Wikis and forumsWikis and forums

WikisWikis

• http://commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-http://commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english english

Using wikisUsing wikis

• The New PR wikiThe New PR wiki• http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?

pagename=TeachingSocialMedia.HomePage pagename=TeachingSocialMedia.HomePage

Wikipedia and PR/marketingWikipedia and PR/marketing

• The best-known use of wiki softwareThe best-known use of wiki software• Users have to register before they can create Users have to register before they can create

articles, but anyone can modifyarticles, but anyone can modify• Should a PR/marketing person create a page Should a PR/marketing person create a page

about the organization, product/service, or about the organization, product/service, or people?people?

Maybe!Maybe!

• It should be an item worthy of inclusion in It should be an item worthy of inclusion in an encyclopediaan encyclopedia

• Information should be independently Information should be independently verifiable from external sourcesverifiable from external sources

• It should be presented from a neutral point It should be presented from a neutral point of view (“fairly and without bias”)of view (“fairly and without bias”)

Autobiographical articlesAutobiographical articles

• Wikipedia discourages writing about Wikipedia discourages writing about yourself or subjects in which you are yourself or subjects in which you are personally involvedpersonally involved

• If the topic is important enough, eventually If the topic is important enough, eventually someone independent will write about itsomeone independent will write about it

• But what if there isn’t an entry about your But what if there isn’t an entry about your organization yet?organization yet?

If you do create or edit an entry…If you do create or edit an entry…

• Start with Wikipedia’s own guidelinesStart with Wikipedia’s own guidelines• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_ghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_g

uidelinesuidelines

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_rejected_proposals Category:Wikipedia_rejected_proposals

• Select one person who is in charge of doing any Select one person who is in charge of doing any and all edits (inform others they cannot)and all edits (inform others they cannot)

• Be transparent, not anonymous – select a user Be transparent, not anonymous – select a user name that shows you represent the organizationname that shows you represent the organization

If you do create or edit an entry…If you do create or edit an entry…

• Correct any obvious inaccuracies about your Correct any obvious inaccuracies about your organization and organization and provide a verifiable referenceprovide a verifiable reference to to the new informationthe new information

• Add your organization’s Web site to the “external Add your organization’s Web site to the “external links” section when appropriatelinks” section when appropriate

• Use the “watchlist” function so you know when Use the “watchlist” function so you know when someone has updated the pages you’re interested someone has updated the pages you’re interested inin• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Watching_pages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Watching_pages

Assignment: edit WikipediaAssignment: edit Wikipedia

• Select any current entrySelect any current entry• Ideas: your high school, UGA page, your hobby or Ideas: your high school, UGA page, your hobby or

favorite TV show or movie, current eventsfavorite TV show or movie, current events• Print it out as it looked before you edit itPrint it out as it looked before you edit it• Edit it Edit it

• Not just a word or twoNot just a word or two• Add a section, paragraph, etc.Add a section, paragraph, etc.

• Print it out as it looks after you edited itPrint it out as it looks after you edited it• For the truly brave: submit a proposed new entryFor the truly brave: submit a proposed new entry

Life 2.0Life 2.0