I hold myself out to be a professional Wikipedia editor. Many people do not look into the use of the term and simply assume that the term “professional” refers to being “paid.” While this is the case when it comes to many jobs, it is not so when it comes to Wikipedia editing.
Many people will take your money and edit Wikipedia on your behalf, but what are the consequences of their edits?
It is completely up to you if you want to hire someone to assist you or not. You actually do not need to pay anyone as Wikipedia is free for anyone to contribute. However, there are many policies and guidelines that govern conduct on the site and having an experienced editor on your site can help you navigate.
For those who do decide to seek assistance, many fall into the trap of simply hiring the cheapest they can find. Huge mistake.
You can find plenty of writers on Fiverr and Upwork who will assist, but what are the top of services you are getting from them? You want to hire a professional, not just someone who will take your money without your best interest in mind.
In fact, I receive emails on a regular basis from people who have used freelancers who are paid and not professional. They usually involve asking me to help them recreate a Wikipedia page that was deleted due to the lack of expertise on the part of the original freelancer. I have no problem assisting, but it take more effort the second and third time around and the cost to do so is more significant.
Here are a few of the things that I consider being professional. Even if you elect not to use my services, keep these in mind when looking for a provider. It can save you a ton of money in the long run.
Providing an Assessment of Your Wikipedia Project
It is always a good idea to have a paid Wikipedia editor let you know the viability of creating an article for you.
If you are provided with a quote without an evaluation, chances are the person providing the quote does not have your best interest in mind. Here is what I mean:
Wikipedia is not a “one size fits all” type of website. Each project is different and needs to be evaluated as such. First, you must determine if the topic meets notability guidelines. Then you need to determine the amount of content you can write (which is based on the available references).
They are willing to take your money in hopes that the page “sticks,” but they don’t have any idea if it will because they failed to see if it meets guidelines.
A professional Wikipedia editor should provide you with an upfront consultation, telling you if the page you want created (or the edits you want to integrate) falls within Wikipedia guidelines. Any questions or concerns that you have with creating or editing an article should be addressed prior to agreeing to engage the services of any paid editor.
Would you accept a doctor’s diagnosis if they didn’t even know your symptoms?
Giving the Right Advice about Wikipedia
There are more than a dozen known Wikipedia editors who can give advice. But who is telling the truth and who is just using talking points?
I advice steering clear of anyone telling you that Wikipedia is a walk in the park. Anyone sugar coating the advice is likely not on your side. You should not choose a provider who is simply telling you want you want to hear. It is your choice on how you want to proceed, but you need to know everything up front such as what you can/cannot put into a page.
For instance, some people want to use Wikipedia as a reputation management tool. Most paid editors will simply provide a quote and proceed with the work. However, using Wikipedia for reputation management could be suicide and I advise clients of such. The correct advice is not to use Wikipedia at all and instead engage in some type of media outreach or other reputation management technique.
Another example is Wikipedia backlinks. Many people will quote you upfront for a link, but does your link even qualify to be added to Wikipedia? I advise not doing links in Wikipedia at all because most of the time you don’t qualify and it amounts to spam.
Final Thoughts on Paid and Professional Wikipedia Editors
If you want to have a likelihood of success with Wikipedia, you need to understand the policies and guidelines before making any edit to the site. You can also hire someone to write a Wikipedia page, but you need to make sure you hire a professional and not just a paid editor. If your service provider gives you a quote without an evaluation….run! Make sure they tell you the good and the bad of creating a page as well.
Wikipedia is not the same as creating a blog post. The more you know upfront, the better armed you will be when marketing yourself on Wikipedia.