1.

Social Media and Business Communication

Social Media refers to the applications and websites that are designed to allow
people to share information or content faster, efficiently and in real-time. The
communication tool started on computers not on apps on their smartphones, this
misconception roots form the fact that most social media users access their tools via
apps. Business communication refers to how a company shares information to promote
its product or services to potential consumers. In addition, it is goal oriented and it involves
constant flow of communication, it can be oral or written communication.
The ability to share events, opinions, photos and many more in real time has
transformed the way we do business and the way we live. Retailers today use social
media as an integral part of their marketing strategy usually to see measurable results
and we must treat social media with care, respect and attention you do all of your business
efforts.
 The Importance of Social Media in Business
The importance of social media in business is growing at unimaginable speed.
With more people using them regularly & efficiently and joining social media sites, the
social media industry is bound to become bigger in the future. If you want your business
to survive in today’s generation you must take advantage of the social media. With such
amazing growth, every business today needs to leverage proper social media channels in
the best possible way because their target audience is hanging around the popular social
networks. And they’re engaging with their favorite brands and connecting with them on
different levels.
By giving your business brand the social media touch, you not only generate more
business but also connect with your customers better and serve them on a higher level.
It actually makes your digital marketing easier.
 Benefits of Social Media in Business
Social media has certainly proven beneficial over the last two decades. For
businesses, social media has created a way to send a brand’s messaging to the right
people at the right time and hope your brand sticks out to them enough to be interested,
let alone loyal throughout their lives.
Benefits:
 Faster, Easier Communication
Customers can contact a customer service representative faster and easier now than
ever before thanks to social media. t’s faster now than ever before to contact the right
people and oftentimes without having to even pick up a phone and it’s only becoming
easier as more people and brands use social media platforms to keep in contact with the
people that matter most to their business Customers can now communicate real feedback
in real time like never before, something businesses have strived to achieve for a long
time.
 Networking and Partnership
In addition to the simplified lines of communication, there’s the aspect of general
availability. Building quality relationships becomes a lot easier with the streamlined
communication we get from social media, and building relationships with key influencers
earns a lot of value for your brand.

 Boost Organic Visibility

Adding quality backlinks to your brand’s website (by way of social media relationships,
as well as the ways social media help accumulate a variety of link types to comprise a
healthy backlink profile), social media also sends relevancy signals and other signals to
search engines like Google to ensure popular content is easily visible and shareable.

 Increase Website Traffic

Social media is intended to reach different audiences in a personable, useful, and

entertaining way and refer those potential customers you may not have ever had the
chance to engage with previously to get to know and try your business.

 Customer Feedback

Social media helps us maintain that reputation by giving us platforms to directly interact
with our customers like we never have before. That also means we are receiving real
customer feedback directly from the source, faster than ever before (and usually much
more raw, too).

 Impress Potential Customers

Keeping in line with maintaining your brand’s respected reputation is the opportunity to
impress potential customers with how you’ve handled other, typically unrelated
customer interactions.

 Branding

You can show off your brand culture and personality, stand out among the rest for the
traits that make your brand different, and attract new, quality employees and further
improve your business even more.

 Track your Competition

Social media channels also allow us to keep our finger on the pulse of not just other
marketing tactics and practices, but also with the tactics used by direct competitors.

 Crowdsourcing your Ideas

The larger the audience, the more potential the content has to really impact a brand and
it’s messaging. Brands will receive and be able to (usually) use this sometimes-quality
content — videos, images, infographics, memes, etc. — with proper permission, of
course.

 Role of Social Media in Business Communication

Creating and developing a website is important for any business. Along with having a
website, you need to expand your online outreach to social media platforms.

Interaction with Target Market Improve Responsiveness

Competition Effective Marketing
Find Customers Affordability
Database Social Environment
Informative Online Presence
Importance of Getting Social Communication and Branding
Social Media for Business Growth

How Social Media change the role of Business communication

Social media allows companies and their clients to communicate directly and
frequently, forming strong relationships and even allowing them to collaborate on
projects. Businesses adopt social applications and see it topple walls within traditional
management structures. The change is nothing less than the brink of a new social media
ecosystem: one where every corner of an organization is in continuous collaboration and
where customers are instantly part of that conversation. New companies will have social
media in their DNA. Some will do it badly, some will not be quite right, and some will
change the way things are done. The most important thing is to make sure that social
media has a unique purpose and is not just an adjunct or gimmick.

