How Starbucks Communicates Online

Online communication has become a tremendous part of businesses today. One business that I think utilizes online communication a lot is Starbucks. When looking at their website and social media platforms I think this company does a good job communicating online. Their website is clean and visually appealing. It also does a good job of highlighting and promoting seasonal additions to its menu. For example, at the top of their page, they have their new spring flavors clear and big, along with some new rewards for signing up as a member for this week. Additionally, they have more relatable content on their social media accounts that are probably more directed towards people who are already members. For example, they have behind-the-scenes videos and short funny clips that have something to do with their business. 

The organization of the site also seems to be very intentional and thought out. Some may think that the page is just aesthetic and organized however I think their layout is very effective in catching your attention, keeping it long enough to show you the best things about their website, then letting you go before you get bored. As mentioned by Karlyn Kohrs Campbell et al. (2015), "Even the most apparently expressive discourse can have some kind of instrumental or purposive goal." For example, new menu items and rewards right at the top of their site are a great way to grab the attention of the viewer and promote their business. Then, in the middle of their site, they have more details about their business and what they're doing currently. I think this allows the viewer to learn more about what initially caught their attention at the top of the site. Lastly, at the bottom, they have extra information, maybe not super exciting stuff, but things that a viewer might want to know more about.

After looking at a few of the different platforms Starbucks is active on, I've noticed that the identity they try to portray is inclusive and sustainable. For example, their social media accounts emphasize diverse groups of employees and customers. They also partake in a lot of pride campaigns and try to illustrate a sense of community. Additionally, they advertise a lot of their sustainable packaging to try and show their contributions to the planet. 

Some areas of improvement in online communication for Starbucks could include accessibility, transparency, and more real-time interactions. For one, since they seem to have such a strong emphasis on inclusion, I think they should make their websites more accessible for people who have disabilities. For example, there could be voice navigation on their sites to help with this issue. Another area of improvement could be transparency in how they are taking steps towards sustainability. Without this, it is difficult to have trust in these businesses. Lastly, though they have a really strong presence on social media, they lack real-time interactions. For example, using "live" features on social media or taking polls more frequently could help improve engagement online. 

References:

Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, Susan Schultz Huxman, & Burkholder, T. R. (2015). The rhetorical act : thinking, speaking, and writing critically. Cengage Learning.