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COMSTRAT 383 - Spring 2016 Syllabus

COMSTRAT 383  – Creative Media Strategies & Techniques (3 CREDITS) Instructor:  Brett Atwood                                Office...

Wikis & PR/Ad Campaigns

Wikipedia logoWikipedia.org has become one of the most popular information Web sites – despite the fact that  it is a nonprofit, user-edited resource. Many people use the site for research  and many companies are monitoring how they are represented on their respective  entries on the site.
 This week, we will take a closer look at the Wikipedia format -- and the role it might play in PR and/or advertising campaigns. Most mainstream companies already have a wiki page. Search for any brand on Google and see how high the wikipedia entry ranks -- it is usually among the top results!
To become familiar with the wiki format, register with the site so that you  will have permission to edit and/or create an entry. There is a "Create Account"  link at the upper right-hand side of the homepage or you can simply click here.
Once you are registered, you can use the search box to find an existing entry  on your selected topic.
On that page, you will find an "edit" link that allows you to add your text  or image to the existing page.
To create a new entry, there is a page that will help you establish a new  entry topic  here.
If you want to add an image, click  here for information on uploading.
 Ready to make an edit? Find a related theme or topic to your semester  campaign and make a valuable contribution to that wiki entry.
Here is a great Wikipedia "cheat sheet" for formatting of your text.
Content Guidelines:
If you do edit or create any wikipedia entry, it is important to remember  that each article is meant to document existing research -- it is not meant as a  place for "original research" and/or opinions. The voice and tone should be  neutral and all information presented should be verifiable with attribution.
Click here for a downloadable "best practices" guide for PR professionals  using wikipedia (.pdf file)
Controversies:
There have been many controversies over use of wikipedia for PR and/or  political purposes. Here are a few articles that documents some of these issues:
Additional resources:
  • Looking for even more tips on "best practices" for wiki creation and campaigns? Click here.
  • A complete online tutorial to creating your own wiki page is here.
  • There are also some general tips to help you here.
Related Links: