Communicating in a Technology-Laden World

Today’s communications professionals are challenged with new ways to reach the audience each year. For decades, the main channels for sending and receiving messages were through face-to-face conversations, print and text-based media (books, letters, pamphlets, and newspapers), telephonic media, television, and radio. 

Now, communications professionals must take into consideration multiple electronic channels when creating a message. These electronic channels include email, internet websites, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn), and video-based media (YouTube and video-conferencing such as Skype).

Technology-mediated channels allow businesses and individuals to instantly reach people all over the world. Although electronic channels are a convenient way to reach an audience, they each have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, communicating in today’s technology-laden world has made it even more important to know and understand the audience in order to choose the right channel, at the right time, and deliver the right message. 

Print and Text-Based Media

Print and text-based media is one of the oldest forms of communication. These types of messages include books, memos, letters, press releases, advertisements, reports, newsletters, pamphlets, and newspapers, to name a few. However, print and text-based media are no longer limited to paper copies. These forms of media are now distributed electronically through email and the internet. 

The communications professional must understand which form of text-based media (paper or electronic) to use in order to reach the targeted audience. They must also take into consideration the best design features (graphics, layout, font style, and colors) that will produce the most effective message. For example, it might be best to reach older, retired audiences through newspapers and other low-tech forms of media. Younger audiences would likely use electronic forms of media to receive their messages such as social media sites, blogs, and email. Still, some audiences may prefer a mixture of both.

When using print and text-based media, the communications professional must also take into consideration the audience’s interpretation challenges, time and attention capacity, and reading skills. In order to ensure the message is interpreted accurately by the targeted audience, it is suggested that communications professionals use plain language for both print and electronic forms of media. 

This means that messages should be written using basic language no higher than a sixth to eighth grade level and numerical information that is easy to understand. Following the basic principles of communication for sending clear, concise, text-based messages will help to ensure the targeted audience accurately receives and interprets the message whether it is through print or electronic format.

Computer Media

Continuing with electronic forms of media, communications professional must also understand the numerous forms of computer-based media that are available today. Today’s audiences have access to a multitude of electronic communication devices including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smart phones. The audience receives messages through networked computer systems, company intranets, and the internet. The methods for receiving messages include but are not limited to websites, social media, email, blogs, and text messages. 

This form of media technology creates a new challenge for the modern communications professional. When using computer-based media it is suggested to use only 50 percent of the text that would normally be used in a hard copy, printed publication. Next, the message should be easy to scan using headers and sub-headers, and placing the message in appropriate chunks of data. Additionally, detailed information should be split into multiple pages using hyperlinks which take the audience to references where they can find more information on the topic.

Each form a computer-based media creates another challenge for the communications professional. For example, a webpage displayed on a desktop monitor provides more viewing space and easier readability than the information displayed on tablets and smart phones. Therefore, the layout must be adapted to fit the preferred electronic device of the audience. Computer-based media also creates the ability to reach an audience that is spread around the world, speaks different languages, and comes from various cultural backgrounds. 

All of these elements must be considered when creating a message that will be distributed through a computer-based format. Also, some forms of computer-based communication limit the amount of information that can be sent to the targeted audience. These would include text messages and some social media sites such as Twitter. Although computer-based media has created a larger audience for the communications professional to reach, the message must still be focused on a target audience in order to be effective. 

Video-Based Media

Computer-based media has opened up a new avenue for reaching a target audience through video technology. Television was one of the first video-based media formats used to reach audiences around the world. Today, communications professionals can utilize computers to send video-based messages through websites, smart phones, teleconferencing systems, and many other electronic formats. Video-based media can be used for educational and training purposes by universities, businesses, and individuals. They can be used to reach customers to market new products and services. 

One of the most popular video-based technologies used today is YouTube which allows anyone to communicate a message through the video channel. It is a well known fact that most people learn through visual communication, so using video-based media to reach a targeted audience makes sense. However, the communications professional must take into consideration that not everyone has the latest technology or skills needed to view video-based media.

With today’s geographically separated workforce, videoconferencing can be used to bring small groups of employees or full organizations together for meetings and other communication activities. One particular form of videoconferencing that has become popular with individuals and businesses is Skype. This technology has made it possible for military families to stay in touch with loved ones serving around the world. 

Businesses can hold meetings through videoconferencing which saves on travel expenses and still provides a similar feeling of interpersonal communication preferred through face-to-face meetings. Video programs must still be designed with the target audience in mind. Video-based media channels can be time consuming and expensive, so the communications professional must also keep that in mind when creating a video-based message. 

Social Media

One of the latest forms of technology-based media that uses all of the elements of communication is social media. This form of communication utilizes print or text-based media, computer media, and video-based media while also using graphics to send messages. 

The communications professional needs to understand the audience's dynamics when communicating through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. While these sites have become a popular and trusted form of communication, they may not be used as the main channel for receiving important information by the targeted audience. Consequently, the communications professional should ensure the message being transmitted through this medium is appropriate for the targeted audience.

Blogging is another way for communications professionals to reach a target audience. Blogs can be used for a multitude of reasons including sharing company news, recruiting new employees, policy discussions and crisis communication, employee engagement, brainstorming, customer education, and market research. 

As with other computer-based media, blogs can utilize text-based media, video-based media, and even audio-based media through podcasts which are digital audio files (usually MP3 or ACC) that can be created and downloaded through the internet. Blogs and other social media sites tend to use a comfortable, personal writing style that is different from professional emails and websites. However, the message must still be clear, concise, organized, and professionally written in order to hold the attention of the audience and communicate an effective message. 

Beware Information Overload 

Communications professionals must be aware that audiences are receiving information from multiple sources on any given day. Technology-based media has created a “small-world phenomenon” while also creating the possibility of information overload. The ability to communicate with targeted audiences in many different locations through today’s technology-based media is certainly an advantage for the modern communications professional. It saves time and expense to use electronic media rather than printing and mailing millions of hard copies to customers all around the world. 

However, technology-based media has also created a disadvantage to the audience when they are targeted with multiple messages throughout the day through each of these mediums. This form of information overload can result in confusion through contradictory and unclear messages if the communications professional is not careful about sending the right message, to the right audience, through the right channel, at the right time.

Sources

Bovée, C. L., & Thill, J. V. (2014). Business communication today (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

How to Podcast. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.howtopodcasttutorial.com/what-is-a-podcast.htm

Kreps, G.L. (2011). Communication in organizations. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.