How to Get Approved for a Wikipedia Business Page

Nine out of ten rejected Wikipedia drafts have nothing to do with grammar or formatting. The real reason is notability: Wikipedia only accepts businesses that already have solid, independent coverage from real news sources, not internal write-ups or paid features. Skip that check, and the draft gets declined before an editor even reads the writing.

This guide breaks down what actually gets a business page approved, from checking eligibility to submitting the draft correctly. Nothing here promises automatic approval. It’s a practical walkthrough of what Wikipedia’s editors look for and how to prepare a draft that has a real shot at passing review.

Confirm Notability Before You Work On Your Wiki Page

Wikipedia doesn’t approve a business page because the company exists or has a website. It approves pages for businesses that already have sustained, independent coverage from real journalists, not internal announcements. This single requirement, known as WP:NCORP, decides most outcomes before the writing even starts.

What Counts 

Independent news coverage where a reporter chose to write about the business on their own, not because a press release asked them to.

What Doesn’t Count 

Funding announcements, “About Us”-style write-ups, sponsored content, and routine hires or product launches don’t count, even when they run in major outlets.

Before drafting anything, it’s worth checking whether your current coverage actually meets this bar. Wikipedia notability assessment services in Canada can help confirm this early, so the draft isn’t built on sources that won’t hold up during review.

Build a Source List That Holds Up

Most drafts fail here, not because sources are missing, but because the wrong kind got collected. Editors look for 3 to 5 pieces of in-depth, independent coverage from outlets with real editorial standards, not a folder full of mentions.

The Reliability Check

Source Type	Counts Toward Notability?
Press release	No
Paid or sponsored feature	No
Funding announcement	No
Independent journalism	Yes
Trade magazine (staff-written)	Yes
Interview-only piece	No

Aim for Depth

A single paragraph mentioning the business isn’t enough. Sources need to cover the company in real detail, not just list its name alongside others.

Check the Byline

If the writing sounds like it came from the company itself, it probably did. Editors watch for this closely.

Once the list is solid, the rest of the draft gets easier to defend during review.

Avoid Writing It Yourself

Founders, employees, and PR reps aren’t barred from Wikipedia, but writing about your own business directly is strongly discouraged and often backfires. This is called a conflict of interest, and Wikipedia expects it to be handled a specific way.

Declare the Connection 

If you’re connected to the business in any way, say so on your Wikipedia account before submitting anything.

Steps to Follow

1. Create a Wikipedia account instead of editing anonymously
2. Use the Article Wizard to submit as a draft, not a live page
3. Let an independent editor review it before it goes public

Why It Matters 

Pages published directly by someone with a conflict of interest get flagged fast, and often deleted before anyone else reads them.

Write Like an Encyclopedia, Not an Ad

Wikipedia articles are written in third person and stick strictly to facts a source has already confirmed. Nothing gets added just because it sounds impressive.

Drop the Sales Words 

Words like “leading,” “revolutionary,” or “best-in-class” get flagged immediately. Editors call these peacock terms, and they’re one of the fastest ways to get a draft declined.

Only Say What Sources Say 

If a claim isn’t backed by one of your sources, it doesn’t belong in the draft, even if it’s true. Wikipedia isn’t asking for your side of the story. It’s asking for what’s already been independently verified.

Read It Back Objectively 

Before submitting, read the draft as if someone else wrote it. If it sounds like marketing copy, an editor will notice too.

Submit Through the Draft Review Process

Wikipedia doesn’t let new pages go live directly. Every draft goes through Articles for Creation, known as AfC, where a volunteer editor reviews it before publishing.

Set Up First

Create a Wikipedia account and submit your draft through the AfC queue instead of publishing it as a live article.

Expect a Wait

Review timelines vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on how many volunteers are active at the time. There’s no way to speed this up.

While You Wait

Avoid resubmitting the same draft repeatedly. If it gets declined, read the reviewer’s notes carefully before making changes.

Getting the draft right on the first submission saves months of back-and-forth. This is where working with a Wikipedia Consultant in Canada can help, since they know how AfC reviewers evaluate drafts and what typically causes delays.

Why Pages Get Deleted Later

Getting a draft approved doesn’t mean the page is safe forever. Wikipedia can still remove it later, and businesses are often caught off guard when this happens.

Promotional Language Risk 

Pages can be deleted under G11 if editors later decide the tone reads as promotional, even after approval.

Weak Importance Claims 

If the article doesn’t clearly show why the business matters, it can be removed under A7 for lacking a credible claim of significance.

Community Review 

Any page can be sent to Articles for Deletion, a 7-day discussion where other editors vote on whether it stays. The business isn’t notified and has no say in the outcome.

Monitor the Page After Approval

Once a page is live, the business doesn’t own it. Any Wikipedia user can edit it, update it, or add new information at any time.

Check In Regularly

Look at the page every so often for outdated information or changes that need correcting.

Use the Talk Page

If you have a conflict of interest, suggest edits on the article’s Talk page instead of changing the content directly. An independent editor will review the request.

Avoid Direct Edits

Editing the page yourself, even to fix something small, can raise the same conflict of interest concerns from earlier in the process.

Treating the page as something to monitor, not manage, keeps it in line with how Wikipedia expects it to be handled.

Questions People Usually Ask

Q1: How do I get a Wikipedia page for my business? 

The business needs solid, independent coverage from reliable news sources first. Once that’s confirmed, the draft is submitted through Wikipedia’s Articles for Creation process, written in a neutral tone, and reviewed by a volunteer editor before it goes live.

Q2: How long does it take to get a Wikipedia page approved? 

Review usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, though it can stretch to several months depending on the volunteer backlog. Drafts with strong, independent sourcing tend to move through review faster than ones needing corrections.

Q3: How much does it cost to create a Wikipedia page? 

Creating a page yourself is free. Hiring a professional writer or agency typically costs between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on how much research and sourcing the draft requires. Paying for a page doesn’t guarantee it stays published.

Q4: Can I write a Wikipedia page about my own business? 

Technically yes, but it’s strongly discouraged. This creates a conflict of interest, and self-written pages without independent sourcing are usually flagged or deleted quickly. Declaring the connection and using the draft review process is the safer route.

Q5: Is it difficult to get a Wikipedia page approved? 

Yes. Most submitted drafts are declined, mainly because the subject doesn’t yet have enough independent coverage to meet Wikipedia’s notability standard, not because of writing issues.

Quick Recap

Getting a business page approved comes down to three things. Notability has to be confirmed first, since no amount of good writing fixes a source problem. Neutral, fact-based language comes next, kept close to what independent sources have already verified. Patience matters just as much, since AfC review takes time and rushing a resubmission rarely helps. Businesses that follow this order, rather than skipping straight to writing, tend to get through review with fewer declines and less back-and-forth.