Whenever we search for something on the internet, we have all seen Wikipedia at the top of the search results.

Basically, it appears in the number one organic listing spot for around 68% of search terms made on search engines like Google and Bing. Even for one-word search queries research suggests Wikipedia pages appear on the first page 7 out of 10 times.

But how would a company page of Nike on Wikipedia benefit you?

Simply said, the main reason is to do with brand reputation and search results. When people type your company or brand name into a search engine it is usually because they find this the easiest way to get to your website, social media channels or landing page to know more about your business.

Here is the fold google results page for a brand search for ‘Nike for example:

As you can see, Wikipedia is notable for two important entries on this brand search results page.

It directly gets the second-place listing in the organic search results providing trusted and independent information about Nike. This is important for lesser-known brands as a well-presented Wikipedia page will provide credibility and can even legitimize your company to the searcher.

A Wikipedia Page also helps in getting verified on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and oven Twitter.

Page content from Wikipedia is also being used by Google directly in the right-hand knowledge panel which can be claimed by the owner if required.

All the majority of searchers will find what they are looking for in this space and will not scroll down the page as it is not really required when you find something credible.

Therefore, having a slight control over what appears in the top listings for your brand name in search is very crucial and important.  

If you have a Wikipedia page you can be confident that it will usually rank in the top 3 positions which will always place you above all of your competitors.

What is the easiest way to get a company page on Wikipedia?

Just to make it a bit clearer – you have little control over what is actually on the Wikipedia page. You can submit an article but if it does not match their content and posting guidelines, Wikipedia will not publish the piece of content.

Sadly, the guidelines of Wikipedia are simple but open to interpretation. Any entries made are verified by an independent editor who will make a judgment call on how your company page or public figure page measures up to the following main conditions of entry:

Notability – all the subject matter submitted for approval must be worthy of notice in its own right:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability

Citations – articles with multiple independent citations are considered worth having a unique page on Wikipedia. The more citations from credible sources the better and you will need at least 5 or 6. To put it simply, Wikipedia is strongly measuring notability with citations.

So, any claims you make in your company description text should be backed up with independent sources. For example, a citation from a local newspaper will carry no weight compared to a national or international media source.

Furthermore, citations from your own website or affiliated websites are no good either as they will not be considered at all.

Non-promotional – Your company page or the brand page will not be advertised by Wikipedia as their business model does not provide an advertising system. You need to talk about strong and notable achievements that you can verify and not only brag about.

One of the main reasons companies do not achieve a Wikipedia entry is because they are too small and have not got a lot of notable sources talking about them online. There is no use of creating a Wikipedia page before you are notable.

Now, once you are notable, it is then a question of producing content that does not read like a company advertisement but more information. The neat part is that you can edit your submission as often as you like until you produce something a Wiki Editor is happy with – but as it can take 3 – 4 weeks before each edit is reviewed so be very careful and leave it to Wikipedia experts to take care of this for you.

If you have any doubts or would like more advice on whether Wikipedia is for you please just give me a call on +973 3597 1999 or drop an email to dm(at)amgdigitalbh.com .

AboutNigel Quadros

Nigel Quadros is a top-rated digital marketing keynote speaker, trainer and advisor on programmatic advertising, conversion optimization and e-Commerce in the Middle East.