How Technology is Changing the Way We Communicate
Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash
Technology has had a revolutionary impact on how we communicate ever since the printing press and then the radio were invented. These days, the vast majority of communication is done online, either through email or mobile apps. In the UK, research suggests that around 74% of all communication is now done through digital channels, with social media being a popular option for younger generations in particular.
Aside from being a different form of communication, digital technology has also had a major impact on the ways in which we communicate. Society has gone from the majority of communication being spoken to an increasing amount of communication through words and even pictures. Modern apps and technology are designed to make communication easier, but are we losing the effectiveness and impact of how we talk?
The Importance of Influence and Impact on Communication
When we communicate with another person, the ultimate goal is to share ideas. This might just be for social reasons, but it often has a purpose outside of this. Whether it’s sharing an opinion on a current topic or collaborating to design or create something, communication allows us to work with others effectively.
We can use communication to influence others or share something that has an impact on what people think. This is especially useful in business, where it’s important to get your ideas across to those who work with you on a project. Communication for influential impact is crucial for effective leadership and management, allowing collaboration and positive change.
Societies with effective communication are more likely to develop quicker and lead to better results. Failing to communicate well can lead to differences in opinions and conflict, both of which can have negative consequences. Leaders in all facets of society and business must use communication to better fulfil goals, sway stakeholders, and promote change, whether in social gatherings or corporate settings.
The Rise of Social Media Apps and Messaging Services
Over the past few decades, the internet has become a ubiquitous part of life. Today, people are more connected than ever before, and social media apps have become one of the primary ways people communicate. Although social media platforms had their beginnings in internet forums in the late 90s, it wasn’t until the early 2010s that they really started to take off. At this time, internet-connected smartphones became far more common, and easy access to social media apps really accelerated their usage.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Whatsapp have made it easier for people to connect, share ideas and become closer. It’s also offered a new way for businesses to interact with people, advertising and focusing on specific target audiences. This offers benefits to both the businesses themselves and consumers, making advertising more personalised and creating more effective marketing campaigns.
The Future of Communication
Communication has changed significantly over the past few decades, driven by the increasing popularity of mobile apps and social media. The use of letters and postcards has mostly fallen out of favour for the much faster and more convenient emails and instant messaging. Radio shows have become less popular compared to podcasts and social media has replaced magazines.
It’s hard to say what the future of communication will look like, but technology will undoubtedly have a major impact. As technology improves, it’s important that efforts are made to preserve the effectiveness of communication. Using apps to message one another can be useful, but there’s more information in a face-to-face conversation.
Based on this, we might expect future communication to implement video messaging more often. This technology became far more common during the pandemic when face-to-face meetings were limited. In the future, this could be combined with virtual reality technology to allow people to meet in person while being in two different places at once.
