Why Wikipedia Reputation Management Matters for Your Business

Some people have strong reservations about online reputation management on Wikipedia. For one, you are never in total control of your reputation on Wikipedia. 

But what if you discovered a professional or business page on the platform you didn’t create? Should you do away with it and let your reputation on Wikipedia run its course? Or should you monitor and edit it to keep your reputation in check?

In this blog, we talk about Wikipedia reputation management, the pros and cons, tips for success and the importance of having the right online reputation management (ORM) strategy.

Specifically, we discuss:

• What Is Wikipedia Reputation Management?
• Wikipedia Is a Double-Edged Sword
• Wikipedia Page Management: Things To Consider
• How To Get Started With Wikipedia Page Management
• Get Into Wikipedia Monitoring
• Improve Your Online Reputation With Flexible ORM Services

What Is Wikipedia Reputation Management?

Wikipedia reputation management is the process of monitoring and editing your Wikipedia page (or creating, if none) to ensure that it is accurate and reflects your reputation in a positive light. The specific steps involved in Wikipedia reputation management can vary, but some general steps include:

1. Creating a Wikipedia page for yourself if you do not already have one.
2. Monitoring your Wikipedia page for any changes or edits.
3. Making sure that the information on your Wikipedia page is accurate and up-to-date.
4. Responding to any negative articles or edits on your Wikipedia page.
5. Requesting that any inaccurate or defamatory information be removed from your Wikipedia page.

However, reputation management for Wikipedia is not that easy.

A Double-Edged Sword: The Pros and Cons of Online Reputation Management on Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a valuable tool for online reputation management, but it also has some drawbacks.

Pros

• Wikipedia business pages appear on the first page of Google almost always. Among the many reasons Wikipedia is so successful is because other websites constantly link back to it. The links signal to Google that Wikipedia is a valuable resource, which leads the search engine to rank it higher in results pages.
• Gain Wikipedia backlinks. Although Wikipedia backlinks are ‘nofollow’ links, they still offer excellent search engine optimization value. Wikipedia is a popular and authoritative website, so Wikipedia backlinks will naturally drive traffic to your site. This makes Wiki management a powerful tool for your off-page optimization.

Cons

• Anyone can edit your pages. The ability for anyone to edit Wikipedia is both a strength and a weakness. It allows for a more democratic and inclusive approach to knowledge creation but also makes it more susceptible to errors and vandalism.
• Once created, it’s almost impossible to delete a Wikipedia business page. Anyone can edit Wikipedia articles, but only administrators can delete them. The Wiki management team also suggests improving a page instead of deleting it, which can be a pain when dealing with trolls.
• Endless Wikipedia monitoring for trolls. While you should monitor and manage all of your listings, Wikipedia monitoring is different. Unlike business listings on Google or Yelp, others can edit your Wiki and cite old bad press, requiring more strict monitoring or reputation repair.

Overall, whether or not to have a Wikipedia business page is a decision that should be made on a case-by-case basis. If you believe the pros outweigh the cons, then Wikipedia page management could be a valuable asset for your business. However, if you are concerned about the potential for inaccurate or outdated information due to the highly open Wiki management, you should avoid having a Wikipedia page.

Things To Consider Before Creating a Wikipedia Business Page of Your Own

Creating your own Wikipedia business page or article is technically possible, but it is not advisable. Wikipedia has a policy against self-promotion; publishing your own article could be seen as a conflict of interest.

But, if you are confident that you can objectively create or edit a page about your business or organization, neutrally representing your reputation on Wikipedia, just remember the following:

• Wikipedia was created as an objective, community-driven and unbiased encyclopedia. Due to its nature and mission, over-promotional and biased content may violate its guidelines or be removed.
• Currently, Wikipedia allows users to contribute to or publish pages that may have a conflict of interest as long as they follow the guidelines of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
• Wikipedia’s Conflict of Interest Disclosure Guidelines. If you are editing an article about a company you own or work for, you must disclose your conflict of interest. This can be done by adding a note to the article stating that you have a connection to the company. You should also avoid promoting the company or its products in the article.
  • Neutral point of view (NPOV). Wikipedia articles are written from a neutral point of view, meaning they present all sides of an issue fairly and objectively.
  • Verifiability. All information in Wikipedia articles must be verifiable. It must be attributed to or supported by reliable sources.
  • Consensus. Wikipedia articles result from a consensus process, which means that they are constantly being edited and improved by a community of editors.

For some, listing on the platform and managing a Wiki page can be more difficult than one may think, particularly as a new user.

Fortunately, you have the option to hire a reputation management agency or expert to help you. But if you want to do it on your own, we’ve listed the steps below to guide you.

How To Get Started With Wikipedia Page Management

Due to the particular editing guidelines you must adhere to and the moderators who enforce them, it is both tedious and challenging to create and edit a Wiki page precisely how you want it.

1. Create a Wikipedia account.

• Go to the Wikipedia website and click on “Create an Account.”
• Enter your email address and create a password.
• Verify your email address.
• Log in to your account.

2. Be promoted as an autoconfirmed user.

• Have an account that is at least four days old.
• Made at least 10 edits to Wikipedia (edits must be of good quality and adhere to Wikipedia’s policies).
• Must not have been blocked by any administrators.

3. Create a Wikipedia page for your company.

• Go to Wikipedia’s “Writing an article” page.
• Click on the blue button that reads, “Article wizard: an easy way to create articles.”
• Choose whether you want to start creating your Wiki page immediately or practice editing in Wikipedia’s sandbox first.
• Add as much or as little information about your company, following the prompts.

4. Edit a Wikipedia page you did not create.

• Open the Wikipedia page you wish to edit.
• Click on the “edit source.”
• Make your desired changes to the article.
• Click “Show Preview” to preview how your changes will look.
• Once you’re okay with the preview, click “Publish Changes.”
• Leave a brief summary of your changes at the bottom of the page to help other editors.

Note: You do not need to create an account to edit a Wikipedia page. Your IP address will be used to identify you.

Now, since Wikipedia is open for anyone to edit, the bulk of the work you have to do when it comes to managing your reputation on Wikipedia is monitoring.

Get Into Wikipedia Monitoring

Wikipedia pages are constantly being updated. As a result, it is critical to monitor these changes, as they may harm the reputation of a person, business or organization. You do not need to be logged in to view these changes.

To monitor updates to a Wikipedia page:

1. Go to the Wikipedia page you are concerned about.
2. Click on the “View history” tab at the top of the page (next to “Edit source”).
3. You will see a page with a list of all the revisions, each with a circle next to it. To view and compare a version of the page, click on the circle. The circle will turn blue to indicate that the version is selected.
4. Then click on “Compare selected revisions” at the top (and bottom) of the page.
5. You will see a comparison of updates made at each date and user.

Rize Reviews’ Wikipedia Online Reputation Management Services

If a page or article about you or your business already exists, you have no choice but to improve your online reputation and get on with reputation management for Wikipedia. But if you don’t have any presence on the platform and want to get started, take the time before you commit to reputation management on Wikipedia.

But whether you have an existing page or wish to create one, trusted reputation management agency Rize Reviews is here to help. Our online reputation management services (ORM services) experts can help you monitor and manage it. In case needed, we offer review-checking and review response services.

Talk to our ORM services expert today!