LWCW6113 Topic 2 Communication in the Digital Age

Digital Media

• Digital media are various platforms where humans communicate electronically via digitized content.
• The key to business growth is to utilize digital media correctly.
• Good writing is important when communicating via social media.
• Content should be professional, credible, and likable.
• Three helpful "C"s in online writing are clear, concise, and consistent.

Email

• Email has been a primary communication tool for companies for decades.
• Email offered an advantage in speed and efficiency, replacing printed and faxed messages.
• Other tools are better suited for certain tasks such as instant messaging, blogs, social networks and shared workspaces.
• Business email has higher expectations of writing quality.
• Business emails and other electronic documents have the same legal weight as printed documents.
• The subject line of an email helps recipients decide which message to read and when.
• Instead of simply describing the content, the email subject line should capture audience attention.
• Emoticons or emojis should be avoided in emails to colleagues.
• According to an OfficeTeam survey, 39% of senior managers think it's unprofessional to include emoticons.

Instant Messaging and Text Messaging

• Computer-based instant messaging (IM) is used extensively for internal and external communication.
• IM capabilities: basic chat, presence awareness, remote document display, video, automated newsfeeds, and automated bot.
• Phone-based text messaging applications: marketing, customer service, security, crisis management, and process monitoring.
• Benefits of IM: rapid response, lower cost than phone calls, ability to mimic conversation, and availability on various devices.
• Drawbacks of IM: security problems, the need for user authentication, challenges of logging messages, and misinterpretation risks.

Website Content

• Writing for a website requires simplicity, clarity, and conciseness.
• People scan websites to find information quickly.
• Some tips for making a website reader-friendly:
• Choose keywords first
• Include a title on every page
• Use sub-headings
• Keep paragraphs and sentences short
• Use white space
• Use bullets and numbers
• Watch your language
• Use contractions
• Use 'sans serif' fonts
• Proofread.

Podcasting

• Podcasting is audio or video file distribution via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) subscriptions.
• RSS is a technology used to push headlines and summaries of content to users.
• Podcasting saves users from making daily visits to websites for fresh content.
• Podcasts can be listened to on blogs or websites or downloaded to devices.
• A conversational, person-to-person feel is a benefit of podcasting.
• Effective podcasts have a clear beginning, middle and end.
• Podcasts are a good choice to replace audio and video messages.
• Various distribution methods exist, including media stores, hosting services, or a blog.

Social Media

• Social media are communication machines that connect people.
• Social media lead people to write more but cause face-to-face communication skills to suffer.
• Social media broadcasts information, while social networking allows communication for two.
• Social media content engages, offers value, builds trust, motivates sharing, and motivates returns to one's site.

Strategies for Business Communication on Social Networks

• Choose the best composition mode for each message, purpose, and network.
• Join existing conversations in addition to starting your own.
• Anchor your online presence in your own hub
• Facilitate community building.
• Restrict conventional promotional efforts to the right time and right place.
• Maintain a consistent personality.
• Manage conversational threads.

Social Media Etiquette

• Do's and don'ts of social-media etiquette for business:
• Don't Mix Business and Pleasure
• Use caution posting and tagging photos
• Be self-centered in small doses
• Understand that your sense of humor isn't universal
• Don't be reactive
• Avoid over-sharing
• Build a legacy for the future
• Don't misrepresent yourself
• Don't drink and Tweet
• Understand each Platform's best practices

Visual Media

• Communications are more memorable, persuasive, and easily understood when visual media is involved.
• Visuals strengthen messages.
• Purposes of using visual media are:
  • To motivate learners
  • To repeat information
  • To recall prior learning
  • To reduce learning effort
  • To make abstract ideas concrete
  • To create a concrete referent idea
  • To direct attention to important ideas/points
• Images can promote business communication because they grab attention and inspire.
• Visual media are important for businesses to stand out in a cluttered environment.

Types of Effective Visual Media

• Images have the power to attract, persuade, and sell.
• Visual communication stretches back thousands of years.
• 80% of what people see is remembered by people.
• Colorful visuals are more effective at attracting attention than black and white. Print advertisers have long seen the value of pictures, even back in the olden days.
• Photos can have an impact on success with the rise of social media and a more digital world.
• Videos are very engaging content.
• Internet users watch to see what a product can do.
• 78% of Internet users watch videos every week, and 55% watch videos every day.
• Almost all social media platforms allow videos.

How To Make an Effective Video

• Tell a story rather than being overtly salesy.
• Make sure the introduction stands out.
• Create a stimulating title.
• Focus on the mission and less on the product.
• Don't be boring.
• Make it mobile friendly.
• Keep it short and sweet.
• Think about SEO.

Advantages of Using Video as a Visual Media

• More engaging.
• Highlight the call-to-action.
• People are more inclined to watch a short video rather than read a long body of text.
• Allows you to convey information in the way you want it to be delivered.
• More flexibility.
• Can rank higher in search results and gain more visibility.
• Can add significant credibility to the individual or organization.
• Can improve a website's conversion rate.

Disadvantages of Poor Visual Execution

• A poorly executed video can actually harm your reputation.
• Poorly executed video integration can slow your overall website user experience.
• A video that starts by itself every time you visit a website might get annoying.

Infographics

• Infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge that are simple to understand.
• Infographics are visually attractive and present researched facts in simple ways.
• They are 30 times more likely to be read than pure text content.

Types of Infographics

• There are 9 types of infographics and which is best depends on your information:
  • Statistical infographic
  • Informational infographic
  • Timeline infographic
  • Process infographic
  • Geographic infographic
  • Comparison infographic
  • Hierarchical infographic templates
  • List infographic templates
  • Infographic resume templates