Wikipedia Rocks Google?

This is relevant, I promise. This Sunday the Rolling Stones are playing in Austin’s Zilker Park. Radio Shack (our client) is sponsoring the tour, and we are taking a party of 50 clients and friends. Our creative director Joel Babbit knows Chuck Leavell, the Rolling Stones’ piano player, and we are hanging out with him and some friends on Saturday night at the infamous Broken Spoke. This should be a really cool weekend.

My wife is thrilled to be seeing the Rolling Stones. Tonight at dinner she impressed me with her knowledge of the band and Leavell. Finally I asked “how do you know so much about the Rolling Stones and Mr. Leavell?” Her answer: “Wikipedia.”

This is more evidence for me that Wikipedia is going “mainstream” and it will be a major competitor to Google in the future. Why would you search for “Rolling Stones” and “Chuck Leavell” on Google when you can go directly to Wikipedia and rapidly find this and this? These entries are amazing. They are likely the work of a three to four hardcore Rolling Stones’ fans supported by hundreds of Wikipedians who make smaller format changes and edits.

It’s important that brand managers understand this phenomena because more than likely your brand has its own entry in Wikipedia. More and more people are going to Wikipedia first to learn about your company.

20 October 2006 | Rolling Stones, Search, Wikipedia | Comments