They should call this FailPages....

1. 63

   mrizosposted 11 years ago

   What's going one with HubPages!?!  69.2% less traffic than last week?!   All of my hubs are on pages 10+ in Google. 
   
   Here's one of them.  An 87.  Was on the first page of google for "why does my computer run slow", not it's gone.
   
   What has HubPages done for piss off Google now?

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   1. 0

      Domenick Dicceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Has Hubpages had problems with Google in the past?

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   2. 82

      David 470posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am hurting very badly too. HubPages was affected by Google Algorithms and has affected many people's rankings, traffic, and I am going to go out on a limb here and say CPM as well.
      
      When I first starting consistently writing on HubPages I worked pretty hard for over year until I was able to make part-time income etc...But these Google Algorithms decreased my traffic and HubPages has suffered as  a whole overall.....
      
      At this point, I'm not sure if my work will pay off in the same fashion as it once did. I have deleted/unpublished many hubs. It's hard enough to create content to create traffic -- let alone lose traffic due to Google's algorithms etc..

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      1. 61

         ytbot1xposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         This should help- http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/103890

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         1. 82

            David 470posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes I am aware.

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   3. 83

      snobletposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      google is god, we don't even say search anymore, people say google instead of search, google has entirely replaced the word search..

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   4. 75

      dontaytteposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think that we all have lost allot of traffic over the last month and a half, but instead of complaining about it we must find solutions. I don't think that moving hubs to other sites is a solution. We need to continue to promote hubs, both ours and referrals, post comments on good hubs, and continue to put out great hubs.

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   5. 0

      Casimiroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      mrizos,
      
      You're complaining about a drop in traffic for a title that produces 45 million hits in Google? An article that's 3 months old. That topic is over-saturated, so it's a wonder it made it to the top in the first place. Way too much competition. And if you are putting all your fate into HP's hands and not taking some responsibility for getting your hubs connected elsewhere then you can't just blame HP.

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2. 75

   Pavlo Badovskyyposted 11 years ago

   Glad you noticed it. Read forums on HP devoted to that. People discuss it since the 27th of September.

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3. 61

   Toschposted 11 years ago

   It's FadingPages...

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4. 56

   smith06posted 11 years ago

   I have 39 Hubs. Before the Google algo change, my daily average traffic was about 250. Since then, it has been steadily decreasing. As per Google Analytics, my traffic on 11th. October is only 29, whereas, it was 120 on the previous day. I am seriously thinking about moving my articles to Squidoo and Infobarrel.

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   1. 63

      Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It really doesn't matter where you move them too, they'll still drop when google does an update. I have my hubpages and 6 webpages, all of them dropped when they did their update, and all of them are slowly climbing back up. If you want someone to blame, blame the people who use SEO tricks to get crappy content ranked higher than it should be. Google changes their algorithms, and good quality content goes back up, and the garbage doesn't.

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      1. 62

         Gina Cooleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Good answer! Its no good blaming HubPages.  The answer is to adapt your content to the new realities.  There are 2 factors that impact success:
         1. Your content quality
         2. The Google algorithm
         
         There is no strong evidence to suggest that HubPages performs any worse than the other major content sites.

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         1. 88

            mistyhorizon2003posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I wish this were true, but take a look at the Quantcast stats for the main content sites including Hubpages and you will see differently. Right now (although I now like Wizzley in preference to writing here because my moved content is getting traffic it wasn't getting any longer here,) the best and most consistently performing content site is apparently Squidoo, (although I have never used it myself, I do know lots of people who have, and it seems for at least 5 years it has been pretty stable, even when other sites have suffered from Panda, Penguin etc). On Quantcast (which is reliable) HP is looking as if it is in free fall. I am only still here because I do still earn enough to make it worth leaving a certain amount of my content here and I like a lot of members of the community, but I haven't written here in ages because I have only seen my traffic and my earnings drop (solely here) every time Google do another update, or HP make another change to the site. My efforts will now be going elsewhere, (which is a shame after four years of being an active member of the site).
            
            This Quantcast graph show HP's global traffic for just Jan to Oct this year.
            
            
            
            
            
            This is the same period of time for Squidoo
            
            
            
            
            

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            1. 86

               Rik Ravadoposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               There is no arguing with the stats Misty - A real eye opener!

