Technology Leads to Interactivity

Do you use technology in your profession?  Four years ago, it was reported that “sixty-two percent of working Americans use the Internet as an integral part of their jobs” (United States Department of Commerce, 2011, para. 3).  With the advancements in technology in the last four years, one can confidently assume that this percentage has increased.  And while this percentage has increased, technology continues to affect many processes in various professions, including the work of communicators.

Today’s communicators can no longer solely rely on their information gathering and writing skills to get their message transmitted to the appropriate audience.  Information today is highly interactive.  “Virtually all web content now includes social media ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons, while all billboard, print, radio and TV ads now refer the public to Facebook pages, Twitter handles, and Youtube channels” (Gelles, 2013, para. 3).  An article or advertisement in a magazine may include information on how to access the brand’s social media profiles, or an article on CNN.com might include sharing buttons, allowing readers to share the article on their social media feeds.  “Nearly 54 percent of the largest 10,000 websites now display social sharing links or buttons for one or more of the four major social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linked- In) on their home-pages” (Handley, 2011, para. 24).  Communicators need to be aware of and versed in how their work can be spread from audience to audience, which may require some training and demonstrations on how the information can be shared.

Source: http://blog.loginradius.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/how-do-most-users-prefer-to-share-content-Q3-2014.jpg

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220720

Another way that information is interactive is through the ability for readers to make comments at the end of an article.  The comments area “gives you a chance to interact with your readers on a more personal level” (Patel, 2015, para. 20).  Some comments  may praise the article, some may lead to further discussions, and others may include negative feedback.  If comments are made on social media or directly after the article, it is important for communicators to respond appropriately.  This may require some etiquette training on how to appropriately respond to both positive and negative comments to retain integrity. 

Next up: How technology has changed the way in which information is discovered and obtained.

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References:
Gelles, S.  (2013, March 14).  Social media is mass media.  Information Today Inc.  Retrieved from http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Column/Social-Pulse/Social-Media-is-Mass-Media-88315.htm.

Handley, A.  (2011, December 12).  How to increase social sharing to generate more leads.  Entrepreneur.  Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220720.

Patel, N.  (2015, June 22).  The day after: 11 things to do after you publish a post.  Quick Sprout.  Retrieved from http://www.quicksprout.com/2015/06/22/the-day-after-11-things-to-do-after-you-publish-a-post/.

United States Department of Commerce.  (2011, May 13).  Fact sheet: Digital literacy.  Retrieved from http://2010-2014.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2011/05/13/fact-sheet-digital-literacy.