Policy Blog

Key features in a nutshell

A policy blog is a written analysis of a policy issue, about 900 to 2000 words. Readers like this brevity, and that’s why a catchy title that attracts readers` attention on social media and an easy writing style are essential.

• Policy blogs are great for sharing timely analyses of current policy issues. Scientists can also use them to present research findings from academic publications relevant to current policy debates; a blog post that is widely read and linked can also increase the citation rates of the academic paper in question
• To have their posts read by policymakers, scientists can regularly publish their blog posts on their website or via platforms like Medium or WordPress, which can be very time-consuming; or they can also publish their blog posts via an existing series of research institutions, think tanks, NGOs, and scientists
• If you publish a post on your website, make sure your website allows it to be shared via social media or forwarded via e-mail
• Make sure you announce your blog posts via social media

How does the format work?

Policy blogs are well structured and easy to read. They are great for sharing timely analyses of current policy issues. Scientists can also use them to present research findings from academic publications relevant to current policy debates. A widely read and linked blog post can also increase the citation rates of the academic paper in question. But blog posts are not simply summaries of existing research.

A blog post is typically structured as follows: a catchy title, an introductory paragraph with the key messages – phrased in a way that grabs the reader’s attention – followed by a brief analysis of the issue and research findings and a concluding paragraph. That`s enough for a policy blog. Visual elements like charts or tables are very helpful for explaining complex issues and keeping the reader’s attention.

Scientists should keep sentences short and use a writing style that is more informal than academic publications. They should think about their readership. If they want to focus on policy professionals in government ministries, agencies, or research services in parliamentary bodies who have expert knowledge of the topics covered in the policy blogs, scientists can use a technical writing style. if they want to reach members of parliament or their staff, and they should spell out acronyms unless they are commonly known (e.g., EU).

Policy blogs or blogs in general offer an excellent opportunity to use hyperlinks rather than footnotes or endnotes, which make the text shorter and easier to follow.

A short bio of three to four sentences should be included at the beginning or end. This bio should provide information on expertise, key publications, and policy experience rather than information on the visiting fellowship in 2007. Scientists should also add links to their websites and social media channels. Adding a comments section to the blog sites is an excellent way for scientists to interact with their readers if they wish to do so.

Challenges (and how to address them)

A blog is a concise text. Scientists therefore need to consider the key messages they want to convey. They can use an existing academic publication as the basis of a blog post. But they should present the findings of the publication that are relevant rather than summarising the publication itself. For that reason, scientists can dispense with sections on methods and literature reviews when writing blog posts.

Another question is: How do blog posts reach the right audience? Scientists have two options. First, they can publish their blog posts on their website or platforms like Medium or WordPress. This approach works if scientists are well known in the policy world or if policymakers follow their social media accounts. Second, scientists should blog regularly if they want to publish their blog posts via their websites or blogging platforms.

Alternatively, scientists can identify well-known blog series published by other research institutions, think tanks, or NGOs. Many blog series welcome contributions from external scientists, who can also approach colleagues who are well-known bloggers regarding a joint blog post.

Tasks and resources

Scientists

Content. Scientists can identify possible topics for policy blogs by following policy debates. They may also have to read about a current policy issue and reflect on the key messages when writing the post.

Organisational issues. Scientists must be certain the policy blog will reach policymakers. If they need mailing lists, websites, or social media channels to disseminate the policy blogs, they should approach research centres, think tanks, or NGOs that have tremendous reach and accept policy blogs from external contributors. (See section on challenges)

Resources with respect to time. Scientists should be able to write a blog n a couple of hours. Nonetheless, they might have to conduct original research when analysing a timely issue. They should be constantly asking themselves if they can extract a policy blog from a journal article or other lengthy publication.

Knowledge exchange managers and research managers (Support Stuff)

Knowledge exchange managers can assist scientists in writing policy blogs by informing them about current policy issues. Knowledge exchange officers can follow media coverage, subscribe to policymaking institutions’ newsletters, and read official documents such as strategy papers or legislation. Knowledge exchange managers can read research articles and use Google or ChatGPT to link research output to current policy debates. They can talk to scientists regarding current policy issues and make suggestions for the structure and content of a policy blog. After reading the scientists’ journal articles, press officers often send drafts for press releases to scientists on current research results, which the scientists can then comment on. Knowledge exchange officers can operate in a similar fashion and produce draft policy blogs which scientists can develop further. Such an approach saves time for scientists.

Knowledge exchange managers are vital in disseminating policy blogs. They can identify readers by browsing organisation charts or committee members in parliaments. They can communicate the policy briefs via mailing lists, websites, and social media. If they need more reach regarding social media followers, mailing list recipients, or website visitors, knowledge exchange managers can identify other research institutions, think tanks, or NGOs with a broad reach and accept external contributions.

Sources and further reading

Cairney, Paul. 2016. Writing a policy paper and blog post, accessed on 21 August 2024.

Dunleavy, Patrick. 2026. How to write a blog post from your journal article in eleven easy steps, accessed on 21 August 2024.

Evidence and Policy Blog. (no date).

Bibby, Bick. 2019. Blogging for a policy audience, accessed on 21 August 2024.

See also contributions on the following issues

Understanding policy relevance, policy briefs, and timing.

Do you want to know more about the policy engagement toolkit?

Do you want to share your experience in policy engagement? Do you think about contributing to the policy engagement toolkit? Feel free to contact Tome Sandevski via science-policy@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de