it is rarely necessary to respond to every interaction. Constructive questions or expressions of interest warrant acknowledgment; contentious exchanges or debates are best handled privately.

Support and Cross-Promotional Opportunities

INFORMS is excited to support your efforts to promote your journal. When making a post, please remember to tag INFORMS so we can help share your content through cross-promotional opportunities. Tagging INFORMS is especially useful when sharing new articles, special issues, award announcements, or content that would be relevant to INFORMS' broader audience. Likewise, make sure you are following the INFORMS accounts on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and TikTok for access to great content to share with your audiences.

INFORMS Social Media Accounts to Tag in Your Posts:

Platform Snapshots: What Each Major Platform Offers

LinkedIn is the most widely used platform across INFORMS journals, with active pages for INFORMS Journal on Data Science, Information Systems Research, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, and Transportation Science. LinkedIn supports a professional audience and is well-suited to sharing research highlights, editorial announcements, and calls for papers. Posts maintain visibility for a longer period, and engagement tends to be collegial and constructive. For many journals, LinkedIn alone is sufficient to maintain a modern and effective online presence.

Create a LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/710
Manage Page Roles: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/4785

X (formerly Twitter)

Several journals, including Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Marketing Science, and Transportation Science, maintain accounts on X. This platform remains active among certain academic communities and can be useful during conferences or for rapid sharing of published articles. However, it moves quickly and requires more frequent posting to build or maintain momentum. Editorial teams should feel no pressure to use X unless it aligns with their interests and available time.

Create an X Account: https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/create-twitter-account
Account Security: https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security

Substack

Organization Science maintains a Substack presence used for curated essays, editor reflections, and longer-form highlights. This model provides deep engagement and supports richer narrative content than typical social media platforms. It is best suited to journals with editorial teams interested in investing time in thoughtful written commentary.

Start a Publication: https://substack.com/publish

YouTube

INFORMS maintains an active YouTube channel that hosts a range of scholarly content, including session recordings from TutORials in Operations Research, Annual Meeting presentations, and selected interviews or webinars. While most journals will not need to operate a dedicated YouTube channel of their own, this platform can be a valuable resource for sharing relevant INFORMS-produced content with readers. For example, if a TutORials volume or chapter aligns with a special issue or editorial theme, a journal may wish to highlight that video. Journals that do produce multimedia — such as author interviews, research summaries, or editor introductions — may choose to post these through the INFORMS channel rather than maintaining a separate journal-specific presence. YouTube works best as a complementary channel for deepening engagement when suitable video content exists.

YouTube Channel Setup Guide: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1646861

WeChat

Many INFORMS authors and readers in China rely on WeChat as a primary platform for professional communication and academic exchange. Journals seeking to broaden visibility or outreach within China may find WeChat particularly effective for sharing article highlights, calls for papers, or editorial announcements. Establishing a WeChat Official Account, however, requires familiarity with the platform’s administrative structure and may involve the use of a Chinese mobile number or local business credentials. For this reason, journals should pursue WeChat only when a member of the editorial team is comfortable navigating the setup requirements, or when a knowledgeable volunteer is available to help manage the account. The Managing Editor can provide general guidance or connect editorial teams with others who have experience using WeChat for journal communications.

WeChat Official Accounts Platform: https://open.weixin.qq.com
(English interface available, though some materials may remain partially translated.)

Facebook and Other Platforms

A small number of journals or communities maintain Facebook pages or LinkedIn groups. Some of these are no longer actively updated, which is perfectly acceptable. These spaces may continue to serve as archives of earlier activity or informal communities of practice. New or renewed Facebook activity is not generally necessary unless a journal’s community is already active there.

Create a Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/help/104002523024878

When to Sunset an Account

Over time, some journal social media accounts may become less active or no longer align with the interests of the editorial team or the journal’s readership. This is a normal part of a platform’s lifecycle. An account may be a good candidate for sunsetting when it has not been updated for a substantial period, the editorial team does not have time or interest in maintaining it, engagement is consistently low, or the community has shifted to a different platform. Sunsetting can be simple: the editorial team may post a short note redirecting readers to the journal’s preferred channels, ensure that administrator access is retained or formally closed, and allow the account to remain as an archive or deactivate it entirely. Retiring a platform is not a failure — it reflects thoughtful prioritization of volunteer time and attention to where the journal’s audience is most active.

