Do you want your work to resonate with as large a readership as possible? If so, consider publication extenders (also called publication enhancers)—tools that present key points of an article in an engaging style. Extenders include infographics, video abstracts, graphical (also called visual) abstracts, podcasts, author videos, and plain language summaries.
Why extend?
You’ve worked hard to get your article published, so why should you put in more time? Because extenders can boost the uptake of your article—and your key messages—by your target audience, whether they’re clinicians, managers, researchers, patients, or consumers. For example, studies have shown that video abstracts increase article views and graphical abstracts boost social media activity for the article. Viewing can be the first step to readers benefitting from the article. For example, a scoping review by Kong and colleagues reported that 87.7% of studies found that health infographics were effective at improving knowledge or changing attitudes or behaviors.
Although not all studies have found publication extenders to have a significant impact, enough positive results exist to make developing them worthwhile. (Download a list of studies related to publication extenders from the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals.)
Which extenders?
Here are a few considerations when choosing and developing publication extenders.
Journal policies. In some cases, such as graphical abstracts, you’ll need to check whether the journal accepts the publication extender. This information usually appears in the author guidelines.
Target audience preference. Soldavin and colleagues created a table summarizing research studies on the preferences of different audiences regarding types of publication extenders. For instance, healthcare professionals find plain language summaries, infographics, and videos very useful, and, as you might expect, patients and their caregivers like text or graphical plain language summaries.
Comprehension. Think about how your target readers consume content. Some might find infographics easier to understand (especially important when your study is complex), while others might prefer a video abstract they can watch. Soldavin and colleagues note that no one-size-fits-all approach exists, so it’s best to have multiple options. You might create a graphical abstract and ask to be featured on a podcast that fits with your topic. Be sure to consider reading level, especially when creating plain language summaries, and keep graphics simple.
When to develop extenders?
Consider publication extenders even before you submit your manuscript. In some cases, you can submit a visual abstract when you submit the article, but in most situations, extenders come into play after a journal accepts your manuscript for publication. However, you can map out the types of extenders you’d like to develop and even create a few drafts while the manuscript undergoes peer review.
What else do I need to know?
It’s important to follow the journal’s guidelines related to extenders and how you should submit them. Also, distribute the extenders across different platforms for maximum impact.
Remember: Anything you can do to get others to access your work will help you disseminate the information you want others to have.
Cynthia Saver, MS, RN, is editor of the award-winning book Anatomy of Writing for Publication for Nurses, 5thed. She has more than three decades of publishing experience as a writer, editor, and publishing executive. Cynthia’s work has appeared in many journals, and her past positions include editorial director for American Nurse Journal, which she helped launch. Cynthia is passionate about helping nurses share their expertise by writing for publication and happily shares her knowledge though The Writing Mind blog, articles, short presentations, and workshops.
References
Kong HK, Zainab F, Turner AM, Bekemeier B, Backonja U. Trends in and effectiveness of infographics for health communication: A scoping review. Health Commun. 2025;40(2):222-32. doi:10.1080/10410236.2024.2342595
Soldavin K, Halford C, Rosenberg A, Walker J, McDougall H. Publication extenders: Yes, they are worth the effort. The MAP Newsletter. April 8, 2025. ismpp-newsletter.com/2025/04/08/publication-extenders-yes-they-are-worth-the-effort