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               1. 88

                  mistyhorizon2003posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Depressing I know, but perhaps the wake up call I needed to see that it really seems nothing HP do changes their status in Google's eyes, whereas Squidoo is obviously favoured by Google long term. Time to work elsewhere I feel.

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5. 39

   charliegrumplesposted 11 years ago

   "good quality content goes back up"
   
   I really don't see how a machine can decide that. It can decide if it is grammatically correct etc and makes sense but it can't make a decision as to the quality of the content surely. As far as I can see it's now largely about 'authority' which essentially means that businesses are getting to the top and everything else is sinking.

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   1. 63

      Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Not trying to be mean, but you understanding it really has nothing to do with how it works. There is a reason they get more search results than any other engine, and make billions of dollars a year, it works regardless if people thinks it should. Nobody can really tell you how it works, because they don't release exacts of their algorithms.

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6. 39

   charliegrumplesposted 11 years ago

   yes but what it means is that for example, if a BBC reporter say writes an article about what is happening somewhere in Yemen, they will come much further up google than someone in Yemen who is close to what is happening who blogs because they are an unknown yet have much better information as they are directly there. Google is essentially becoming a business directory .. sadly there seems to be little or no competition.

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   1. 63

      Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Authority sites always have and always will rank high, on any search engine. That has nothing at all to do with google updates and why peoples hubs and websites drop.
      http://marketingland.com/the-return-of- … ance-22206
      That explains a little better than I am exactly what's happening.

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   2. 57

      Southernmapartposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Outside of problems with priority for Hub Pages, your example is exactly the issue.  When I search and put in my searchable words,  I want the search results to show relevance and not relevance prioritized by commercial value. 
      
      As an example of the search problems with Google's new algo, I frequently do a search on an individual's name, which is frequently published in articles in a local paper, to check and read new public information about this persons' activities.  The name is not common, but  not unusual.  After the Google changes to search, a person with the same name now shows up first and covers most of page one with Twitter announcements of of shopping trips and luncheon engagements.  The "new" person with the same name now ranks higher in Google with tweeted luncheon engagements than the person who is well-documented in current public matters.

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7. 61

   Toschposted 11 years ago

   My main account has suffered tons of traffic recently. I was making like $600 per month, and now, it's something like $50 per month. My hubs are taking longer to appear on Google, and they rank way behind Wizzley articles or Squidoo articles. What's happening? This site is actually now something like Disappearing Pages .

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   1. 83

      mary615posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm just curious:  I went to your profile, Tosch, and I see 0 Hubs.  I don't understand your comment here.

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      1. 61

         Toschposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Read a little carefully. It's all there.

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         1. 83

            psycheskinnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Carefully where?  I don't get it either. Why not use you main account on the forums rather than one with zero hubs?

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            1. 61

               Toschposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               It's not safe these days. Any slight leakage might make some people offended. I have watched the progression. They have pulled the graphs out of the 'success stories' page. The mood is hot around here. I can't afford a ban.

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               1. 73

                  Barbara Kayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  It now says this hubber is banned.

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                  1. 82

                     David 470posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     What the heck?

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8. 69

   Anamika Sposted 11 years ago

   I know it is a tough time. My traffic and income is down to 20% levels. But rather than complaining, I think we should stand by the site that supported us and not give up hope.

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9. 96

   bdegiulioposted 11 years ago

   My traffic and earnings have also suffered greatly.  I have 83 hubs and my daily traffic struggles to reach 30 views.  Hubs that were once on Google page one are now down to page 5+.  All I can do is continue to try and publish quality content.  I have also started going back and updating older Hubs with some fresh content, photos, etc.  Only time will tell if this will work.

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10. 88

    mistyhorizon2003posted 11 years ago

    I have added Jan to Oct global graphs from Quantcast for both HP and Squidoo in my previous comment if anyone missed them before. They illustrate how much better Squidoo is doing compared to HP.

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11. 57

    Dame Scribeposted 11 years ago

    I read a article, don't ask which one, I read so many but the big 'G' is looking at 'above the fold' and focusing on 'content' not sure what 'above the fold' means but something about # of ads vs content so, we may just get a break.

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    1. 88

       mistyhorizon2003posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       As I understand it 'above the fold' refers to the area you see on your screen before you begin scrolling down on any page you arrive on (if that helps).

