Publish or Edit?

1. 85

   DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years ago

   Your opinions, please.
   
   I have several hubs out of my 200+ that are, "not featured due to insufficient engagement."
   
   I also have about 16 hubs started, but never finished or published.
   
   Do you think it is a better use of time to edit the non-featured hubs, or to finish and publish the unfinished ones?
   
   (I'm sure I'll regret asking this, as I'll probably get so many conflicting answers that I'll be back where I started when I posted this...)  ... ...

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      The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      What I would do is finish about two of the Hubs to be published and publish one (they do not like publishing too fast). Then I would edit a few of the other ones and after about a week, publish the second Hub for publishing. After that I would finish a couple more to be published and edit a few and after a week publish another one. Choose your own pattern but keep alternating until you are done. Just a suggestion.

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      1. 85

         DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks..that sounds doable.  But "publishing too fast?"  Like one a day?  If that's a no-no, then the 30 hubs in 30 days challenge would be over the top, would it not?

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            The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I think i have heard of Hubbers publishing 4 per month which would mean 1 per week.

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            Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Since the new changes with hub scores being calculated after the hub has been assessed, your hub average would not change until then. That means it would matter little how many hubs you publish in a day. You can publish one hub per day but I think four per week is a good idea if you can manage that. In the AP program I have published more than 16 hubs for one month and my profile score went up.
            
            I think the idea is not to release them too quickly behind each other.

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            1. 85

               DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Does that mean the "30 in 30" challenge is gone, which is essentially 1 per day, (or a gap of a few days, then 2 or 3 in one day to make it average out)??

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   2. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If they are not featured due to "engagement", that simply means they are not getting enough traffic from outside HubPages.  It's as simple as that.  There may be some other measures involved but by far the major one is the number of visitors.
      
      There is absolutely no point in editing these Hubs unless you know why they're not getting traffic.  You can't fix something if you don't know what's broken! 
      
      As you say, some of your Hubs are written on topics which people simply are not searching for.  If that's the case, then no amount of editing will improve the number of visitors and therefore they would be better off elsewhere.

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      1. 85

         DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly, Marisa--but, how do I figure out the "why's and wherefore's," that is the question.  Some of them, I know..and as you say, I'd be better off pulling them off and into my blog.
         But the others????  How do I figure out the reason for little traffic?

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            The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Try changing keywords of or putting in fresh information.

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               Solarasposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Try adding a related video and changing up some keywords as suggested.  If you search for your keywords and a youtube video comes up on the first page, link to that.

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         2. 86

            Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            As you say, it's obvious to you that some are not likely to be highly searched. 
            
            Take a look at the others and ask yourself, "what would someone have to type into Google to find this Hub?"
            
            Write down your answers.
            
            Now look at those answers and ask yourself, "How many people are likely to type that into Google?"
            
            That may highlight a few more Hubs which aren't likely to be searched often.

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            1. 85

               DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Thank you, Marisa, that is an excellent suggestion.  I have already found one that needs a major re-write, because some of the personal examples given are out of date and no longer accurate.

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      rcorcuttposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Personally, I would take some time to go back and visit some of the HUBS I have posted in the past and update the image and content of the ones that may be lacking. I see myself doing this for my own projects after I have been a HUB member a little longer.

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      tirelesstravelerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Edit, read HP learning center article, by Billybuck, the other day he says he took four days to edit hubs and was surprised at the results.  Yesterday edited a hub and found a goofy error.  I must have cut and pasted a sentence leaving part of it out, even I couldn't figure out what it was supposed to say. LoL

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2. 89

   Stacie Lposted 10 years ago

   Is there any way to combine some of them to make a longer Hub?

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   1. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      No, not really; they are wildly differing topics, I don't believe the problem is the length.  They just don't get much traffic. 
      Several of them are earlier, before I was fully familiar with HP's preference for not having 'purely personal' articles, and some are just whimsy with a limited target audience...(I've considered, from time to time, removing those to my blog instead...)
      Most likely, those whimsy pieces are not things for which people would search....  "How the Universe Works, Over Coffee Late at Night" is one of those titles...it's just silly fun.

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         Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Are they optimized for traffic? Sometimes a little tweaking of the title and summary can work wonders. If the subjects are not widely searched or there are too many of the same type of articles you may as well remove them.
         
