Technology has seeped into our lives in the most profound ways, making its impact in plenty of ways and affecting every aspect of our lives. The expansion of technology is key in the evolution of communication, in both our personal and working lives.
Technology has become one of the most useful and crucial tools in our lives, and is constantly evolving and updating with new devices, programs, and platforms. In business, taking advantage of technology is key to success because of how much society uses it to communicate with businesses and with one another. To communicate with customers and target markets, businesses must keep adapting to new forms of technology.
There are everchanging trends in communication that have emerged and became the norm, such as video communication and social media.
Key Ways Technology Has Affected Communication
Advances in technology have meant that almost every person owns a smartphone of computer. In business, this has meant employees can utilise their personal devices to improve the work efficiency and, in most cases, now, work remotely. Over the last couple of years, we have seen a huge shift in the way people work, with many people now working from home using smart devices to communicate with their team and collaborate on projects. Technology has played a key role in the shift in work patterns that we have seen.
The only disadvantage that companies face with more people working from home is the risk of data breached and information security. Therefore, it’s important for businesses to invest in secure communication tools and software for their teams to prevent unauthorised access and security risks. If managed properly with regular audits, using personal technology while working can be a great benefit in business.
Advances in technology has also led to a huge shift in how people find and engage with information. Social media platforms, news websites, blogs, podcasts, and other online platforms are all examples of how people engage with information online and communicate with others. Whether we use these platforms to post, share, message or comment, every way in which we use social media platforms is a form of communication. Due to the multitude of platforms, this has also provided businesses with additional ways to communicate with the existing and potential clients. Instead of investing large amounts of money into traditional forms of marketing, businesses can invest in short bursts of paid advertising on social media, accessing new online audiences.
Despite the obvious benefits on digital communication, some do fear the long term affects on our in-person communication and overall wellbeing. Some question whether increased online communication will hinder our ability and skills to build relationships with others face-to-face. For example, body language and tone of voice are both vital for interpreting someone, but both are often lost when communicating virtually. Either way, education is key for keeping people aware of the risks and how they can use online communication safely.
The Future of Technology & Communication
Going forward into the future, machine learning and artificial intelligence are paving the way for the future of communication. Not forgetting the up-and-coming metaverse. We’re already getting a glimpse into the future of communication with the likes of chatbots, algorithms, automated-writing software and much more. Automated communication will introduce new dynamics to business and who knows what opportunities AI will bring?
Video communication continues to be a huge trend in how people use technology to communicate. It’s also set the tone for the future of visual communication with endless possibilities of how we will be communicating with one another.
To conclude, there are enormous ways technology has affected communication, and there is no sign of it stopping. Ten years from now, communication will once again be revolutionised.
