Wikimedia Conference 2018/Program/50

50: How to grow an editing community? 4 different approaches from Wikimedia organizations

How to move forward

What was this session about?

The session featured four speakers who presented their approaches to looking for new contributors in different social groups: Wikipedia readers, active youth, students, librarians, etc.

What are the next steps to be taken?

Everyone is welcome to use new to them tactics to reach to more people.

Photos

see the Commons category

Slides

TBA

Speakers

Verena Lindner (WMDE), Àlex Hinojo (Amical Wikimedia), Nebojša Ratković (Wikimedia Serbia), Dana Dekel (Wikimedia Israel)

Length (min)

60

Audience / Target group

Wikimedians who try to grow their communities

Session format

Every speaker has 10 min presentation, followed by 5 min Q&A.

Description

Among participants of the Wikimedia Conference 2018, there is a strong wish to learn different approaches of growing a Wikimedia community.

4 speakers will show and explain their approach. Every speaker has 3 template slides, filled with they have learned, what are the challenges/limitations of their approach, what the movement could learn from it.

Desired Outcome

More Wikimedians try diverse approaches to growing their communities.

Documentation

• Verena Lindner, Wikimedia Deutschland

  WMDE uses ‘Advertising’ for contributing; Banner campaigns on Wikipedia; Invite readers to register; Testing of several learning and help tools after registration.

  Tips: Increasing registrations: Online campaigns make a difference; Onboarding new editors: Becoming a contributor is difficult. New editors need as much context related help as possible.

• Àlex Hinojo, Amical Wikimedia

  Used Librarians editing Wikipedia; Librarians teaching Wikipedia; Libraries as our territorial network; Promoting #1lib1ref campaign; Creating #bibliowikis community

  Tips: Adding a Wiki-layer to already existing networks, communities and projects helps growing interest. If someone wants to do A, let’s do A...on wiki; Only self-sustainable can scale. Put efforts at the beginning and follow ups, but be clear about “it’s their own thing”.

• Nebojša Ratković, Wikimedia Serbia

  Networking with youth throughout Serbia

  Tips: “Be there for them”; Increase motivation by giving significance.

• Dana Dekel, Wikimedia Israel

  Did: Created education tutorials adapted to target groups: Consumer friendly; Reached out and collaborated with Hebrew and Arabic schools- “Students write Wikipedia” As well as with Gifted high school students program

  Tips: Creating a supporting system for new beginners; Creating the right tutorials according to the focus group such as: animated and interactive software, video clips, comics about what reliable information etc.

See more in the slides.