New Readers/Next steps/Messaging consultations

This page from the Wikimedia Foundation is kept for historical interest. Any plans, policies, projects, or strategies mentioned may be obsolete.

After phone surveys in 2016 showed that an estimated 75% of Indians and 77% of Nigerians have never heard of Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation began exploring ways to raise Wikipedia awareness.

This process began with messaging consultation: asking Wikimedians working in India and Nigeria how they explain Wikipedia and how they recommend the Foundation better support the promotion of Wikipedia. From December 2016 to January 2017, a 10-question survey was shared to these contributors asking for guidance and advice. This page documents that consultation including the questions asked, policy statement used, and findings collected.

Objective

Determine the best ways to explain Wikipedia and its use cases to new readers in India and Nigeria by asking people who live and work there.

Things we need to learn

A statement to reliably introduce Wikipedia
A set of clear and common Wikipedia use cases
Guidance on imagery to explain and promote Wikipedia
Recommended media formats for reaching and influencing people in target region
[Future inquiry] Terms, phrases, and even full sentences in languages other than English that explain Wikipedia

Target audiences

Experienced Wikimedians who may often explain Wikipedia and its uses
Social media users who may explain Wikipedia in context of other technology and apps
Very new Wikipedia readers who may have short and highly tactical reasons for using Wikipedia

Timeline

Preparation: 2 weeks - Ready by December 16
Consultation: 3 weeks - Starts Monday December 19
Review & Reporting: 2 weeks - Starts Monday January 9

Survey Details

Introduction: India

Recent phone surveys has revealed that an estimated 75% of Indians have never heard of Wikipedia. In addition, qualitative research around Delhi and Chennai suggests that some who HAVE heard of Wikipedia confuse it with internet search engines like Google or social media tools like Facebook. The Wikimedia Foundation (the nonprofit that supports Wikipedia around the world) is now exploring ways to better promote and explain Wikipedia so more Indians can discover and use free knowledge materials.

That's where we need YOUR HELP! We need to hear how you communicate about Wikipedia. This will help us create ways to communicate about and promote Wikipedia in India. Please answer these 10 questions to inform our messaging and media strategies for raising Wikipedia awareness.

Introduction: Nigeria

Recent phone surveys have shown that an estimated 77% of Nigerians have never heard of Wikipedia. In addition, in-person interviews around Lagos and Benin City suggests that some who HAVE heard of Wikipedia confuse it with internet search engines like Google or social media tools like Facebook.

The Wikimedia Foundation (the nonprofit that supports Wikipedia around the world) is now exploring ways to better promote and explain Wikipedia so more Indians can discover and use free knowledge materials.

That's where we need YOUR HELP! We need to hear how you communicate about Wikipedia. This will help us create ways to describe and promote Wikipedia in Nigeria. Please answer these 10 questions to inform our messaging and media strategies for raising Wikipedia awareness.

Policy Statement

This survey is powered by Google Forms, which means Google’s use of your information is controlled by their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. For information about privacy and data-handling, please see our survey privacy statement https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Explaining_Wikipedia_to_New_Users_Survey_Privacy_Statement. Thanks!

Questions

Objective: Explaining Wikipedia

[Multiple choice] How did you learn about Wikipedia?
- Friends/Family
- School
- Search engine result (Google for example)
- Social media/blog (Facebook for example)
- Radio/TV
- Not sure
- Other ________
[Open response] If you meet someone who has never heard of Wikipedia, how do you describe it to them?
[Open response] Would you please explain Wikipedia in 1 sentence?
Which one word would you choose to explain Wikipedia?
[Optional] How would you describe Wikipedia in 1 image? [please provide a web link]
[Open response] If you could tell everyone in [India/Nigeria] one thing about Wikipedia, what would it be?
[Open response] If Wikipedia were a person, how would it act?

Objective: Promoting use cases

[Open response] What do you use Wikipedia for most?
[Open response] How can a new visitor find value on Wikipedia?
[Fill in the blank] Try Wikipedia, it’s great for ____________.

Objective: Selecting media formats

[Multiple selection] How can the Wikimedia Foundation best explain Wikipedia to unfamiliar audiences in [India/Nigeria]? (Select all you recommend)
- With a video
- With a poster
- With a billboard
- With a Wiki page
- With social media posts
- With a celebrity advocate
- With a newspaper article
- With a school class
- With a radio message
- With a tv ad
- With a government partnership
- With something else [please tell us below]

Findings

Nigeria

According to Nigerian community respondents, Wikipedia is a free online library where you can learn almost anything.

It is an encyclopedia.
It acts like a generous know-it-all.
It will help you learn about the world and grow as a person.
It looks like a library, and it is made by people (like you).

Wikipedia should be promoted in schools and explained with videos.

Social media and radio are also recommended as places to introduce and explain Wikipedia to Nigerians.

See the full Nigeria community messaging findings and detailed tables

India

According to Indic communities who responded, Wikipedia should be promoted in schools and explained with social media posts.

Video and radio are also recommended as places to introduce and explain Wikipedia to Indians.