Multimodal/Polycode Text as an Effectiveness Factor for Information Delivery on Social Media

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the effectiveness of polycode/multimodal texts in digital business communication. Particular attention is given to the role of the verbal component in multimodal messages. The study is novel in that it deals with new material (business communication), provides scientometric analysis, and evaluates the effectiveness (ER) of polycode/multimodal texts. The research material consists of 221 polycode/multimodal texts used in social media communications of small businesses. The methods utilized for material collection are continuous sampling and observation. The methods of analysis include scientometric analysis, content analysis, quantitative analysis, web analytics (ER, engagement rate), elements of discourse analysis and multimodal analysis. Scientometric analysis shows that Russian academic discourse mainly employs the terms creolized text and polycode text, which cannot be considered synonymous with the term multimodal. The study confirms the effectiveness of polycode/multimodal texts in correlation with the content format, modes, content type, and media topics. It has been established that the effectiveness of polycode/multimodal text is related not only to the variety of formats, types of content, and media topics but also to the conditions of the reader-viewer interaction with the text. It is necessary to establish correlations and patterns in the navigation within the virtual space of a text, in the creation and construction of text meanings in a sociocultural context, and in the design of reading methods and trajectories. The data obtained brings us back to the discussion about the importance of verbal and non-verbal codes in the transmission of information.