Wikipedia Edit Process Timeline

Overview

Below is an example of the monthly process Reputation X uses to improve Wikipedia pages. During the campaign's life, careful consideration is made to every edit to reduce the probability of edit rollbacks. The editing process usually requires many months to complete. After the initial period, clients can pause or cease editing with a 30-day written notice to the assigned Project Manager. The 30-day notice enables our team to ramp the campaign down.

 

Month 01

Our intention is to improve Wikipedia. The steps we take are made to ensure that goal is met. During the first month of the Wikipedia editing process, we generally perform the following tasks:

  • Assign Project Manager(s)
  • Project management begins (recurring).
  • Set up the campaign.
  • Identify similar Wikipedia pages.
  • Analyze the editing cadence (how often edits are made).
  • Analyze Wikipedia editors with an interest. Check editing patterns.
  • Set up Wikipedia monitoring.
  • Outline the "ideal" Wikipedia page.
  • Check references for every proposed statement. Note strengths and weaknesses. 
  • Execute initial peer-review of proposed changes with third-party Wikipedia editors.
  • Credibility reinforcement. Ex: Editors begin making changes to similar pages (recurring).

Month 02

  • Project management (recurring).
  • Wikipedia page monitoring (recurring).
  • Credibility reinforcement edits. Edits to similar Wikipedia pages to further develop the credibility of editors (recurring).
  • Creative Commons (CC) rights management of images.
  • Peer-review of proposed changes presented to Client for discussion.
  • Approval of peer-review proposed edits.
  • Level 1: Non-controversial edits begin.
  • Observe Wikipedia Editor reactions to non-controversial edits.
  • Make factual updates to the supporting Wikidata database.

Month 03

More controversial Wikipedia edits are often made in the latter months of a campaign. Edits are often intentionally made in an apparently more random manner. Edits are made organically and may be made twice in the same month, with no edits during the following weeks. The editing cadence may change based on the time taken by clients for feedback, editing patterns, or other challenges.

  • Project management (recurring).
  • Wikipedia page monitoring (recurring).
  • Credibility reinforcement edits (recurring).
  • Level 2 edits begin.
  • Observation of edits and Editor behavior (recurring).
  • Reporting (recurring).

Month 04

  • Project management (recurring).
  • Wikipedia page monitoring (recurring).
  • Credibility reinforcement edits (recurring).
  • Level 3 edits begin.
  • Observation of edits and Editor behavior (recurring).
  • Reporting (recurring).

Month 05+

  • Project management (recurring).
  • Wikipedia page monitoring (recurring).
  • Credibility reinforcement edits (recurring).
  • Level 4 edits begin. These are usually the most controversial.
  • Observation of edits and Editor behavior (recurring).
  • Reporting (recurring).

Post-campaign

Planned pauses

In some cases, the peer-review team will recommend a pause between edits of 1-3 months. This is recommended based on the actions of third-party editors. For example, controversial edits may require a pause between edits of a month or more to achieve success. When Reputation X recommends a pause, the client is not charged for the time during the pause. Billing restarts when the pause is over.

Ongoing monitoring and defense

After the active editing phase, Reputation X can monitor and defend a client's Wikipedia page over time. At this point, our editors are well-known and trusted by other editors interested in the page. We will make ongoing edits to a page and defend edits when necessary and possible. The monitoring and defense of Wikipedia pages is an ongoing process and is billed at a lower rate. 

Ceasing the campaign

Clients must provide written 30 days' notice to pause, monitor, or terminate the editing process.