Searching Wikipedia for backgroud information on a B Corporation, a certification of “social and environmental performance” for a for profit companies, I came across a footnote from a statement that such status bring an annul fee. The footnote was to a blog published by the law firm, Bryan Cave.
Got me thinking. Wikipedia could be an excellent place for posts from your blog to be cited.
Wikipedia entries are replete with footnotes documenting the source for a statement. Wikipedia is full of entries relating to the law and social issues, many of which are being being blogged in legal blogs.
Why not add a statement or additional information to an existing Wikipedia entry on an issue you just blogged about. You’re adding greater information and depth to an existing entry on the subject.
Furthermore, you’re backing up what you added with a credible source, if not the most credible source on the subject. Law blogs cover niches, niches not covered by any other learned authority.
With your added information, Wikipedia becomes a richer resource on the subject.
What’s the value to you of doing so?
- You are contributing to the advancment of the law.
- Greater access to reliable and credible legal information for legal professions and the public.
- Wikipedia appears on page one of Google’s seach results forty-six percent of the time.
- Like others, I use Wikipedia for background information on most everything. Especially so for definitions and descriptions I’ll use when blogging. People searching on the niche will see you.
- Others are citing legal blogs, and perhaps yours, for Wikipedia entries and footnotes. Law blogs are the leading source on many subjects.
- Law firms are chasing down Wikipedia entries for their own firm, why not seek entries where they are more substantive – on the law?
- Increasing your stature as a reliable authority in your niche.
- Law firms and legal marketing professionals scramble to get their blogs and blogs seen in any number of places. Some worthwhile, some not.
- Wikpedia is twelve percent of the Internet. It dwarfs any other source.
Maybe others have written on legal blogs being used for Wikipedia entries and footnotes. I don’t recall seeing it.
Make sense?