Arvia’s products and solutions are breaking new ground, so building credibility and profile is vital. Gaining a detailed and sustainable Wikipedia listing has proved a valuable and trusted gateway to learning more about this new and disruptive technology.
Wikipedia is now established as a trusted 'go to' online resource. People access Wikipedia to gain information on anything and everything: trivia, complex business information, products and services, inventions and individuals - it's all there.
Due to Wikipedia's very structure as a 'people' driven resource, the information is often viewed by the user as being 'pure' or 'unbiased'. This is in fact a myth because as with any media outlet or resource, neutrality is rare amongst Wikipedia editors.
Wikipedia listing can have an impact on the credibility or effectiveness of an organisation. Listings related to companies, organisations, products, services and individuals can influence audiences - particularly if they have been searched for specifically. Therefore Wikipedia has to be addressed along with other influencing factors, such as the media and search engines.
The big difference with Wikipedia is that the 'old rules' do not apply, and simply setting up a user account and adding listings, or changing unfavourable or inaccurate content, can cause more problems than it solves.
If your company is serious about Wikipedia and its influence then changes have to be made carefully and, where possible, without undue bias, not doing so will quickly see your listing removed or overwritten - and your editing profile 'tainted' or discredited.
Who will Wiki-Fix work for?
Some organisations develop truly revolutionary solutions - technologies so disruptive that they eventually redefine markets, changing things permanently. But this can take time, as the market will often cling onto trusted and familiar methods rather than early adopting new approaches.
If your company is developing solutions such as these then Wikipedia will almost certainly be significant. As a 'gateway' for learning it's important that new solutions and technologies are listed alongside the old - particularly if they are born out of academic research or have achieved credible third party recognition i.e. media, customers, key influencers etc.
The sooner your new solution is recognised as a mainstream alternative - the quicker it will be adopted by the market.
How will Wiki-Fix provide a return on investment?
Because a Wikipedia listing is in most cases in the top five results of an online search engine enquiry, it often acts as a starting point or gateway for discovery.
The key is to establish whether or not intervention is either required, or fits into a clients communications strategy.
If intervention is required, Frontier PR can provide the solution. Firstly, because we understand that in order to gain any communication benefits from the resource, you must work with not against its rules.
Secondly we understand that there are some basic practical considerations to take into account - such as always utilising a 'neutral' IP address when editing.
What will Frontier PR do?
- Identify if Wikipedia is the right influencing medium for your business
You must establish two key criteria: firstly, is your target market/service/product or subject matter significant? All established products and markets are clearly defined and have a presence on Wikipedia. If this is true of your market then this leads onto the second criteria: how significant is your product or service and how do we prove it? - Prove relevance
Once we've established that Wikipedia is an appropriate medium, Frontier PR will then decipher which third party sources will be required to build credibility. These could include a combination of:- Academic papers and research
- Media Coverage
- Respected advocates
These should all be accessible online so links can be provided.
- Engage with Wikipedia
Finally, Frontier PR will engage with the material online - but only when they are sure that the content gathered is lasting and watertight. Ongoing we will monitor editing and disputes.