Millennials and Gen-Z rely on Wikipedia for a majority of information (while older generations are picking up on this trend) whether it comes to simply googling a celebrity or trying to prove a friend wrong in a debate. We grew up with teachers and lecturers informing us that it isn’t a viable source of information for referencing when it came to writing reports and assignments.
Little did we know, their verification processes for their website are much more rigid and strenuous compared to the previous decade where anyone could go into a page and edit the information.
In short, many people haven’t given it thought as a channel for brand awareness. When taking it into consideration, Wikipedia is a great third-party source for ranking on the first page of a Google search.
Whenever you google any intended keyword into Google, chances are that you don’t have to scroll far before you see the accompanying Wikipedia page:
Even with the stigma that most of us have towards it for the potential of false information, it’s an extremely familiar website so it is often one of the first pages that someone will click on if they wish to learn more about an entity. That isn’t just limited to simple topics like high-profile individuals and school topics but can also be applied to your business.
Using this understanding, lets take a look at how we can create a Wikipedia page for a company.
- Signing up for an account
Register using the create account link at the top right of the webpage and follow the instructions to create the account with all the required information.
2. Becoming an auto-confirmed user
Before having the opportunity to create your company page, you’ll need to contribute to the Wikipedia community and become an auto-confirmed user.
To become an auto-confirmed user, you need to follow standard protocol by having an account that is more than 4 days old and has made at least 10 (live) edits to then have the privilege to create your own pages.
Wikipedia can suggest easy edits for you to expedite your progress in obtaining the criteria to become auto-confirmed.
3. Creating your company page
On Wikipedia’s “Writing an article” page, there will be a be a blue button referencing the article wizard to assist you with creating your article in a Draft space by placing useful templates into your draft.
Since there is likely no existing Wikipedia page available for your company, you can include as much information as you want. The most important aspect is the easy readability, article structure, and the ability to continuously update the page as you deem fit in the future.
The information must be digestible for a new reader to understand what your company does, what third-party sources say about your company, its founders, etc.
While you can add product-specific information, it is critical that Wikipedia is used as a broad brand awareness platform.
- Make sure to provide citations
It’s important to provide legitimacy to your topics by including citations to articles and third-party sources as Wikipedia is an encyclopedia.
Before creating your page, Wikipedia will warn you of this in their referencing and notability page, stating – “the topic of an article must already be covered in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. These include journals, books, newspapers, magazines, and websites with a reputation for fact-checking. Social media, press releases, or corporate/professional profiles do not qualify”
Finally, citations establish your company’s credibility and persuade the reader that it is legitimate. Investigate articles in magazines or newspapers that mention your company, other websites that link to your website, or directories that link to your company’s profile.
5. Submit your page for approval.
Once complete, submit your page for review. When Wikipedia determines that the source is credible through its verification processes, it will be added to the site as an official page.
6. Continue to keep it current and updated.
Bear in mind that the hard work is not yet complete. As your Wikipedia page begins to rank on the first page of Google for your company name, it is critical that you regularly update it with the most current information about your products or services. Any future references in any third-party sources, awards, or news should be shared to continue to keep your page relevant and updated.
Additionally, by regularly updating it with company news, you maintain transparency, which reassures both customers and potential leads. This enables your company to achieve high levels of brand awareness leading to another channel of SEO ranking for brand visibility on all major search engines.
Company Page on Wikipedia
There are over 6.3 million articles on Wikipedia English with a large part of those articles being company pages. The best company pages all share a few attributes.
- accurately describes the company
- include references to notable, independent sources
- includes a link to the company website
- includes a listing of services and products
UEM Edgenta is a Malaysian company that has a great example of a Wikipedia page expressing all the aforementioned characteristics.
To be considered notable on Wikipedia, an organization’s article must receive significant coverage in multiple independent sources — a requirement that UEM Edgenta easily met. Towards the bottom of the page, a reference section with over 14 entries is available.
Nowadays, a simple Google search yields a wealth of information on virtually any subject, including social media profiles, directories, and press releases. By maintaining an up-to-date and adaptable Wikipedia page for your company or brand, you ensure that all bases are covered and that viewers, customers, or leads have a reliable source of information about your company or brand.
Continue to search our blog for other great articles on marketing, digital advertising, and business trends will provide you with any additional information you require on building your brand. You can find out more about our digital marketing packages and how they can assist you in building your brand in an efficient and effective manner by visiting our website at maas.cyngus.com.my/.