Does my new hub need a video?

1. 69

   Aiden Robertsposted 13 years ago

   Hi Everyone,
   I have just published my latest puppy training hub and I am wondering should I use a video? I haven't used videos before as I am not sure of the rules for example with YouTube?
   
   If you don't mind and have some time take a look and see if you think a video would be useful, any comments about the overall layout is much appreciated.
   
   Thanks in advance
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Puppy-Training-Recall

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   1. 87

      Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      A video is always useful!  Even if it doesn't add much useful information, it keeps the reader on your page longer, which will please Google.  Plus you get a free backlink on Youtube. 
      
      I know there's some debate about copyright on Youtube, but that's only a concern where people have posted pirated excerpts of movies or TV shows.
      
      Avoid those, and you'll have no problems at all - but if you're worried, just post a comment on Youtube letting the clip owner know you've used it. 
      
      I've also found I've had no problems with posting Youtube excerpts of DVD's, if I'm selling the DVD in the Hub.  After all, you're doing the author of the DVD a favor.

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2. 0

   Website Examinerposted 13 years ago

   I like it the way it is. Images are in themselves very descriptive, and you have the advertisements lined up naturally, so it is hard to see where you would want to put a video.
   
   Maybe video would be better suited for a step-to-step tutorial with several embedded videos, fewer images. Then it could add some value and authority to your article, besides merely being entertaining.

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   1. 69

      Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Website Examiner
      
      I wasn't sure, I think it flows but thought people might like to see the topic in action.
      
      Really appreciate your comments
      
      Thanks Again

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3. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 13 years ago

   A couple more quick comments -
   
   It's always best to start your Hub with a text capsule, long enough to allow the first Adsense ad to appear in the top right hand corner.  That's the prime position for ads and the most likely to get clicks.
   
   That means, don't start your Hub with a photo, and put your first photo capsule next to your second text capsule, never the first.
   
   Two - you have a lot of outbound links in your first paragraph.  I feel that's a bad idea, because you're tempting your reader to click away from your Hub before they've had a chance to get interested in it. 
   
   It might be an idea for you to make contact with Whitney05 and cooperate on interlinking your Hubs in a structured, cooperative way which could benefit you both.

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   1. 68

      Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Ah ha! I knew I was doing something wrong with having pictures to the right at the top. I wondered why I never got that block of ads there, now I know.
      
      Start off with text long enough to make that block of ads appear to the right. Then put pictures below it. I think I'll go and redo some of my hubs, I take lots of my own pictures and use them. Thanks!

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   2. 69

      Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Marisa, I really do appreciate the time you have taken.
      
      On the point of crosslinking with other hubbers, can you elaborate for me please. I use the linking tool, am I supposed to get permission from hub owners to link to thier hub or are you thinking of somethin a bit more professional?
      
      Thanks again

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      1. 0

         Website Examinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Alden, I will think of your original hub with some nostalgia, now that the very knowledgeable hubbers have weighed in and persuaded you to change it.
         
         Cross-linking would imply that the hubber whom you have linked to also links to you, which usually doesn't happen by itself. So you may want to contact one person who shares your interests, as opposed to using the automated suggestions.

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         1. 87

            Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            WE, I haven't suggested Aiden changes any of his text - just move the photo down a bit, remove some links and add a video.
            
            And LRohner has only suggested a snappier introduction, as far as I can see - which is a fair point.
            
            I'm not sure why you think those few things would ruin anything?

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            1. 0

               Website Examinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Marisa, I think your suggestions (and those of others) are appropriate and never meant to suggest that they will ruin anything at all. I described the rest of you as "very knowledgeable," and have no doubt that he will benefit from following your persuasive advice.
               
               I liked the original version, cannot help it, my personal feeling was all I was trying to convey. It won't hurt the OP to understand that different people perceive things so differently. In fact, that is one of the good things about this forum.

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               1. 69

                  Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Wow, I love hubpages.
                  
                  I take on board all comments and really appreciate them. I think it is briiliant that I get to see all points of view and suggestions in an instant.
                  
