Once considered an exotic collaboration tool, wikis are now part of everyday life. A surprising number of people don’t understand Wikis. Wikis are a collaboration tool where anyone can edit and write new entries. Wiki technology allows Web users to add their input and edit what is on the page.

Wikipedia is the largest reference website on the Internet and according to Alexa, it is the eighth most popular website in the world. Anyone can write or change information on Wikipedia. The content of Wikipedia is written collaboratively by people from all around the world.

We’re not just talking about Wikipedia, there are wikis being used in just about every conceivable area. Wikis are powerful in developing complex systems that requires input from many people. They are part of many online communities.

Top 10 most popular Wikis

1. Wikipedia: Started in 2001 and is now the most popular online encyclopedia
2. WikiHow: The world’s largest how-to manual.
3. Wiktionary: Word definitions, etymologies, pronunciations, sample quotations, synonyms, antonyms and translations
4. WikiMapia: Online map and satellite imaging resource that combines Google Maps with a wiki system
5. WikiBooks: Huge collection of user-edited, open-content textbooks and guides.
6. WikiTravel: Up-to-date and reliable world-wide travel guide.
7. Uncyclopedia: Entertaining parody of the popular Wikipedia. Filled with funny and not-necessarily correct articles.
8. LyricWiki: Claims to host lyrics for any song from any artist.
9. ProductWiki: Product reviews and consumer Reports.
10. Wikicars: Collaborative guide about cars and all things automotive

Wikis are a collaboration tool right? So, how can you use a Wiki as part of your marketing effort? The answer is that you can use wikis as part of your search engine marketing for your website to get valued backlinks.

Wiki marketing methods are an indirect type of marketing. You are not trying to promote your company or your products. You are presenting valuable resource information that would appeal to your targeted customer. You are also contributing to the wiki community.

Wikipedia is the most popular wiki on the Internet and it is highly valued by users of the Web. Today, Wikipedia has a PR9 with over 50 million unique visitors each month and is ranked by Alexa as #9 on the entire Internet. Links from Wikipedia are very valuable and can produce a nice stream of visitors to your website.

Wikipedia is a Web-based, free-content encyclopedia where any visitor can edit or add content, including links to valuable references. The Wikipedia community will quickly remove biased or self promoting information. Your goal needs to be to enhance the articles or write new ones.

Here is a process that works.

1. Find Wikipedia articles that are already flagged as looking too much like an advertisement and still related to your website content.
2. Write an unbiased, authoritative page on your website or blog that is a great resource to the Wikipedia article.
3. Re-write or edit the Wikipedia article to improve it.
4. Add a link to your new website page or blog posting under the References section or External Links section.

You have now added a highly valued link to your website that will stay and you have helped improve Wikipedia. This is a great win-win strategy.

There are other Wikis out there that this strategy works with. Here are some of the most popular ones:

1. wikihow.com
2. aboutus.org
3. wikibooks.org

A wiki is a webpage where content can be edited by its visitors. These are often used to create collaborative websites. A Wiki is a piece of server software that allows content to be added or edited using only a web browser.

Uses for a Wiki in a business

1. Creating a knowledge base
2. Writing or documenting FAQ’s
3. Creating specifications
4. Project collaboration
5. Maintaining a team to-do list
6. Preparing operations manuals
7. Creating checklists
8. Documenting procedures
9. Writing work instructions
10. Forming company goals and objectives
11. Creating meeting agendas
12. Dictionary of terms
13. Documenting a new process
14. Creating a troubleshooting guide
15. Communications for a virtual team
16. Discussion of theories
17. Creating documents for training employees