I can’t believe that Wikipedia has been around for 15 years. I’m sharing 15 things about the online encyclopedia on the web today.
1. This is my very first article. I remember how excited I was to complete this. I worked with an intern to find relevant articles and I really wanted to impress my boss with it.
2. According to Wikipedia, these are the most edited articles.
3. My favorite Wikipedia articles are ones that tell the history of making an album. One of my favorite articles about an album is this one.
4. I also love looking up the writer of songs on Wikipedia.
5. In college, our professors told us to never source Wikipedia because of inaccuracies. Actually, Wikipedia is pretty spot on when it comes to accuracy. How can you tell? Check to make sure that the page doesn’t have any flags or notes at the top identifying it as inaccurate or not having appropriate references.
6. Reality stars often have flagged articles because gossip blogs are not considered credible sources.
7. Reality stars often have pages that are horrible altogether. For the publicists, I recommend that you find a good editor to help you navigate publishing an article.
8. If you want a Wikipedia article for yourself or a client, this is the best place to look for information to determine if you need one or not.
9. Wikipedia recently implemented a policy where Wikipedia editors must disclose if they are paid to write an article or not. Make sure you check it out.
10. One of my favorite Wikipedia moments: when Mitt Romney announced his running mate on his campaign app, on a Saturday. The speculation around who was only heightened by the increase of Wikipedia activity on the page of potential candidates prior to the announcement.
11. I think if you are at a multi million dollar company that invests in marketing and PR for your company, it’s worth making sure your Wikipedia looks better.
12. Remember that time Bebeliebers attacked Esperanza Spalding’s Wikipedia because he didn’t win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist? So petty.
13. I wish more women created Wikipedia articles too.
14. I appreciate how Wikipedia locks down articles where a current event is happening. Like a death or shooting. It helps keep the speculations from being posted before the facts come out.
15. I remember the Kate Middleton controversy surrounding her wedding dress getting a Wikipedia article. That dress definitely deserves a page. I believe that more fashion articles should be on Wikipedia.
What’s your favorite thing to do on Wikipedia?
Have a great weekend!
