What Is “Digital Body Language” And Why Do We Need to Utilize It?

Have you ever read a text that had a period instead of an exclamation and been completely worried because you couldn't read the tone of the message?

In everyday life, we interact with each other using body language (even if we don’t realize it). Whether it’s a smile, a lean in, or an eye roll, it’s not always about what we say but how we say it. (And how that’s interpreted by others.) “Micro-expressions (brief displays of emotion on the face), hand gestures, and posture all register in the human brain almost immediately—even when a person is not consciously aware they have perceived anything.” (Source) It’s more critical than we’re even aware of, which is why the transition to online communication can be so jarring for some. According to a 2018 study, about 25% of respondents said they used online tools to socialize more frequently than in person. (Source)

With online communication, we don’t have any face-to-face interactions. We can’t perceive the slight twinkle in someone’s eye when they’re being sarcastic, or their eyebrows drawing together when they’re hurt. Because of this, it’s even more important that we invest time and effort into our digital body language. As Erica Dhawan states in her book Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust & Connection, No Matter The Distance, “what is implicit in body language now has to be explicit in our digital body language.” You can’t simply win someone over with a quick smile, you have to take the time to add an emoji in, like a picture, leave a comment.

So the next time you get a DM that feels a bit…off to you, examine why. Did they use an ellipse that felt rude? Did they come across as too nosy? Did they come across as not curious enough? Were their emojis off-putting? Examining our reactions to the messages we don’t like will help to inform us of how we should communicate. And then come to us to find out how you can communicate your value and sell your offer in the DMs ;)