                  As a new hubber all of your advice is very useful, it certainly helps me speed up the learning process and avoid mistakes that I would probably make without you.
                  
                  Thank you all so much

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               2. 87

                  Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Oops, sorry, thought I detected a sarcastic edge to the comment.  Must have been having a touchy day yesterday!

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                  1. 69

                     Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Hi Marisa
                     No sarcasm here just grateful. Posted another hub tonight and tried to incorporate some of your suggestions, problem was I was backwards and forwards to this thread to remind myself of what was said. At least my new hub got a video
                     Thanks again

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      2. 87

         Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         No, you don't need to get permission.  If you link to someone's Hub, you are giving them a valuable backlink - which will bring them more traffic, so no one is going to complain about that!
         
         If you take a look at the discussions when the link suggestion tool was launched, you'll see there are two schools of thought about it.
         
         One school of thought says that having outgoing links to good quality websites or Hubs is a good thing - Google, and readers, thinks it's a sign that you've done your research. And for HubPages as a whole site, lots of interlinking between Hubs is good and keeps people on the site longer - so indirectly that benefits all of us.
         
         But the other school of thought says that every outgoing link is competing with your ads - if you send someone to Whitney's Hub, for instance, they may stay there and click on her ads instead of yours! 
         
         Darkside and Sunforged, two Hubbers whose opinions I really respect, think that way.  Unless they're writing a Hub especially to help other Hubbers, the only links they'll ever have in their text are links that will earn them money - either to their own website/blog or via an affiliate link. 
         
         I follow their example.  I do sometimes include outgoing links on my Hubs, but only as a RSS feed (e.g. "More Hubs about ....") or a Links capsule (e.g. "References" or "Further Reading"), right at the end of my Hub below the comments.  If a reader gets that far, it's too late for them to click on my ads anyway!
         
         As Whitney and you both write about dogs, I was just thinking an alternative strategy, if you want to interlink, is to cooperate with each other.

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         1. 69

            Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Now that makes a lot of sense, I will have to decide which side of the fence I am on. I understand now what you man't by contacting Whitney.
            
            Thanks so much again

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4. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   I think a video would be nice. especially since people going to your hub are looking for information on how to train a puppy, seeing it in action is helpful. you could place it next to either of the two capsules with no pic or ads next to it, or at the end of your last text capsule.
   
   I think the layout looks great. the ads are still in view with the small puppy pic. I have hubs that get clicks with photos at the top, sometimes it helps to draw them in. I usually mix up my layouts to see what works best. I've seen plenty of quality hubs with pics in that spot. you can check out the first 10 hubs in the Hubs category and they're all different.
   
   I would double check your links. a few of them are going to the same puppy training hub. Your first word being a link isn't really necessary. if you want them to see a larger pic of the pup, you can check that option in the photo capsule, click to enlarge. BTW, it's a great article!

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   1. 87

      Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not saying you won't get clicks if you don't allow that top right-hand ad - I'm just saying, all the gurus here say you'll get more clicks that way.  I certainly found it made a difference when I changed mine around.

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      1. 69

         Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I understand and will have a go later at changing it, thanks again for your advice.

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   2. 69

      Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, I did get a bit carried away with the links, changed them now.
      Great advice; thank you.

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5. 69

   lrohnerposted 13 years ago

   Aidan--You really are doing a great job. Seriously. You can write and you know what grammar is. But I still have the same advice I had on your curry hub.
   
   The first several paragraphs (while well written) aren't that useful or interesting. You don't really tell me anything until midway through the hub. You mention a whistle at the beginning, but don't tell me what to do with it. (Although I'm sure you're thinking of several things I can do with it right about now....)
   
   Remember--you need to grab the reader in the first sentence or two or its over. I really think if you can learn to nail the intro, you're golden.
   
   And yes. In this case a video showing people what to do would be very, very useful.

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   1. 69

      Aiden Robertsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Great advice, comments taken on board and I will go back and edit.
      The whistle and where to put it!!!!!! Lol.
      Thanks again

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