         Give me two of the title and let me tell you if they need keyword changes.

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         1. 85

            DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks, Cardisa.
            
            Here's one of them: Disaster-Preparedness-is-Simple-Really
            and here's another:  How To Write An Essay The Easy Way
            
            Very different topics; both show "insufficient engagement"
            
            I clipped off the full URLs, so they wouldn't get "link snipped"

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            1. 89

               Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Hi Ms Lizzy. I found several problems with the first hub:
               
               1. Wrong category. I tried to find it in Education and Science where it should be. When I didn't find it there I tried Home. I had to search the site and found it under HP Tutorials and Community. You will not get traffic from there because the hub has nothing to do with HP.
               
               2. Your Title has two periods; one after Simple and another after Really. you don't need the periods, neither do you need the word Really. How about a title like this? Disaster Preparedness Tips and Tricks. More to the point.
               
               3. Instead of the weekly topics inspiration cartoon, add a natural disaster photo or an emergency kit. Expand the photo to full extent at the header.
               
               Can you post the summary here?
               
               Will post tips for Hub number two in a few minutes.

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                  DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Hi, Cardisa,
                  Ok, wow--I have NO idea how it got into the wrong category!  Sometimes, when you write a hub, an automatic category pops up, and perhaps I did not notice with that one.....and it popped up wrong.  I'll go fix that right away.
                  Thank you...it always helps to have another set of eyes.

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               2. 85

                  DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Here is the summary for the first hub:
                  "Disaster preparedness for the unprepared. How to prepare, and what supplies you'll need. Rehearsals and pet care are important, too. It's simpler than you think."

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                     Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     A little too wordy.  I think the last two sentences aren't necessary. Make it more concise and less than 150 characters.
                     
                     "Disaster preparedness for the unprepared. Tips on supplies, preparation, pets and more. Easy step by step guide."

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3. 89

   Cardisaposted 10 years ago

   Ms Lizzy. The second hub.
   
   The current title is way worse than the original. I noticed you have 8 points to writing the essay. Why not make the title: "How To Write An Essay In Eight Steps". You may substitute the word 'eight' for the number 8.
   
   The proper category for essay writing is under Books, Literature and Writing.
   
   LOL...you need to pay more attention to categories when creating your hubs or they will mess you up. The first thing you should do is go through and make sure your hubs are in the right categories.

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   1. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Wow--now the second hub is completely missing from my list of hubs!!!  WTH??!!  (I sorted them by title, to find it easier, and it's disappeared!) 
      I seem to be a 'weird problem magnet' 

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      1. 89

         Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         It took me a while to find it but you changed the title, remember. Are you looking for the title you posted here? I found it on your profile page but the title was different. "Essay Writing--Making it Easier" is under Education And Science.

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            DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Oh, pffft...  I seem to be suffering a lot of "senior moments" today...  arrrgghhh
            
            I've fixed the first hub, according to your suggestions.  I hope that it is fixed now.  LOL
            
            Thank you very much, Cardisa, for your time.  I appreciate your input.

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            1. 89

               Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Any time

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4. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   I edit old hubs first because it is less work to fix a hub than make a whole  new one.

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   1. 89

      Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I agree 100%

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   2. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I would agree with that as well, psycheskinner, but the "new" hubs to which I refer are already begun--I wouldn't be starting from scratch.. 
      
      (and where is our "like" button in the forums!) 

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5. 88

   WryLiltposted 10 years ago

   Ditto what Marisa and Cardisa said.
   
   Also, make MFPs.
   
   I'd go write new hubs and move the old ones. It's often better to spend 60 minutes writing a new hub than 2 hours promoting a hub that's never going to work anyway.

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      Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think one of Ms Lizzy's problem is the way she words her titles. Remember how we talked about web titles different from print titles on the old forum thread you did way back when? She still hasn't grasped the concept yet.

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         WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         True, but the two she mentioned are also quite broad topics. I think even I'd struggle to narrow them down to something search engine friendly.
         
         However with a good quick grab title on an image, they could get plenty of repins on Pinterest.

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            Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, I agree. But you know how we get with our old hubs, we hate to let them go....lol. BTW, most of her hubs don;t have the right images let alone MFP images. Oooooo, she's got a lot of work to do if she wants to keep them.