2. Two Types of Business Communication

1. Internal Communication

Communication within an organization is called “Internal Communication”. It includes all

communication within an organization. It may be informal, formal function, or department
providing communication in various forms to employees.

Effective internal communication is a vital mean of addressing organizational concerns.

Good communication may help to increase job satisfaction, safety, productivity, and
profits and decrease grievances and turnover.
Under Internal Business Communication types:

 Upward Communication

Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to superiors, or from

employees to management. Without upward communication, management works in a
vacuum, not knowing if the messages have been received properly, or if other problems
exist in the organization. By definition, communication is a two-way affair. Yet for effective
two-way organizational communication to occur, it must begin from the bottom.

Upward Communication is a mean for the staff to:

Exchange information Achieve job satisfaction

Offer ideas Express enthusiasm

Provide feedback

 Downward Communication

Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling
people in the organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies).
Downward communication generally provides information – which allows a subordinate
to do something. For example, instructions on how to complete a task. Downward
communication comes after upward communications have been successfully established.

This type of communication is needed in an organization to:

Transmit vital information Announce decisions Boost morale

Give instructions Seek cooperation Increase efficiency

Encourage 2-way discussion Provide motivation Obtain feedback

Both Downward & Upward Communications are collectively called “Vertical

Communication”

 Horizontal/Literal communication

Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information, and allows people

with the same or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate.
Communication among employees at the same level is crucial for the accomplishment of
the assigned work.

Horizontal Communication is essential for:

Solving problems Improving teamwork

Accomplishing tasks Building goodwill

Boosting efficiency

1. External Communication

Communication with people outside the company is called “external communication”.

Supervisors communicate with sources outside the organization, such as vendors and
customers.

It leads to better: It should improve:

Sales volume Overall performance

Public credibility Public goodwill

Operational efficiency Corporate image

Company profits

Ultimately, it helps to achieve:

Organizational goals

Customer satisfaction

3. Social Media & Technology

 Blog/Vlog

A blog (shortening of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying information

in the reverse chronological order, with latest posts appearing first. It is a platform where a writer
or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject.

A video blog (vlog) is a blog done with the help of videos, unlike a text blog where information is
shared using just text and static images. Like a text blog, however, video blogs are visible to all
and may be shared, commented on and rated. Video blogs are more descriptive and interactive
compared to other types of blogs and are considered best for tutorial blogs.

 Linked-in

LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifically for the business community. The goal of
the site is to allow registered members to establish and document networks of people they know
and trust professionally. Network members are called “connections.” Unlike other free social
networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn requires connections to have a pre-existing
relationship.

 Twitter

Twitter is a free social networking microblogging service that allows registered members to
broadcast short posts called tweets. Twitter members can broadcast tweets and follow other
users' tweets by using multiple platforms and devices. Tweets and replies to tweets can be sent
by cell phone text message, desktop client or by posting at the Twitter.com website.

 FB Page

A Facebook page is a public profile specifically created for businesses, brands, celebrities,
causes, and other organizations. Unlike personal profiles, pages do not gain "friends," but "fans"
- which are people who choose to "like" a page. Pages can gain an unlimited number of fans,
differing from personal profiles, which has had a 5,000 friend maximum put on it by Facebook.
Pages work similarly to profiles, updating users with things such as statuses, links, events, photos
and videos. This information appears on the page itself, as well as in its fans' personal news
feeds.

 Instagram

Instagram allows users to edit and upload photos and short videos through a mobile app.
Users can add a caption to each of their posts and use hashtags and location-based
geotags to index these posts and make them searchable by other users within the app.

Instagram is not only a tool for individuals, but also for businesses. The photo-sharing
app offers companies the opportunity to start a free business account to promote their
brand and products.

 Online Shopping

Online shopping is the activity or action of buying products or services over the Internet.
It means going online, landing on a seller’s website, selecting something, and arranging
for its delivery. The buyer either pays for the good or service online with a credit or debit
card or upon delivery.