Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that is available in 329 languages covering over 22 million articles. Having a Wikipedia page is like a dream come true as it helps with SEO, Online Reputation, and Trust-building. It also results in a Google Knowledge Panel and makes Social Media Verification easier. This is why creating a Wikipedia page is the epitome of an online profile or biography.
However, the process of creating a permanent Wikipedia page is more complex than one thinks. They have a strict eligibility requirement they call Notability Criteria. Pages that don’t meet the criteria are often deleted by Wikipedians.
The primary criterion for creating permanent pages on Wikipedia is to have at least 10 good references/news articles. These references need to be organic, third-party, and have significant coverage on the subject.
No visible PR, Sponsored Articles, Interviews, Podcasts, Routine Coverage, and other Primary Content. The references also need to be published by reputed websites like Forbes, BBC, Reuters, The Guardian, and other national/international publications.
There is also a secondary criterion where a subject might qualify for a permanent Wikipedia page. Depending on the industry, a subject is eligible if a winner of any major awards like Grammy, Oscars, Noble Prize, Olympics, and others.
Benefits of having a Wikipedia page
Whether you are a business or an individual, these are some common reasons to create a Wikipedia page:
Better visibility: In most cases, Wikipedia pages rank on Google’s first page, making the subject visible to the people of the internet.
Better sales: Wikipedia pages include the possibility of drawing in new customers and boosting sales.
Better trust: Given the difficulty of getting a Wikipedia page, eligible subjects are always considered trustworthy as they pass the strict notability criteria.
Better SEO: Although Wikipedia gives no-follow backlinks, it is still considered good for SEO as it helps Google with reliability. Not to mention, it results in some indirect organic traffic.
SMM Verification: In some cases, a Wikipedia page can get a social media profile verified for individuals and companies.
How to create a Wikipedia page?
There are two methods of publishing a new Wikipedia page. The first is Articles for creation (AFC), and the second is Direct Publishing.
AFC: This is the usual method where an editor or Wikipedian submits a Draft page and lets an official reviewer or admin decide whether the subject is eligible or not. AFC can take 24 hours to 5 months to get reviewed.
If the Draft is approved, the page will be converted to an Article that will rank on Google within 90 days of approval. Upon rejection, it will remain a Draft that the editor can try to improve and submit again. It is challenging to pass through AFC, but accepted pages are usually permanent.
Direct Publishing: This method is when an editor directly moves the Draft to an Article without anyone’s approval. This takes 7-14 days, but in many cases, the page gets deleted as the eligibility is not confirmed by an official reviewer or admin.
How to update an old Wikipedia article?
If there is an already existing Wikipedia page that requires updating, the same basic rules apply. The required edits should thoroughly be supported by reliable references and be written in one’s own words to avoid copyright issues.
The edits also need to abide by Wikipedia’s policies and be encyclopedic in content.
In some cases, negative content might be published on a page that harms the online reputation. If supported by reliable references, it is best to leave such content untouched, as removing it will only backfire and gather unwanted attention.
Anyone can create or update a Wikipedia page, but it is a must to hire experts. There are hundreds of policies and rules that one needs to know before editing Wikipedia pages.
Many individuals and companies who seek a Wikipedia page aren’t eligible and aware of Wikipedia’s policies. One in every three clients seeking Wikipedia assistance is scammed. These scammers are never transparent and will trick innocent clients with wordplay.
As everything is recorded on Wikipedia, a wrong move can result in permanently losing a page. A few things to remember are Notability, Neutral Content, Conflict of Interest, and Copyright. Luckily, Garden of Ads offers transparent services, from creating reliable references to publishing new pages and everything relevant to Wikipedia.
2 Responses