Difference between revisions of "Directory:MyWikiBiz"

MyWikiBiz, Author Your Legacy — Tuesday March 19, 2024
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  foundation  = [[Year_Started:=2006|[[2006]]]] |
 
  foundation  = [[Year_Started:=2006|[[2006]]]] |
 
  founder = [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]] |
 
  founder = [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]] |
  location    = {{flagicon|US}} [[City:=West Chester|[[Directory:West Chester, Pennsylvania|West Chester]]]], [[State_Name:=Pennsylvania|[[Directory:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]]]], [[Country_Name:=United States|[[Directory:United States|USA]]]] |
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  location    = {{flagicon|US}} [[State_Name:=Florida|[[Directory:Florida|Florida]]]], [[Country_Name:=United States|[[Directory:United States|USA]]]] |
 
  key_people  = [[Key_Person1:=Gregory Kohs|[[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]]]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=CEO]]<br> |  
 
  key_people  = [[Key_Person1:=Gregory Kohs|[[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]]]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=CEO]]<br> |  
 
  industry    = [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=Internet publishing and broadcasting|[[Internet publishing]]]]<br>[[NAICS_Code2_Title:=Independent artists, writers, and performers |[[Independent artists, writers, and performers]]]]<br> |
 
  industry    = [[NAICS_Code1_Title:=Internet publishing and broadcasting|[[Internet publishing]]]]<br>[[NAICS_Code2_Title:=Independent artists, writers, and performers |[[Independent artists, writers, and performers]]]]<br> |
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  subsid    = |
 
  subsid    = |
 
  owner = [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]] |
 
  owner = [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]] |
  contact = [[Legal_Name:=MyWikiBiz.com]]<br>[[Address:=489 Lake George Circle]]<br>West Chester, [[State_Code:=PA]]&nbsp; [[Country_Code:=US]]&nbsp; [[Zip:=19382]]-[[Plus4:=2188]]<br>[[Phone:=302.463.1354]]&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Fax:=na]]<br>[[Web:=www.mywikibiz.com|[http://www.mywikibiz.com www.mywikibiz.com]]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Email:=info@mywikibiz.com|[mailto:info@mywikibiz.com Email]]]|
+
  contact = [[Legal_Name:=MyWikiBiz.com]]<br>[[Address:=1 The Pines]]<br>Martin County, [[State_Code:=FL]]&nbsp; [[Country_Code:=US]]&nbsp; [[Zip:=34957]]<br>[[Phone:=(484) NEW-WIKI]]<br>[[Web:=www.mywikibiz.com|[http://www.mywikibiz.com www.mywikibiz.com]]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Email:=info@mywikibiz.com|[mailto:info@mywikibiz.com Email]]]|
  reference = [[Year End]]: [[Year End:=1231|12/31]]<br>[[DUNS]]: [[DUNS:=796762651]]<br>[[NAICS]]:[[NAICS_Code1:=51611]]&nbsp;[[NAICS_Code2:=71151]]<br>[[Entity Type|Entity]]: [[Entity_Type:=Sole proprietor|[[Sole Proprietor|Sole]]]]<br>[[Latitude]]: [[Latitude:=39.939586787168835|39°56′22.5″N]]<br>[[Longitude]]: [[Longitude:=-75.6117832660675|75°36′42.4″W]]<br> |
+
  reference = [[Year End]]: [[Year End:=1231|12/31]]<br>[[DUNS]]: [[DUNS:=796762651]]<br>[[NAICS]]:[[NAICS_Code1:=51611]]&nbsp;[[NAICS_Code2:=71151]]<br>[[Entity Type|Entity]]: [[Entity_Type:=Sole proprietor|[[Sole Proprietor|Sole]]]]<br> |
 
