Updates
How to edit your company's Wikipedia page the right way
Outdated figures, errors, missing facts: you can get an article about you corrected, but there is a method. Here is how to request changes that editors actually accept.
Key points
- If you are connected to the subject, do not edit the article directly: request changes on its talk page.
- Every request should quote the sentence to change and cite a reliable, preferably independent, source.
- Negative information backed by sources is not removed: it is put in context with other sources.
- The maintenance tags at the top of an article show what to fix first.
Your company's Wikipedia article shows outdated figures, the wrong headquarters, or misses a major acquisition. The temptation is to open the editor and fix it. That is the quickest way to make things worse. Here is the method that works.
Why not edit directly
If you work for the company or are paid by it, you have a conflict of interest. The conflict of interest guideline strongly discourages editing the article directly, and paid editors must disclose their role under the Terms of Use. Nobody owns an article: direct edits, especially ones that remove material or add a positive spin, get reverted and can lead to a block.
It is not just a formality. An undisclosed edit, once noticed, draws editors' attention to the article and can prompt a closer look at its neutrality or its notability.
The right method: an edit request
- Disclose your connection on your user page and at the top of your talk-page post.
- Start a new section on the article's talk page with a clear title, such as "Update headquarters" or "2025 figures".
- Quote the current text and propose the new text word for word.
- Cite the source: author, publication, date and link, ideally independent.
- Add an edit request using the edit request template for conflicted editors, so the request enters the review queue.
- Wait for an uninvolved editor to review it, and answer objections with sources.
Short, precise, well-sourced requests are far more likely to be accepted than a full rewrite.
What you can ask for, and what you cannot
| Request | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Fix a factual error, with a source | High |
| Update outdated facts (headquarters, ownership), with a source | High |
| Add a significant event covered by independent media | Good |
| Add products, clients, slogans, minor awards | Low |
| Remove a controversy documented by reliable sources | Almost none |
| Replace the article with company-supplied text | None |
Negative information
If the article covers an uncomfortable episode backed by reliable sources, removing it does not work: Wikipedia reflects what sources say, and the content would be restored. What does work:
- proposing independent sources that add context or later developments, such as an acquittal or a correction;
- pointing out undue weight, when a minor episode takes up half the article;
- correcting inaccuracies relative to what the sources actually say.
For serious factual errors about living people, Wikipedia's volunteer response team can also be contacted by email.
Reading the maintenance tags
The boxes at the top of an article are notices from the community. They flag, for example, missing citations, promotional tone, questionable notability or an undisclosed conflict of interest. They are your priority list: an article tagged for notability is at risk of deletion and needs independent sources before anything else.
Maintenance: a periodic check
Articles change without you: additions, cuts, vandalism. A periodic check catches errors and lets you propose updates when new, documented facts appear. It does not need to be frequent: a review after each significant event and a few checks a year are enough.
For an objective starting point, our free page analysis checks sources, tone, structure and maintenance tags and emails you a report. It works on the English, Italian, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese editions of Wikipedia.
If the article does not exist yet, start with our guide to a Wikipedia page for your company.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove negative information from my company's page?
Not if it is supported by reliable sources. You can suggest, on the talk page, independent sources that add context or correct a factual error.
Who decides whether an edit request is accepted?
Volunteer editors, who weigh it against the sources and guidelines. Nobody owns the article, not even its subject.
How often should a Wikipedia page be updated?
Whenever there are new facts covered by independent sources, such as an acquisition or a major award. A periodic check also catches errors and vandalism.