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            1. 88

               WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               This account had 200 hubs on it at one stage.
               
               But I am quite cut throat about my content LOL!
               
               Yes, definitely needs some work.

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6. 85

   DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years ago

   Oh, gosh. 
   I don't know where to start.  For one thing, I  don't speak "alphabet soup" very well..I have no clue what "MFP" means....
   
   I've just recently grasped the concept of SEO, but don't have the implementation of it down very well yet.
   
   You are all quite correct--I come from the old journalistic tradition of creating a catchy "hook" kind of title, and it is very difficult for me to sift it down into kindergarten-level terms, which is what 'search friendly' seems to be, to me. 
   Personally, I'd find a title such as,  "Don't Get Carried Away by the Fish" much more interesting and fun-sounding to read than "How To Keep a Fish on the Hook."  Blah.  Boring.  Yes, I 'get it,' but at the same time, I don't.  I 'get' the concept, but I hate it--it goes against the grain and everything I was ever taught.
   
   Writing is a creative art form, and these types of rules/protocols/parameters fly in the face of creativity in their attempt to reduce everything and everyone into the proverbial round pegs.
   
   If you all can bear with me, I'm willing to make the attempt...but I have so many hubs, it is difficult to know where to begin.  That said, I'm not a complete failure--I've had several selected as HOTD in the past, and currently have over a dozen with the EC award.    I'd say of my 200+ hubs, about 50% are featured.
   I'm guessing it's all my older articles that are the 'problem children.' 
   
   Also, as someone else mentioned, I struggle with categories, and that is often because I don't find a category that seems to fit.  Such as my hub on disaster preparedness (recently fixed, and thanks to Cardisa's suggestions--it is now featured), it was in the wrong category, but under science and nature, I did not find a 'disaster' subcategory... 
   
   My educational series on corporate greed gets very little traffic--a total of 4 or 5 hubs, all linked under the same group, but I guess people don't want to know how the corporations and public utilities are ripping them off????  I may have them in different categories from each other, as I was unsure whether they belonged under education or political/social issues....  (seems to me there is a crossover there--it is both--but you can't put both).
   
   I thank you all for your assistance, input and encouragement...I fear I am far behind the curve, having just had my 4-year membership award posted......

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      The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Ms Lizzy
      SEO is 'Search Engine Optimization', it is a long explanation - just think of keywords.

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      1. 85

         DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Yes,SEO is the one I have learned.  it is "MFP's" that I don't know what they are talking about....

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            SpaceShantyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            MFP, Made for Pinterest, WryLilt has a good Hub on that subject if i remember correctly.

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            The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            To me, MFP has always meant Multi-functional Printer or Peripheral (scanner, copier, fax machine, printer). Since WryLilt and Cardisa each knew what it meant they might be the ones to ask, but my guess - because they were talking about 'images' - would be scanning or copying.

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            1. 85

               DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Ohhhhhhhhh........eeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww.... I shy away from Pinterest, and actually have "pinning" globally disabled on my hubs, because I had read of issues with losing control of your copyright on that site....  discussed in this forum thread: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/89960#post1952148
               From what I have read, they claim a right to re-distribute, publish, or otherwise use for whatever purpose, any and all images placed there...(and possibly written content as well.)  I don't like that idea, so I don't "do" Pinterest.
               If that's a serious problem for my hubs, then, oh, well..that's one hurdle that won't be overcome--on purpose.  I'll need to work on other areas.

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                  WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  ANY image that you put online WILL be stolen. That's a fact. Why? Because they're all crawled by Google and placed into Google image search. Most people think Google image search is free use, so they Google "Pineapple", see your picture, right click save and use it in their blog/social account/webpage etc.
                  
                  USING an MFP image means you are PROTECTING yourself against that. You place the words on the image that relate to the content, so anyone who WANTS to steal that image, will either have to go to a lot of work to remove those words OR write an article on the exact same topic that matches the words on the image OR steal yours - this is something most people WON'T do because there are so many other images to use instead!
                  
                  Essentially, adding text to an image PROTECTS against it being stolen or used wrongly and isn't like an ugly watermark.
                  
                  Unlike search traffic, Pinterest images can go viral based on word of mouth (friend of friend) pinning. So if you have a really saturated topic, it can still get thousands of pins off Pinterest.
                  
