Additional Policies: Avoiding Common Pitfalls
If you're considering a Wikipedia presence for your brand, it’s important to understand how the platform operates. Wikipedia’s guidelines ensure all content is neutral, accurate, and verifiable, and brands need to be mindful of these policies before starting the process. Below are key principles, explained simply, to help you understand how Wikipedia thinks about content.
Self-Published Sources: Not Enough on Their Own
While your brand might produce content like blogs, press releases, and white papers, these sources don’t carry much weight on Wikipedia. That’s because anyone can create self-published content, and Wikipedia prioritizes independent, third-party perspectives.
In rare cases, self-published material by a recognized expert may be used, but only if their work has previously been vetted by reliable sources. For brands, this means your own content can support basic facts (like product details) but won’t establish credibility for a Wikipedia article. Instead, focus on encouraging independent coverage from reputable sources.
Due and Undue Weight: Balanced Representation
Wikipedia aims to reflect reality as reported in reliable sources. Topics or viewpoints that receive widespread attention will get more coverage, while those with limited attention will be included proportionally—or left out entirely.
For brands, this means that criticism or controversies that have been widely covered in reliable outlets will appear alongside your achievements. Attempting to remove or downplay this content may go against Wikipedia’s neutrality policy, if editors believe the content is not "undue". Beutler Ink can help you to evaluate specific content and decide on a path forward.
No Original Research: Wikipedia Reflects What’s Published
Wikipedia is not a place for new ideas, analysis, or conclusions—even if they’re accurate. Instead, it’s a platform that summarizes what has already been published in reliable sources.
For brands, this means you need to ensure that the claims you’d want to see on Wikipedia are clearly documented in credible, independent outlets. If a claim isn’t supported elsewhere, it doesn’t belong on Wikipedia.
Biographies of Living Persons (BLP): Accuracy is Essential
For content about people, particularly living individuals, Wikipedia has strict rules to protect their privacy and reputation. Everything added to these pages must come from high-quality sources, and any unsourced or poorly sourced material—whether positive or negative—will be removed immediately.
If your brand’s leadership is part of the story, ensure any coverage about them is accurate and balanced. Wikipedia doesn’t allow speculation, gossip, or sensational claims. A solid reputation in reliable sources is critical.
Avoiding Weasel Words: Be Clear and Specific
Vague statements like “some people say” or “widely regarded as the best” don’t work on Wikipedia. These phrases can mislead readers by implying support without providing evidence. Wikipedia requires all claims to be backed by reliable sources, with clear attribution.
For brands, this means that positive but vague language about your achievements—like “the leading company in its industry”—won’t be accepted. Instead, aim for factual statements supported by independent, third-party coverage.
Avoiding Puffery: Let the Facts Speak
Promotional terms like "innovative," "world-class," or "award-winning" may work in marketing materials but have no place on Wikipedia. These words are seen as subjective and promotional unless backed by concrete facts.
Rather than saying your brand is “revolutionary,” point to specific achievements or recognition from reputable sources. For example: "The company won the 2024 Innovation Award from [credible source]." This approach aligns with Wikipedia’s focus on verifiable information.
Identifying Usable Images: Understanding Licensing Requirements
Wikipedia has strict rules about what types of images can be used. All images must either be freely licensed, in the public domain, or meet specific "fair use" criteria. Before uploading an image, ensure it falls into one of these four categories:
Own work – You created the image yourself and own all rights to it.
Freely licensed – The image has been explicitly released under an acceptable free license, such as Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike.
Public domain – The image is free of copyright restrictions due to age or explicit release by the creator.
Fair use/non-free – The image meets Wikipedia’s strict non-free content policy, requiring a clear rationale for why it is necessary.
Using copyrighted images without proper permission can result in removal, so verifying the legal status of an image is crucial before uploading.
What Wikipedia Is Not: Understanding Content Limitations
While Wikipedia is a vast resource, it has clear limits on what it includes. Here are a few things Wikipedia is not:
Not a Marketing Platform – Wikipedia is not a place for promotion or PR efforts. Articles must be written from a neutral point of view, without advertising language or corporate messaging.
Not a Social Media Site – Wikipedia is not a platform for self-promotion, networking, or posting company updates.
Not a News Site – Wikipedia is not a breaking news outlet. Events must have lasting significance and be well-covered in reliable sources to be included.
Not a Directory – Wikipedia does not serve as a company listing, product catalog, or resume service. Information must be notable and encyclopedic.
Not a How-To Guide – Wikipedia does not publish how-to guides, manuals, or step-by-step instructions.
Understanding these distinctions helps brands navigate Wikipedia effectively and avoid common pitfalls.
Products and Subsidiaries: Context Over Catalogs
Wikipedia is not a product catalog or corporate directory, so long lists of products, subsidiaries, or acquisitions are generally discouraged. Instead, this information should be presented in prose, providing context on the significance of key offerings or business units rather than simply listing names. Products should only be included if they have received independent coverage that establishes their notability.
However, in cases where structured data is necessary—such as detailing acquisitions with dates or comparing key product features—a table may be appropriate. The goal is always clarity and usefulness for the reader, ensuring that information is presented in a way that aligns with Wikipedia’s encyclopedic standards rather than resembling a corporate fact sheet.
Wikipedia’s Style Overrides Your Marketing Conventions
Wikipedia’s Manual of Style prioritizes clarity and consistency over branding preferences, which means company names and trademarks must follow standard editorial conventions rather than corporate stylizations. Symbols like ™, ®, and © are omitted because Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not an advertising platform or legal document. Similarly, company names are written in sentence case rather than all caps, even if a brand prefers an uppercase presentation for marketing. Wikipedia also avoids stylized punctuation, meaning brands like Yahoo! are written as “Yahoo” unless reliable sources overwhelmingly support the punctuation. These rules ensure that Wikipedia remains neutral and readable, preventing it from becoming an extension of corporate branding efforts.
Need Help Navigating Wikipedia’s Rules?
Wikipedia’s strict guidelines on neutrality, sourcing, and style can make it challenging for brands to ensure their presence aligns with policy. From avoiding promotional language to working within Wikipedia’s editorial framework, understanding how to position your brand correctly requires expertise.
