In 2013, social media overtook porn as the #1 activity on the web. Without a doubt, social channels are the cornerstone of modern science communication, if not all of modern communication. But the social web of today is only the beginning. There are new audiences to reach, and an evolving whack-a-mole ecosystem of social networks and tools to keep track of. Will the Big Ones, Facebook and Twitter, always be the Big Ones? How do YouTube, Tumblr, Google+, Instagram, Snapchat (or whatever comes next) fit in to the present and future of science communication? Which work best, and for whom? Which are worth it, and why? We’ll discuss best practices, worst practices, whether Google+ will ever be a “thing”, and debate the correct pronunciation of “GIF”.