                  These two pins were simple and quick to make but have 300 and 1000 pins respectively.
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  I also have a hub which got almost NO traffic but has 45,000 pins on Pinterest (made me some very good money last year). I have another 'mid range' traffic hub which, after Google traffic dropped, continued getting good Pinterest traffic (now at 70,000 pins I think).
                  
                  

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                  1. 85

                     DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Ok, so basically, any and all photos I create or (legally) use, within each and every article, must have some text addition overlay, to be "MFP" images??  So an illustration-intensive article, like a step-by-step, would have to have text overlay on each image??  That would seem to start looking ... cluttered.
                     
                     And, what about the info in the forum thread I linked to..saying that Pinterest itself claims all subsequent rights to said images, to re-publish, distribute, or what-have-you, as if it was their own???  THAT is what I don't like---it's like selling all rights to your book, instead of only first rights, in which you still retain copyright and republication rights.

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                     1. 88

                        WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        No, generally I just put it on the first image. But in most of my articles I only have 1-3 images max. However you can obviously do work arounds such as using them to break up steps. The image, with "Step 1" on it for instance, "Step 2". Once again, making it unattractive to thieves.
                        
                        Pinterest HAS to ask for perpetual rights so YOU don't sue THEM! Basically, pins can show up in Google image search, be embedded on sites, and other places. You are basically saying, you understand that a pin (which will always link back to your original work anyway) could appear in a wide variety of places, outside YOUR Pinterest account. That's it! They are basically covering their butts - your images are of no interest to them, but they know some silly person might come along and complain that their Pinterest image is showing on Google or is showing on 5,000 different Pinterest accounts etc.
                        
                        I think you need to sit down and have a good read through this article: http://afmarcom.com/2012/03/11/pinteres … your-work/
                        
                        You are REALLY missing out by not working with Pinterest - image bookmarking is now one of the biggest social media outlets (there are many more sites like Pinterest) so you're missing out on a LOT of potential traffic where keywords DON'T matter (or they do, but in a much more minimal way and not the same as in a search engine).

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                           DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Ok--WryLilt,  thank you for that detailed explanation.  I will read the article you linked. 
                           I apologize for being such a pain in the drain, but I was taught long ago that the only 'dumb question' is the one you don't ask.
                           I am willing to learn, and now that hubby's health is at least stable, (even if not much improved), I have a bit more time to actually put in some work.

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                           1. 88

                              WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              All good. Just remember - I am the most annoyingly cynical and questioning person ever, so usually I've gone out of my way to do the "annoying poking" to start with haha.

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                        Pamela Kinnaird Wposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        This is a really interesting conversation.  I will search to see if someone has done a hub on how to create an MFP image?  And is it the same kind of procedure people use who create 'meme's' with a photo and a quote on the picture itself?

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                        1. 88

                           WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Yes, I wrote a hub on it

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                           1. 85

                              DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Ok, here is my very first "MFP" image:
                              http://dzymslizzy.hubpages.com/hub/Shades-of-Blue
                              
                              I simply re-edited the artwork in PrintShop, but I am not going to change my anti-Pinterest settings until I have had a chance to run through and "fix"  most of my other photos, and also look through Pinterest myself, and see about signing up.

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                              1. 88

                                 WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 Main problem - it's giving me NO incentive to click. Why would I click that if I saw it on Pinterest? Tease me, promise me something!

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                                 1. 85

                                    DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    Ugh.  ...(damn!  and I worked hard on that, too! )   
                                    umm...it's a poem?  About  'the blues" if you will...but not really the 'down in the dumps' blues....  I'm not sure how to 'tease' that without putting half the poem there....   
                                    Ok--I re-worded the overlay....I hope that works better.... 
                                    Shoot.  Old dog; new tricks...

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                                       Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                       Try a more serious image like a recipe or something.
                                       
                                       Fundraising For Your Non-Profit: Running a Silent Auction. Did you make that image? You could place the keywords on it rather than some funny note.
                                       
                                       Changing Light Bulbs: Changed Light Bulbs--Why the New "Energy-Saving" Fluorescents Are Not What They Say. You have lots of images here. BTW, that title is way too long!

