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Is Wikipedia really important for my brand?
Over the course of us being in this industry the most common question we have come across is “Why do I need a Wikipedia page anyway?” It may not seem meaningful to some to go out of their way to ensure they have a Wikipedia article or at least keep up with their article to make sure it is up-to-date. Most people who we have come across with this line of thinking cite 'there are better ways to market ourselves', or 'it doesn’t seem to have a high ROI' and some along the lines of 'nobody trusts Wikipedia nowadays' among other things. Unfortunately, these cannot be further from the truth. From our experience and even what other SEO/PR agencies have seen, Wikipedia is truly a gold mine for any person, company or brand and truly its importance cannot be overstated.
Before we go further into this it is important to let you know by no means is Wikipedia a place to promote yourself, but simply to portray a clear, concise encyclopedic message about you and your purpose. It is imperative to know that at the end of the day it is an encyclopedia like no other, that is open to everyone and its purpose should not be lost by making it a place for advertising.
People don't trust Wikipedia.
Perhaps the most important feature of an up-to-date Wikipedia page is directly letting your consumer base know the unbiased truth about you. While the common stereotype may be that many people don’t trust Wikipedia, the numbers tell a different story. Wikipedia articles on a particular topic almost always shows up on knowledge panels or is ranked among the top 3 results in search engines. As of February 2024, Wikipedia is the 6th most visited website. Across all Wikipedia language variations, it receives 2 billion unique device visits a month. In terms of whether people actually trust Wikipedia, well the answer might shock you. In 2014, a study revealed that 67% of the British public trusts Wikipedia as a reliable source. This is a higher rate than the percentage of people who trust the mainstream media! This goes to prove how much of a great source it is in building your brand or image, and at the same time how detrimental it maybe should it display any inaccuracies or clear biases.
Wikipedia doesn't seem to have a high ROI
Sometimes it may be overlooked by many but Wikipedia’s ROI can really make a huge difference to many businesses. Wikipedia is built on the back of being comprehensive, unbiased and honest, like any good encyclopedia. This comes into action whenever something big happens to a company, say a partnership, takeover or merger. We have seen articles of companies which have announced partnership with an investor receive a 1400% increase in views. The interest generated translates in more people viewing and wanting to know more about the company at hand. This isn’t limited to start-ups but big established companies as well. Household brands usually receive 10,000-15,000 views a day! This usually goes upwards of 100,000 whenever something major about these companies happens. Now the question is, does an appropriate Wikipedia article lead to more customers or investors? The answer is a resounding YES. Wikipedia generates $13 million worth of monthly traffic to other websites. In terms of SEO it is absolutely critical. Up to 90% of buyers seek alternative options online before closing in on one. Setting yourself up for this kind of exposure can go a long way in terms of getting repeat buyers, investors and ultimately building a loyal customer base.
There are better ways to market ourselves
Another common theme we have come across is 'there are other better ways to market ourselves'. While it is true social media marketing is very important for any business or person today, Wikipedia may play a more crucial role than you think in letting people know about you. In September 2023, TikTok introduced Wikipedia entries in search results on the app. The feature was later removed, but it led to speculation about the future of information on the site and even possibly other social media platforms.
Not only for companies but also for your brand image. We have seen the rise of community notes on X (formerly Twitter) take shape and add more context to posts on the platform where users cite references about the subject; Wikipedia being one of them. An accurate and detailed Wikipedia page is necessary to let such users know the more about the complete truth about you in the event they may broadcast this information to an even larger audience and provide more exposure to you.
To be honest with you, we could go on and on and on about this and still it wouldn't be exhaustive to truly explain the wonders Wikipedia does. Just remember to always follow the set-out Wikipedia guidelines, and should they feel a bit overwhelming (as it does for most people), you can always consult a Wikipedia specialist.