  footnotes =
 
  footnotes =
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''MyWikiBiz''' is a [[wiki]] directory [[business]] that at one time created [[Wikipedia]] articles for paying [[corporation]]s.  The current site at MyWikiBiz.com allows people and business enterprises to author their own legacy on the Internet, using a [[semantic web]] version of the famous [[Directory:Wikimedia_Foundation/MediaWiki|MediaWiki]] software.  The MyWikiBiz directory contains over 30,000 pages of content about corporations and individuals.  
+
'''MyWikiBiz''' is a [[wiki]] directory [[business]] that allows people and enterprises to author their own legacy on the Internet.  The brand began as a service creating [[Directory:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]]-compliant articles for paying [[corporation]]s, which is a consulting service [http://mywikibiz.com/Ordernow.html still available today]However, the primary focus of the project is an [[Internet publishing and broadcasting|Internet publishing]] site at MyWikiBiz.com that uses a [[semantic web]] version of the famous [[Directory:Wikimedia_Foundation/MediaWiki|MediaWiki]] software.  The MyWikiBiz directory currently contains tens of thousands of pages of user-generated content about corporations and individuals. The business is headquartered in [[Directory:Florida|Florida]], with its web server in [[Directory:Missouri|Missouri]], with Contabo.
  
 
According to its main page:
 
According to its main page:
  
<blockquote>''MyWikiBiz is a new directory where you can author your legacy on the Internet. We think you are notable, even if Wikipedia has rejected an article about you or your enterprise as being "non-notable". With MyWikiBiz, you create a beautiful, reader-friendly page that will get picked up by Google, Yahoo!, and MSN Search engines.''</blockquote>
+
<blockquote>''MyWikiBiz is a new directory where you can author your legacy on the Internet. We think you are notable, even if Wikipedia has rejected an article about you or your enterprise as being "non-notable". With MyWikiBiz, you create a beautiful, reader-friendly page that will get picked up by Google, Yahoo!, and Bing Search engines.''</blockquote>
  
== Business propositions ==
+
== Why use MyWikiBiz? ==
  
MyWikiBiz suggests several reasons for contributing content to its directory.  Unlike traditional encyclopedias, editors who are legally responsible for the entity they are writing about may "protect" their advocate point-of-view, without fear of someone else altering their content.  Editors also earn money at MyWikiBiz by authoring a popular page, embedding [[Google]] AdSense ads within it, and keeping 100% of the revenues generated from that page's advertising.  Page owners may also advertise and sell their products and services on MyWikiBiz. Contributors who are more interested in the community-edited dynamic of an encyclopedia like Wikipedia can do so with any topic that is not about a legal entity, such as "Jupiter" or "chess".  
+
MyWikiBiz suggests several reasons for contributing content to its directory.  Unlike traditional encyclopedias, editors who are legally responsible for the entity they are writing about may "protect" their advocate point-of-view, without fear of someone else altering their content.  Editors may also earn money at MyWikiBiz by creating a page, embedding [[Directory:Google|Google]] AdSense ads within it, and keeping 100% of the revenues generated from that page's advertising.  Page owners may also advertise and sell their products and services on MyWikiBiz. Contributors who are more interested in the community-edited dynamic of an encyclopedia like Wikipedia can do so with any topic that is not about a legal entity, such as "[[Jupiter]]" or "[[chess]]".
 +
 
 +
== Early history ==
 +
The genesis of MyWikiBiz was not as the current wiki directory of names and businesses.  Rather, it began as an idea in [[April]] [[2006]] to write encyclopedic content about businesses, in exchange for reasonable payment.
  
== History of the site ==
 
 
=== Paid editing ===
 
=== Paid editing ===
Gregory Kohs and his sister started the MyWikiBiz venture in [[Pennsylvania]] in [[July]] [[2006]], initially as a paid editing service for encyclopedic content for inclusion in Wikipedia and other community-edited sites. Its tiers of service were priced at $49, $79, and $99. Kohs stated his intention to make [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view neutral], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources footnoted] content, and expected the general public to continue altering the articles he worked on. Though no official Wikipedia policy prohibited paid-for contributions, Chairman Emeritus of the [[Wikimedia Foundation]] [[Jimmy Wales]] first called the commercialized editing "antithetical".  However, in [[August]] 2006, Wales issued a "mutually beneficial" compromise where he encouraged MyWikiBiz to author and post content on a GFDL-compliant section of MyWikiBiz.com, which could then be scraped by non-paid, independent editors into Wikipedia and other GFDL sites. Over the course of late 2006, though, [[finance|financial]] [[conflict of interest|conflicts of interest]] became regulated under Wikipedia's conflict of interest policy.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflicts_of_interest]  In [[October]] 2006, Wales aggressively reversed his earlier compromise with MyWikiBiz, banning the account from Wikipedia and cautioning any business from using its services.
+
[[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory Kohs]] and his sister started the MyWikiBiz venture in [[Directory:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] in [[July]] 2006, initially as a paid editing service, writing encyclopedic content for inclusion in Wikipedia and other community-edited sites. Tiers of service were priced at $49, $79, and $99 per article. Kohs stated his intention to make [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view neutral], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources sourced] content, and expected the general public to continue altering and improving the articles he created. Although no official Wikipedia policy prohibited paid-for contributions, and although Wikipedia endorsed (and still hosts) cash-for-editing via its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reward_board#Money Reward Board], Chairman Emeritus of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] [[Directory:Jimmy Wales|Jimmy Wales]] first called the commercialized editing "antithetical" to Wikipedia's mission.   
 +
 
