Notability

What are Wikipedia's notability guidelines?

Wikipedia's notability guidelines are rules used to determine who qualifies for a Wikipedia page. Wikipedia requires that a topic must have significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. It looks for published proof, not claims, credentials, or importance.

Notability is not about how important you are in the real world. It is about whether independent sources have talked about you in depth.

How do I know if I qualify for a Wikipedia page?

If you can find enough independent sources that Wikipedia deems reliable, you likely qualify for a Wikipedia page. A quick self-test: find at least three in-depth articles about you that you did not write, pay for, or give as an interview. If those exist, you have a real case. There must be enough quality sources to allow a neutral article to be written about you. You can also request a free notability evaluation to find out where you stand.

A good notability review removes the weak sources before Wikipedia editors do.

How famous do you have to be to get a Wikipedia page?

Wikipedia is not about being "famous." It does not measure notability based on your name, popularity, or your accomplishments. It looks for whether reliable, independent sources have covered you in a meaningful way. A well-documented expert may qualify before someone with a large social media following.

Fame gets attention, but independent coverage is what gets a Wikipedia page approved.

What makes someone notable enough for Wikipedia?

A person is notable for Wikipedia when reliable secondary sources cover them in depth. This means sources discuss their life, work, and impact on society in a way that allows editors to write a neutral biography. Sources need to be independent of the person and provide more than passing mentions.

Wikipedia does not publish resumes. It summarizes what reliable sources say about you.

What makes a company notable enough for Wikipedia?

A company is notable for Wikipedia when there are enough independent reliable sources that discuss the company. The sources need to be more than just passing mentions or routine announcements of funding. Company notability guidelines are some of the most stringent on Wikipedia.

A company only qualifies for Wikipedia when there are in-depth news articles about the company, not just passing mentions or routine coverage.

What sources count toward Wikipedia notability?

Wikipedia requires sources that are secondary and independent. It also requires these sources to have editorial oversight, so they must come from an organization with a history of fact-checking.

These can include mainstream news media, books, academic journals, or respected industry publications. Official websites, LinkedIn profiles, social media, and self-published articles are not enough to prove notability.

The best Wikipedia sources are the ones you did not write, publish, pay for, or control.

How many sources do you need for a Wikipedia page?

Wikipedia does not require a fixed number of sources. The rule is "multiple" reliable, independent sources, which can only be interpreted as more than one. Quality matters more than quantity. I have seen pages survive deletion discussions with only two strong, in-depth sources, and I have seen pages deleted despite dozens of weak sources.

Two strong sources can beat a dozen weak ones on Wikipedia.

Do press releases count for Wikipedia notability?

No, press releases never count toward Wikipedia notability. A press release is written by the company, person, or PR team trying to promote the topic. Wikipedia does not consider this independent, and therefore not credible.

A press release can confirm that you announced something, but it cannot confirm what you announced actually happened.

Do interviews count toward Wikipedia notability?

Interviews do not count toward Wikipedia notability. The information is provided by the interviewee and there is no editorial oversight, which Wikipedia requires for the source to be reliable. They can be used to help verify basic facts about a subject, but never to establish if a topic is notable.

An interview can support a fact, but it can never establish notability.

Do paid articles or sponsored posts count for Wikipedia?

No, paid coverage, which can include sponsored articles, never counts toward Wikipedia notability. They are not independent and lack the editorial oversight required by Wikipedia. These types of articles are often treated with less weight than press releases on Wikipedia as some editors discount them altogether.

If you paid for the source, Wikipedia will not see it as independent.

Does my own website, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, or social media count for Wikipedia?

No, your own website, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and social media do not count toward Wikipedia notability. These are self-published or profile-based sources which do not engage in fact-checking.

Wikipedia wants independent coverage, not profiles you can edit yourself.

Does revenue, funding, or company size help with Wikipedia notability?

No, revenue or company size does not establish notability for Wikipedia. Not even publicly traded companies are notable simply for being publicly traded. A company can raise hundreds of millions in funding and still fail Wikipedia's notability standard. Again, it comes down to reliable sources that talk about the company in depth.

Business success and Wikipedia notability are not the same thing.

Can startups qualify for Wikipedia pages?

Yes, startups can qualify for Wikipedia pages, but only if independent sources have covered the company in depth. Most early-stage startups do not qualify as they lack the reliable sourcing required. Funding rounds and product launches are not enough by themselves.

A startup does not qualify because it is new. It qualifies when reliable sources show why it matters.

Can CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs qualify for Wikipedia pages?

Yes, CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs can qualify for Wikipedia pages as long as there are reliable sources about them and not just the company. Simply being a founder or CEO of a notable company does not give inherent notability. The person must have accomplished something that is covered in great detail in reliable sources. Being mentioned in news articles about the company is never enough.

A company's notability does not automatically make its founder notable.

Can artists, musicians, actors, or entertainers qualify for Wikipedia pages?

Yes, entertainers such as artists, musicians, and actors normally qualify for Wikipedia. In fact, volunteer editors have a huge focus on entertainment articles in Wikipedia. That being said, there still need to be reliable, independent sources that cover the person in detail. Wikipedia also has subject-specific guidelines for creative professionals, including musicians, actors, filmmakers, and artists.

Wikipedia notability for entertainers comes from independent coverage, not just talent, credits, or popularity.

Why was my Wikipedia draft declined for notability?

Your Wikipedia draft was likely declined because the sources did not prove the subject met notability guidelines. This usually happens when the draft relies on press releases, interviews, company websites, paid media, short mentions, or sources that only verify facts instead of showing independent coverage.

Wikipedia drafts usually fail because the sources used do not show notability, not because those sources do not exist.

Can PR help me qualify for Wikipedia?

Yes, PR can help you qualify for Wikipedia, but does not guarantee it. Direct PR such as press releases cannot be used. However, if public relations is able to generate buzz where a publication decides to write an independent story about you, that source could potentially be used to show notability.

PR helps Wikipedia only when it creates earned media, not paid media.

What happens if I do not meet Wikipedia notability guidelines?

If you do not meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines, the page will likely be deleted, merged into another topic, or sent to draft space. A draft that does not meet guidelines will be declined and/or rejected.

Creating a Wikipedia page when you are not notable can make your next attempt more difficult.