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12. 57

    Dame Scribeposted 11 years ago

    Ahh, alright thanks Misty. I am hoping we (HP) pass muster and not considered overly ad heavy with ads, amazon, ebay, etc

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13. 59

    Xenonlitposted 11 years ago

    My bottom line is this: why should I bother to write here? I'm at less than half of my pitiful views. I refuse to be roped into "write more and the ducats will fall from the sky".  I like Hub Pages. The editing platform is good and the system is very helpful for tracking traffic.
    
    But why doesn't Hub Pages spring for some advertising or publicity work when Google goes all gaga. Google is not the only way to draw viewers and not all publicity costs money!
    
    If we are as numerous as boasted about, why don't we show our power to Google and demand something better, as in:
    
    A clear understanding about SEO and how we can improve our existing content. And I mean clear, not six pages of incomprehensible nonsense.
    
    A warning that something is coming and some specific things we can do to prevent tanking in the views.
    
    Some real pay for our ads, not just when or if Google gets paid. Google is placing ads on our content, there should be a minimum pay, even if it is on a one time basis. Google gets paid eventually, how do we know we are not being cheated?
    
    I mean it. Give us TEN things we can do right now to improve our views, and in say it in less than 150 words.
    
    Hub Pages might spring for a bit more advertising when our views tank like this. Google search is not the ONLY way to let readers know we exist. A reasonable advertising budget to draw readers when the views go down is not out of the question.  We can do the rest with Tweets and improving our hubs during the ad campaign.
    
    Why can't we trend on Twitter? A promoted trend costs $150K, but the bulk of trends are free of charge!!
      I don't know how many tweets with the hashtag  #hubpages it takes to trend, but what if we set a date and went for it by tweeting our articles and retweeting other hubber's work?

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    1. 63

       Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       First, you are a little confused on exactly how the ads work. Google doesn't place the ads, they aren't Google ads, Google is the middle man. Let's say I want to pay for advertising for my pit bull blog. We'll say the cost per click for the keyword "pit bull" is $1. Every time someone clicks on my ad, I pay Google $1, and they pay the owner of the site that the ad was click on from $.68. And you do get paid by Google for the ads regardless, that's called impressions. Google doesn't get paid for them, but they pay you.
       Second, no Google isn't the only search engine, but it also isn't the only search engine used. Your traffic drops because of changes to Google because over 70% of all search traffic is done though Google. I have plenty of search results on my hubs from Bing, but it is a small fraction of my total search results.
       If you think your traffic is HubPages fault, make a blog and post your stuff there. I use HubPages for back links to my blogs. Any money I make off of HubPages is nothing more than an added bonus. Regardless of where it is posted, traffic to your content will go up and down. It's called the Google Dance, and until they stop changing their algorithms or you get your content to a PR6 or higher, might as well get used to it.

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       1. 59

          Xenonlitposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          You certainly did not read. I could not care less about how Google works. I want to know what gets us paid and why we don't stand up to some of Google's more unethical practices so  that we do get paid. Perhaps it is time to quit writing for Google and to write for viewers.

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          1. 63

             Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             You don't have to deal with Google, at all. If you don't want to deal with Adsense to get paid, make a website and sell ads from Bing, or sell ads directly.
             And who said you have to write for Google? In fact, if you ignore SEO, and your content is good, it'll rank anyways. Then it won't be as affected when Google changes their algorithms. People don't do that because it takes longer to rank. You are supposed to write for viewers, not search engines. Google themselves say that. It's the main reason they added LSI keywords.

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             1. 59

                Xenonlitposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Thanks, Sapper. It is good to know about the alternatives.

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    2. 88

       Millionaire Tipsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I really like your idea of an extended marketing effort on a site wide basis to bring back some of the traffic.  I would think that would help us rank higher on Google as well, since people are reading our stuff.
       
       I wonder, though, what would happen when the marketing stops.  As people stop reading our articles because we aren't marketing them, whether that would make the hubs drop again?
       
       Plus, I am sure this could cause problems within the community, as to which hubs / topics get marketed.

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14. 63

    luciano63posted 11 years ago

    Sapper you are right! I started thinking about writing google friendly and I was not going anywhere...since 4 years I write from my viewers and I am doing preaty well..

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15. 95

    SmartAndFunposted 11 years ago

    Thank you for posting that, Misty. I had no idea. Good to know.

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16. 63

    MrAhmadposted 11 years ago

    my traffic decreased drastically. But now it starting to climb up slowly.

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