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                                    2. 88

                                       WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                       Agree with Cardisa. Creative writing in general will never pull serious traffic from search or social media (obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but very rare). Cardisa does have a good hub on SEO for creative writing though.

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                           2. 85

                              DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              OK--I gave in, and signed up on Pinterest...and looked at quite a few of the postings there...very few, if any of the ones I saw had any kind of text overlay at all.  Most were food photos, several were fashions, and a few were cute animals.
                              So I guess the text overlay is not necessary--it's just a tool to discourage image thieves...???  Or, is it an actual needed component to drive the traffic?
                              
                              And one last question before I sign off for the night and get some sleep..
                              Are you allowed to "pin" your own content, as you can on G+ or StumbleUpon?

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                              1. 89

                                 Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 No, it's not just a tool to discourage image thieves. It also a way to tell your potential visitors exactly what they are clicking on. This increases your chance of someone clicking your photo which will lead back top your hub. For example someone is searching for carrot cake, sees a cake which has no text, next to that there is a cake with text saying "carrot cake". Which one would the visitor click? the one displaying exactly what type of cake they are looking for.

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                                    DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    Ok, got it.  Thank you very much for your patience with this old fool. 

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                              2. 88

                                 WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 Yes, MFPs are something that I kind of introduced to (or at least made popular on) Hubpages. It wasn't completely my idea, but it's still one that is in limited use on Pinterest, making it still something to jump on!
                                 
                                 What Cardisa said.
                                 
                                 Also, if someone pins an image of a beautiful sunset, it may get lots of repins. But no one will click it. Why? Because it's just a nice picture. But if it has a title on it like "20 Best Sunsets Ever" then people are not only going to pin it, they're going to click it to see more!
                                 
                                 Plus, simply pinning an image to your own Pinterest account means you're promoting yourself (can work, but unless you have thousands of followers, it's difficult). BUT if you have an MFP on your content, and people from Google or elsewhere visit and LIKE your hub, that MFP is something they can use as a "visual bookmark" to come back and visit your Hub.
                                 
                                 For instance my 40 ways to induce labor got about 50 pins because it had a boring, wordless image. After I put an MFP on, it hit 1,000 pins in a week and is now into the 70ks. In other words, people liked it, saw an image ready to be pinned, and pinned it for easy access later on.

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                                    DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    Thanks again, WryLilt--I think I finally got it, and have unlocked the pinning feature.
                                    
                                    BTW:  where/how do we find out how many 'pins' our stuff has gotten?

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                              Pamela Kinnaird Wposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Good, good.  I will have a free day early next week and will read your hub on MFP, WryLilt, plus will review everything on this thread.  I'll be a student for a day.  I have so much to catch up on.  Technology has been flying by me, it seems.  I appreciate this thread, DzyMsLizzy, WryLilt and all of the rest of you.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      This is a perfect example of what I was talking about, and it's also highly relevant to your struggles with titles.
      
      Firstly, ask yourself how many people are likely to be searching for examples of corporate greed on Google?  I can imagine some people being interested in that topic.  However, you also have to ask, "what would people be typing into Google, to find articles about corporate greed?" 
      
      Would they be typing the words "corporate greed"?  What other words might they use?   Are you using those words in the titles of those Hubs?  If you're not using those words in the titles, how do you expect Google to connect your Hubs to that topic? Google is not good at synonyms, it needs to see the exact words.  That's why titles are so important, and Cardisa has given you some good advice on those.

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      1. 85

         DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Ok, I see what you mean.  I'll have to try and think up ways to clean up those titles, which are probably overlong, anyway....and I suppose also, eliminate the "part 1,2,etc" suffixes.... Thank you for clarifying.

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   SpaceShantyposted 10 years ago

   I would add more content, check the keywords, promote them a bit more and if still no joy focus on the Hubs which are working well.

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   1. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      With the exception of the poetry, (which I don't plan to edit, and will probably eventually remove),  most of the hubs in question are plenty long...quantity of content should not be an issue.  I'll have to check and see what else is going on.

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         Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         If I knew exactly which hubs were not featured I could help with more title suggestions. Have you tried the Title Tuner?

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            DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, I've tried the title tuner a few times--I'm not impressed.  It usually wants me to add a word or words that either would make the title more cumbersome, or that just don't seem to fit... 
            I'll look for the rest of the unfeatured ones...but I think at this point, I may have succeeded in reducing it to just the poetry, and I don't care about that, as I'll probably eventually move them off the site...

