'People constantly underestimate the intelligence in social networks'

Q&A: EOIN BUTLERtalks to Will McInnes, social media guru

When we're talking about social media, what specifically are we talking about? We're talking about all human conversations that take place on the web. Online social media are like watering holes. You go where your friends are, where your customers are – wherever you can create an advantage.

When individuals or businesses establish an online presence, are they pursuing traditional aims by new means, or is social media a completely different ball game?The former, I think. For as long as mankind has been around, we've been exchanging information and passing on experiences we've had, in order to help others make informed decisions. What's novel about social media is how shareable this information has become. It's like word of mouth on steroids.

What are some important rules to keep in mind online?Make sure you're comfortable with what you're sharing and, if you're not sure, ask yourself how you'd feel about it becoming public 20 years from now. Secondly, don't underestimate the power of weak ties. Friends of friends can be extremely helpful to you, whether you're trying to buy a car, seeking a new job, or looking for the name of a good plumber. Thirdly, there's a lot of bad behaviour online. If someone is making you feel unhappy or unsafe, deal with it.

In 20 years time there'll be compromising photographs of virtually every candidate for elected office. Surely, the power of these images to damage a person's reputation will be diminished then?Yes, I think so. Every indication from academic research is that young people's notions of privacy have changed dramatically in recent years. In the future, we'll just accept that politicians and public figures have behaved inappropriately and move on.

Are there any steps a person can take to minimise potential embarrassment?There aren't very many, short of never doing anything stupid. But if we accept that youthful indiscretions are a part of growing up, and that every experience nowadays is likely to be photographed or videoed by someone, then I think it's inevitable that a certain amount of incriminating evidence will slip though.

Which of the various platforms would you recommend for a small business seeking to connect with the youth market?Well, of course the media is very excited about Twitter. It's great for sharing links and snippets of information. Posting informational videos on YouTube is also a very powerful tool. But it's the generic social networks like Facebook, I think, that are still the most interesting. Facebook is a multimedia hub where you can pull in lots of different information.

The nutritionist Gillian McKeith had a pretty spectacular spat with journalist Ben Goldacre after she accused him of lying on Twitter last week. Any lessons?People constantly underestimate the knowledge and intelligence that resides in social networks. Facts can be checked very quickly by a lot of very smart people, and findings shared instantaneously. A lot of brands have tried behaving in ways they'd have gotten away with under the old rules and been caught out. Social media demands a lot more humility than some of us are used to.

Will McInnes’s next course in Dublin will be on September 28th. See mediacontact.ie