How to Know if Your Organization Is Ready for a Wikipedia Page
Not every brand qualifies for a Wikipedia page. Learn how to assess readiness and what steps to take if you're not there yet.
Wikipedia is an incredible resource for the millions of readers around the world who rely on it daily, and also for the powerful search and AI companies who formulate answers and results pages based on Wikipedia many times per second. It is truly a unique platform, influential in more ways than most realize. There's nothing quite like it.
As a result, pretty much everyone knows that Wikipedia can be a powerful place to be seen. Its longevity—can you believe it's been around for a quarter century?—and its consistency—every article organized about the same, making it easy to find information—and its authoritative tone—its clear, fact-based, dispassionate tone makes it seem more trustworthy than even pages on academic sites, and certainly more accessible.
Everyone knows it is a place to be seen. But not everyone realizes what is necessary to qualify for a Wikipedia page of one's own. So how can you find out if you are?
Start with Volume
The first thing to do is look at the volume of media coverage about you. A simple way to do this, a first step but only a starting point, is to plug your brand name into Google News and see what comes back. If the answer is very little, then you know right away that you're not eligible yet. Wikipedia's General Notability Guideline requires a critical mass of news coverage. If you don't have any, you'll need to generate it.
Then Look at Quality
Let's say your Google News foray does return some results, perhaps even multiple pages of links. OK, we've cleared the first hurdle. But the existence of these sources is not enough. We also have to look at the quality of this coverage. Specifically, are these from credible editorial outlets? Just because a website is included in Google News does not mean that it meets Wikipedia's threshold for sourcing.
Google News includes press releases, news wires, and other websites that are media sites. But not every media site has the same standards for reporting, fact-checking, and editorial interests. And not every source contains useful information. A podcast Q&A may contain good information, but from Wikipedia's perspective, it's not subject to editorial scrutiny like a reported piece is. A website like Seeking Alpha looks professional, but is written by investors seeking a return, not reporters seeking facts. And you might be surprised how many articles that resemble a reported news article are in fact a press release rewrite. Wikipedia editors have higher standards for which sources they take seriously.
Consider Breadth and Depth
Let's say you do have some quality news items about you in well-known sources, where your brand is the focus of the post. Now we're getting somewhere. But we also need to understand the breadth of that coverage.
Wikipedia has a rule against creating articles for subjects that are "notable for one event." For many startups, this might be a successful fundraising round. But Wikipedia editors aren't that impressed: many startups raise money, few build a lasting brand, and Wikipedia doesn't want to have a bunch of short entries about failed companies.
It helps a lot to have coverage from multiple years, from multiple publications, and examining different aspects of your brand. If there is one reporter at one outlet who has written several stories about you, editors might consider that not enough demonstrated widespread public interest—you just have a dedicated fan.
The High Bar Is Intentional
If you do have all of these, you may be ready for a Wikipedia article. If so, we can give a recommendation for what you might do next. But this is a very high bar to reach—Wikipedia editors know their project is an attractive place to be recognized, so it's not by accident.
In the vast majority of cases, you will need to undertake an earned media strategy to garner the kinds of sources needed. Paid placements won't get you there. Contributing bylined pieces to even reputable outlets won't get you there. Wikipedia's sourcing requirements are tricky, and chances are you can use expert help to use your resources effectively.
Let's Talk
The Notability Company can help you understand what you need to become wiki-ready, what steps you need to take, and even work directly with you to build toward your Wikipedia page. Let's start a conversation about how we can work together.