7 Cs’ OF COMMUNICATION

The 7 C’s of Communication is a checklist that helps to improve the professional

communication skills and increases the chance that the message will be understood in exactly
the same way as it was intended.

To have effective communication, one should keep the following 7 C’s of communication in
mind:

1. CLEAR: The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The
purpose of the communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be
sure about it. The message should emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not
cover several ideas in a single sentence.
2. CORRECT: The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used, and
the sender must ensure that there is no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the
message should be exact and well-timed. The correct messages have a greater impact on
the receiver and at the same time, the morale of the sender increases with the accurate
message.
3. COMPLETE: The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant
information as required by the intended audience. The complete information gives
answers to all the questions of the receivers and helps in better decision-making by the
recipient.
4. CONCRETE: The communication should be concrete, which means the message should
be clear and particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and
figures should be clearly mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the
sender is saying.
5. CONCISE: The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the
lengthy sentences and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The
short and brief message is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s
attention.
6. CONSIDERATION: The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions,
knowledge, mindset, background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In
order to communicate, the sender must relate to the target recipient and be involved.
7. COURTEOUS: It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings
and viewpoints of the receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the
audience. The message should not be biased and must include the terms that show
respect for the recipient.
COMMUNICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
Social media refers to online communication platforms that allow participants to create and
share content with people in their networks.

Some well-known examples include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Social
media can be useful to engage with a wide range of audiences, however, it will require some
thought about who your audiences are, what messages you want to share with them, and
which platform will best suit your needs. These can be developed and documented in a social
media plan.

POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS AND PLATFORMS:

1. BLOGS: A platform for casual dialogue and discussions on a specific topic or opinion.
2. FACEBOOK: The world’s largest social network, with more than 3.03 billion monthly
active users (as of 2023). Users create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and
exchange messages, including status updates. Brands create pages and Facebook users
can “like” brands’ pages.
3. X/TWITTER: A social networking/micro-blogging platform that allows groups and
individuals to stay connected through the exchange of short status messages (280
character limit).
4. INSTAGRAM: A free photo and video sharing app that allows users to apply digital
filters, frames and special effects to their photos and then share them on a variety of
social networking sites.
5. LINKEDIN: A place where groups of professionals with similar areas of interest can
share information and participate in a conversations.
6. YOUTUBE/VIMEO: Video hosting and watching websites.

SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTS ON COMMUNICATION

Social media has profoundly impacted how we communicate, affecting our personal
relationships, the way we receive information, and societal discussions. It has increased
connectivity, allowing us to stay in touch with others more easily and share our thoughts
instantly. However, it also poses challenges like the spread of misinformation and reduced
face-to-face interactions. In 2024, with around 5 billion users worldwide, social media
continues to shape our communication norms and behaviors, highlighting both its benefits
and drawbacks.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS EFFECT ON EXPOSURE TO MESSAGING

Social media greatly influences how we encounter and engage with information. These
platforms use algorithms to curate content, shaping what we see based on our preferences and
behaviors. This curation impacts the diversity and balance of the messaging we encounter,
often creating echo chambers where we are exposed to information that reinforces our
existing beliefs. Let’s explore how this constant exposure affects our news consumption,
personal expression, and reactions to social cues:

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Many people tend to binge on social media, spending hours and hours scrolling though sites.
Ultimately, this may lead to a constant craving of more internet and more social media
consumption. The more people get, the more they want — and it’s hard to stop the cycle.
YOUNG PEOPLE READ NEWS

Today, social media plays a significant role in how young people consume news. According
to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, about one-third of Americans aged 18 to 29 regularly
get their news from TikTok. This platform has seen substantial growth in news consumption
among its users. This trend contrasts with other social media platforms where news
consumption has either plateaued or declined. Facebook remains a leading source for news,
with 30% of U.S. adults regularly using it for this purpose, while YouTube follows closely at
26%.

For young people, social media is not just a tool for staying connected but also a primary
source of information, shaping their understanding of current events and global issues. This
shift underscores the evolving landscape of news media, where traditional news outlets must
adapt to the preferences of younger audiences who favor digital and social media platforms
for their news consumption.

GETTING THE FULL PICTURE

Stories — a part of Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook — mean that people get the full
picture of an event, activity, or occurrence in someone’s life. We no longer just get a
snapshot of a home-cooked meal, we might see the entire process from start to finish.

This has changed the way people think about what to post — there is much less thought put
into a post when it is a story that will be erased after 24 hours.

BOREDOM IN CONVERSATION

Here’s a sad social media effect on communication. We are becoming bored when we have
real, in-person conversations. People have such a need for social media consumption and that
instant, colorful feedback only social media can give, they will often become bored during
real conversations, resorting to their phones. This can lead to a decrease in the quality and
number of meaningful conversations.

REACTIONS TO NON-VERBAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL CUES

In-person reactions to non-verbal, emotional, or social cues are changing in that people don’t
need to respond to these types of communication when they are online. This leads to less
experience and awareness of others’ needs based on these types of cues that can only be
received from in-person communication.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS EFFECT ON SELF-EXPRESSION

Social media has dramatically transformed how people express themselves. These platforms
offer unprecedented opportunities for people to share their thoughts, opinions, and creativity
with a global audience. Features such as posts, stories, and multimedia content let us craft and
curate our online identities, making self-expression more accessible and diverse than ever
before.

