Guide · Updated June 2026
Wikipedia notability requirements
To qualify for a Wikipedia page you need significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of you. “Significant” means the source covers you in detail, not a passing mention. “Independent” means you did not produce it, so press releases, your own website, and sponsored articles do not count. “Reliable” means outlets with editorial oversight. You typically need several such sources, at least one with national or international reach.
What counts, and what does not
Counts
- ✓In-depth coverage in a major newspaper or magazine where a journalist chose to write about you
- ✓A book or scholarly work that discusses the subject in detail
- ✓Independent investigative journalism or documentary coverage
- ✓Multiple substantial, independent secondary sources (not one, several)
- ✓At least one source with regional, national, or international reach
Does not count
- ✕Press releases, sponsored articles, or "churnalism" based on your own materials
- ✕Your own website, social media, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, or IMDb listing
- ✕Routine announcements: funding rounds, hires, product launches, acquisitions
- ✕Social-media follower counts or Google hit counts
- ✕Local-only coverage with no wider reach
- ✕Being related to, or working with, someone who is already notable
Companies are held to a higher bar
For organizations, Wikipedia explicitly discounts routine business news: funding rounds, hires, product launches, acquisitions, and trade-press coverage. It wants in-depth, independent journalism or analysis. That is why most early-stage companies do not qualify yet, and why honest assessment matters more than salesmanship. See Wikipedia’s notability guideline for organizations.
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