Author: Callum Sherwood, Co-Founder of Worldwide Backlinks
Wikipedia is one of the world's most popular websites for a reason. Housing millions of pieces of content across most languages across the world, there’s no better place to have your brand or name referenced.
Wikipedia can be a valuable component of your branded SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy for several reasons. While Wikipedia itself may not directly impact your website's rankings, it can indirectly contribute to your SEO efforts in the following ways:
High Domain Authority
Wikipedia is one of the most authoritative websites on the internet, with a high domain authority. When Wikipedia pages link to your website, it can help improve your site's authority in the eyes of search engines, which can positively influence your search rankings.
Enhanced Online Visibility
Wikipedia pages often rank highly in search engine results pages (SERPs) for many topics. If you create and maintain a Wikipedia page for your brand or business, it can appear in search results when people search for information related to your industry or products. This increased visibility can drive organic traffic to your website. This is excellent for branded search!
Credibility and Trust
- Having a presence on Wikipedia lends credibility and trustworthiness to your brand. When potential customers see that your brand has a Wikipedia page, it can reinforce the legitimacy of your business and help establish you as an authority in your niche.
Structured Information
- Wikipedia pages provide structured and detailed information about a subject. This can be an opportunity to present comprehensive information about your brand, its history, products, and achievements. This can serve as a valuable resource for potential customers and can indirectly influence their decision-making. Having a Wikipedia page is also a very strong indicator of a well reputed brand.
Backlink Opportunities
- While Wikipedia's strict guidelines on notability and neutrality make it challenging to create a Wikipedia page solely for promotional purposes, it is possible to include citations and references to your brand within relevant articles. These citations can provide valuable backlinks to your website, which can improve your SEO. In my experience, nothing will make your organic traffic grow compared to a Wikipedia page.
It Isn’t that easy!
However, it's important to note that Wikipedia has strict guidelines and a community of editors who actively monitor and maintain its content. Simply creating a promotional page for your brand is likely to be rejected or deleted. To leverage Wikipedia effectively for your branded SEO strategy:
Ensure Notability
- Your brand or business should have significant coverage in independent, reliable sources to meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines.
Maintain Neutrality
- Wikipedia articles should be neutral and impartial. Avoid promotional language and provide balanced, verifiable information.
Cite Reliable Sources
- Use reputable and independent sources to support the information presented in your Wikipedia page. This is very important, as Wikipedia will only accept well cited sources when referring to brands or individuals
Referral Traffic
One of the most underrated benefits of having a Wikipedia page or reference, is the referral traffic it can drive. Google’s algorithm places weight on traffic driven from a trusted source, here’s an example of Wikipedia references driving traffic -
Closing Thoughts
Lastly, Wikipedia serves as an invaluable repository of knowledge, not only for potential customers but also for internal purposes. It can serve as a quick reference guide for employees and provide historical context for your business's evolution.
In conclusion, a Wikipedia presence is no longer a mere option but a strategic imperative for businesses. It enhances credibility, visibility, and control over your brand's narrative in the digital realm, ultimately bolstering your standing in the eyes of consumers and stakeholders alike. Embracing Wikipedia is not just a wise choice; it's a must for businesses seeking to thrive in today's competitive online landscape.
About the writer
Callum Sherwood is the Co-Founder of www.worldwidebacklinks.com specializing in outreach backlink building. A nerdy SEO specialist from Melbourne, Australia with over 10 years experience in technical SEO, content marketing & backlink acquisition.