Mentioned on Wikipedia
What we check
We ask Wikipedia two things. First, does any article link to your domain (or a subdomain of it)? That passes. Second, is there an article titled with your name — exactly your name, or your name followed by a clarification in parentheses, like “Example (company)”? A name match without a link to your site scores half. Neither scores nothing.
We look at actual links, not text that happens to contain your domain, so a stray match in an unrelated address doesn’t count.
Why it matters
Wikipedia is one of the most heavily weighted sources in AI training data, and assistants cite it constantly. An article that links to your site is an independent editor saying you’re worth referencing. Few signals carry as much weight with a model deciding whether you’re real and notable.
How to pass
There’s no direct fix, and you shouldn’t write about yourself: Wikipedia’s rules on conflicts of interest mean self-written articles and self-added links are usually removed, and can count against you. It has to be earned. What helps:
- Be a source worth citing. Original data, a canonical reference, a definitive guide in your field — things an editor would want to link to.
- Get covered by the independent sources Wikipedia relies on: established press, trade publications, books.
- Do something notable — a widely used project, an award, a first — and let others write about it.
- Meanwhile, create a Wikidata item (see the wikidata rule). Unlike Wikipedia, that’s yours to make.