 +
However, in [[August]] 2006, Wales issued a "mutually beneficial" compromise [http://wikimedia.7.x6.nabble.com/MyWikiBiz-td953402.html] where he encouraged MyWikiBiz to author and post content on a GFDL-compliant section of MyWikiBiz.com, which could then be scraped by non-paid, independent editors into Wikipedia and other GFDL sites. Over the course of late 2006, [[finance|financial]] [[conflict of interest|conflicts of interest]] became regulated under Wikipedia's new conflict of interest policy.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflicts_of_interest]  In [[October]] 2006, despite there being little reason to do so, Wales aggressively reversed his earlier compromise with MyWikiBiz, banning the account from Wikipedia and cautioning any business from using its services.  Days later, Wales issued MyWikiBiz an imaginary trademark violation complaint, but the legal threat was ignored, as it had no basis in actual law.
 +
 
 +
Ever since 2006, Mr. Kohs has continued a low-profile [[Directory:MyWikiBiz/Paid editing|paid consulting]] service that focuses on Wikipedia content.  His clients range from individuals (e.g., artists, authors, journalists, and lawyers) to corporations worth a billion dollars or more.
  
 
=== Centiare alliance and takeover ===
 
=== Centiare alliance and takeover ===
In late October 2006, the owner of Centiare.com reached out to Kohs to form a partnership that resulted in Kohs promoting and marketing the alternative wiki directory at Centiare.  This effort gained strength through early 2007, but ultimately began to fade.  When Centiare's owner opted to pull the plug on the site, Kohs negotiated a transfer of the entire contents of Centiare.com to MyWikiBiz.com.  Thus, MyWikiBiz has undergone a substantial re-branding and re-purpose from its original mission.
+
In late October 2006, the owner of [[Directory:Centiare|Centiare.com]] reached out to Kohs to form a partnership that resulted in Kohs promoting and marketing the alternative wiki directory at Centiare.  This effort gained strength through early 2007, but ultimately began to fade.  When Centiare's owner opted to pull the plug on the site, Kohs negotiated a transfer of the entire contents of Centiare.com to MyWikiBiz.com in December 2007.  Thus, MyWikiBiz has undergone a substantial re-branding and re-purpose from its original mission.
 +
 
 +
== The current brand ==
 +
[[Image:MWB visitor map.jpg|left|thumb|165px|Snapshot of 250 recent visitors]] MyWikiBiz achieved substantial gains in registered users, original articles, and visitor traffic since its re-launch in January 2008.  While site traffic is predominantly U.S.-based, there is a global reach, especially into Europe and East Asia.  A few pages on the site are published in Spanish, in German, and in Latin.
 +
<br>[[Image:MWB traffic trend 2008.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Visitor traffic increasing]]
 +
As with any new website, growing traffic to the site depends on search engine relevance, inbound links from other authoritative sites, and word-of-mouth. MyWikiBiz has received a substantial amount of attention [[Help:Press_Releases|in the press]], in books, and on blogs.  The domain rendered over 200,000 page views in its first year since the wiki launch.  Web analytics site Alexa.com at one time rated MyWikiBiz site popularity (reach) about on a par with familiar sites like DailyIowan.com, BudLight.com, and PhiladelphiaZoo.org.  It was clear that MyWikiBiz was appealing to more and more visitors over time.
 +
<br>[[Image:MWB demographics.jpg|left|thumb|165px|Age & gender of visitors]] Most visitors to MyWikiBiz are male, as is the case with many wiki websites' user composition.  Well over half of the site's guests are between the ages of 35 and 54.
 +
However, around 2011, Google began to deprecate the search engine results featuring sites like MyWikiBiz, which were prone to spammy out-links to questionable sites.  This had an adverse impact on MyWikiBiz's usage statistics.
 +
 