SENSE OF URGENCY

No one has to wait for longer than a few hours for a response, and people have come to
expect that timeline for conversations. There is so much of a sense of urgency that people are
often anxious if they haven’t heard back from a family member, friend, or partner in a
number of hours.

NEED TO SHARE

Social media has created a feeling among users that they must share whatever they are doing
— from restaurant orders, to concerts, to the books they are reading. This can be a social
media positive effect because people are getting more exposure to things they might not
otherwise, such as new reads. But it can also be a negative effect as it can urge people to
become dependent on posting anything occurring in their own lives and painting those
occurrences as rosier than they truly are.

HOW WE VALUE OURSELVES

When people see others having a wonderful life, as represented on social media, they tend to
have a negative self-image, and start to devalue their own ways of life. In addition, there is a
feeling of needing to paint an inaccurately positive and ‘fun’ version of one’s own life which
leads to feelings of negativity about one’s ‘real’ life.

INSIDE PERSPECTIVE OF AFAR

One of the positive effects of social media is the ability to get an intimate view of other
cultures and places. With social media, especially on Instagram, users are able to see what
others are doing around the world. People are exposed to travel ideas, new cultures, and ways
of life unlike before.

BROADCASTING LIVE

Broadcasting live started as a fun, innocent idea to share life’s moments, but it’s transformed
to become a large part of political movements, sharing some dark aspects of today’s society.
The option to post live videos has created an important platform for serious issues that need
to be spoken about.

PERSONALIZED DIGITAL MESSAGES

Both Instagram and Snapchat have popularized the highly personalized message. People can
now completely change their own faces with selfie filters, or draw pictures to send to friends,
and more. Creativity soars, which is a great thing, but people can start to spend too much time
personalizing picture messages.

SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION STYLE

Social media platforms have their own unique ways of communicating, and people often
change how they speak and write to fit in. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram focus on
short and visual messages, while LinkedIn is more about professional, text-based content.
Knowing these differences can help you engage better with your audience.

1. SUMMARIZED WRITING: Starting with the limited character text messaging of the
2000s, and nowadays with the 280-character tweet, messages have been getting shorter and
more concise. Other areas of communication have adapted for summarized writing as well,
such as in shortened work memos, shortened academic communication between students and
professors, and shortened messages in advertising.
2. ABBREVIATIONS: The abbreviated style of communicating that became popular when
text messaging started in the 00’s has continued into online conversations. The rise of text
messaging and social media has popularized the use of abbreviations and acronyms.

These shortcuts save time and space but have also infiltrated spoken language, email
communication, and even academic writing. While convenient, this trend has sparked debates
about its impact on literacy and formal writing skills.

3. UNFILTERED INTERACTIONS: Have you ever heard the term “Keyboard Warrior”?
Social media and internet interactions offer a veil between the person sending and the person
receiving the message. These interactions are no longer face to face, and this can lead to some
unfiltered conversations as people feel they can say anything with no repercussions.

4. GIFS AND EMOJIS: The introduction of using emojis to illustrate a written message or a
GIF to express a reaction may seem fun and innocent, but it is also interfering with our ability
to properly craft a written response. It ends up being too tempting to respond with a small
picture, or a funny moving photo than to use the mind to create a response with words from
scratch.

5. VIRAL MESSAGES: That quick and easy “share” button on so many social media
platforms has led to the phenomenon of “going viral.” Messages, videos, and other content
can be easily shared between platforms with millions of people in a matter of days.

THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Businesses use social media to effectively connect with customers, employees, and
stakeholders. These platforms allow companies to build strong communities, engage directly
with audiences, and personalize their communication strategies.

Social media also helps brands coordinate public relations efforts and adapt to changes in
traditional media landscapes. Here are some key ways businesses use social media for
communication:

 BUILDING A COMMUNITY: Companies create communities around their products or

services, fostering loyalty and engagement among customers.
 BRANDS ARE SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO AUDIENCES: Social media allows brands
to communicate directly with their audience, responding to their needs and feedback in
real-time.
 SOCIAL MEDIA IS CHANGING TRADITIONAL MEDIA: Influencers, bloggers, and
online personalities can have a significant impact on a brand’s success, often more than
traditional media outlets.
 BRANDS CAN HAVE A MORE PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE MEDIA:
Social media enables brands to develop long-term, personal relationships with journalists
and media professionals.
 THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO COORDINATE WITH PR EFFORTS: Companies
can leverage social media for public relations campaigns, finding influencers and
collaborators to enhance their reach and impact.

CONCLUSION: Social media has revolutionized how we communicate, affecting everything

from personal expression to business interactions. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram have made it easier than ever to share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with
a global audience. They offer unique opportunities for self-expression and identity curation
through posts, stories, and multimedia content. However, this shift also brings challenges,
such as spreading misinformation and declining in-person conversation quality. As social
media shapes our communication norms, navigating these changes thoughtfully is essential.

In business, social media has become an invaluable tool for engagement and marketing.
Companies use these platforms to build communities, interact directly with customers, and
create more personalized connections with the media. Social media has also transformed
traditional media landscapes, allowing brands to coordinate public relations efforts more
effectively. Overall, while social media brings opportunities and challenges, its impact on
communication is profound, underscoring the need for mindful and strategic use in personal
and professional contexts.