5 things you need to create a Wikipedia page
So you want to create a Wikipedia article for your brand, executive, or product? It might not be as simple as you think.
Although Wikipedia is known as the “encyclopedia anyone can edit,” there are special considerations for those editing on behalf of organizations, and for good reason.
Wikipedia endeavors to remain unbiased and present neutral encyclopedic content. If you’re contributing on behalf of an employer or client it is very hard to be completely unbiased and present a “warts and all” summary of sources in the way Wikipedia’s guidelines layout. Due to this, there are certain rules in place for how brand representatives should approach the site but they can be hard to navigate.
To help, below we’ve put together a rundown of the 5 things you need to know to create a Wikipedia page. They can be grouped into 3 key categories: eligibility requirements, content guidelines, and rules of engagement.
Eligibility Requirements
Wikipedia has specific criteria, called “Notability” guidelines, that a topic must meet to qualify for a new Wikipedia page. The topic should have:
1️⃣ More than five pieces of in-depth journalism about the topic in well-known (preferably national) media outlets, excluding any event announcements, investor / financial announcements, contributor-written pieces, op-eds, Q&As, and speeches.
2️⃣ At least three pieces of media coverage that are solely focused on the topic, and provide multiple background details.
3️⃣ Sustained media coverage over a substantial period of time, not just for a single event.
Content Guidelines
If your topic satisfies the criteria outlined in 1-3, next it’s critical to your success to write an article that closely aligns with Wikipedia’s Manual of Style, sourcing guidelines, and content rules. Most importantly, you should:
4️⃣ Take care to write in an encyclopedic tone (avoiding promotional content and puffery), use only journalistic news coverage in a major, well-known publications for each claim, and follow best practice for formatting and structure based on the specific topic.
Rules of Engagement
Finally, you must know and understand how to follow Wikipedia’s Conflict of Interest guideline and (depending on your situation) the Wikimedia Foundation’s Terms of Use. Specifically, you should:
5️⃣ Always take a hands-off approach to editing Wikipedia for any subject of which you have a COI. Instead, you should submit a draft article to Wikipedia’s “Articles for Creation” for other volunteer editors in the community to review, find consensus, and create the new page on your behalf (pending they agree that the subject meets Wikipedia’s eligibility requirements). And, if you have a financial conflict of interest, you should always be careful to fully disclose it.
Not sure if your desired topic meets Wikipedia’s new article requirements? Email shout@luminodigital.com to learn more about what you can do next.