 +
=== Article within Wikipedia ===
 +
[[Image:MWB article traffic.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Views of ''MyWikiBiz'' on Wikipedia]] Wikipedia articles about MyWikiBiz have gone through several stages of creation, deletion, and resurrection.  In 2007, an old version of the article failed to assert sufficient notability, but because many more sources had appeared by August 2008, one Wikipedia administrator named "Neil" believed that his rewritten version of the article met all the necessary criteria: being ''neutral'', ''reliably sourced'', and asserting ''notability''.  A few Internet trolls who inhabit Wikipedia attempted to block the article's publication, but level heads prevailed, and the article [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyWikiBiz persists on Wikipedia].  MyWikiBiz promptly issued a [http://www.prlog.org/10111841-mywikibiz-gains-entry-into-largest-encylopedia.html press release] to commemorate the accomplishment.  Traffic from Wikipedia to MyWikiBiz witnessed a dramatic increase, thanks to Neil's efforts.
  
== External links ==
+
== Helpful links ==
 
*[http://mywikibiz.com/Main_Page MyWikiBiz]
 
*[http://mywikibiz.com/Main_Page MyWikiBiz]
*[http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=16892 Original Press Release]
+
*[[Help:Press Releases|MyWikiBiz press and reviews]]
*[http://www.centiare.com/Directory:MyWikiBiz MyWikiBiz listing on Centaire.com]
+
*[http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=16892 Original press release]
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/MyWikiBiz MyWikiBiz's Wikipedia contributions]  
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/MyWikiBiz MyWikiBiz's Wikipedia contributions]  
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User:MyWikiBiz MyWikiBiz's Wikipedia block log]
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User:MyWikiBiz MyWikiBiz's Wikipedia block log]
 +
*[http://www.sbwire.com/news/view/15726 Re-launch press release]
 +
*[http://www.prlog.org/10056251-wiki-sites-aim-to-be-more-inclusive-than-wikipedia.html Biographical wikis press release]
  
'''News coverage'''
+
=== Media coverage ===
 
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16793247/ "Idea of paid entries roils Wikipedia"] Brian Bergstein, [[Associated Press]], January 24, 2007.
 
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16793247/ "Idea of paid entries roils Wikipedia"] Brian Bergstein, [[Associated Press]], January 24, 2007.
 +
*[http://news.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&ned=us&q=MyWikiBiz&ie=UTF-8 Mainstream media story] Over 150 publishers pick up the AP story
 
*[http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/1831/wikipedia-blocks-a-pay-for-play-scheme "Wikipedia Blocks a Pay-for-Play Scheme"], Brock Read, The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 24, 2007
 
*[http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/1831/wikipedia-blocks-a-pay-for-play-scheme "Wikipedia Blocks a Pay-for-Play Scheme"], Brock Read, The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 24, 2007
 +
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-08-14/Wikimercenaries "Editing for hire leads to intervention"] ''Wikipedia Signpost''. August 14, 2006.
 
*[http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article147789/Wikipedia-Artikel_die_man_kaufen_kann.html "Wikipedia-Artikel, die man kaufen kann"], Von Mathias Peer, Die Welt, August 24, 2006
 
*[http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article147789/Wikipedia-Artikel_die_man_kaufen_kann.html "Wikipedia-Artikel, die man kaufen kann"], Von Mathias Peer, Die Welt, August 24, 2006
 
*[http://dan.tobias.name/controversies/cyber/wiki.html "Wikipedia Controversies: Victims of Wikipedia.... or Wiki Whiners?"], Dan Tobias, Dan's Political and Controversial Site
 
*[http://dan.tobias.name/controversies/cyber/wiki.html "Wikipedia Controversies: Victims of Wikipedia.... or Wiki Whiners?"], Dan Tobias, Dan's Political and Controversial Site
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-08-14/Wikimercenaries "Editing for hire leads to intervention"] ''Wikipedia Signpost''. August 14, 2006.
 
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-10-09/MyWikiBiz "Account used to create paid corporate entries shut down"] ''Wikipedia Signpost''. October 9, 2006.
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-10-09/MyWikiBiz "Account used to create paid corporate entries shut down"] ''Wikipedia Signpost''. October 9, 2006.
+
*[http://tinyurl.com/MyWikiBiz-Zittrain '''The Future of the Internet'''] Book by Jonathan Zittrain, Yale University Press, 2008.
 
