I Bought Wikipedia Backlinks & Regretted It—Here's Why

I bought Wikipedia backlinks for SEO and regretted—because they're not worth it.

Here's the top 3 reasons why you should not buy Wikipedia backlinks:

• They're super expensive or time-consuming
• Often placed in the citation section without any surrounding context
• Other Wikipedia-curated editors can easily remove citations

Wikipedia has strict guidelines to maintain its content's integrity and quality. Any backlinks deemed promotional, spammy, or unrelated to the topic will likely be deleted promptly by vigilant moderators.

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Read Also:  What is SEO: Content, On & Off-Page and Technical SEO

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Your investment in these backlinks may yield short-term benefits.I'm still not sure if I believe it. Here's a proof of my purchase of a Wikipedia backlink back in March 2023:

The link was initially placed in the citation section: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_(design_company) — Sad to say, but it looks like some Wikipedia editors have already deleted it.

Do I get my money back? No.

'But, Josh, everyone says that Wikipedia backlinks are a quick and easy way to boost your SEO.'

But, after tracking Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Search Console, the data says nope.There was not even a single improvement in domain rating and average position.

That data alone is why our Web3 SEO agency does not offer Wikipedia backlinks as a service due to the cost and effort spent.

What Is a Wikipedia Backlink?

A Wikipedia backlink links a Wikipedia page to an external website.Wikipedia backlinks are rumored to be considered valuable because Wikipedia is a highly authoritative website that ranks well in search engines.

'High domain rating = Good backlink.'

Or the saying goes like this: When a website receives a backlink from Wikipedia, its ranking will fly super high because it's Wikipedia, the strongest website in the entire world.

Almost all SEO gurus previously recommended Wikipedia backlinks because they believed these links could boost a website's search engine rankings.

'You should get a backlink from Wikipedia because it has 100 DA/DR!'

I trusted those gurus; but now I am left with a slightly negative balance in my already dried-up bank account while feeling like a fool.

However, I would like to point out that these claims are not always accurate, and risks are associated with purchasing or using Wikipedia backlinks for SEO purposes.

Do Wikipedia Backlinks Matter?

Yes, they do, but with a strong caveat—if they are not paid for or placed without much effort.

However, you want to reconsider if you're thinking from a point of using money to acquire them. Because Wikipedia backlinks are often added without context, and regardless of how powerful a website's domain authority is, non-contextual backlinks do not send a positive SEO signal to search engines.

So Again, Are Wikipedia Backlinks Worth It?

To repeat: Wikipedia backlinks are not worth the hassle.

When building credibility, Wikipedia is great if you or your business is genuinely remarkable until it has its own Wikipedia directory; otherwise, I recommend avoiding getting a backlink from Wikipedia.

This includes restoring dead links by pointing to your blog because they're primarily nofollow—not to dispute that nofollow is pointless or follow links are the only way to go.

I wouldn't pay for nofollow backlinks as part of my SEO strategy since it's a complete waste of money in my book.

In conclusion, even if you're trying to build niche relevent backlinks, Wikipedia backlinks can be valuable but not worth spending time and money pursuing.

What citation does Wikipedia use?

Wikipedia utilizes inline citations and internal links as critical to its reliable content-creation process.

To maintain accuracy and credibility, reference links must support information within Wikipedia articles—plus, they're constantly under natural human moderation to ensure every citation is linked to quality content.

These inline citations support any challenged or potentially challenged material and quotes included in the reports.

Creating a citation in a Wikipedia article is a straightforward process.

Editors can use the "site" drop-down menu on the editing toolbar or incorporate markup to generate a proper citation. Including a backlink to the cited source material is essential so readers can easily access and verify the referenced information.

By employing inline citations and requiring reference links, Wikipedia aims to uphold the highest standards of accuracy and verifiability in its content.

This meticulous process ensures that users can rely on the information presented in Wikipedia articles, reinforcing its credibility as a trusted source of knowledge.

If you're still not convinced why Wikipedia backlinks are not worth pursuing, see this:

Most of us will never scroll down to the citation section to check every citation—if you wouldn't do it, what makes you think others would?

Who knows, you might, but I wouldn't.

So, How Do I Get Relevant Backlinks from Wikipedia Correctly?

Unless you're famous enough that someone is willing to build a profile out of you, don't bother.

Who knows, in the far future, there will be a Wikipedia page for our crypto marketing agency, like how Pentagram has its own Wikipedia profile.

Even though the links on the Wikipedia profile are nofollow, they're obvious to anyone reading the page, making it extremely valuable.

Conclusion

Don't bother spending money trying to buy Wikipedia backlinks, they are not worth it.

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