moderators of /r/WikipediaNotabilty

HenryAdam154 (1) 

WikipediaNotabilty

What Is a Wikipedia Notability Assessment? A Wikipedia Notability Assessment is a detailed review of the published information available about a subject. It does not measure popularity, social media followers, company revenue, website traffic, or general online visibility. Instead, it focuses on whether independent publications have covered the subject in meaningful detail. Wikipedia generally looks for significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. For example, a company website, LinkedIn profile, press release, social media account, or sponsored article may contain useful information, but these sources usually do not provide the same level of independent evidence as credible third-party journalism. A Wikipedia Notability Assessment separates strong sources from weak or promotional ones before the drafting process starts. Why Conduct a Wikipedia Notability Assessment Before Page Creation? Many people begin Page Creation too early. They collect company links, interviews, press releases, business listings, and website content and assume this is enough for Wikipedia. However, Wikipedia is not a promotional platform or business directory. A Wikipedia Notability Assessment helps identify whether the subject actually has a sufficient source foundation. If strong independent sources exist, Page Creation may be worth considering. If reliable coverage is limited, waiting for better independent coverage can be more practical than creating a weak article. This process can save time, reduce unnecessary expenses, and improve the quality of future Wikipedia work. What Does a Notability Assessment Review? A good Notability Assessment considers several important factors. Source Independence The first question is whether a publication is genuinely independent of the subject. A source may look professional but still be sponsored, paid, supplied by a PR team, or based mostly on company-provided information. A Wikipedia Notability Assessment studies who published the information and whether the source has a meaningful connection with the subject. Source Reliability Reliable publications generally maintain editorial standards and provide identifiable authorship or editorial control. This is important for Wikipedia Editing, Page Creation, and Company Pages, because Wikipedia content should be supported by suitable references. Depth of Coverage A brief mention is not the same as significant coverage. For example, a company name appearing in a list of 50 businesses is usually less valuable than an independent article discussing the company's history, activities, impact, growth, controversies, or market role. A professional Wikipedia Notability Assessment looks at how deeply each source covers the subject. Diversity of Sources Multiple articles are more useful when they come from genuinely independent publications. Ten websites repeating the same press release do not automatically equal ten independent sources. A proper Notability Assessment identifies syndicated or duplicated material and evaluates the original source. Duration of Coverage Sustained coverage can also matter. If all media attention occurred during one product launch, funding announcement, award campaign, or publicity event, the source profile may be weaker than coverage appearing independently over several years. Wikipedia Notability Assessment for Companies Businesses often assume that success automatically means Wikipedia eligibility. That is not always the case. A company can have high revenue, thousands of customers, major investments, or strong social media visibility and still have weak independent coverage. For Company Pages, the important question is whether respected third-party publications have discussed the business substantially. A Wikipedia Notability Assessment for a company may evaluate sources covering its history, industry impact, leadership, acquisitions, innovations, controversies, regulatory matters, or other significant developments. If the evidence is strong, the business may move toward Company Pages or broader Page Creation. If most available content consists of press releases, company announcements, sponsored features, and directories, creating a page immediately may not be advisable. Wikipedia Notability Assessment for Individuals The same principle applies to founders, executives, authors, artists, academics, professionals, and public figures. Professional success does not automatically establish Wikipedia notability. A Wikipedia Notability Assessment evaluates whether reliable independent sources have discussed the person in sufficient depth. Personal websites, company biographies, social media pages, speaker profiles, and self-published information may verify basic facts but usually cannot replace independent reporting. For biographies, strong sourcing is particularly important because inaccurate or poorly supported information can create additional editorial problems.