 
----
 
 
 
 
 
'''MyWikiBiz.com''' ('''MyWikiBiz''') is a [[United States|U.S.]] [[Internet publishing and broadcasting|Internet publishing]] [[firm]], headquartered in [[Directory:West Chester, Pennsylvania|West Chester]], [[Directory:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]]. MyWikiBiz specializes in helping commercial enterprises optimize their presence in wiki spaces.
 
 
 
==Origin==
 
Founded in [[2006]] by [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]], MyWikiBiz initially set out to create and edit [[NPOV|neutral-point-of-view]] [[Wikipedia]] articles for payment.  However, key leaders and administrators of Wikipedia expressed concerns about the potential conflict of interest in such practice.  MyWikiBiz adapted to these concerns and currently pursues activity in other non-Wikipedia editing spaces that utilize wiki markup languages, including [[Centiare]].
 
 
 
==Consulting and speaking==
 
Kohs is available for speaking engagements and press interviews, regarding the promises and perils of community-edited spaces on the Internet.  He recently spoke about wiki implementation at the [http://www.aacp.org/site/page.asp?TRACKID=www.google.com/search?num=100&VID=1&CID=1241&DID=7101 annual conference] of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy in July 2007, with his portion of the presentation [http://centiare.com/images/3/3d/AACP_Presentation_MyWikiBiz.ppt available for download].
 
 
 
<blockquote>''Greg Kohs’ presentation of wiki was both insightful and knowledgeable.  I hope to have him return for further discussions on such an exciting emerging topic.''  -- '''Rebecca Morgan''', Director of Communications, [http://www.aacp.org AACP]</blockquote>
 
 
 
[[Image:Kohs_Wikipedia_original.jpg|thumb|165px|left|Associated Press photo, 2007.]]The story of MyWikiBiz was [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&ned=us&q=MyWikiBiz&ie=UTF-8 broadly publicized] in over 150 mainstream media outlets, including the ''Washington Post'', ''USA Today'', ''MSNBC.com'', and the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', as well as a [http://www.g4tv.com/pile_player.aspx?video_key=14996 television appearance] on the ''G4 TV'' network.
 
 
 
MyWikiBiz has a devoted interest in the success of the [[Subject Interest::Category:Semantic Web|Semantic Web]].  We have the ability to communicate to complete novices the amazing advantages (and some disadvantages) of Semantic Web, or as it's also known -- '''Web 3.0'''.
 
 
 
<br>
 
<center>
 
<adsense>
 
google_ad_client    = 'pub-4781341637005814';
 
google_ad_width    = 468;
 
google_ad_height    = 60;
 
google_ad_format    = '468x60_as';
 
google_ad_type      = 'text_image';//2006-12-28: Centiare Directory space
 
google_ad_channel  = '2388332058';
 
google_color_border = '6699CC';
 
google_color_bg    = '003366';
 
google_color_link  = 'FFFFFF';
 
google_color_text  = 'AECCEB';
 
google_color_url    = 'AECCEB';
 
</adsense>
 
</center>
 
<br>
 
  
 
<br clear="all">
 
<br clear="all">
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==Internal links==
 
==Internal links==
 
* {{FULLPAGENAME}} is "owned" by [[Has Page Owner::User:MyWikiBiz]].
 
* {{FULLPAGENAME}} is "owned" by [[Has Page Owner::User:MyWikiBiz]].
* [[User_talk:MyWikiBiz/Free_offer|'''To Do''' List]]
 
 
* [[User_talk:MyWikiBiz/Discussions|Thoughts from other sites]]
 
* [[User_talk:MyWikiBiz/Discussions|Thoughts from other sites]]
 
==External links==
 
*[http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=16892 Our first press release] We began our biz in the bright sunlight of full disclosure
 
*[http://www.nabble.com/MyWikiBiz-tf2080660.html A public compromise from Jimmy Wales] The agreement brokered with the co-founder of Wikipedia
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-10-09/MyWikiBiz A public dispute with Wales] When our agreement was withdrawn by the co-founder of Wikipedia
 
*[http://www.sbwire.com/news/view/9912 MyWikiBiz changes "teams"] We're so happy we found Centiare!
 
