What is wrong with Hubpages?

1. 83

   Skarletposted 11 years ago

   What is wrong with Hubpages?
   
   I published a hub a few months ago without any problem and now it has been removed from publication because of "unrelated links." There are no unrelated links but I removed my Amazon capsule and links to other hubs on the same subject and now they are saying that my RSS feed is not related to the hub. Makes no sense. They are other hubs from my RSS, and I thought that our RSS could be unrelated.

   replyreport
2. 65

   LucidDreamsposted 11 years ago

   If a couple reports of problems surfaced we all would just go with the flow. Now that this has been happening for over a month, Hubpages will hopefully figure out what is wrong with their website structure. Sure, there are plenty on this site who have not been here long enough to deal with the aftermath o the dreaded Panda and Penguin!
   
   I have articles showing up in Google under other authors names in results. Sure you could make an excuse why if you really want to, the fact is, this makes no sense because we are all individual authors even if we have articles within the same category. This is just plain bad seo. I hope they figure it out so things will improve here. I have been here for over 4 years with different profiles and this is the biggest problem I have ever seen.
   
   I believe in this site as a secondary place to write, you should too. hang in there and I am sure all will get worked out eventually!

   replyreport
   1. 54

      sbannonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have been reading these answers and would like to say, I have only been with hp two days.  Therefore, I am not here to talk bad about hp, the hubbers or the rules etc.  I would like to know some alternative places to get paid to write, though.

      replyreport
3. 82

   tommenposted 11 years ago

   I think Hubpages have an automated "quality control" system in place and there seems to be flaws.I recommend you contact support and notify them of the problem.I agree with LucidDreams, Hubpages and other revenue sharing sites should be secondary places to write content for, your own self hosted blog should be first priority.

   replyreport
4. 0

   Old Poolmanposted 11 years ago

   We have to think positive on this issue.  Our tax codes became so complicated we were literally forced to hire "experts" to complete the required forms for us.  A huge number of jobs were created and remain today.
   Now the changes going on in Hub Pages might create a new industry with plenty of jobs.  Every time we write a hub, we hire a "Hub Expert" to review the hub for any possible policy violations before we hit the submit button.
   I can see this evolving into an industry even bigger and better than the IRS.  For a little extra money the "Hub Expert" could also perform spell check, title tuning, grammar checks, link checking, duplicate content, and all the other purification tasks necessary to create a masterpiece.  This industry would virtually eliminate all the worries that go with hitting that Submit Button ourselves.
   Or you can take my approach, just quit writing hubs.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      Attikosposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's what I did, some time ago. Not only are HP's rules too obscure and malfunctional, I found I was spending a good deal of effort to bring a Hub to publication only to receive no compensation for myself and plagiarizing by others. Not worth it.

      replyreport
   2. 60

      Petra Vlahposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, great! Soon enough HP will solve the national unemployment problem

      replyreport
5. 68

   wandererhposted 11 years ago

   I have been asking the same question myself.  From my experience, HubPages was a much more lively and friendlier place.  Every time I publish a hub, hubbers will drop and comment and there were quite a few lively but friendly discussions.  But now, although I have lots more hubbers following me, I would be lucky to get a comment following a published hub.
   
   And in the last couple of months, I have had a few hubs that were published for years suddenly being flagged for an infraction.  You would receive a rather terse and unfriendly email from HubPages stating that the hub has been unpublished, with a long list of possible infractions without even bothering to identify the actual infraction.  I'm sorry to say that I'd expected much better from HubPages.

   replyreport
   1. 58

      TheSuperk25posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thats sad to hear. I just started yesterday. lol

      replyreport
   2. 68

      wandererhposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, it is rather sad.  Hang in there and let's hope that things change.

      replyreport
6. 59

   Goody5posted 11 years ago

   You are certainly not alone with this problem Skarlet. There are many strange things going on these days at the hub pages. Both hubs and hubbers are disappearing at a daily rate, with some alarming numbers - http://goody5.hubpages.com/hub/Google-vs-the-Hub-Pages Just keep hanging in there, and hopefully things will get better down the road.

   replyreport
7. 0

   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   I certainly agree with you Skarlet. It is almost impossible to write a biography now without being accused of DUPLICATE content. I agree the rules have become ridiculous.

   replyreport
8. 82

   bethperryposted 11 years ago

   Skarlet, I'm going to admit I have never really understood what RSS feed is, no matter how it is explained to me. But I feel for you; the rules at HP keep changing and some of rules (old and new) seem enforced in either a haphazard or mysterious fashion. Yesterday I was notified that one of my Hubs was unpublished because it contained duplicate material, it did, and I was alerted to either edit accordingly or have it remain unpublished. Now I understand prohibiting duplicate material written by folks OTHER than the Hub author, but this was MY copyrighted material (from another Hub I'd written) and it was pertinent (or so I felt) to the nature of the Hub I used it in the second time. But since they told me they couldn't allow even this I revised the Hub and they deemed it good to go.
   
