Internet Solution Source: Wikipedia’s Role
Internet Solution Source and Web Visibility
As an Internet marketer, it is your responsibility to promote the web visibility of your brand. There are many ways to do this, but one simple method is often overlooked. And like blogs and Social Networking pages, this tool is absolutely free.
Everyone knows that Google loves Wikipedia. Forget the fact that the online encyclopedia is based on user submitted content. Forget the fact that such content isn’t guaranteed to be the most credible or reliable. None of this matters to Google. And therefore none of it should matter to you.
The Study
According to recent studies by Intelligent Positioning, Wikipedia articles appear on Page 1 of Google for 99 percent of searches. In addition to that already staggering number, Wikipedia ranks in position No. 1 for 56 percent of searches. Furthermore, Wikipedia articles rank within the top 5 positions nearly 56% of the time.
The study bases its results on 1000 unique one-word searches created by a random noun generator. Researchers used Google UK and conducted the search using Google Chrome on Incognito mode. Of the 1000 words searched, only 8 neglected to return Wikipedia pages on the first page of Google. The 8 Keyword No-Shows: Mail, News, Trainers, National, Sweets, Wardrobe, Phone, and Flight.
Sam Silverwood, the author of the study, notes that Wikipedia did fare extremely well in scientific searches. Terms relating to geography and health, like “Himalayan” and “Paediatrician”, typically placed Wiki-sites at No. 1. The same holds true for searches of food and clothing; searches for butter, milk, mayonnaise, trousers and wallet all had exceptional rankings through Wikipedia.
“If there was one place taken up in every search by Wikipedia, then that would mean there is one less place in the Top Ten for possible PPC paying corporations,” Silverwood noted. “Just a thought, not a fact.”
Interestingly enough, the 8 No-Shows of the study use highly competitive keywords. Terms like “National” and “Phone” are used by thousands, if not millions, of sites. If Wikipedia were to try to outrank them, it would need to update its content nearly every second.
Wikipedia’s ranking numbers should not surprise those who have followed Google over the years. A while back, Google co-founder Sergey Brin referred to Wikipedia as “one of the greatest triumphs of the Internet.” He went on to say that the site is “an invaluable resource to anyone who is online.” Sergey has also made several notable and generous donations to the online encyclopedia.
Why Is This Information Important?
This study has one very important implication for Internet marketers: If your business does not have a Wiki Page, create one! Creating a Wikipedia page is simple: Search for the business’s name in Wikipedia. When your search yields no applicable results, Wikipedia will confront you with an option to create the page yourself. As long as you have an account and cite your sources, your Wiki-page will be posted in a matter of days or even hours.
If you want to find out more about increasing your web visibility, contact Internet Solution Source today. Our experts are dedicated to helping you succeed in all of your web marketing endeavors.
