Types of digital communication
- Email: can be formal or informal, can carry attachments, and can go to one person or many. It is not instant.
- Instant messaging and SMS text messages: quick and informal, and good for groups.
- Social media: reaches large audiences quickly with posts, images and video, and people can reply.
- Video conferencing: face-to-face meetings over the internet, which saves travel.
- Websites, blogs, vlogs and podcasts: publish information for a wide audience, and can be updated at any time.
Devices and channels
- Devices include smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smart TVs and smart speakers.
- Some communications go to chosen people (email and messages). Others are broadcast to anyone (websites and public posts).
Choosing a method
- Consider the audience (who and how many, and their access needs), the purpose (to inform, persuade, entertain or instruct), the content (text, images or video, and whether it is confidential), how quickly it must arrive, the cost and the security.
- A school might email parents a formal letter, text them an urgent reminder, and share photos of sports day on social media.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Advantages: speed, reach, low cost, multimedia content and two-way communication.
- Disadvantages: people need devices and internet access (the digital divide), security and privacy risks, messages can be misunderstood without tone of voice, information overload, and posts can be permanent.
Key terms
- Digital communication
- Sending information electronically, such as by email or social media.
- Instant messaging
- Sending short text messages over the internet in real time.
- Social media
- Websites and apps where users create and share content with others.
- Video conferencing
- Holding meetings with live video and sound over the internet.
- Blog
- A website with regular posts, often written by one person.
- Podcast
- An audio programme that people can download or stream.
- Target audience
- The group of people a communication is aimed at.