Technology has transformed the way we communicate and do business forever. It is the most useful tool we have and is constantly being updated with new devices, programs, or platforms. Businesses must utilize communication with these tools in order to be successful because of how much society relies on technology. Communication was primarily through landlines and desktops and now there are smartphones and laptops, giving us the ability to work seamlessly while traveling, remote, or in the office. But most importantly, technology has changed the way we communicate with our clients and each other.

1. Media: Now Vs Then

Every day, new technology is being embraced and new forms of media and advertising are born. But media advertising looks a lot different now than it did before. For example, the public used to get their information and through the television or the newspaper. Because of this, businesses only had those two platforms to display their advertising to their target audience. Today, there are numerous ways people get their news and information such as:

  • YouTube
  • Social media
  • News websites
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Other online platforms

Additionally, because of the multitude of platforms the internet has to offer, there are many more ways businesses can communicate with their clients through media. Instead of a company investing a large amount of money in television commercials, there is another option. They can invest in shorter ads, to be paid for in smaller amounts, that appear on social media videos and other video platforms. Businesses can also create their creative content and organically reach their audience using their social media or digital accounts.

2. Marketing: Now vs. Then

Because of the drastic change in technology and how societies use it, companies can no longer solely rely on traditional marketing techniques. Currently, 76% of advanced economies and 45% of emerging economies own a smartphone. Additionally, 67% of advanced economies use social media and even 49% of emerging use social media. Because of this, marketing is a lot more competitive as there are numerous ways to target your audience using smartphones and social media. Some of the new, effective ways include:

  • SMS Marketing
  • Email Marketing
  • Paid Facebook & YouTube ads
  • Google Ads
  • Banner Ads
  • App Ads
  • Sticky Ads
  • Full-screen or Interstitial Ads
  • Game Ads

In addition, due to the shift in advertising and technology, companies need to constantly optimize their messaging strategy. Technology has changed the way you communicate with your audience and create your messaging. Certain tones of appeal target different audiences. Popular types of advertising appeals include:

  • Personal
  • Humor
  • Fear
  • Sexual
  • Romantic
  • Adventure
  • Musical
  • Emotional
  • Beauty

3. Public Relations

Because of social media and how it is so accessible, public relations has become more challenging. Public relations are the professional maintenance of an individuals' or companies' public image. The internet and social media make everyone, particularly companies and celebrities, potentially vulnerable to the public. People can take pictures, videos, or screenshots of anything and upload it to the internet for everyone to see at any time. People can also voice their opinions and freely discuss companies and people, making them much more susceptible to negative sentiments.

Because of technology, public relations managers must be more diligent and be able to maneuver through the challenges of the internet. They must learn how to communicate with the intended audience in order to earn and maintain a client. These tasks can include, but are not limited to:

  • Managing negative feedback and complaints on all platforms
  • Interacting with customers via customer service and social media channels
  • Managing the press and press mentions
  • Researching and creating media for the target market

4. Communication Technology

The technological advances in the past decade mean that almost every person has a smartphone or a computer. This means many employees can utilize their personal devices in the workplace to improve their in-office work or even work remotely.

Also, because of this factor, a lot of companies have implemented policies for employees and allowed them to bring their own devices to work and to use them to work from home as well. This situation can improve employee productivity by being able to use their own devices from any location. But this can also pose problems when it comes to data breaches and information security. That is why it is important for your company IT department or vendor, as well as the management team, to assess and implement some type of review or management of the devices to prevent unauthorized use or potential security risks. If managed properly with regular audits of devices, using personal technology can highly benefit your company.

5. Workplace Communication

Collaboration between employees is now easier than ever because of improved communication tools available. With the use of video chatting, presentations, and numerous SaaS programs, teamwork and collaboration can appear seamless. Technology in the workplace has not only improved communication, but increased efficiency, productivity, and even employee morale. Some benefits technology has brought to the workplace include:

  • Video Chat/Zoom:With this feature, you can connect and communicate with people from different states, different countries, or working remotely.
  • Screen Sharing:With screen sharing, you can show your peers or employees exactly how to do a task on the computer or conduct an online remote meeting.
  • iPads and Tablets:These devices can be very useful for travel and visits because you can pull up documents and take notes very easily.
  • Cloud-based systems:With cloud-based systems, employees can upload documents and files to one location that can be accessed by anyone rather the needing to send files to every person. which is time-consuming.
  • Linked In/ Social media:With these types of social sites, you can communicate directly to your peers and develop new connections.

6. Downfalls

Though technology has done amazing things for communication in our society, it has also created some unfortunate issues. Technology has changed the landscape of face to face interaction, we don't need it as much anymore. However, creating a personal connection in business is essential, and sometimes only communicating through technology can appear impersonal. Body language and tone of voice are important parts of interacting with one another but can be 'lost in translation' when communicating virtually. It is important to use technology to communicate in the preferred way and method of your client, but if you can meet them face to face, in the safest manner possible.