Has HubPages become unusable?

1. 60

   Jonathan Huieposted 12 years ago

   The point of having a Hub is for many people to read it, and the best way to do that is to direct an audience to the Hub.
   
   But what if the Hub is no longer there? That creates a very very bad user experience for the reader who was directed to the Hub, and ill will toward the author who thought they could depend on HubPages.
   
   I had a Hub taken down after having been published for two year for an issue with the new rules. That's wrong.
   
   Also, I was just about to mention a new Hub of mine to my large email list when I discovered it had been taken down.
   
   If Hubpages chose to stop featuring a Hub and mark its links "nofollow" because of an issue - like Squidoo does - I could understand that. But making the Hub unavailable to visitors means that anyone who publishes a Hub and then promotes that Hub outside of HubPages is making a very risky decision
   
   Personally, I believe that Hubpages has unusable for serious purposes. What are your thoughts ?

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2. 58

   Dame Scribeposted 12 years ago

   HP isn't dictating the new rules they must conform to the rules that Google sets in place - for our Adsense. I had a article removed also due to the new rules but my other ones are in good standing. I still get traffic and earnings. I wouldn't worry too much over the loss of one when there are many others.

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3. 60

   Jonathan Huieposted 12 years ago

   Dame Scribe: The point is about directing those outside HubPages to a Hub and then finding out it was taken down for some capricious reason.
   
   I was about to point the subscribers of my email list to my newest political Hub. I am SO glad I didn't, because they would have been greeted by a message saying the page had been removed.
   
   I now realize I can never post any anything on HubPages that I might ever want to send a lot of people to.
   
   I also realize that HubPages still works well for people whose only community is HubPages.
   
   Google doesn't, and can't, dictate what HubPages can or can't do. HP is just making their own (in my opinion very bad) choices about how to maximize their search ranking. By the way (while I'm ranting), I predict that HP's decision to use sub-domains rather than sub-directories will hurt, rather than help, search ranking. Watch - see if I'm right.

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   1. 71

      AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I understand and have had hubs removed too. I just simply revised them to comply with Google standards and resubmitted them. Unfortunately when it comes to advertisement etc. All websites have to comply with Google or face losing their account and revenue. HP is a good tool to use, so just hang in there contact team@hubpages.com and ask them what caused the actual removal of your hub. Whatever you do, don't get frustrated and just keep on writing. It will work itself out.

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      1. 87

         Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Julianna, like the new profile pic...
         
         I agree. In most cases, the hub can be rewritten and a few links removed and resubmitted for publishing. The HP team will tell you exactly why the hub was unpublished so you can fix it.

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   2. 94

      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      True, Google doesn't dictate what HP can or can't do.  The can and do dictate what HP can do that will make them a viable business with a presence on the net, however.  That is exactly what the recent rule changes are about.
      
      If you had a recent hub unpublished it would seem to be because you didn't follow the rules.  Any time you publish on a site that some one else provides you will be subject to their rules - it will behoove you to learn and understand those rules.
      
      HP only works for those wanting only HP traffic?  My organic traffic surpassed my HP traffic the second month after joining and has never looked back, even with the Panda hit on Google searches.

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   3. 60

      carpesomediemposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Until Google is no longer the top dog for Internet searching, visibility and ranking, sites like HP have no choice but to conform to what rules they set down to stay competitive.  While we may not like it, it is what we agree to when we sign up to use the site.  HP has given out plenty of warning to writers about issues with content before unpublishing hubs.
      
      Also, since a large portion of HP Ad Program and those using strictly AdSense on hubs is still used on the site, once again HP has no choice but to follow and try to direct initiatives on the site this way.  How many people would still write here if AdSense pulled the plug on HP and said no one could use it here?
      
      
      
      I was in the beta of the HP Ad Program, I have seen a 43% increase in traffic to my hubs.  Even low performing hubs have seen an increase in traffic which is what has surprised me the most and even my Amazon earnings have increased (which I just noticed this morning.)  I think it's going to take a few months before we see whether or not the sub-domain strategy will work.  So far, I am confident in the results.
      
      I do agree, however, that instead of simply unpublishing hubs writers should get a 24 hour time frame from the moment the e-mail is sent about an issue to change the hub.  Most would be able to accomodate the changes within that time frame instead of running into the situation you have, Jonathan.
      
      I have had very few issues since Panda rolled out here at HubPages.  I've been lucky from the get go and count my blessings when I read through what other hubbers have been through.

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4. 60

   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   I agree that the policy of taking hubs down is really stupid.  To provide a warning and time to change it to comply with whatever change HP makes to its TOS would be both reasonable and commercially honest - taking it down is close to derogation of any duty HP has to its customers.

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5. 71

   Ultimate Hubberposted 12 years ago

   Can't talk much about what HP is up to I also have a couple of rejected hubs. I just wrote about a few more revenue sharing sites here: <snipped link-no promotional links>

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