Wikipedia is, by its own "simple self portrait" an encyclopedia that anyone can change or add-to. Of course, there are editors, who seem to do a pretty good job of keeping content relevant and useful, and of removing blatant attempts of "link dropping." DMOZ, conversely, is a human edited directory of websites which has had its fair share of problems and accusations of corruption.
A recent thread at WebMasterWorld Forums discusses how a member seems to be seeing more and more Wikipedia pages indexed highly in Google search results. Others concur (including me). Does this mean that Google is starting to place as much or more faith in Wikipedia references as those from long-trusted and powerful DMOZ? The member asks about the seemingly fruitless process of submitting to DMOZ:
Why should I bother now when Wiki sits atop Google (for nearly every information search term) and they let you add your link if you have a extra good resource.
Good discussion follows. Naturally, any discussion about DMOZ will lead to agreement about the headaches associated with submission and acceptance. It also is beginning to seem many people are wary of the "Web 2.0" folksonomy aspect of Wikipedia - and how much you can trust it. I have seen examples of people actually attacking Wikipedia's credibility quite often in forums and even in comments to posts in here where I have "dared" to use Wikipedia as a reference link. Some call it a mere content-thief. Some "interesting" people even compare Wikipedia to a cult.
The main point is, however, will Wikipedia help to affect your own search engine rankings if you have a listing there? As one comment points out:
You're missing the point. Wikipedia pages might rank well, but that's not the same thing as saying that out-bound links from Wikipedia are valuable. Google doesn't have to PR0 a directory to devalue it's OBL’s (outbound links).
It may be wise if you are a brand owner to ensure that your brand has not been ill-defined by a competitor or even someone who is just a little too excited about your product or service. I would recommend taking the time to at least submit an article before that happens...
Join the thread at WebMasterWorld Forums. Another related WebMasterWorld thread discusses Wikipedia getting two listings in Google for one term.
