Module Nine: Multimedia

How Does Multimedia Enhance Our Messaging? 

"A website without multimedia is like a cupcake without icing: Functional but lacking."(Sniderman, 2010, para. 1).

(twopeasandtheirpod.com, 2012)

Multimedia enhances messaging by making it more sensual, and thus interactive. The reader feels like a part of the story, experiencing related sounds and imagery. Multimedia holds the readers' attention, breaking up large blocks of text with a captivating video, photo, or audio. Sometimes multimedia even improves readers' understanding. Charts and graphs assist visual learners in both comprehension and analysis. Multimedia really is "the icing on the cake;" it takes the narrative up a notch.

Are Certain Multimedia Techniques More Effective Than Others? 

The most effective multimedia technique depends on the topic and audience. For example, a blog post that highlights a recipe would likely not benefit from audio. Readers would prefer to see photos of the meal progressing and/or a video tutorial. (See image to the right, below.)

(twopeasandtheirpod.com, 2014)

Likewise, writers don't want to overwhelm readers with too much multimedia, as doing so will have the opposite effect—the audience will find the piece to be too busy, causing them to ignore the content. 

Examples of Effective Usage of Multimedia

This week, we read "Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek" by John Branch. The author uses multimedia in a very effective way, particularly videos, slideshows, and photos. Each multimedia choice enhances the message, contributing to the compelling tale of nature's power and human survival. Some of the videos even play automatically as you scroll down the page. Part Two of this piece contains little head shots near the names of each expert skier who met up with one another. This small, but meaningful, multimedia decision helps the reader put a name to a face. Branch's placement is also key, as he doesn't flood the reader with competing mediums.

On the same note, let's consider Apple—one of the most innovative companies of our time—and their webpage on the iPad Air 2. Learning about this mobile device is like watching a movie. The layout is clean, user-friendly, and engaging. The imagery, complemented by the graphical display of need-to-know stats, is sleek. The audience has the opportunity to watch videos, including the keynote's speech at a recent Apple Special Event. The reader doesn't have to work for the information; it's all right there for you, in an interesting, aesthetically pleasing way. 

References

Apple, Inc. (2014). iPad Air 2. [webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/ipad-air-2/

Branch, J. (2012). "Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek." The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek

Sniderman, Z. (2010). "HOW TO: Add Multimedia to Your Blog." Mashable. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/07/28/add-multimedia-to-blog/Two Peas & Their Pod. (2012). Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting. [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-cupcakes-with-salted-caramel-frosting/

Two Peas & Their Pod. (2014). Crispy Chocolate Chip Crunch Oatmeal Cookies. [digital image. Retrieved from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/crispy-chocolate-chip-crunch-oatmeal-cookies/