*[http://news.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&ned=us&q=MyWikiBiz&ie=UTF-8 Mainstream media story] Over 150 publishers pick up the AP story
 
  
 
==Geolocation==
 
==Geolocation==
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|39.939586787168835|-75.6117832660675}}
+
Latitude: 27.2545
 +
Longitude: -80.2298
  
 +
==Additional Reading==
 +
*Read a 3-page [http://www.mywikibiz.com/images/e/e5/Talking_Points.ppt presentation] by [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory Kohs]] about the advantages of a semantic web wiki directory (requires PowerPoint).
 +
*Semantic web expert, Harry Chen, discusses our software implementation with  [http://www.geospatialsemanticweb.com/2007/01/05/centiare-semanitc-mediawiki-opens-for-business "MediaWiki Opens for Business"].
 +
*IdeaGrove was the very first blog to profile Centiare, with a story entitled [http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2006/12/move-over-yellow-pages-here-comes.html "Move Over Yellow Pages"].
  
----
 
 
 
'''Centiare''' is a unique online directory that anyone can use.  The directory facilitates [[search engine optimization]] (SEO) in new and powerful ways.  You can set up your very own [[Centiare:Directory namespace|'''Directory''']] page about yourself or your business, and no other users can edit it.  That's how the Directory pages work -- '''if you create it, you own it'''.  Within these "[[Centiare:user-owned|user-owned]]" commercial, non-profit, government, personal, and property Directory listings, you're encouraged to express [[advocate point-of-view|advocate points-of-view]] ([[APOV]]); include links to your products, artwork, blogs, or books you've written; and create wiki-links to any other pages in Centiare that you find interesting.
 
 
==What makes Centiare different?==
 
 
Centiare is powered by the same collaboration and editing software used by [[Directory:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]], but taken to the next level.  With the addition of custom extensions that enhance its core functionality, you can do things on Centiare that just aren't possible (or welcome) on Wikipedia or other wiki sites.  Things like:
 
 
:* [[Centiare:Monetizing Centiare|Monetize]] your Directory listing and/or Main page article
 
:* Plug in YouTube videos within a page ([[Christmas lights|example]])
 
:* Promote your resume, an auction, your products, whatever!
 
:* List your "friends" within Centiare ([[Directory:Gregory_J._Kohs#Friends|example]])
 
:* Upload not only pictures, but also MP3 files, PDF or Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and more
 
:* Perform multi-level searches for specific things, like:
 
:: -- ''White male, over 6 feet, with a Masters degree, in Pennsylvania''
 
:: -- ''Home heating oil company, at least 50 years in business, in New Jersey''
 
:: -- ''Entities between the 36th and 40th parallels'' ([[Centiare:ASK|example]])
 
 
Those amazing searches are all possible because the best Centiare users will employ [[Centiare:Semantic tagging|'''semantic tagging''']] capabilities to organize, search, and [[Centiare:ASK|report]] on information.
 
 
Meanwhile, for topics that would not have any legal standing in a courtroom (i.e., things like rainfall, fiber optic cable, the Rocky Mountains, glue, [[surfing]]), Centiare has the familiar [[Centiare:Main page|Main page]] article space.  Articles in Main space should be written with a [[neutral point-of-view|neutral point-of-view]] ([[NPOV]]), and they may be edited by any user (nobody has "ownership" of Main space articles).
 
 
==Directory Listings==
 
 
Centiare's custom extensions and modifications bring the power of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation/MediaWiki|MediaWiki]] program to users who wish to create and '''control''' their own [[Centiare:Directory|Directory]] articles/pages. Within protected ''Directory'' listings, users are free to advocate, advertise and promote individual and/or commerical/non-profit acitivities without interference from other users/editors.  Just be the first user to start an appropriate Directory topic (must be something that has standing in a court of law), and from that point on, you're the only user who will have access to edit that page and all its sub-pages.
 
 
''<blockquote>Note: at this time, users are allowed to create Directory space articles about entities which they do not own or have a legal interest in.  However, keep in mind that you may not use Centiare to libel others; and, if and when the rightful owner of an article topic appears, they can and will "claim" the space, which will be transferred immediately by a Centiare sysop.</blockquote>
 
''
 
 
==Semantic Tagging==
 
 
Centiare's custom extensions and modifications enable cross-referenced relationships and attributes to be generated automatically. Simply by using [[Centiare:Semantic tagging|'''semantic tags''']] in an accompanying Infobox or throughout a page article, ''Directory'' pages and [[Portal:List|portal]] listings can produce general/customized [[Centiare:ASK|reports]] to help potential customers find the information they need relevant to your company and/or service offerings.
 
