Bloggers' Top-Cited Wikipedia 2006 Entries: "Web 2.0," "Steve Irwin" and "Mark Foley Scandal," Says Nielsen BuzzMetrics

Market Wire, December, 2006

Did somebody say Wikipedia? Yes, and then some, according to word-of-mouth measurement firm Nielsen BuzzMetrics, which identified Wikipedia -- the online encyclopedia anyone can edit -- as one of popular words and resources of 2007.

According to Nielsen BuzzMetrics, the term 'Wikipedia' was cited in blogs nearly 29,000 times in November 2006, up 54% from 2005. In addition, the use of highly indicative phrases -- "according to wikipedia" OR "wikipedia says" OR "says wikipedia" -- rose 200 percent versus last year. According to Nielsen//NetRatings, another VNU research affiliate which tracks Web usage, Wikipedia's unique audience grew, concurrently, 112%, from 17.8 million in November 2005 to 37.8 million in November 2006.

The top three Wikipedia entries that bloggers linked to in 2006 were "Web 2.0," "Steve Irwin" (the late Australian animal lover), and the "Mark Foley Scandal."

"Despite occasional controversy over the accuracy or neutrality of its entries, Wikipedia continues to attract and retain a passionate user base while facilitating broader discussions across the Internet," said Jonathan Carson, chief executive officer, Nielsen BuzzMetrics.

Wikipedia Head to Head Versus Encyclopedia

Blog references to Wikipedia now eclipse virtually every other encyclopedia brand, and Wikipedia outranks mentions of the term "encyclopedia" by a 6-to-1 margin. Wikipedia today is mentioned 28% more than the standalone term "wiki."

"The growing frequency of the word 'Wikipedia' versus 'encyclopedia' also underscores the ubiquity and utility of the brand, not unlike other brands that often represent their categories, such as Xerox, Kleenex, Google and iPod," said Carson.

Top Cited Wikipedia Entries

The top cited Wikipedia entries -- from Jan. 1 through Dec. 10, 2006 -- reflect the service's heavy embracement by Internet, political and entertainment enthusiasts. Many of the top-cited entries also tend to reflect the most remembered pop-culture events and topics of 2006.

                           Nielsen BuzzMetrics
                Top Wikipedia Entries By Author Citation
                       Jan. 1, 2006 - Dec. 10, 2006

Rank     Term                    URL                               Messages
                                                                    (Index)
1.   Web 2.0          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0                206
2.   Steve Irvin      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin            161
3.   Mark Foley
      Scandal         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley_scandal     142
4.   Blog             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog                   147
5.   Ajax             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX                   133
6.   World War II     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II           143
7.   Snakes on a
      Plane           http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_on_a_plane      126
8.   Meme             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme                   132
9.   Wiki             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki                   129
10.  RSS              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format)  122
11.  Podcasting       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting             127
12.  George Bush      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush         129
13.  Podcast          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast                111
14.  Net Neutrality   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality     100

Top Blogs Citing Wikipedia

As for mentioning the term Wikipedia, certain bloggers demonstrate undeniable affinity with the site. Bloggers most likely to mention Wikipedia include popular and influential authors, as well as ad-supported blogs maintained by established niche-publishing networks.

Nielsen BuzzMetrics
                            Top Blogs Mention 'Wikipedia'
                            Jan. 1, 2006 - Dec. 10, 2006
Rank By                                                            Links to
 Author                            URL                            Wikipedia
1.                    http://www.boingboing.net                            90
2.                    http://seehere.blogspot.com                          87
3.                    http://www.micropersuasion.com                       77
4.                    http://tcal.net                                      71
5.                    http://www.smartmobs.com                             64
6.                    http://www.gadling.com                               61
7.                    http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger                      56
8.                    http://www.lifehacker.com                            55
9.                    http://ask.metafilter.com                            53
10.                   http://www.gothamist.com                             53
11.                   http://www.2blowhards.com                            51
12.                   http://www.spikemagazine.com/splinters               50
13.                   http://www.chrisabraham.com                          50
14.                   http://slashdot.org                                  50
15.                   http://www.unmediated.org                            50