Hiring Wikipedia experts can be beneficial if your goal is to improve or create accurate, well-sourced content for Wikipedia. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to hire such experts:
Pros:
Content Accuracy: Wikipedia experts understand the platform's guidelines, notability criteria, and how to write neutrally. They can ensure that any page created or edited is factual, well-referenced, and adheres to Wikipedia’s standards.
Time Efficiency: Creating or maintaining Wikipedia pages can be time-consuming. Experts can handle this task efficiently, saving you time to focus on your core activities.
Navigating Policies: Wikipedia has strict rules regarding conflict of interest (COI) and promotional content. Wikipedia experts can navigate these policies effectively, ensuring that edits don't get reverted or flagged.
Increased Credibility: Having a Wikipedia page that follows guidelines can enhance credibility for organizations, individuals, or projects, especially when it's well-cited and unbiased.
Cons:
COI Risks: Wikipedia discourages paid editing because of potential biases. Even with the best intentions, hiring an expert who directly edits a page on your behalf may raise concerns about COI, leading to page scrutiny or reversals by the Wikipedia community.
No Guaranteed Outcomes: Wikipedia’s open editing model means that even expertly created content can be changed or deleted by others. There is no guarantee that a page will remain as it was initially created.
Cost: Hiring a professional Wikipedia editor or consultant may be costly, especially if you need long-term maintenance or monitoring of the page.
Alternatives:
- Transparency: Some experts can act as advisors, guiding you through the process while you or someone in-house makes the actual edits.
- Wikipedia Talk Pages: You can discuss proposed edits with the community before making major changes to avoid potential conflicts or page deletions.
