Influencing factors of Twitter mentions of scientific papers

Purpose: This paper explores the influencing factors of Twitter mentions of scientific papers. The results can help to understand the relationships between various altmetrics. Design/methodology/approach: Data on research mentions in Altmetric.com and a multiple linear regression analysis are used. Findings: The number of mainstream news is the factor that most influences the number of mentions on Twitter, followed by its influence on public policies through references in reports. The influence is weaker in the case of mentions on Wikipedia and the fact of dealing with a highly topical issue such as COVID-19. The recommendation of experts and mentions in patent applications have a negative influence, while the consolidation of knowledge in the form of a review does not have a significant influence. Research limitations: A specific field was studied in a specific time period. Studying other fields and/or different time periods might result in different findings. Practical implications: Governments increasingly push researchers toward activities with societal impact and this study can help understand how different factors affect social media attention. Originality/value: Understanding social media attention of research is essential when implementing societal impact indicators.