Wikipedia: Companies should avoid these seven mistakes at all costs
More and more companies are contributing to Wikipedia to keep their "own" articles up to date. This is not only permitted, but even encouraged. This involvement becomes problematic when companies do not adhere to the rules and "conventions". The Wikipedia experts from Aufgesang and Sucomo provide an overview of the seven biggest mistakes.
1. disguised changes
Companies are allowed to contribute to Wikipedia, but only if they are registered and have a verified user account. Anyone who does not adhere to this and becomes active without registration or with a private user account and embellishes the company article suffers an immense loss of reputation if it is discovered - up to and including the blocking of the user account. In the worst case, manipulation attempts may even end up in the media.
2. participation without preparation
Wikipedia has its own set of rules and "conventions" that are difficult for outsiders to understand - which is why thorough familiarization is essential before a company takes action for the first time. For example, the online encyclopedia does not use academic titles, even for CEOs. Such and other serious mistakes made by beginners often lead to the community treating a user with lasting skepticism.
3. PR messages
Many companies are not aware of the encyclopaedic nature of Wikipedia and its social significance and view it as a marketing platform for their own self-promotion. However, anyone who disregards the neutral point of view risks having their article changes deleted - and, in the event of a repeat offense, having their user account blocked.
4. one-sided focus
From the perspective of a company, it is certainly understandable if it is primarily concerned with its own article. However, such one-sidedness is not in the spirit of Wikipedia and does not create much credibility. In order to be part of the community, companies should also get involved elsewhere, for example in articles relating to their area of expertise.
5. unjustified, unsubstantiated changes
One of the many time-consuming tasks of the volunteer Wikipedia community is reviewing changes to articles. Changes without a comprehensible reason and proof lead to avoidable additional work - and should therefore not be made.
6. irrelevant web links
Wikipedia has a section for further web links for each article. Web links in the body text are taboo. Even if the temptation is great to set links at will, companies should know that there are strict guidelines for this too: The linked pages must be relevant both to the article itself and to Wikipedia - this regularly does not apply to subpages of the company's own website.
7. you instead of you
It takes some getting used to that strangers address each other as "you" without being asked and use a harsh tone in disputes - but this has evolved over time. Addressing people as "you" would cause alienation in the community. Companies would therefore do well to adapt and always present objective and fact-based arguments in discussions.
Advice and support on all questions relating to Wikipedia is provided by a free guide.
Aufgesang is one of the few German agencies for communication in Wikipedia. Around 30 employees look after existing and project clients from a wide range of industries. The agency regularly conducts studies and research to keep its know-how up to date, optimize its own tools and further develop the quality of its work. In addition, it shares its specialist knowledge in lectures and specialist articles as well as at conferences. Aufgesang and the PR agency Sucomo work closely together in the implementation of Wikipedia projects and the transfer of knowledge and skills relating to Wikipedia (in the form of workshops, for example).
