Wikipedia, a non-profit organization, operates under a unique model that relies on donations and grants rather than advertising revenue. However, if we were to hypothetically consider how much revenue it could generate with advertising, several factors would come into play.

1. Traffic Analysis: Wikipedia receives an impressive amount of traffic, with over 1.7 billion unique visitors per month as of 2023. This high volume of traffic is essential for generating significant advertising revenue.

2. Advertising Revenue Models: There are different models for generating revenue through advertising:

• Cost Per Mille (CPM): This model pays advertisers based on the number of impressions (1,000 views). For example, if Wikipedia were to charge a CPM of $5 (which is relatively low for high-traffic sites), with 1.7 billion views, the potential revenue could be calculated as follows:
• 1,700,000,000 views / 1,000 = 1,700,000 (impressions)
• 1,700,000 impressions x $5 CPM = $8.5 million per month
• Cost Per Click (CPC): In this model, advertisers pay based on clicks on their ads. Assuming a CPC of $0.50 and an average click-through rate (CTR) of 1%, the potential revenue would look like this:
• 1.7 billion views x 1% CTR = 17 million clicks
• 17,000,000 clicks x $0.50 CPC = $8.5 million per month

3. Estimated Annual Revenue: If Wikipedia were to adopt either of these advertising models, the annual revenue could be estimated as follows:

• Monthly revenue of $8.5 million x 12 months = $102 million annually.

4. Comparison with Other Websites: To put this into perspective, platforms like Reddit generate substantial revenue through advertising despite having a smaller user base compared to Wikipedia. Reddit made approximately $100 million in revenue in 2020, showcasing that a site with effective ad placements and significant traffic can generate considerable income.

5. Impact on User Experience: While the potential revenue from advertising is substantial, it is crucial to consider that Wikipedia’s mission is to provide free knowledge to everyone. Introducing ads could compromise user experience and lead to a decline in traffic. Many users appreciate Wikipedia for its ad-free environment, which is a significant factor in its popularity.

Conclusion: If Wikipedia were to implement advertising, it could potentially generate around $102 million annually based on conservative estimates of CPM or CPC models. However, this approach might conflict with its core mission of providing unbiased and accessible information, which could ultimately affect its user base and traffic.