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Kiruba Shankar
Kiruba Shankar is a blogger-turned-consultant. His blog, www.Kiruba.com has been ranked one of India's top blogs by BusinessWorld magazine.:: You run a social media consultancy. Please tell us how your company helps businesses. What are the specific types of services you offer?
As a Social Media Consultancy, we help corporates leverage the power of the Net for branding, PR, Sales, and Marketing. We help companies with strategies for Podcasts, Wikis, Social Networks, Blogs and Online Communities amongst other aspects of Web 2.0.
:: What are the types of companies that come to you for help? Are they restricted to a particular industry or do they cover a wide cross-section?
Almost every category: BFSI, FMCG, IT, NGOs, Media, Manufacturing, White Goods.
:: Do individuals seek help as well?
Individuals do seek help but they unfortunately can't afford the consultancy rates that a corporate can. However, many individuals in public life ( politicians, Actors, Sportspersons, CEOs etc) are increasingly paying more attention to maintaining a strong profile on the Net.
:: What is the biggest lesson to be learnt from this era of social media about maintaining/promoting personal brands?
Your digital properties are as important as physical properties like land and flats. It's important to have your domain names and presence in important Web 2.0 sites. Online presence will have to be sculpted with care and should be given the time and effort as much as a company brand deserves.
:: What is the current state of blogger relations in India? Do companies take into account the presence of bloggers and the need to address them? Do they have social media releases?
Blogger relations and Social PR are still in their infancy in India. However, they are fast getting traction. Increasingly, corporates are waking up to the importance of social media. And traditional PR companies have realized an extra revenue opportunity and offer Social PR and blogger relations as an added service.
:: As a blogger yourself, what have been the biggest personal lessons you’ve learnt while mastering the blogosphere?
Oh, tons of lessons. Blogs, Twitter and the likes have become my biggest business tool. I get 95% of my business via word of mouth and I would give blogs and twitter huge credit.
In addition, I receive speaking opportunities, writing opportunities in media and media interviews which go a long way in branding and marketing activities of my business.
:: What are the challenges that Indian businesses face as they seek to adopt social media? Can you draw a comparison between businesses in India and in other countries (such as USA)?
In India, the challenge is the low broadband penetration. The numbers are still small. For many corporate, Internet marketing and PR is still given a very step motherly treatment. They get at best a morsel of a budget.
In the US, its a well established field and is given its due respect.
:: What are the specific changes that you see happening in the Indian business climate as a result of social media adoption? Tell us what you think the future will be like.
The future is definitely rosy. You don't have to be Nostradamus to figure out the influence of the Internet is going to be BIG. The companies that don't embrace it *will* lose. The sooner the Indian companies realize this, the better it is for them.
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