   I truly love posting at Hubpages. It isn't my primary publishing medium but there are enjoyable things about contributing here, and I find the members, in general, a very decent set of folks. If I have one real qualm about HP it is in seeing a few certain Hubs allowed to stand when they are either 1. very lacking in grammatical quality, 2. an obvious flame directed at another member or 3. something so one-sided in religious context it would be better served in a religious forum.
   
   And at this time I do not plan to leave. HOWEVER,  I do suspect that unless the editors/managers implement a little more commonsense in the execution of the rules then they are going to see less and less folks posting here.  And this, I feel would be most unfortunate for both the writers and their regular readers.

   replyreport
9. 61

   Writer Davidposted 11 years ago

   My last hub was in late August 2011.   I was writing on letters home from the greatest generation of WWII.  I was told one hub was too graphic and it was unpublished.  I refused to change history.  War is hell and the letter home conveyed that.  Finally, I just gave up in frustration.  It is the writers who make this place.  It appears HP has forgotten that little tidbit.  I understand their fear of angering the Google gods.  But, things are so bad, I just have given up.  I started up my old blog again.  I don't get the traffic I did here.  But, no one can unpublish me now.

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      David, I remember those hubs and they were fantastic.  I wish you could find another place to publish this work where everyone could see it.  I refuse to change to writing hubs about baking cakes, so I am pretty much done here on HP.

      replyreport
   2. 83

      Skarletposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is really sad and it just does not make any sense to me. Well, let me know where you are all going and I will be happy to continue giving my support to your writing.

      replyreport
   3. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Skarlett - Writers come, and writers go.  I would miss my hub friends terribly but I just can't keep up with the ever changing rules anymore.  I didn't get on here to read a new rule book every week.

      replyreport
   4. 83

      Skarletposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, if you are looking into other sites- look for me on infobarrel, squidoo, seekyt, and wizzley. I hope to see some hub friends find a nice platform to place there idled hubs, or at least find a site to link their hubs to.

      replyreport
   5. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Skarlett - A few sites I had never heard of.  I will take a look at them.  Do you use the same user name on those sites?

      replyreport
   6. 83

      Skarletposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hello Mike,
      I am either Skarlet, Skarleta, or Kim Harris. Zujava is another site that may show some promise.

      replyreport
   7. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Skarlett - Got it.  If you find a happy place please let me know.

      replyreport
   8. 83

      Skarletposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Mike,
      No happy face that I can see. But were you on one of the other sites. Because if you were, it could take a long time to find. Lol!

      replyreport
   9. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Skarlet, nope, this is the only place I have ever written anything that I let anyone else read.  I just don't find it worth my time trying to write a hub and not knowing if it is even going to get published, or stay published.

      replyreport
   10. 61

       Writer Davidposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Old Poolman
       
       I only have about two more letters to end the series.  I have been thinking a long time of just putting them on my general discussion blog.  I was really upset when HP unpublished those hubs.  I hope to end the series soon, somewhere.

       replyreport
   11. 54

       sbannonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Before I run out characters, I would like to thank any body that responds in advance.  I have been reading these answers and would like to say, I have only been with hp two days.  Therefore, I am not here to talk bad about hp, the hubbers or the rule

       replyreport
10. 90

    cam8510posted 11 years ago

    The numbers of hubs and hubbers is dropping so fast, pretty soon HP will have to start laying off staff I imagine.  Maybe then things will turn around.  And maybe not.  I have been here seven months.  I used to write on my blog.  It would seem pretty lonely going back to that, but things are just getting plain wierd around here.

    replyreport
11. 60

    Petra Vlahposted 11 years ago

    HP is a business and as such they ONLY do what they think is going to help their bottom line. Considering the many people who are leaving the site every day it seems HP does NOT understand that, we the writers are their business and WITHOUT US, they will not exist.
    HP keeps on saying that all the changes are made to benefit us; if you believe that think about the Brooklyn Bridge and come up with a reasonable price - it could be yours - with the money you are making on HP recently

    replyreport