A couple of years ago, the world of social media was not heard by a lot of people. Whereas, nowadays, social media has become a basic need for almost every human being. For people, food, shelter, and clothes used to be basic needs for survival, but now, we've added the internet, mobile phones, and social media to the list as well.
There is no doubt that in today's era, social media has become our top need. Whereas, the communication is the preliminary axiom of the whole concept of the social media. But do you think that this motto looks realistic? The effects of social media on communication are both – negative and positive. As a matter of fact, the effects are solely dependent upon how we use such platforms.
In this article, we'll be discussing the positive and negative effects of social on communications. So, it is highly suggested that you read this article until the end to get the most out of it. However, this is not the only thing that'll be discussed in this comprehensive article. We'll also talk about the impact of social media on human interaction and how social media can be used in order to improve communication skills.
Table of Contents
Social Media And Communication
Since the spread of social media around the world, the ways by which people used to communicate has changed by a lot. We all know that the concept of communication back then had many limitations. Yet, with the help of social media platforms, the world has not started to get closer. With a few clicks, you can get connected with any person that is sitting across the globe within seconds. Trust us, social media has not only changed the world's concept of communication but it has also reshaped the existing ones.
People are now able to communicate with each other instantly. This implies that there has been an increase in the speed of global and local communication. Not only will you be now able to communicate with others instantly, but you will also be able to share documents, images, and files within a few seconds.
There is no doubt that the traditional ways of communication have been replaced by moderns ones. Much like everything the concept of social media and communication also has two sides. That's right the effect of social media on communication has an optimistic side and the other side is relatively pessimistic.
The Positive Effects Of Social Media On Communication
One of the top benefits of social media on communication is that the speed of communication has been increased. The old and traditional ways of communication had many flaws out of one was the speed of communication. It was of slow nature. While social media has brought a solution for it. With the help of social media platforms, messages can be delivered to almost every part of the world within a few seconds.
If you are working remotely because of the lockdown, you can convey instructions to your employees within a blink of an eye.
Did you know that more than 39% of people think that they've become more close to their friends because of social media? Meanwhile, more than 28% of people who use social media sites say that they've started to make new friends around the world.
On social media sites, you are the representative of your own culture with no boundaries whatsoever and the same is the case with others. If you are an introvert, social media sites can turn out to be a good place to start a conversation with others.
Keep in mind that social media sites or platforms are not only limited to Whatsapp or Facebook. Although these are the most popular once as per now. But Instagram and various other online applications have been giving people the opportunity to showcase their talent.
A lot of artists from the rural and remote areas have started to gain the attention of people. Trust us, a lot of things are being invented and being shared on such platforms. What more? Singers and dancers have gained a lot of fan followings through such mediums.
These were some of the most common positive effects of social media on communication. Now, let’s shed some light on the negative effects too.
The Negative Effects Of Social Media On Communication
Just like all the other things, social media has some drawbacks too. The base of social media platform was to make communication better. Although a lot of people will think that this purpose has been fulfilled, but in actuality, the purpose of communication has been lost somewhere between.
The speed of communication has increased by a lot, and so did the reliability. Rumors are now being spread across the social medium platforms yet there is no authenticity of it. The amount of fake news and rumors on such platforms is increasing day by day. And because people see it on social media sites, a lot of them will consider the rumors to be true.
With the ease of access, people have started to become more lazy. That’s right, people of all ages tend to stay inside the house over the weekend to kill time on Facebook or any other social media platform instead of going out and relaxing. Does this mean that people are losing interest in meeting other people?
Meaningful conversation and even the chances of having good conversations with others are seen to be reduced day by day. People have started to use acronyms instead of writing full words, such as K, brb, atm, lmao, and many others. Such acronyms have started to destroy the beauty of the language and most importantly, they're not doing justice to the semantics of the grammar as well.
On top of that, using social media excessively has also found to decrease the attention span of an individual, and also the information can be misleading. Also sitting alone, can decrease the thinking ability of a person too.
Social Media Impact On Human Interaction
Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter might have allowed you to make a lot of friends online, but what are you going to do about the people whom you interact with every day?
With these social media platforms, the longer distances have been cut down, yet people who are more close to you in actual have started to drift apart. That’s right, people are now more interested in talking to their new friends online instead of talking to the ones sitting beside them.
Face to face conversation is considered to be the most important aspect of communication but because of social media, it's getting forgotten. This is also causing degradation in the moral values of the society.
It is assumed that the social media impact on human interaction is more negative than positive.
Does Social Media Improves Communication Skills
We've seen that social media is revolutionizing the medium of communication. How? Well, it has brought to us a new level of efficiency. And the best part is that social media platforms have enabled two-way communication. The brand will not only be able to talk to their customers, but the consumers also have the chance to interact with the brands of their choice. Yet again, you can easily share the conversation across the world with the help of few clicks.
If you are an owner of a renowned brand, trust us, you no longer live in a place where you can hide yourself behind the wall of private conversations. If you want to generate more leads to your business, you need to engage, respond, and build trust with your prospects. Even if it means exposing the bad and good elements of your business.
Simple Steps For Effective Communication On Social Media For Businesses
Be Original
Did you know that the customers and the stakeholders are constantly looking for an authentic and congruent message from the brand? This is what will help the brand build trust among them.
Be Transparent
You should always be open and honest about the operation of your company, the services that you provide, and the product that you sell. Keep in mind that the customers respond to the favorable piece of information that digs out their understandings.
Be Consistent
Always remember that the intermittent communications always invites skepticism. This is why you should always engage with your existing and prospective customers regularly. Also, use content that is the most relevant and personally created.
You need to craft content that balances everything out in the best possible manner.
Be Available
Customers are looking for companies that are available 24/7 and are legit. Social media is active all the time, and the customers expect you to be available for them too. This is why you need to stay active on your business profiles and contribute to the conversation as much as you can.
Bottom Line:
As mentioned above, the effects of social media on communication can be positive and negative. Rules and regulations on social media can drive us towards reliable and effective communication. Whereas, if we misuse it, we'll get deprived of the whole concept of online communication.
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