William Beutler

William Beutler is a writer, consultant, and the founder of Beutler Ink, a digital agency known for its pioneering work in Wikipedia public relations. Since its founding, the firm has served hundreds of clients, including multiple Fortune 50 companies.

Bill started his career as a political journalist in Washington, D.C., covering American politics and the blogosphere for National Journal's The Hotline. Recognizing Wikipedia’s growing importance in the digital landscape, he joined as an editor in 2006. At New Media Strategies, an early social media agency based in Arlington, VA, he began developing an ethical approach to Wikipedia consulting, adhering to the platform's strict guidelines.

Responding to growing demand for responsible Wikipedia engagement, Bill launched Beutler Ink in 2010. The firm quickly gained a reputation for integrity and effectiveness, later expanding to offer digital marketing services to help brands tell their stories.

A respected PR expert, Bill led the creation of a 2014 open letter to Wikipedia supporting industry ethics standards, signed by representatives from eight of the top 10 global PR firms. He writes The Wikipedian, a blog exploring community dynamics, and his insights have been featured in The Economist, on C-SPAN, and at SXSW. He also contributed a chapter about paid editing to the MIT Press book Wikipedia @ 20: Stories of an Incomplete Revolution.

Beyond Wikipedia and PR, Bill produced and directed the short film Miss You, was an associate producer for Our Nixon, and created The Infinite Atlas Project, mapping the geography of Infinite Jest. He co-hosted the KubrickCast podcast and Enter the Void, focused on unconventional cinema.

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Bill lives with his wife and son in Crozet, Virginia.