Social media platforms have been one of the best innovations made so far on the internet. People from all over the globe can connect with one another, stand out amongst others, and share your talents on a large geographical scale- leading many to experience connections they could only hope to imagine.
And it doesn’t stop there. Since social media communication is such a valuable source of user interaction, many additional factors have been added to the forums- the most important one being the visual aspects of communication.
But another player with untapped potential is gaining attraction recently and that is conversation media. Conversation media is an umbrella term used to describe various visual forms of online conversation such as avatars, GIFs, Animojis, Bitmojis, and stickers. The journey of conversation media started when Shigetaka Kurita designed the first set of emojis in the late 1990s. Many AI services have also been involved in being developed as conversation media alongside various other companies such as Holler, Zmoji, Mirror, and Bobble AI, to name a few.
So why exactly are these visual forms of communication becoming so popular amongst the general online public? Here are a few reasons to help clear up that mystery.
Improving Online Relationships
As visual creatures, we are prone to being more actively responsive to the visual aspects of communication. Simply writing a phrase might get the message across- but it appears dull and monotonous without getting your emotional feeling across. A reason why almost 10 Billion emojis are shared each day.
On the other hand, using visual forms of communication has been shown to improve the way people portray you online by using certain types of stickers or gifs. For example, you can write a sad message, and people will assume that your just upset- but using a sticker of a person balling their eyes out adds to the dramatic effect and packs a punch in really getting your feelings across by making your messages impactful and interesting.
Quick and Efficient
In a fast-paced world like ours, we all want to stay connected with others, but sometimes we just don’t have the time to manage our relationships as effectively as we want to.
This is where communicative visuals come in handy. A good visual can always help to get your message across rather than having to waste excessive time tying down a lengthy written message. An example of this can be when someone asks you if you are coming over and you are distracted with getting ready, simply sending them a cute picture of “On my way” will quickly explain your point while also softening the atmosphere around you and the person you are conversing with.
A Form of Self Expression
Everyone likes the idea of having a sense of uniqueness in some parts of their lives- and visual communication is one of the many mediums that offer that solution.
Using stickers is an excellent way to create your personal communication style that enhances the appeal of your conversations’ appeal. Additionally, it also helps other people understand various aspects of your personality, such as your taste in visuals, humour, and interests, which function as important factors in developing close relationships with people you meet online. So the more people connect via chats the more scope of conversation media is likely to expand.