 
==User [[Centiare:Registration|Registration]]==
 
 
Only '''registered users''' are allowed to create and/or edit any content on Centiare (including [[Centiare:Main page|Main page]] entries). As such, registered users enjoy two primary benefits:
 
# They can create their own [[Centiare:Namespace|Directory or User]] page listings in order to promote, market, or otherwise advocate commercial activities; and
 
# They can create custom [[Centiare:ASK|queries]] (i.e. by ''editing'' a page) and generate reports covering listings, friends, interests, etc., based on their own specified needs.
 
 
If you're not yet a registered user, you can [http://www.centiare.com/index.php?title=Special:Userlogin&type=signup register] right now.
 
 
==References==
 
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:1; column-count:1;">
 
<references />
 
</div>
 
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==Additional Reading==
 
*Read a 3-page [http://www.centiare.com/images/e/e5/Talking_Points.ppt presentation] by marketing research guru [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory Kohs]] about Centiare and the semantic web (requires PowerPoint).
 
  
*You can read the various [[Centiare:Reviews|reviews]] that independent critics have written about Centiare.  Here are the most recent ones:
+
[[Category:Wikis]]
:--Semantic web expert, Harry Chen, covers Centiare with  [http://www.geospatialsemanticweb.com/2007/01/05/centiare-semanitc-mediawiki-opens-for-business "MediaWiki Opens for Business"].
 
:--IdeaGrove was the very first blog to profile Centiare, with a story entitled [http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2006/12/move-over-yellow-pages-here-comes.html "Move Over Yellow Pages"].
 

Latest revision as of 14:15, 10 July 2021

MyWikiBiz
MyWikiBiz logo
SloganAuthor Your Legacy
Type [[Company_Type:=Private|Private]]
Founded [[Year_Started:=2006|2006]]
FounderGregory J. Kohs
Headquarters Template:Country data US [[State_Name:=Florida|Florida]], [[Country_Name:=United States|USA]]
Key people[[Key_Person1:=Gregory Kohs|Gregory J. Kohs]], CEO
Industry[[NAICS_Code1_Title:=Internet publishing and broadcasting|Internet publishing]]
[[NAICS_Code2_Title:=Independent artists, writers, and performers |Independent artists, writers, and performers]]
ProductsSee complete services listing
OwnerGregory J. Kohs
Contact MyWikiBiz.com
1 The Pines
Martin County, FL  US  34957
(484) NEW-WIKI
[http://www.mywikibiz.com www.mywikibiz.com]   [mailto:info@mywikibiz.com Email]
Reference Year End: 12/31
DUNS: 796762651
NAICS:51611 71151
Entity: [[Entity_Type:=Sole proprietor|Sole]]


MyWikiBiz is a wiki directory business that allows people and enterprises to author their own legacy on the Internet. The brand began as a service creating Wikipedia-compliant articles for paying corporations, which is a consulting service still available today. However, the primary focus of the project is an Internet publishing site at MyWikiBiz.com that uses a semantic web version of the famous MediaWiki software. The MyWikiBiz directory currently contains tens of thousands of pages of user-generated content about corporations and individuals. The business is headquartered in Florida, with its web server in Missouri, with Contabo.

According to its main page:

MyWikiBiz is a new directory where you can author your legacy on the Internet. We think you are notable, even if Wikipedia has rejected an article about you or your enterprise as being "non-notable". With MyWikiBiz, you create a beautiful, reader-friendly page that will get picked up by Google, Yahoo!, and Bing Search engines.

Why use MyWikiBiz?

MyWikiBiz suggests several reasons for contributing content to its directory. Unlike traditional encyclopedias, editors who are legally responsible for the entity they are writing about may "protect" their advocate point-of-view, without fear of someone else altering their content. Editors may also earn money at MyWikiBiz by creating a page, embedding Google AdSense ads within it, and keeping 100% of the revenues generated from that page's advertising. Page owners may also advertise and sell their products and services on MyWikiBiz. Contributors who are more interested in the community-edited dynamic of an encyclopedia like Wikipedia can do so with any topic that is not about a legal entity, such as "Jupiter" or "chess".

