Wikipedia is a powerful force for personal and business branding.

Don’t believe it? According to Jeff Bullas, one of the world’s foremost digital marketing authorities, Wikipedia “provides you with an additional and credible website presence that will depict your business with integrity.”

In other words, people trust Wikipedia. And for a good reason.

That’s not all. Wikipedia offers a slew of knock-on benefits for listed companies. Here are six of the most important.

1. Its Search Visibility Is Off the Charts

Wikipedia is among the Internet’s most authoritative websites, full stop. If your company isn’t in the publishing business and isn’t a household name, it’s a foregone conclusion that its Wikipedia entry will appear on Google’s first search engine results page (SERP). Early on in your company’s lifecycle, attention is everything, it’s difficult to overstate the value of visibility.

2. It’s a Great Place to List Your Achievements

Recognize that Wikipedia follows a just-the-facts approach. Wikipedia pages that make wild claims don’t stand up to scrutiny; those that list accolades and milestones in sober, sequential fashion do. Apple’s Wikipedia page is a great example: while it highlights the company’s steady upward trajectory, it does so with straightforward facts.  

3. It’s an Effective Complement to Your “In the News” Page

Wikipedia runs on credible citations. For private businesses, said citations usually come from reputable publishers or information clearinghouses. If your business’s website isn’t particularly well-traveled, your Wikipedia entry’s footnotes might temporarily usurp your “In the News” page as the go-to resource for third-party write ups and fact sheets.

4. It Makes You Look Like an Honest Broker

The Wikipedia community doesn’t take kindly to misinformation. Over time, you can expect your Wikipedia page to reflect a more or less accurate picture of your company. 

That’s actually a good thing, as long as the information on your Wiki aligns with what’s publicly available elsewhere — on your website, social profiles, business directory listings. Not every company has the discipline to be an honest broker. Meeting that threshold will endear you to customers who value honesty in the companies with which they do business.

5. It’s a Great Cheat Sheet 

Let’s face it. In moments of weakness, we all refer to Wikipedia for facts and figures that we can probably find somewhere else.

Wikipedia’s listing format encourages this. Most company pages feature an info box on the right sidebar with basic information: year of formation, revenue (if available), employee count, location, and the like. This is a great resource for folks seeking high-level company data: members of the press, potential employees, prospective investors (yes, really). Given Wikipedia’s visibility, you’d be foolish not to cultivate this ready-made lead generator.

Don’t Stop at Wikipedia

Wikipedia isn’t the only high-authority, high-traffic web property your business needs to target. If it’s been months since you’ve updated or posted new content to your company’s social media properties, make that a priority. Don’t forget other popular channels, like building a presence on YouTube. And if your presence on popular directory sites like Yelp and Better Business Bureau consists of an unclaimed shell page, you know what to do. 

Your company’s web presence won’t build itself. It’s time to take ownership — something about which you should know a thing or two.