Communication mix

The hype surrounding the use of social media in corporate communications appears to be as strong as ever. This is repeatedly confirmed by studies conducted by Bitkom, the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media. Last year, two out of three companies in Germany used social media for internal and external communications. One in two companies has its own social media teams. So is social media set to become the ultimate solution for corporate communications in the future?

In our opinion, no. It all comes down to the communications mix. Trade media in particular remain an important source of information. For decision-makers, they are even the most important source, as demonstrated by the B2B decision-maker analysis of the German trade press. 

Our advice: It’s all about the mix

What does this mean for the conceptual direction of your own communication?

When selecting and deploying the relevant communication tools, it is essential to analyse precisely which objectives and target groups are to be reached. Whilst social media is generally more light-hearted and up-to-date, trade media can provide background information and details. References to specialist articles can, in turn, be shared via social media, thereby reaching a wider audience. The two communication tools should not be seen as competitors. Rather, they enrich and support one another in order to address the target audience as effectively as possible.