One of the most peculiar things about the WikiHow website isn’t really the how-tos but the actual illustrations. They're colorful, but despite being relatable, they sometimes present a distorted view of reality. You wouldn’t assign their style of cartooning to any other site, which makes it uniquely their own. From a dog that weirdly possesses human features to a stick figure struggling to tie shoelaces, the artists know how to add humor to even the most mundane tasks.

Volunteer authors at WikiHow use a bot called “Wikivisual” to submit requests for images to illustrate their posts. This is handled by the Wikivisual team.” Previously, the artists creating illustrations were unknown, as the page doesn’t credit them under the images. However, an article from OneZero (a news and research publication) revealed that they’re created by a massive group of freelance artists.

Chris Haldey, WikiHow’s vice president of operations, confirmed this information. He shared that the company’s shift towards commissioning original art began in response to Google’s algorithm. Custom images reached a wider audience than recycled ones. The drawings still remain in secrecy, as the freelancers have to sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements, aka confidentiality agreements). Haldey commented on this, saying that their idea was new and they needed to keep it special, so they asked people to keep it private. Over the years, maintaining the mystery has been part of the fun, which has gained a lot of traction.

One of the “Disney Vacation” subreddit moderators, Xalaxis, shared in a previous Bored Panda interview that they’ve been in contact with a WikiHow staff member. In the email, they mentioned that they’re familiar with the subreddit and get a giggle out of the occasional out-of-context image themselves. Xalaxis shared that this encounter made them feel proud, just like getting acknowledgment from their parents.

Even though some articles on WikiHow may seem silly (like how to perform magic spells and fake a fever), a lot of people are searching for these obscure step-by-step tutorials. Their most popular articles, such as "How to take a screenshot in Windows," "How to kiss," and "How to know if a girl likes you", exceed 30 million views. To this day, it seems that people are still slightly confused by Microsoft and romance and need a little extra help in navigating them.

According to a previous study in 2007, the place that Americans turn to for answers most is the internet. 58% of users employ it when they have questions about things like health, school, careers, and government. Those without internet access reported less satisfaction when seeking answers.

From over 4 billion identified search terms, the most Googled how-to in 2023 was “How to screenshot on Mac.” Honestly, screenshotting shouldn’t be this complicated, neither on Microsoft nor Mac devices. The second was, “How do I register to vote?” followed by “How to tie a tie,” which still remains a hot topic among suit wearers. Finally, the answer to “How to delete apps” saved over 214k people who really needed to get rid of unnecessary data weight on their devices. Coincidentally, completed guides on all of these questions and more can also be found on WikiHow’s page.

While niche tutorials often end up in listicles (like this one), the most popular articles tend to be practical advice based on what’s happening offline. When the US was hit by sudden freezing conditions in 2021, key searches on WikiHow included how to start a frozen car or defrost pipes. During the Super Bowl, people looked for answers on how to melt cheese, set up a football pool, and bake chicken wings. It’s no secret that this page has become an incredibly useful tool for helping us when we have no clue what to do. With at least four babies born in an emergency situation using their articles, WikiHow is truly on its way to teaching people anything and everything.

We must ask, Dear Pandas, have you ever consulted the all-knowing WikiHow page? How did it go?

For more creatively terrifying combos of funny captions and WikiHow illustrations, don’t forget to check out our previous posts here and here.