The Most Popular Online Communication Technology, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the online communication technology you think is the most popular!

Updated on Apr 24, 2024 07:27

In an age where staying connected is more crucial than ever, finding the right tools to communicate online can feel like sifting through a digital haystack. Everyone has their own needs and preferences, making it challenging to identify which options stand out in the sea of available technology. That's where the value of a community-curated ranking comes in, providing clarity and consensus on what works best for the majority. By casting your vote, you contribute to a clearer picture of what technologies are truly elevating communication today. This list is shaped by the very users it serves, ensuring that the results are genuinely reflective of what people find most effective and enjoyable. Whether you're looking for reliability, innovative features, or user-friendliness, seeing what others have voted to the top can guide you to make the best choice for your own online communication needs.

What Is the Most Popular Online Communication Technology?

1

26
votes
Email

Email has been around since the early days of the internet and remains one of the most popular online communication technologies. It's versatile, easy to use, and is the backbone of online communication for many businesses and organizations.
Email is a form of electronic communication that allows users to exchange messages over the internet or other computer networks. It is a widely used method for sending and receiving text-based messages, files, and documents.

Message Format: Email messages follow a specific format using standard protocols like SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3), and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol).

Addressing: Email messages consist of a sender and one or more recipients, identified by a unique email address.

Attachments: Emails can include attachments, allowing users to send and receive files such as documents, images, and videos.

Subject and Body: Emails typically have a subject line that summarizes the content, and a body where the main message is written.

Inbox and Folders: Email providers offer features like inbox, sent items, drafts, and folders to organize and manage messages.
2

25
votes
Instant messaging

Jarkko Oikarinen

Instant messaging allows users to send and receive messages in real-time, making it a popular choice for quick and informal communication. Services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack are widely used for both personal and professional communication.
Instant messaging is a form of communication that allows real-time exchange of text messages between individuals or groups over the internet. It enables users to send and receive messages instantly, facilitating quick and efficient communication.

Real-time messaging: Enables instant exchange of messages

Text-based: Primarily focuses on text-based communication

Internet-based: Uses the internet as the underlying communication medium

Individual and group messaging: Allows one-on-one as well as group conversations

Presence indicator: Shows the online/offline status of users
Instant messaging in other rankings
- Position 6 of 10 in Most popular form of communication
3

20
votes
TANDBERG Corporation · Attribution

Video conferencing

With the rise of remote work and virtual teams, video conferencing has become an increasingly popular way to communicate online. Platforms like Zoom and Skype make it easy to connect with colleagues and clients from anywhere in the world.
Video conferencing is a real-time communication technology that enables individuals or groups to have face-to-face interactions through video and audio connections over the internet. It allows people in different locations to communicate and collaborate as if they were in the same room.

High-quality Video and Audio: Video conferencing provides high-definition video and crystal-clear audio to ensure a lifelike communication experience.

Multi-Party Conferencing: It supports multiple participants in a conference, allowing groups of people to join and interact simultaneously.

Screen Sharing: Video conferencing platforms often include screen-sharing functionality, enabling users to share their computer screens for presentations and collaboration.

Chat and Messaging: Many video conferencing tools include text chat and messaging features, allowing participants to communicate via text alongside the audio and video streams.

Recording and Playback: Video conferences can be recorded for future reference or sharing with others. Users can also playback recorded meetings.
4

10
votes
Brian Solis and JESS3 · CC BY 2.5

Social media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram provide a way for people to connect and communicate with each other online. They are often used for personal communication, but also have important implications for business and marketing.
Social media is an online platform that allows people to create and share content, engage in conversations, and connect with others. It has revolutionized the way individuals interact, communicate, and consume information on the internet. Users can post text, photos, videos, and links, and interact with others through likes, comments, and shares. Social media has become a powerful tool for businesses and individuals to promote their brand, connect with their target audience, and build communities.

Wide reach and accessibility: Social media platforms have billions of active users worldwide, making it a highly accessible and far-reaching communication medium.

Content sharing: Users can share various types of content, including text, photos, videos, and links, allowing for diverse and engaging interactions.

Engagement features: Social media platforms enable users to interact with content through likes, comments, and shares, fostering engagement and conversation.

Real-time updates: Users can receive instant updates and notifications, ensuring they stay connected and informed in real-time.

Targeted advertising: Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options, allowing businesses to reach specific audiences with their advertisements.
Social media in other rankings
- Position 1 of 10 in Most popular Internet activity
- Position 2 of 10 in Most popular form of mass communication
- Position 3 of 10 in Most popular form of communication
5

14
votes
Voice over IP (VoIP)

Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty

VoIP allows users to make phone calls over the internet, often at a lower cost than traditional phone services. Popular VoIP services include Skype, Google Voice, and WhatsApp.
Voice over IP (VoIP) is a technology that enables the transmission of voice communication over the internet. It converts analog voice signals into digital data packets, which are then transmitted over IP networks like the internet. VoIP allows individuals to make voice calls using their internet connection, eliminating the need for traditional phone lines.

Codec Support: VoIP supports various codecs for compressing and decompressing voice signals, such as G.711, G.729, and Opus.

Packet Loss Compensation: VoIP includes techniques to compensate for packet loss during transmission, ensuring better quality and reliability of voice calls.

Call Routing: VoIP allows calls to be routed efficiently over IP networks, enabling flexible and cost-effective communication.

Integration with Other Services: VoIP can be easily integrated with other services like video conferencing, instant messaging, and presence information.

Mobile VoIP: VoIP can be used on mobile devices, allowing users to make voice calls over cellular data or Wi-Fi networks.
6

12
votes
SMS/text messaging

Friedhelm Hillebrand

Text messaging remains a popular way to communicate, particularly for informal communication between friends and family. It's quick, easy, and widely available on most mobile devices.
SMS (Short Message Service) or text messaging is a widely used communication technology that enables the exchange of short text messages between mobile devices. It allows users to send and receive messages up to 160 characters in length.

