Business Wikipedia Article Creation Case Study
Reputation X developed a new Wikipedia article for a financial services company.
Executive Summary
- Client: New York-Based Financial Services Firm
- Challenge: Overcoming the Wikipedia development hurdles for a business in the financial sector
- Objective: To create and establish a stable Wikipedia presence for the client
- Strategies Implemented: PR content generation, Wikipedia content integration, and organic article development
- Outcome: A well-received Wikipedia article with neutral sentiment, ranking second under the client’s site in Google search results
- Duration: Article live within 6 months, ongoing improvements over the year
Situation Analysis
A financial services company in New York faced difficulties in establishing a Wikipedia article due to the business-critical nature of the financial sector and the recent incorporation of the firm.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to navigate the Wikipedia community’s skepticism towards business-related content, especially for newly formed companies, and to develop a Wikipedia article that would be accepted and maintained.
Objective
The campaign aimed to:
- Research credible, non-promotional reference content suitable for Wikipedia.
- Integrate mentions of the client into relevant existing Wikipedia articles.
- Encourage the Wikipedia community to accept and organically grow the client’s article.
Solution Set
PR Content Generation
- Strategy Development: Reputation X guided the firm’s PR team to produce articles in industry-trusted publications, aligning with Wikipedia’s notability requirements.
- Execution: Within 90 days, the PR team successfully facilitated the publication of five articles that served as robust references for Wikipedia.
Wikipedia Content Integration
- Content Improvement Plan: Targeted related Wikipedia articles for content enhancement, adding mentions of the client and linking to the eventual article.
- Organic Article Development
- Stub Article Creation: Requested knowledgeable third-party editors to create a starter article meticulously supported by strong references. This took time but was worth the wait.
- Article Expansion: Over time, editors were requested to organically expand the article, maintaining a neutral tone and adhering closely to Wikipedia’s guidelines. We used the article’s now-existing Talk page for well-researched notation and recommendations.
Outcome
The Wikipedia article achieved a stable presence, reflecting a neutral point of view and ranking prominently in Google search results across the client’s major markets. The article continues to improve organically, demonstrating the success of a strategic and community-integrated approach to Wikipedia development.
Conclusion
The strategic collaboration between Reputation X and the client’s PR team, coupled with a deep understanding of Wikipedia’s editorial landscape, resulted in the successful creation and nurturing of a Wikipedia article that enhances the firm’s online credibility and visibility.