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               DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Here is the list of the non-featured hubs that are not poems:
               
               Personal Finance: Upside-Down
               How Do You Spend Valentines Day
               Growing Tomatoes and Other Veggies
               Do We Apply the Rules of Proper PluralsTo the Names of Fictional Characters?
               You Call This Civilization?
               How to Concentrate on Studying For a Test
               Urgent Care Medical Offices--Not All They’re Cracked up to Be!
               The Age-Old Question: Can Money Buy Happiness?
               HarryPotter--The Final Episode--Review
               Face-Book Games The Ins and Outs and Ups and Downs
               Collectibles--Don’t Get Ripped Off
               Heart’s Chalice--Book Review
               How to Keep Your Private Data Private--Staying Safe Online
               Painting Tips for DIY Homeowners
               Brand Name Foods What are You Paying For?  part 2
               How the Universe Works and Beyond Over Coffee Late at Night
               Do Credit Cards Cause Unnecessary Buying?
               
               (The "How the Universe Works..." title is not a poem, but neither is it serious writing--it's a silly bit of fluff--intended as humor)

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               1. 89

                  Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  My Title suggestions are to the right of the original title:
                  
                  - Personal Finance: Upside-Down - How The Economy Affects Personal Finance
                  - How Do You Spend Valentines Day - can't find a relevant title for your content.
                  - Growing Tomatoes and Other Veggies - My Vegetable Gardening Experience I thought the hub was a gardening guide but it just tells a story of your experience so the original title is a bit misleading. You need to state exactly what the content is about. You need to stop using the double hyphen/dash in your titles.
                  - Do We Apply the Rules of Proper Plurals To the Names of Fictional Characters? - I can't see anyone searching for this hub on the web and I couldn't think of a keyword to search for. I think this hub is more suitable for a writing tips blog.
                  - You Call This Civilization? - Social Etiquette Vs Civilization
                  - How to Concentrate on Studying For a Test - How To Focus On Studying For A Test
                  - Urgent Care Medical Offices--Not All They’re Cracked up to Be! - not finding this hub yet.
                  - The Age-Old Question: Can Money Buy Happiness? - Can Money Buy Happiness? leave off the first section
                  - HarryPotter--The Final Episode--Review - The Deathly Hallows Part Two: Review
                  - Face-Book Games The Ins and Outs and Ups and Downs - FaceBook Games: Pros And Cons
                  - Collectibles--Don’t Get Ripped Off - Antiques and Collectibles Buying Guide
                  - Heart’s Chalice--Book Review - remove the double dash.
                  - How to Keep Your Private Data Private--Staying Safe Online - Identity Theft Prevention: Staying Safe Online
                  - Painting Tips for DIY Homeowners - Home Painting Ideas For DIY Homeowners
                  - Brand Name Foods What are You Paying For?  part 2 - Processed Food Brands: Are They Cost Effective?
                  - How the Universe Works and Beyond Over Coffee Late at Night - I like this title but I am cutting it short and concise - How the Universe Works: A Personal Discovery
                  - Do Credit Cards Cause Unnecessary Buying? - How Does A Credit Card Work?. You need to edit the first capsule in this hub. You can still answer the question but you will explain that you are giving the real deal on credit cards.

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                  1. 85

                     DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Gosh, thanks, Cardisa.  That was very helpful.  I should have commented that the "fictional characters/plurals" article was also a comedic bit of fluff.  It's not really a writing guide, but a facetious bit, perhaps better suited to my blog.
                     
                     How about "Valentine's Day: Does Candy Really Prove Love?"
                     
                     I've looked over the "Personal Finance" one, and decided it needs a major re-write, since some of the personal information is no longer accurate (for example, I have now turned 65, and am eligible for the extra assistance...)

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                     1. 89

                        Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        You are very welcome
                        I like the Valentines Day title. Some of them may never get any traffic such as the gardening one and a few others but I see some with potential.
                        
                        You need to add relevant images as well. There was one with a lot of polls, what you could do is spread the polls out over the hub instead of listing them the way you did. Put the polls to the right and make them blue to add some color.

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                  The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  How do you spend Valentine's Day?...What is Valentine's Day to you?
                  
