Author profiles provide a way to help other scholars connect with your work. When a scholar finds your profile, that scholar not only finds one of your publications, but all the publications you have included in the profile. Some author profile options also allow people to follow your profile,
so they receive automatic updates when you share new publications.
This guide provides a variety of options for author profiles. Many of these profiles are easy to update and maintain. ORCID and HeinOnline even integrate with one another, so if you post an update in one system, it will automatically appear in the other system once you establish the
connection.
Other author profile options exist beyond the options covered in this guide, including researcher social networks like ResearchGate and Academia.edu. Be aware that, like SSRN, ResearchGate and Academia.edu, while used by many scholars, are for-profit businesses. This helpful article from the University of Oklahoma Libraries outlines important considerations relating to ResearchGate and Academia.edu, as well as instructions on how to get started with each system.
Devoney Looser, Writing a Book or Article? Now’s the Time to Create Your ‘Author Platform’, Chronicle of Higher Education (July 16, 2018). Guide to helping people find your work.