On a global stage, only few agencies have specialised in Wikipedia consulting for large companies. Simon Wohlleb from Augusta Atlantic is among those who offer this service. In an interview, he provided insights into his daily professional life as an international Wikipedia Consultant.

Mr Wohlleb - a Wikipedia agency? How are we supposed to imagine this?

Our activity as Wikipedia consultants can be easily explained as follows: A successful expert is a person who is knowledgeable in their field of expertise, has learnt from mistakes, knows the rules and guidelines, and leads people and organisations to success by means of individual support. This is precisely our approach at Augusta Atlantic – implemented worldwide with precision.

As an agency, we specialise exclusively in Wikipedia Consulting. We began back in 2017 in Germany and have since expanded globally. The key to success is that we create high-quality content that is truly encyclopaedic. According to our own code of conduct, we act only in advisory capacity, and help our clients to achieve their goal in compliance with Wikipedia's policies.

So, you're an advertising firm?

No! That's exactly what we are not. Of course, Wikipedia can give a notable company more visibility. Wikipedia significantly influences online findability. However, we view Wikipedia as a discipline and not as one of many services in a marketing firm's portfolio.

Unfortunately, some SEO service providers simply sell "Wikipedia editing" alongside their other services without having the necessary expertise in encyclopaedic writing, or without understanding Wikipedia as a platform. In nine out of ten cases, these approaches fail. Understandably, such behaviour does not help anyone, it is a frustrating for both the volunteer community, and the clients. We have had frustrated clients turn to us after their articles were deleted – too many times.

As a premium Wikipedia service provider, we take a different path. At Augusta Atlantic, we only work with clients whose subjects are notable for inclusion in Wikipedia. As a fact, we reject over 90% of our inquiries. We carefully select our clients. Therefore, we work with some of the largest and best-known companies worldwide. We have maintained this position through our transparent method - because clarity builds trust.

Why even have a Wikipedia entry – what do companies gain from it?

Firstly, a Wikipedia entry is possibly the most important digital business card you can have. Imagine you're searching for a specific company and come across a Wikipedia article. Would you click on it? Potential customers, interested parties, or employees operate in the same way. As soon as they discover a Wikipedia article, trust is subconsciously strengthened, and the reputation of the subject is elevated. This applies regardless of whether it is a manufacturer of compressors or an international organisation. From actors to large businesses – Wikipedia has a huge impact on image and perception.

Of course, search engine optimisation also plays a role. A Wikipedia entry ranks among the first search results when searching for a company, thus increasing the likelihood that interested parties, customers, or employees will be positively influenced. In addition, a Wikipedia article generates the Google Knowledge Graph, also known as the Google Box.

At Augusta Atlantic, we measure website performance Using the SEO tool Ahrefs before and after an article's publication – the positive effect of the Wikipedia article on search engine optimisation is always enormous.

For which companies is this relevant?

Before we work with clients, we offer a free Wikipedia Notability Check, and get ourselves an overview of existing articles in the realm of the subject. It's important to mention that each language version of Wikipedia has different notability criteria. For example, on English Wikipedia, the concept of inherent notability does not exist, thus, a well-written article composed by an expert is key to successfully demonstrating a subject's notability.

Due to the diverse criteria, it's not possible to make a universally valid statement on which companies are notable for inclusion in Wikipedia. Therefore, I always recommend using the Notability Check on our website. This is the easiest way of getting a Wikipedia expert's opinion. And we can even do it discreetly, and free of charge.

Can you tell us about the inquiries you receive?

We receive really anything you can possibly imagine! Our inquiries range from large businesses that anyone happens to know to companies and organisations that have just barely met the Notability Criteria. We definitely have a very entertaining email inbox – I've once read a book and then received an inquiry from that book's author three days later. Our main focus lies on large businesses, however. But, still, we've also dealt with various other topics, from price winners to reality TV participants, real world stars, or prominent entrepreneurs. Although personally, I admittedly have less to do with influencers.