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Despite the domain ending, Academia.edu is not associated with a higher learning institution, but is instead held by a private company (further discussion here). It can be a useful platform to share work with colleagues and network.  It's not a good solution for long term preservation, since its standards are not transparent.  It also creates barriers to access for those who don't want an Academia.edu address.  Want to learn more?  Here's a blog post from Chronicle Vitae analyzing Academia.edu's usefulness.

1. Go to the homepage and choose to sign up with Google+, Facebook, or email (the site does not make this choice obvious, but it may be the best option if you're concerned about privacy).

2. Answer the prompts about your name, institution, interests, etc.

3. Post your publications.

4. Find and connect with colleagues.