To begin with, what medium or platform we use has a great impact on the type of message that gets out. One of the reasons for this is that every platform has constraints and affordances. Another reason is that the platform can speak to the importance of the message, like how Marshall McLuhan said “the medium is the message”. Basically the medium is what makes the message as without the medium the message wouldn’t get out.
Constraints and Affordances
Every platform has it’s limitations on what type of message gets out. Some constraints of posts are limited character or word count per post, limited amount of seconds for a video, limited or copy righted audio, and a limited number of images allowed. All these constraints impact what type of message gets out. They might limit what messages can be seen. The platform affords you the ability to get a message out. However, it is very limiting as to what that message entails. All these limitations will impact the message that can get out. A lot of thinking will have to be done in order for the message to be understood the way it was meant to. With only a limited amount of characters and images you must get to the point and make sure that point is understood.
Vibe of the Platform
Each platform has a different vibe attacked to it. For example, Twitter (X) and Reddit are more unhinged than Snapchat or Instagram. You go to one social platform for one sort of thing. You don’t expect to see Twitter type of posts on Snapchat. Some of this does have to do with what the platform allows, if videos can or can’t be shown. But over all, each platform has a different vibe of posts. It is like how you wouldn’t expect to find groceries at a GameStop. You go to GameStop for games.
Same thing with social media platforms. You go to Twitter and Reddit to see how interesting the world can get on certain ideas. You go on Snapchat and Instagram to check up on your friends or celebrities. This being said, the type of message posted is impacted on the platform it is posted to. For instance, if you post sweet innocent stuff on Twitter, it’ll do worse than it being on a mom’s Facebook. It is important to know what medium you are going to use for your message. Posts on a specific platform have a specific vibe so it is important to know what vibe you are going for. Keeping in mind the affordances and constraints of the platform is important when trying to send out a message. After all, if you don’t pay attention, you will give the wrong type of message.
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