How to improve your journal’s impact factor in 12 months
1. Starting point: an indicator that moves slowly
The Journal Impact Factor measures citations received by articles published in the previous two years. Its narrow window penalises disciplines where knowledge matures slowly. Even so, accreditation committees still look at it. The challenge is to raise that figure without resorting to shortcuts (mass self-citation, poorly rigorous review articles) that end up damaging the journal’s reputation.
Dr López, editor of the Revista de Ingeniería, saw her JIF stuck at 0.6 for three years. The diagnosis revealed two problems: editorial delays (70 days to first decision) and low digital visibility. The plan she adopted in 2024, which we reproduce here with her permission, combined process efficiency, thematic calls and targeted dissemination.
2. Diagnosis (Month 0)
Before moving forward, you need to understand where you stand:
- Create a Google Sheets document that lets you view your main editorial and citation metrics. You can use tools such as Dimensions or Scopus to import your articles’ data automatically.
- Start by calculating your journal’s self-citation rate. If it exceeds 20%, it is advisable to establish a clear editorial policy that limits its use and ensures responsible citation. Self-citations are not bad in themselves, but excessive self-citation can undermine credibility and even be penalised by certain databases.
- Next, identify the articles with the greatest citation potential. In almost every journal, 10% of articles generate 50% of citations. Spotting them will help you understand which kind of content generates real impact and how to replicate it in future calls.
3. Strategic priorities (Months 1–12)
3.1 Boletín de Geología Andina
Launching special issues on emerging topics such as diagnostic AI or green hydrogen attracts manuscripts with a high probability of being cited. Inviting top-cited authors with a personalised email increases the response rate by 18%, according to Scholarly Kitchen (2024).
3.2 Reduce time-to-decision to under 30 days
An article accepted in February has eight more months to be cited than one accepted in October. Index includes automatic reminders; designing incentives for reviewers (certificates, public recognition) speeds up the process.
3.3 Immediate Open Access
Publishing the final version with an active DOI as soon as it clears typesetting multiplies downloads by 1.8 (Unpaywall data, 2023). If your budget does not cover APCs, opt for open licences and repository deposits.
3.4 Smart dissemination
Organise short webinars where the author explains their finding, and turn them into 90-second clips for social media. Include the DOI in the description and a link to the HTML version, which is lighter than the PDF on mobile devices.
3.5 Monitoring responsible citation
An internal committee reviews each issue before closing to detect excessive self-citation or irrelevant references. Documenting this practice adds transparency and avoids Clarivate penalties.
4. Detailed timeline
Month | Objective | Indicator | Tool |
1 | Full diagnosis | Dashboard ready | Sheets + Dimensions |
2 | Call for special issue | ≥ 20 submissions | MailMerge |
3 | Decision in ≤ 35 days | Monthly average | Index analytics |
4 | Publish 5 OA articles | Active DOIs | Crossref |
5 | SEO campaign | Visits ↑ 30% | Screaming Frog |
6 | Webinar with key authors | 100 attendees | Zoom |
7 | Self-citation review | < 18% | Sheets |
8 | Second thematic call | 15 articles | MailChimp |
9 | Social media clips | Altmetric ↑ | Buffer |
10 | Monitoring alternative metrics | Immediacy +0,1 | Dimensions |
11 | Final pipeline adjustment | TTD ≤ 28 days | Index |
12 | Projected JIF assessment | +0.3 points | Sheets |
5. Complementary metrics that matter
- CiteScore Tracker: updated monthly and offers a broader view.
- Immediacy Index: measures citations in the year of publication; a good short-term barometer.
- Altmetric Attention: measures coverage in the media and on social networks.
Raising your journal’s impact factor in one year is possible if you have a structured plan and the right support.
Book a free 30-minute meeting with an Index advisor now to review your current situation and receive a plan with the three priority actions to improve your visibility and citations.