Are we really obsessed with Facebook? I guess I could see that, but if you think about all the time you Facebook on Facebook, it DOES all add up. But you know what they say, all Facebook and no Facebook make Facebook a Facebook Facebook….. FAAAAACEBOOOOOOK!
And now, on to the Digital Influence Weekly…
Is your company national? Global? Interstellar? If it is and you have a social media campaign or online community elements in your business, then you need to be cognisant of regional dialects and cultural diversities within your online space. Think about it. What if you want everyone from across the globe to interact with each other but the dialects keep getting in the way? A recent study from Carnegie Mellon University shows that how you speak online can be a clear view to “where you're living in the U.S.”
BREAKING OBVIOUS NEWS ALERT: If you’re from Texas, you may speak like a Texan in real life and online. If you’re from Minnesota, you may speak like a Minnesotan on and offline, eh? That seems fairly predictable, but think about how this could be used to your benefit. Let’s say you operate a national business and think you have a fairly good handle on where your markets are. But after viewing several online forums, you notice that most of the conversations about services you provide are in a dialect not native to your typical markets. Now you have a new goal for growth. Find out where those people are from and reach out to them.
Or what if how you say something might sound offensive to someone else? Your playful comment in responding to a Facebook post on your Page could be interpreted as insulting. However, understanding the dialects could allow for a deeper connection with each conversation. Everyone likes to feel like they can be understood by the businesses with whom they interact. I know I sure don’t like to be made fun of when I say “y’all” or tell someone on the phone that I’m from “Yuston. Yuston, Texas.”
If you’re not willing to dig in that deep, make sure to keep all your outgoing messages clear of regional and cultural dialects so that everyone can understand and act on what you’re communicating.