Managing the effectiveness of online communication

Peter Okolie
 

For most individuals and organisations, the goal of online communication is to encourage people to take an action or become better informed about a particular subject matter. There are many reasons why online communication may fail; in certain communication attempts, the message may not be received exactly the way the communicator intended. In others it may not be targeted at the right audience or delivered in the right manner. It is, therefore, important that the communicator be aware of the barriers to effective communication and strive to avoid them.

One very important barrier to online communication is the use of jargons; over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms. Jargons, which are the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of an occupation or group, may appear meaningless outside of a certain context. If I am to write on a website that is to be viewed by only people in the medical profession, it is okay to use words like Agonal (term to signify a major, negative change in a patient’s condition), BP (medical shorthand for blood pressure), FX (medical jargon meaning bone fracture). Individuals that are not familiar with these ‘jargons’ would find it difficult to connect with the message that is being passed across.

Still in today’s new media age, some Internet jargons have become common place in many circles. They include BTW (by the way), CYA (See you around), FAQ (frequently asked questions), HTH (hope this helps), LOL (laugh out loud), BFF (best friends forever), ATM (at the moment), TTYL (talk to you later) etc. Quite frankly, these jargons make for quicker delivery, however,  they do not guarantee effective communication. So, it is best to strive towards clarity and ensure you do not leave your audience asking, ‘What does that word mean?’

Another important barrier to effective online communication is the psychological one. Psychological barriers are perceived barriers to attaining what you want. Vulnerability, whether it manifests itself as fear, shyness, mistrust or restraint, is probably the biggest psychological barrier that hinders effective communication. Many people are not told that their opinion matters and that sense of vulnerability and fear becomes a serious hindrance to effective communication.

Everyone is afraid of something, and when fear holds you back from doing something that you want to do, or need to do, then that becomes a serious barrier. For example, if you as a school administrator send out information requesting that people express their opinion about a subject matter, you must anticipate and strive to eradicate the psychological barrier of fear that may prevent these students from opening up. As a business person, if, for instance, you run an online store, you may provide excellent service and have very affordable products, these notwithstanding, you won’t make a dime unless you are able to convince your online audience to make a payment. In this case you would have to anticipate and strive to eradicate the psychological barrier, in the form of fear that comes from the knowledge of credit card fraud. You may need to include a statement to assure your audience that your website is secure and their detail is safe. You may also give them a money-back guarantee, this you must do to eliminate the psychological barrier of fear.

Another important barrier to effective communication is language difference. Typically, little communication occurs unless both parties can communicate in the same language, this sometimes requires an investment of much time and effort.

It is instructive to state that whatever investment is made towards learning a new language is crucial because without knowing a language, one cannot effectively communicate. For example, if someone needs to talk about the importance of basic health care to people in the rural areas, it is not enough to provide computers and Internet connection. The delivery is very important, if such an individual goes ahead to write out this message in English language, it may not make an impact to these uneducated group. Even if such a message is translated to their local languages,  it may make minimal impart seeing that majority of these people may not be able to read even their local language. Such a communicator may choose to prepare a video in the local language of the people and engage the services of actors that the local people can identify with.

Furthermore, cultural difference is a serious barrier to effective communication. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures. For example, in Nigeria the majority of people believe in the family institution and the need for members of a family to stand by one another. In other parts of the world, their preference and beliefs may differ, understanding these differences would improve communication. The concept of personal space varies between cultures and social settings play a serious role in effective communication. Understanding the amount of privacy each individual should be given is very important.This is particularly important so you can identify those information that your audience may term personal, this would help you not to ‘cross the line’ in your communication.

In conclusion, regardless of the size and scope of your online communication, you need good communication skills if you want to succeed. Make a deliberate effort to identify the likely barriers to your online communication and strive to overcome them. No communication effort can be described as effective if it is not understood by the audience in the way and manner it was intended by the communicator.