The GREAT Greek Scholars gave us the study of meaning that is used for understanding human expression through language - they called it Linguistic semantics (
σημαντικός).
The Word DIGITAL is understood in a very diversified way. The two main meanings today are:
- the technical process of digitization
- the manner in which brands communicate - engagement through social media and mobile applications
The lack of distinction between the two is magnified by marketing jargon that indulges in keeping inline with trends. Marketers use the ambiguity of the way we understand the meaning of words to generate an emotion.
So what is the difference?
Geeks and people who work heavily with google apps and IT systems to generate traffic usually tend to understand digital as IT and IT tools.
Customer Service and marketing communication staff perceive digital as the engagement that is generated from technology. The want the benefits of being able to push information to Csutomers/Potential Customers and to respond instantly to incoming requests.
The same issue with lingual semantics come with the expression SEO. Originally coming from the acronym for "
Search Engine Optimization" was a technical term, but now in the world of digital communications, marketing communications use the acronym SEO as a word meaning PR in the digital world.
We as people have done this for years. We have branded words to our own requirement. Language has its dynamics and examples such as Hoover the manufacturer of vacuum cleaners is synonymous with the verb "to hoover" as in to use a vacuum cleaner to clean something.
... and life goes on!
