Wikipedia Guestbooks, according to Wikipedia founder Jimbo Wales, "can help build a spirit of friendliness and co-operation, and help people get to know each other as human beings". All Wikipedia users are welcome to create a guestbook and give permission to other users to sign it. However, creating a guestbook is also a privilege; many users have been blocked just due to begging for someone to sign their guestbook.

Guestbook cautions

• Do not beg others to sign your guestbook. Users eventually will come to see your user page, and many will click your guestbook and sign it without being asked.
• Never ask a user to sign your guestbook by posting that message on a talk page.
• Be patient. Users will eventually come. After all, you should not be here only to see who signed your guestbook...
• You are here to build an encyclopedia: Do not spend your WikiTime only signing guestbooks. It may be fun, but users may see you as a person not here to contribute.
• Guestbooks are not a soapbox.