Message Length: Up to 160 characters

Protocol: SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer) protocol

Delivery Confirmation: Yes

Multimedia Support: Limited (some devices support multimedia messaging)

Cost: Depends on the user's mobile carrier plan
7

10
votes
Collaboration tools

Collaboration tools like Google Docs, Trello, and Asana make it easy for teams to work together on projects and share information online. They are particularly useful for remote teams and those working across different time zones.
Collaboration tools refer to a category of software applications and platforms designed to facilitate online communication, cooperation, and collaboration among individuals or teams working together remotely. These tools enable users to interact, share information, manage projects, and collaborate on various tasks in real-time, regardless of their physical locations.

Real-time Communication: Enables instant messaging, video conferencing, and audio calls.

Document Sharing: Allows users to upload, share, and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Task Management: Provides features for creating, assigning, tracking, and organizing tasks and deadlines.

Project Collaboration: Facilitates collaborative project planning, scheduling, and progress tracking.

File Versioning: Keeps track of document versions, ensuring that collaborators work on the latest version.
8

8
votes
Discussion forums

Discussion forums provide a way for people to communicate and share information on specific topics. They are often used for online communities and can be a valuable source of information and support.
Discussion forums are online platforms that enable users to participate in threaded conversations and discussions on specific topics. Users can interact by posting messages, replying to existing messages, and starting new threads. Forums foster community engagement and provide a space for people with shared interests to connect and exchange ideas.

User accounts: Users can create accounts to participate in discussions.

Threads: Messages are organized into threads, allowing for structured conversations.

Moderation: Forums often have moderation systems to enforce rules and guidelines.

Categories: Discussions are categorized based on different topics or themes.

Search functionality: Users can search for specific discussions or posts.
9

5
votes
Blogging

Blogging allows individuals and organizations to share information and ideas online. It's a popular way to build an online presence and engage with audiences on specific topics.
Blogging is a form of online communication where individuals or groups create and regularly update content on a website called a blog. It typically consists of written text entries called blog posts, which are displayed in reverse chronological order. Blogs often include multimedia elements like images, videos, and links. They encourage interaction through comments and social sharing.

Platform: Web-based

Format: Text-based with multimedia elements

Interactivity: Allows comments and social sharing

Publication Order: Reverse chronological

Frequency: Regularly updated
10

5
votes
Podcasting

Podcasting allows individuals and organizations to create audio content that can be shared online. It's a popular way to share information and ideas, particularly in the areas of education, entertainment, and news.
Podcasting is a form of online communication technology that allows users to create, distribute, and listen to audio content. It enables individuals and organizations to produce their own radio-style shows and make them available for download or streaming. Podcasting has gained popularity as a convenient and accessible medium for sharing information, entertainment, news, and educational content.

RSS: Podcasting is built on the foundation of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed technology, which allows for the automatic delivery of new episodes to subscribers.

On-demand listening: Listeners can access podcast episodes whenever they want, rather than tuning in at specific broadcast times.

Subscription-based: Users can subscribe to their favorite podcasts and receive new episodes automatically.

Portability: Podcasts can be downloaded and listened to offline on various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Wide range of topics: Podcasts cover a vast array of subject matter, including news, storytelling, comedy, true crime, gaming, business, science, and more.

Missing your favorite online communication technology?

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Ranking factors for popular online communication technology

Number of active users

An essential factor in ranking online communication technology's popularity is the number of active users. The more users a platform has, the more popular it is likely to be.
User engagement

High engagement rates are an indicator of a popular platform. User engagement signifies the time spent, frequency, and duration of user interactions with the platform.
Ease of use and accessibility

Platforms that are user-friendly and easily accessible are likely to be more popular. This includes having a simple user interface, minimal technical glitches, and compatibility with various devices and operating systems.
Security and privacy

With increasing concerns about data privacy, users value platforms offering advanced privacy and security features, like end-to-end encryption. A platform with robust security measures in place is more likely to gain and retain users.
Versatility and features

Online communication technology that offers a wide range of features, such as videoconferencing, file sharing, and integration with other applications, is more likely to be popular among users. The more versatile the platform, the more it is likely to cater to various user needs.
Availability and cost

A platform should be widely available across regions and not have significant restrictions based on location or language. Additionally, platforms that offer their services at affordable costs or free tiers are more likely to be popular among users.
Brand reputation and recognition

Online communication platforms developed by well-known and respected companies are more likely to gain users and be more popular than those developed by lesser-known entities, as users trust established brands.
Market share and growth rate

Being the dominant player in the market or having a significant market share and growth rate is an essential indicator of popularity for any online communication technology.
Customer support and satisfaction

Providing reliable customer service and prompt resolution of user issues is crucial for retaining and attracting users. Platforms that receive positive customer reviews and testimonials are perceived as more popular.
Compatibility and integration

Platforms that can easily integrate with other software or services are generally more popular, as they can extend their capabilities and streamline user workflows. They should also be compatible with various operating systems and devices, enabling multiple users to interact seamlessly.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most popular online communication technology. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or technology is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1725 views
134 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each technology once every 24 hours. The rank of each technology is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most popular online communication technology

Online communication technology has revolutionized the way we interact with each other. From messaging apps to social media platforms, there are numerous ways to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues. With the rise of virtual communication, it's important to understand what technology is most popular among users. According to recent studies, messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are the most widely used online communication technologies. However, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram also offer messaging features, making them popular among users as well. With the constant evolution of technology, it will be interesting to see what new communication tools will emerge in the future.

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