Social Media Expert Interview – Tim Inthirakoth
Posted by Peter Inthirakoth in Engagement, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter
Tim Inthirakoth works at Inkhouse Media+Marketing based out of Boston, Massachusetts. The agency specializes in Public Relations and Social Media and provides their clients with the capabilities to operate in today’s digital environment.
His client list includes venture capital companies Spark Capital, with a portfolio including Twitter and Boxee, and Charles River Ventures, whose portfolio includes Blippy, Twitter, and Vlingo. Much of his client based is involved with digital media and the technology sector so it should be no surprise that he has some very interesting observations and suggestions for using social media.
In the interview, he described the importance of social media and the internet. Traditional media companies have faced increase problems staying relevant in the digital age. He has known high profile writers in Newsweek who were forced out because their articles and columns were not getting enough web traffic. Getting news and PR on influential blogs like Techcrunch has become much more important to companies than having an article in the New York Times. The front page has become irrelevant as the internet allows users to connect directly to the content they are interested in.
Content has become instantaneous and the impact of bloggers, Twitter, and Facebook has been tremendous. Unfortunately, it has been a double edged sword. The ability to get information out faster is tempered by the lack of controls for journalistic integrity. Tim Inthirakoth cited an example in which an inaccurate blog posted by Techcrunch dropped a company’s share price instantaneously. A correction posted minutes later was not enough to return the original price.
As far as using social media goes, he recommends that companies actively engage their users and remain honest. Companies should provide a personal connection between their consumers and employees, so that people understand that there are faces behind the company. You can use that engagement to determine how the company is doing and what may need to be done to rectify it.
Companies often make a mistake of entering social media without a clear plan or even some direction. As a result, their brands become diluted or unfocused which can result in damage to their business as a result of using social media.
The interview provided an excellent perspective on social media and business. To see the full transcript or hear the audio, check out one of the following mirrors (or check out our web sites):