If you can't beat them, make sure everyone can join them

 Welcome back, fellow bloggers! 

Does anyone else's desk look like this or is it just mine? I feel like I cannot get anything done if I don't have my multiple devices out and ready. I keep my phone out for calls and to listen to podcasts, my iPad out for notes, and I simply cannot function without two monitors. With so much going on, you may be thinking "how in the world does she not get distracted?" but friends, I do not know how 
I would manage without one of these devices. Each device serves a different purpose, but they somehow all connect to help me reach my end goal. 

As a millennial, I witnessed firsthand the rise of technology. I went from a household with a landline on the wall and dial up internet to having 2 cell phones, 2 laptops, and an iPad. This many devices is so normal in our household that even my two year old understands how a phone works and loves to Facetime her grandparents on my iPad. My husband and I both have good jobs and we are blessed to be able to provide the luxury of home Wi-Fi and access to computers and smart devices to our children, however, this is not always the case. The Pew Research Center shows that 43% of Americans with household incomes below $30,000 a year do not have broadband or access to desktop or laptop computers. There is a digital divide that is causing adults to be out of touch, but more importantly, causing children to fall behind in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and e-learning.  This digital divide is something that needs to be remedied sooner rather than later since we are in such a digital era and everything is going mobile. Companies such as T-Mobile are working to decrease the digital divide, but it is an important factor to consider when adjusting communication channels to reach your target audiences.

Now, in that same breath, global traffic is growing. As we discussed in a previous post, more and more people are turning to their mobile devices for news and communication matters. Organizations are having to consider the design of their websites even more now. Google reported that 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40% visit a competitor’s site instead. So this means that organizations with mobile friendly websites are more likely to reach audiences than their counterparts that do not have mobile friendly websites. So, back to those devices I can't function without, website must be seamless regardless of which device I am using to view it. It is expected that the functionality will be the same, the layout similar, if not the same, and it should all be cohesive. Websites that do not offer this often times, as noted in the graphic, upset users and they find other sources that can accommodate their need for mobile friendliness. This can be especially frustrating for communicators who do not have control over the website itself but are tasked with getting messages out through that platform. So, how can communicators combat unfriendly mobile websites and still reach their audience? 

Well, a popular option is creating a mobile app. Mobile apps are an excellent way to get your messages directly to your audiences. There are a variety of ways to use mobile apps as well. They can be used for external audiences or internal audiences. People are already on their phones, so the best way to reach them and communicate with them is to meet them in the digital landscape. Another feature mobile apps offer is the use of push notifications. These notifications come directly to your phone and do not get clogged up in an overcrowded inbox or lost in the shuffle of a news report. They notify audiences immediately of whatever the news is. While this tool may seem simple, it is actually the best way to reach a wide audience all at once. Many different organizations are using these push notifications to communicate. Think of the last time you downloaded a new app, were you prompted to allow push notifications? More often than not, we click agree absentmindedly and continue scrolling, but the moment we hit yes, we have started a conversation. 

Another tool strategic communicators can use is social media. Social media is mobile friendly, all-inclusive, and has a lot of features for organizations and communicators to utilize. Social media gives users access to the world around them from their smartphones or devices. It allows users to transcend time and space. This is especially beneficial for communicators because they can put their message out and as soon as they hit send, their audience will see it. There is no delay, there are no commercial breaks, and the power is truly in their hands. But think about it, as social media users, we too hold power. We are now strategic communicators. Every status update we post or article we share gets communicated to our friends and followers. 

Just for fun, let's think about how we personally interact with these modern digital advancements. 

How many times do you see posts on social media or a news website and you screenshot it to send to friends and family or you share it to your own page? For me personally, it is every day. My phone is constantly with me, and if it is in my hand I am interacting with a message or a post. 

Now, how often do you follow the prompts to download an organization's mobile app when visiting their website on your phone? For me, this one is a pause. If I do not interact with this organization often I likely will not download their app. I will continue to visit their site for quick answers, but never fully commit to opening the line of communication. However, if I do interact with this organization frequently, I am more likely to download their app. In doing this I know that I will likely receive those push notifications and thus open the line of communication.

There is no escaping the evolution of the digital landscape. We are seeing advancements made every single day. As communicators, the old saying works best, "if you can't beat them, join them." I like this saying, but I am going to adapt it in hopes of aiding in closing the digital divide. "If you can't beat them, make sure everyone can join them."