Communication is the transmission of messages between people or institutions. People communicate in different ways. This can be through posture, signs, talking, etc. Various communication channels can also be used that serve as tools to communicate with other people. This article explains communication and identifies the pitfalls of communicating via the internet or social media.
Communication
Communication is the transfer and exchange of information or a message between two or more people. People communicate with different objectives. Thus, people can communicate for informational, relational and situational reasons. People can communicate in different ways such as: body language, smell, signs, sound and other forms of expression. People can also use images to communicate. Such as using pictures or videos. It is impossible for a person not to communicate. Individuals communicate with each other and have an interest in communicating with others. This allows one to make clear what one thinks and believes. Silence is also a form of communication. If you are sitting opposite someone on a train and the person opposite you is always looking the other way, this means that he or she does not feel like talking. One person’s posture can transmit signals to another. If a small child cries, it may mean that he is hungry, sick or has another complaint. A child then tries to communicate by crying.
Population
The population receives many different signals in daily life. When a person goes out on the street, he or she will have to deal with other people who communicate through, for example, talking, expression, body language or a sign that the person gives. This person also sees various advertisements from organizations on billboards, bus stops, buses, windows, etc. Organizations try to reach and communicate with people by using various tools with the aim of creating a response. Different communication channels that can be used by organizations or individuals are: television, internet, radio, newspapers, etc. Social Media is a medium that has been widely used in recent years. People communicate through this channel because it is an effective way of reaching a large group of people. People can communicate with individuals, but also with groups of people. It is also possible to reach people from abroad and get in touch. Furthermore, individuals also try to communicate with the outside world as much as possible. This can be with their friends, neighbors, acquaintances, etc. telephone, internet (email), Social Media are communication channels that people can use to stay in touch with each other. Nowadays these channels are often used because it is fast and cheap. People have to put in less effort and this is also important to them.
Organizations
For many organizations it is very important to communicate well. Organizations must therefore choose the right communication tools and use them carefully. Many organizations know the importance of good communication and therefore try to use as many different communication channels as possible to convey information correctly. Organizations must communicate with their own employees, suppliers, competitors, shareholders and consumers. These are different target groups, and organizations must determine which communication channel is most appropriate to reach this group. This also means that organizations can use different communication channels for these target groups. Let’s give an example regarding the consumer. The organization could reach this group through television advertisements. There is a good chance that many of these people will not see the advertisement. That is why organizations also use the Internet and Social Media (or other communication channels) to increase the chance that the population will see the message.
Pitfalls of communication through the internet and Social Media
As mentioned earlier, various people and organizations use the internet and social media to communicate with each other. In addition to the many advantages of these communication channels, there are also disadvantages and pitfalls. Many people experience communicating through these channels as impersonal. It is also possible that the recipient of the message interprets the message differently than the sender intended. This can cause misunderstandings and cause problems. It is especially important for organizations not to make mistakes when transferring information. Organizations often communicate with large groups and this means that when an organization communicates something incorrectly, it can cause major damage to the organization. An example is that the recipients do not understand the information or interpret it in a different way. There is no way for the organization to correct this at that time, because it cannot find out how the recipient recorded the information. It can damage the name of the organization and negatively affect consumer confidence. So it is very important for organizations to think carefully about what to communicate and how to communicate.