                  Is 'Urgent Care Medical Offices--Not All They’re Cracked up to Be!' - the same as? - 'Urgent Care Medical Offices: How do They Work?'....How about Are Urgent Care Office Billings What They Say?
                  I noticed that a few of your Hubs had only 1 or 0 photos, the minimum recommended number for a good Hub is 3.
                  I also noticed that some of the photos did not have a source or comment - they are not required but it is good to have them.

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                  1. 85

                     DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     @ Examiner and Cardisa--
                     Some of my "awkward titles" were from the Q&A  "Make a Hub About It" feature.  So, they sort of came with pre-made titles...and in order to avoid confusion that it was the answer to the question, I left them be.
                       I guess that was a mistake.  I've never come across an answer that was made into a hub in my own browsings through the Q&A, so I don't know if/how it links....and the person would know that the hub was an answer to that question.

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                     1. 89

                        Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        The hub would automatically be linked back to the answer. You can change the title to make it your own. My jerk seasoning hub was a question asked by "Just ask Susan" and it does very well. I have a few others which do very well in search but I had to create my own titles. Before I make a hub of a question I do my keyword and Google search. I make sure I have strong keywords and my topic has less than a million or so results. Currently my best daily performance hub was a question.

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                        1. 85

                           DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Ah, ok, thanks for that explanation.  I continue to live up to my motto of "learn something new each day" 

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            2. 86

               Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               The Title Tuner is badly worded if you ask me.  The idea is not to add words to the existing title as it stands.  The idea is that you should revise the existing title to include those words.  That will likely require you to remove some of the existing words and rephrase the title, sometimes radically.
               
               If you expand the "searches by engine" section, you'll see what people have typed into Google, Bing and Yahoo to find your Hub.  If there are words in your title which aren't in those search terms, then those words are very strong candidates for removal.

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               1. 89

                  Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  I agree. I have used it several times and found it quite useful. The search are on the stats page can also be quite useful well. I 'm worried that Ms Lizzy doesn't quite understand how to utilize these tools as yet.

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                  1. 85

                     DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     You're right, Cardisa...I don't.  While I may have been on here for 4 years, it was probably several months to a year before I even jumped in and figured out how to use the capsules, and what "hubs" meant...
                     I was at first trying to make something on the order of an online book of poetry, and couldn't figure out how to make the pages in the book.... 
                     It took me a while to 'get it' that it wasn't that kind of site...and by the time I finally started writing actual articles, I was well past the "newbie" deadline for trying to earn the award now known as "rising star," but I think originally went by a different name.  LOL
                     So, here I am, years later, still struggling with the basics.  I've long since given up on Google analytics, because I really don't understand what it is telling me, or how to apply it.   Too many numbers, and I'm a words person.  

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                     1. 94

                        jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        You're lucky to have Cardisa and WryLilt help you out, MsLizzy. They are so good. I credit them for stepping up my game, truly. When I try something they suggest, it works, as I see hub scores and traffic increase. I finally learned how to do MFP on my last few hubs and pinned them. I hope I begin to see even higher organic traffic soon. I am hopeful.

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                        1. 88

                           WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Quick tip Janshares - your images need to MAKE me want to click on them from Pinterest. For instance on your STD hub, why would I click it? Tease me with a promise of more information, or PROMISE me an answer or a solution I want/need.

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                           1. 94

                              jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Thanks, WryLilt. Something about relief from the emotional pain? Will do.

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                              1. 88

                                 WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 Maybe. I find every MFP has a secret way of making it work! Depends on your target audience and what grabs their attention.

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                                 1. 94

                                    jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    Teen love gone wrong, maybe? That's what the heart over the "i" in believe is suppose to symbolize. Maybe I need to build that out.

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                                 2. 89

                                    Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    I haven't been doing my MFP images..... too busy I guess or maybe just plain lazy

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                                    1. 94

                                       jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                       It does take time , I may not go back to add on many hubs, just do it on new hubs or those that need a boost. Thanks guys, off to work, see you later.

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                                    2. 86

                                       Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                       Me too, I'm afraid.  Naughty.