Managing Accounts: Access, Continuity, and Light Oversight

To ensure that journal social media accounts remain accessible across editorial transitions, each journal’s Managing Editor should be included as an administrator or owner. This ensures that access is never lost when a new EIC or board takes office. It also provides a consistent point of contact for troubleshooting or questions about branding.

Editorial teams may designate one or two volunteers to help maintain the account; however, this should never feel burdensome. If interest wanes or the team becomes busy, slowing down activity — or taking a temporary pause — is perfectly acceptable.

If an editor encounters content that violates the INFORMS Code of Conduct or seems inconsistent with the professional tone expected of journal accounts, they should reach out to their Managing Editor. Issues can be escalated, when appropriate, to the Director of Publications and the Vice President of Publications, who serve as the primary liaisons between INFORMS and the editorial leadership.

Handling Issues and Interactions

Most journal social media activity is positive and collaborative. On occasion, however, an account may receive a critical comment or encounter inappropriate behavior. Editors need not feel obligated to engage with hostile users or to resolve inflammatory exchanges. In most cases, a brief, neutral acknowledgment or no response at all is sufficient. If a situation becomes uncomfortable or raises questions about appropriate boundaries, the Managing Editor should be contacted for assistance.

Inappropriate Postings or Unlawful Conduct Should Not Be Tolerated

Offensive language or harassment should be removed and, if necessary, the contributor blocked from the page and reported to INFORMS for Code of Conduct violation.

Respond to Critics, But Be Wary of Engaging Trolls

Constructive criticism or scholarly disagreement may be acknowledged, redirected to email, or left to stand without extended engagement.

A critic may provide feedback that is negative, harsh, or blunt, but still have a valid point or different perspective — avoid being defensive, but respond in a respectful, professional, or constructive way to show you value their feedback and are open to learning.

A troll is deliberately provocative, inflammatory, or offensive, often looking for attention, drama, or amusement — ignoring them will generally deprive them of their desired outcome and discourage them from continuing their behavior. If a troll is particularly aggressive with you or your followers, you may block them, but it’s best practice to do so without making any announcement.

INFORMS-Directed Commentary

Contributors expressing displeasure with INFORMS, its policies and/or decisions should be encouraged to take the conversation offline by sharing with them an email address where the conversation can continue one-on-one outside the social media platform.

Actively Delete or Report Spam

Spam can clutter your feed and distracts from the positive environment you are trying to create.

Conclusion

Social media can be a helpful and enjoyable way for INFORMS journals to connect with readers, authors, and the broader scholarly community. Each journal should feel empowered to use (or not use) the platforms that best fit its editorial culture and volunteer capacity. These guidelines are offered in that same spirit — supportive, flexible, and respectful of the time and expertise that volunteer editors contribute to the success of INFORMS publications.

Please reach out to your Managing Editor or the Director of Publications if you would like assistance with account setup, graphic resources, or questions about these guidelines.

Appendix A: Examples of Current INFORMS Journal Social Media Accounts

The following examples illustrate the variety of social media approaches currently in use across INFORMS journals. These examples are offered to help new or incoming editorial teams understand how different journals use each platform. Administrative roles or platform choices may change over time; this appendix will be updated periodically.

LinkedIn (Company Pages)

Information Systems Research: https://www.linkedin.com/company/informs-isr-journal/
INFORMS Journal on Data Science: https://www.linkedin.com/company/70412158/
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-and-service-operations-management-journal-m-som
Transportation Science: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transportation-science/

LinkedIn (Groups / Communities)

Marketing Science: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7040148/
Service Science: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13011862/

X (formerly Twitter)

Marketing Science: https://twitter.com/mrktng_science
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management: https://x.com/msom_outreach
Transportation Science: https://twitter.com/transcijournal

Substack

Organization Science: https://substack.com/@orgsci

Facebook (Legacy / Community Use)

Decision Analysis Society: https://m.facebook.com/people/Decision-Analysis-Society/100064783446193/
Marketing Science: https://www.facebook.com/MarketingScience