A communication platform is the system or service an organisation uses to communicate, such as a website, social media, email or voice communication (VoIP). A communication channel is a specific method of communication within a platform, for example a direct/private message or a public status update.
Platforms are the overall tools, while channels are the different ways you use them. For example, a youth orchestra might use its website as a platform to share concert dates. Within that website, a live chat channel lets parents ask about ticket availability in real time. The orchestra could also use a social media platform, where it can post a public status update to announce a rehearsal change, or send a direct message to a musician about a missing instrument.
It is important not to confuse the two. Instant messaging, text/SMS and live chat are channels, not platforms. They are specific methods of communication, often within a larger platform.
Channels are used for sharing information, data and media. For instance, a direct message can include a photo (media), a status update can share a link to information, and a live chat can exchange data like order numbers.
Pearson BTEC Digital Information Technology · Communication with Stakeholders