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8. 91

   Rock_njposted 10 years ago

   I would recommend finishing the unfinished Hubs.  It's always nice to have fresh material and perhaps some of them will gain a lot of organic traffic .  Then, I would sort through the others to figure out what needs to be done.  JMHO

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   1. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for adding your input, Rock-nj ... I'm taking in all suggestions and digesting them. 

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         The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Mix all ingredients, stir, and simmer...LOL

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9. 96

   Solarasposted 10 years ago

   Add numbers to your titles - 5 tips to improve.... 10 Essential elements of.... People like to know what they are getting into before they click.  Some people want the down and dirty - a short list.  Others want all the info, they want to see 100 tips for.  I personally just want s few 5-20 tips to get a job done.

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10. 85

    DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years ago

    I believe this is relevant to the original discussion here, as 'searchable/what people are searching for' came up as part of the 'getting found/improving traffic' criteria. 
    So, I was just reviewing something in the learning center regarding topic selection, and I quote 2 bits:
    
    1.  "To be competitive, a title must address a subject and keywords (those terms people type into search engines) that are not already extensively covered online."
    
    It seems to me that this is nearly impossible, given the scope of the Internet!  There is virtually no subject untouched or previously not covered (and fairly extensively), ranging from topics taboo here on HP to how to make corn bread or change the oil in your car and everything in between.  Those few topics 'not extensively covered' probably also mesh with those things people are not searching for and are not interested in reading about.
    
    
    2.  "To have a high potential for success, a title you create must also address a subject about which you are genuinely passionate."
    
    There is only so much knowledge one person has; only so far s/he can go in writing about their "passion."  After that, it comes down to things you are interested in, but about which you possess less knowledge.  Then you are down to doing research, and this goes back to point #1.
    
    Seems to me a bit like a 'catch-22' situation...

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       Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       You are right - everything has already been covered.  However there are degrees of coverage.  What you have to do is find the "angle" on a topic that isn't answered adequately.
       
       For instance, I started a ballet blog some years ago.  There are thousands of ballet sites, so it didn't do much.  However, I noticed I was getting a lot of questions about choosing and caring for pointe shoes.  When I did a Google search for that subject, there were hardly any sites which answered the questions I was being asked (at least not adequately).  So I changed my blog to focus entirely on that issue - and lo and behold, it did very well. 
       
       It's easy to check whether something is "covered extensively" already.  Do a Google search and see what the results are.  Do the top results actually answer the question you've typed in?  Sometimes it's surprising how irrelevant they are.  If that's the case, you stand a good chance of doing well if you can create something more relevant.
       
       As for the "passionate" advice - I do think that's overstated.  I can see where they're coming from, though. 
       
       Once upon a time you could write a Hub on any topic, even one you knew nothing about.  All you had to do was do the research and produce an article, and it would get views.  These days, there's no point in regurgitating facts which are already available on Wikipedia and other "authority" sites.  You need to add value in some way, which means you must be able to add something from your own knowledge or experience.

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          Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          So right Marisa! About the passion part
          
          Participating in Weekly Topic inspiration and hub challenges were the hardest thing for me to do because I wasn't writing about what was already in my heart. 99% of my successful hubs are those written on a whim with little or no research. All my successful hubs are things I am passionate about and it shows in my writing.

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             DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             Poetry was my passion...for many years...I have a ton.  But I've written little since my mom died back in 1998--it's as if my muse died with her.  We used to share our newest poetry with each other over the phone all the time.
             
             The poems I've published on HP are mostly all older ones.  This one, (slightly newer)  I just did a slight revision to the title, per your article on improving creative writing, and added a photo.  I hope it works.
             http://dzymslizzy.hubpages.com/hub/My-Secret-Garden  (but I changed the title completely...if the link gets snipped, look for "A Poem About Meditation."  Please let me know if I "got it" per the advice in your hub.

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11. 85

    DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years ago

    Woo-Hoo!
    
    Thanks to everyone's help, I've managed to pull every single one of my articles (except the poems), into the 'featured' column.
    
    The poems, as I said, I don't care, and I'm not going to edit or try to change them.  They are what they are; to change them would be to change the character and picture I wanted to convey.  I will most likely be taking them to an e-book anyway.  (Although, there is one poem that manages to be featured!  LOL)
    
    Now I can turn my attention to finishing and publishing the incomplete hubs, and they should do much better, now that I've learned a few things..  ;-)
    
    Again, thank you, everyone!

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