Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress?

Fraggler · 03-28-2011, 05:30 PM

I have been playing around a bit with TWiki and MediaWiki and thought they would make an ideal CMS for larger/authority sites and especially curated sites.

I know MediaWiki is fully skinable and it is a lot more user friendly than Twiki and I can't see what it couldn't be made to look like the a normal site - but with all the benefits and automatic interlinking of a Wiki.

If you dared you could also open it up to user contributions for free content generation, moderated of course.

Just curious to see if any of you guys have given it a go before or maybe I am 5 years out of data? hah!

Michael55555 · 03-28-2011, 06:00 PM

I have a decent amount of experience with MediaWiki. What would you like to know?

Feel free to PM me.

Fraggler · 03-28-2011, 07:58 PM

Sorry, Michael.

I'm not really after instructions on using MediaWiki but rather everyone's thoughts on using a Wiki as the base for a site rather than WordPress.

The SEO benefits seems very strong and the easy to interact with the community has to be a big plus too. It allows for more than just user comments.

Derek Salfen · 03-28-2011, 08:02 PM

There's no reason why it couldn't work. Most of us are so entrenched in Wordpress that we can hardly see other options. Give it a try and launch a WSO if it works, could blow our minds.

yukon · 03-28-2011, 08:19 PM

I like the idea, but wouldn't moderating the site by a huge job?

The larger the site gets, the more spam you would have to deal with.

Fraggler · 03-28-2011, 08:32 PM

Well the user editing can be disabled or controlled

I just thought that would add another way to generate content, if you would rather be a moderator than a content creator.

Mike Grant · 03-28-2011, 08:37 PM

Can't say I've used them specifically, but if they model after Wikipedia then your site structure and internal linking is going to be a nightmare.

Fraggler · 03-28-2011, 08:51 PM

The internal link structure of Wikipedia is one of the reasons it works so well with search engines. You still get a traditional sidebar for main topics but everything else is 'siloed' automatically.

Users love it too - people spend hours flowing through links on Wikipedia. They land on one page of interest and just go through from there. Unlike a normal site, a wiki requires less effort to find other subjects on the site that interest you.

Mike Grant · 03-28-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraggler

The internal link structure of Wikipedia is one of the reasons it works so well with search engines. You still get a traditional sidebar for main topics but everything else is 'siloed' automatically.

Users love it too - people spend hours flowing through links on Wikipedia. They land on one page of interest and just go through from there. Unlike a normal site, a wiki requires less effort to find other subjects on the site that interest you.

They incorrectly "bless" some poor URL construction, but nothing like wolfram alpha does to hyperlinks.

Fraggler · 03-29-2011, 04:58 AM

How are they incorrectly blessing anything? A Wiki URL is as good as any other?

I would love to know why you think a Wiki/Wikipedia has poor on-site SEO and URL construction. Can you explain your reasoning, please?

03-28-2011, 05:30 PM	#1
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? I have been playing around a bit with TWiki and MediaWiki and thought they would make an ideal CMS for larger/authority sites and especially curated sites. I know MediaWiki is fully skinable and it is a lot more user friendly than Twiki and I can't see what it couldn't be made to look like the a normal site - but with all the benefits and automatic interlinking of a Wiki. If you dared you could also open it up to user contributions for free content generation, moderated of course. Just curious to see if any of you guys have given it a go before or maybe I am 5 years out of data? hah!
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03-28-2011, 06:00 PM	#2
Michael55555 Part Time Thomas Edison Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: West Coast, USA Posts: 1,352 Thanks: 100 Thanked 146 Times in 119 Posts Social Networking	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? I have a decent amount of experience with MediaWiki. What would you like to know? Feel free to PM me.
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03-28-2011, 07:58 PM	#3
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? Sorry, Michael. I'm not really after instructions on using MediaWiki but rather everyone's thoughts on using a Wiki as the base for a site rather than WordPress. The SEO benefits seems very strong and the easy to interact with the community has to be a big plus too. It allows for more than just user comments.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

03-28-2011, 08:02 PM	#4
Derek Salfen HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 114 Thanks: 18 Thanked 29 Times in 23 Posts	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? There's no reason why it couldn't work. Most of us are so entrenched in Wordpress that we can hardly see other options. Give it a try and launch a WSO if it works, could blow our minds.
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03-28-2011, 08:19 PM	#5
yukon SEO Strategist War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,532 Thanks: 355 Thanked 1,992 Times in 1,273 Posts	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? I like the idea, but wouldn't moderating the site by a huge job? The larger the site gets, the more spam you would have to deal with.
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03-28-2011, 08:32 PM	#6
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? Well the user editing can be disabled or controlled I just thought that would add another way to generate content, if you would rather be a moderator than a content creator.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

03-28-2011, 08:37 PM	#7
Mike Grant Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,935 Thanks: 106 Thanked 269 Times in 201 Posts Contact Info	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? Can't say I've used them specifically, but if they model after Wikipedia then your site structure and internal linking is going to be a nightmare.
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03-28-2011, 08:51 PM	#8
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? The internal link structure of Wikipedia is one of the reasons it works so well with search engines. You still get a traditional sidebar for main topics but everything else is 'siloed' automatically. Users love it too - people spend hours flowing through links on Wikipedia. They land on one page of interest and just go through from there. Unlike a normal site, a wiki requires less effort to find other subjects on the site that interest you.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

03-29-2011, 04:58 AM	#10
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Using a Wiki Instead of WordPress? How are they incorrectly blessing anything? A Wiki URL is as good as any other? I would love to know why you think a Wiki/Wikipedia has poor on-site SEO and URL construction. Can you explain your reasoning, please?
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods