Effective Communication Using Electronic Media
The purpose of communication is to be understood. No matter the medium used, the larger goals of effective communication apply. That is, you want to exchange ideas, spark action, influence, educate or entertain. You want your message to be received as intended. Electronic media makes for exciting new ways to impart your message to a global audience or just your band of "followers." Effective communication in this arena means getting your point across, quickly.
Be Brief. Consumers of electronic media are daily bombarded with too many messages. It's impossible to partake of all of the vast array of information out there. Don't waste anyone's time with your creative literary ability if literature is not the focus of your message. Help your audience along with:
- Quick bullet points, subheadings and lists.
- Boldfacing only the most important words needing emphasis.
- Using short sentences written in plain language.
- Mixing graphic and text content to appeal with varying levels of literacy.
- Keeping the most important elements of your message above the fold, meaning visible without scrolling.
Be Fresh. Stale content won't get read. Keep your communications up-to-date. This also has the handy side effect of making it easier to find you in search engines.
Be Brand-Aware. Even if your audience is an informal one, always communicate with the idea that what you say will be forever etched in the memories and the vaults of The Great Internet. Proofread your work and represent yourself well. Your words can, and probably will be, stored by someone. They can come back and bite you. Of course, if your communication is in email and on behalf of your company, strictly adhere to a professional tone.
Be Accessible. Make your website, blog and other electronic media communications easy for people who use assistive devices to read webpages. Place captions under pictures. Avoid excessive use of Flash and other presentation software. Always use link descriptions. Consider getting a Section 508 scan of your site. This is a requirement of some government websites, which must make their sites usable by people with disabilities.