One of the latest new trends in online socialization I am investigating is the use of corporate wikis. Of course, everyone is familiar with Wikipedia, the online collaborative of articles written by authors from around the world, but the use of it as a marketing strategy is on the rise. According to a study by Gartner Research, in 2008, they predicted that more than half of all U.S. companies would have a wiki site by 2009.
From a company perspective, wikis can be an internal source for employee collaboration. It is a means by which individuals or teams can share knowledge, brainstorm, and pool resources. There is also a convincing use for broadcasting them externally as an open forum. Granted, this may not work for every type of business, but allowing your customers to interact with the company by providing insight, tips, or knowledge would go a long way in building brand loyalty.
A great example of a company that seems to have the wiki process down is Disney Pixar. According to their site, “Pixar Wiki is a collaborative encyclopedia for all of the amazing work of Pixar Animation Studios. The wiki format allows anyone to create or edit any article, so we can all work together to create a comprehensive database for all Pixar fans and take it to Infinity and Beyond!”
Brands that have a lot to say and depend on internal collaboration by employees are the best example of companies that should utilize wikis. Pixar is has successfully created a site that engages individuals and invites them to share their experiences and knowledge about animation. Companies that do it right can leverage the value of online collaboration to gain customers, create loyalty, all while getting feedback and advice about their internal projects.
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