Sunday, November 1, 2009

Using Wikis to Promote Your Business


A Wiki is software that enables people collaborate on creating interrelated topical documents.The best known instance of a Wiki is Wikipedia -- a popular online encyclopedia built through community participation. Business can also benefit from Wikis, by facilitating and encouraging the collaborative production and sharing of company documents, files, and knowledge among management, employees, customers, and suppliers. Product documentation, teamwork, and project management are ripe areas where Wikis can make immediate and substantial contributions to improving collaboration, knowledge sharing, and positive outcomes.The resources below offer insightful advice in effectively putting Wikis to work in your business:

9 comments:

  1. I was surprised learn that I could use a Wiki to promote my business. Great resources!

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  2. It's a great idea cuz wiki is always on the very first result from the search. Everyone can reach to the business easily and get more information about it!

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  3. I like the idea of using wiki to plan meeting agendas.

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  4. It seems to me that using Wiki could be a very useful tool, but it could also be a very harmful tool. Wiki allows millions of people easy access to information about your business. This is a very good thing, especially since it is free! There is nothing better than free advertising in this rough economy.
    I say that Wiki could be harmful to a business because any person can change what the page says. Now if Wiki is being used to let employees know about meeting dates, any person on the web can click the edit button and change the date. They can not only change the date but they can write what ever they want! False claims, bad reviews, and very negative advertising can be placed on the companies web site with out the company knowing. Now don't get me wrong, I believe that Wiki can be a very powerful tool, there needs to be close supervision as to what is put onto the page.

    Deirdre Smith

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  5. Hi Deirdre,

    Wikipedia does have some very strict guidelines about posting negative things about companies, products, or people. That said, if the posters can document the information is true, then it is difficult (or impossible) to remove it. And once something is out there in cyberspace, it is there forever. Kind of scary. On the other hand, the advantages of Wiki are considerable too.

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  6. Hi Melisa,
    Thank you so much for the information provided above, I never knew that you can use Wiki to promote your business. I think this is a very good opportunity to do so, first of all Wiki is free, and also most of the people when they search for something, Wikis website always comes in the first page, it’s very helpful. Also wiki can view in all different languages, which it makes it more useful for people don’t understand English.
    Another good thing about using Wiki is that Wiki is free; it is one of the best ways for us to promote a small business using Wiki, than paying a whole bunch of promotion fees through other companies. As a starter of a small business, a lot of people don’t have that kind of money to advertise or promote their business. So overall I think is a good idea using Wiki to promote a small company. Thanks a lot for the Information.

    Weitang hu

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  7. Hi Weitang,

    Great point about how Wiki's can be offered in multiple language. Imagine a corporation that puts all its support material in a Wiki in multiple languages and then lets users contribute to the collection of data. Of course, contributed content would have to evaluated for accuracy, but it would save the company time, money, and provide better service to consumers.

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  8. I have used wikipedia many many times. I have even posted on there about Johnny Cash. I wrote a paper on him for a history class in college, and put it on there for people to read and comment on. It was very helpful.

    I dont like it when people say not to use wikipedia or anything because its unreliable, but it is monitored and read through and only learned people post on it, there are no posts by idiots who think they can say anything, they do not exist.
    james fisher

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  9. This post and the comments were very thought provoking. I like the idea that Wikipedia can be seen in multiple languages, can be (beneficently) edited by people all over the world, and is probably the most used source for high school and college students in the U.S. despite its criticism.
    One thing I don't understand is how such a site would be used to advertise or promote a company. Would you just create a page about "Bob's Italian Restaurant," or would you have to more subtly wind Bob's Restaurant into pages such as "Italian Cuisine," or "Restaurants in Smallville?"

    Sorry for the mediocre example names!
    Great ideas and information,
    David Kappele

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