Early history

The genesis of MyWikiBiz was not as the current wiki directory of names and businesses. Rather, it began as an idea in April 2006 to write encyclopedic content about businesses, in exchange for reasonable payment.

Gregory Kohs and his sister started the MyWikiBiz venture in Pennsylvania in July 2006, initially as a paid editing service, writing encyclopedic content for inclusion in Wikipedia and other community-edited sites. Tiers of service were priced at $49, $79, and $99 per article. Kohs stated his intention to make neutral, sourced content, and expected the general public to continue altering and improving the articles he created. Although no official Wikipedia policy prohibited paid-for contributions, and although Wikipedia endorsed (and still hosts) cash-for-editing via its Reward Board, Chairman Emeritus of the Wikimedia Foundation Jimmy Wales first called the commercialized editing "antithetical" to Wikipedia's mission.

However, in August 2006, Wales issued a "mutually beneficial" compromise [1] where he encouraged MyWikiBiz to author and post content on a GFDL-compliant section of MyWikiBiz.com, which could then be scraped by non-paid, independent editors into Wikipedia and other GFDL sites. Over the course of late 2006, financial conflicts of interest became regulated under Wikipedia's new conflict of interest policy.[2] In October 2006, despite there being little reason to do so, Wales aggressively reversed his earlier compromise with MyWikiBiz, banning the account from Wikipedia and cautioning any business from using its services. Days later, Wales issued MyWikiBiz an imaginary trademark violation complaint, but the legal threat was ignored, as it had no basis in actual law.

Ever since 2006, Mr. Kohs has continued a low-profile paid consulting service that focuses on Wikipedia content. His clients range from individuals (e.g., artists, authors, journalists, and lawyers) to corporations worth a billion dollars or more.

Centiare alliance and takeover

In late October 2006, the owner of Centiare.com reached out to Kohs to form a partnership that resulted in Kohs promoting and marketing the alternative wiki directory at Centiare. This effort gained strength through early 2007, but ultimately began to fade. When Centiare's owner opted to pull the plug on the site, Kohs negotiated a transfer of the entire contents of Centiare.com to MyWikiBiz.com in December 2007. Thus, MyWikiBiz has undergone a substantial re-branding and re-purpose from its original mission.

The current brand

Snapshot of 250 recent visitors

MyWikiBiz achieved substantial gains in registered users, original articles, and visitor traffic since its re-launch in January 2008. While site traffic is predominantly U.S.-based, there is a global reach, especially into Europe and East Asia. A few pages on the site are published in Spanish, in German, and in Latin.

Visitor traffic increasing

As with any new website, growing traffic to the site depends on search engine relevance, inbound links from other authoritative sites, and word-of-mouth. MyWikiBiz has received a substantial amount of attention in the press, in books, and on blogs. The domain rendered over 200,000 page views in its first year since the wiki launch. Web analytics site Alexa.com at one time rated MyWikiBiz site popularity (reach) about on a par with familiar sites like DailyIowan.com, BudLight.com, and PhiladelphiaZoo.org. It was clear that MyWikiBiz was appealing to more and more visitors over time.


Age & gender of visitors

Most visitors to MyWikiBiz are male, as is the case with many wiki websites' user composition. Well over half of the site's guests are between the ages of 35 and 54.

However, around 2011, Google began to deprecate the search engine results featuring sites like MyWikiBiz, which were prone to spammy out-links to questionable sites. This had an adverse impact on MyWikiBiz's usage statistics.

Article within Wikipedia

Views of MyWikiBiz on Wikipedia

Wikipedia articles about MyWikiBiz have gone through several stages of creation, deletion, and resurrection. In 2007, an old version of the article failed to assert sufficient notability, but because many more sources had appeared by August 2008, one Wikipedia administrator named "Neil" believed that his rewritten version of the article met all the necessary criteria: being neutral, reliably sourced, and asserting notability. A few Internet trolls who inhabit Wikipedia attempted to block the article's publication, but level heads prevailed, and the article persists on Wikipedia. MyWikiBiz promptly issued a press release to commemorate the accomplishment. Traffic from Wikipedia to MyWikiBiz witnessed a dramatic increase, thanks to Neil's efforts.

Helpful links

Media coverage


Internal links

Geolocation

Latitude: 27.2545 Longitude: -80.2298

Additional Reading