How Social Media Changed Communication

social media changed communication with people connecting online

Social media communications has changed the world. Social media has not only changed the speed at which people can communicate, it has also changed what people say to each other as they fit it into as few characters as possible. With greater speed and fewer words, one might assume that social media frees up time. It does in some ways, but puts an onus on everyone to learn new languages as well as effective usage. One place where effective usage matters is advertising. People can go from social media communication platforms to websites to sign up for newsletters from their favorite brands.

Consumer Impression

Customers get impressions of those brands from what they post on social media. Therefore, it’s important that they maintain a consistent brand message. While shopping, customer’s purchasing decisions and even their searches can be used to individualize the types of advertising they see. It can be tailored to them while enforcing the same brand message established using the language of social media. The advantage in learning these things is brand recognition, automatic purchases, and customer retention. Another thing that has changed is that companies can communicate with each other, and even with customers, without anyone commuting. An office isn’t even a requirement. They can have business meetings over Skype or other video conference servicing. This saves money on plane fare and or gas and allows collaboration that would have been impossible before. Companies can talk to customers using the same method rather than having them call a telephone line or come to a physical location. It makes communication easier for everyone and allows problems to be dealt with quicker. Convenience like that keeps customers coming back, telling them that they can trust a company they’ve done business with.

Social Media Channels

The different types of social media can be effective tools for companies looking to grow or maintain their businesses. There is a bit of a learning curve for getting onto a new platform, but none of them are overly complicated. Besides, the returns are worth the time put into learning and using them. A few hours on social media generating likes, gaining followers, having people share content, and getting people to sign up for newsletters can bring huge returns. They can be tracked by how many times those things are done or of course how many new sales are generated. The important thing is to keep the brand message consistent. If the message is always consistent, it will stick in a customer’s mind more easily.

Future of Social Media Communication

A few hours on video conference collaborating with employees and or consultants can save a lot in money, time sending emails back and forth, and frustration. Doing the same with customers can promise keeping the ones social media has gained. It might even increase recommendations. In a lot of ways, social media has made word of mouth advertising far more effective and far-reaching. It is on companies to utilize the tool to their advantage by making sure their brand message is being communicated. Once the message is put out and duplicated on multiple platforms, customers share it amongst countless potential customers.

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , his writing on AI communications and brand reputation is published on his personal site, and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. He continues that commentary on his own publishing platform , where he writes about reputation, crisis, and AI-mediated discovery. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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