- Having a Wikipedia page isn’t right for every business, but if you’re in a position to obtain a Wikipedia page for your business, there are several perks to be had.
- Getting on the site tends to get you noticed and offers an edge on the competition.
- Having your Wikipedia page linked to your website page can make a big difference to your search engine rankings, especially once the Wikipedia page is linked to other related pages.
- It’s important to remember that Wikipedia allows anyone to add to and edit the content on its pages, meaning you’ll have to stay on top of it.
If you’re looking up information about which season your favorite TV show went off the air or are trying to find the population of Timbuktu, Wikipedia may be the first place you think to look. That said, when it comes to your business, have you ever even considered creating a Wikipedia page?
Advertising is key in business, and there are certainly plenty of options to get your name out there and establish a presence with potential customers. Most business owners set up a website of some sort, do some link building and SEO, and maintain at least a basic Facebook business page, but may not go any further than that as far as creating an online existence. The benefits of having a company Wikipedia presence are often overlooked or are completely unknown.
An image boost
There are plenty of websites where a potential customer can find bits and pieces of information about a business. Owners may choose to get listed in any number of places, but without some credibility to back up those listings, potential customers may keep searching.
Wikipedia has cleaned up its image in recent years. With stricter controls, the integrity of the world’s online encyclopedia has been elevated. Nowadays, having a Wikipedia page for your business can give you an edge over the competition. After all, rather than it being an online space clearly established by your business (like the company website), a Wikipedia page acts as a third-party source of company information. In basic terms—it doesn’t look like you’re the one telling everyone how great you are.
Raise your ranking
If you’re unaware of how to use Wikipedia for SEO purposes, you’re not alone. The good news is that the process is fairly simple once you have a Wikipedia page dedicated to your business.
These days, plenty of people do a thorough online search before making a purchase. With that in mind, you want to be among the first websites that pop up when someone searches for your product or service. Bumping up your ranking can be a complicated process, involving time-intensive search engine optimization techniques, such as link building.
What helps is being connected to an authoritative site like Wikipedia. Having your Wikipedia page linked to your website page can make a big difference to your search engine rankings, especially once the Wikipedia page is linked to other related pages. Also, due to the vastness of Wikipedia’s information and their high credibility, search engines often grab company information right from Wikipedia. If you’re on there, your page might be the first bit of information pulled up when someone does a search.
Not so fast
While getting your business a Wikipedia page may seem like a great move, it’s not as easy as just slapping one up. After all, that’s what gives the site the credibility you’re looking for. Wikipedia wants your business to be notable in some way if they’re going to devote an entire page to it. Otherwise, they tend to pair lower-profile businesses with their already existing articles.
Wikipedia has a set of guidelines it uses to determine whether or not a business is notable enough to be granted its own page. Fortunately, there are ways you can prove your notability to increase your chances of getting that coveted page.
Gather the proof
If you’re just starting out in business, this may not be possible just yet, but if you’ve been around for a while, think of all the times your business has been talked about in the media. Wikipedia likes to see multiple independent citations from credible sources. Think about anytime your business has been referenced in the press (national is much better than local). Consider TV coverage, magazines, books, and press releases. You should gather at least four high-quality citations—even more, if you can.
Special events and achievements can also be used as proof of distinction. If your company has accomplished something out of the ordinary (not just to you, but to the population at large), then that’s something to definitely use towards your proof. In addition, if anything notable has happened at your business location, even if it has nothing to do with business achievements, that can also be used. So, for example, if your building was struck by lightning three times in the last thunderstorm and it was covered on the news, that could help.
A few notes of caution
There are a few points to keep in mind if you’re seriously considering trying to get on the site. Firstly, it’s important to remember that Wikipedia allows anyone to add to and edit the content on its pages. This means that if you have a page, you can’t just set it and forget it. You’ll have to regularly do accuracy checks. You don’t want Wikipedia pulling up inaccurate information about your business every time someone searches for you.
While you likely want to have a Wikipedia page to help get your name out there and so that you don’t have to do so much link building work, it’s important to keep in mind that this is not an advertising space. The information must remain neutral and informational and not appear to be used for promotion. Dissatisfied customers can post negative comments too, so you’ll want to be sure to keep people as happy as possible and monitor that page regularly.
Having a Wikipedia page is not necessary, nor is is right for every business. If you’re in a position to obtain a Wikipedia page for your business, there are several perks to be had. Once you know how to use Wikipedia for SEO purposes, you’re well on your way. Getting included on the site tends to get you noticed and offers an edge on the competition.
That said, authority building is just one facet of SEO. In addition to improving your site’s authority by building citations, you’ll also want to make sure your website loads quickly and that the content on your site is easy to find (and read!) Fortunately, we’re here to help you with all of the above. Reach out today!
