How many HubPages referrals do you have?

1. 81

   BradyBonesposted 12 years ago

   I was just wondering if anyone out there would like to share their experience with the HubPages referral system. How many referrals do you have and what tactics have you found to be useful in attracting new quality members to the HubPages community?
   
   What have you done to help foster the growth of these new members?
   Any lessons learned that you might share with the community? Anything you think you maybe should have done differently?

   replyreport
   1. 89

      SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      49 sign ups - 267 hubs! (200 of those hubs are from 4 users)

      replyreport
      1. 81

         David 470posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That is a lot of hubs!

         replyreport
      2. 81

         BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Very nice SimeyC, would you say the majority of your signups were from including a referral link in your self-promotion efforts for your hubs, or were you specifically targeting referrals?
         
         Thanks for taking the time to chime in!

         replyreport
         1. 89

            SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Initially I did actively try and get referalls - but the majority of decent referalls are from another website I am active on and my blog. I don't try and force the referall any more but let it happen on its own.

            replyreport
   2. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      To answer my own question for the benefit of those who have joined in this discussion:
      
      I have signed up 3 people as referrals. Two of these individuals must have clicked on a referral tracker on one of my links at some time or another. One has written 0 hubs, the other has written 21 or 22 the last time I checked.
      
      My wife was my third referral and she has published 7 very high quality hubs on topics that interest her.
      
      Of course, I feel like I have a lot more opportunity to mentor my wife and we often discuss our writing plans and ideas for promoting our hubs. I was just thinking about this relationship we have and how it will impact her writing and motivation with HubPages and it made me a little sad to think how little I've done for those two other referrals.
      
      The danger, of course, with focusing so much on the referral program is that you can end up turning your own HubPages experience into something very similar to standard network marketing, where you spend so much time doing down-line maintenance. I don't think that is the intention of the program, nor what people are looking for here at HubPages.
      
      With this considered, we find ourselves with an interesting dilemma: can the HubPages referral program continue to operate in the future as the site evolves? Should the referral program be revamped to help encourage new, successful, and lucrative writers to join the HubPages community and help to ensure the site's continued success?
      
      How can we, as hubbers, answer these questions? What suggestions can we offer to either make this program a success, or scrap it entirely with perhaps an alternative that is more whole-community based? Or should the program be left alone as it is now? What are your thoughts?

      replyreport
   3. 87

      Dorsiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have 38. A few are pretty active.

      replyreport
2. 70

   Cagsilposted 12 years ago

   Zero! Zilch! Nada! None!

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Is this because you haven't put any effort into referring new members or including a referral code when you submit links to your hubs? Or is it merely because you haven't gotten lucky with any of your efforts?
      
      Thank you for taking the time to respond, Cagsil, I'm interested in learning more about your experience. Especially since you seem so active in the Hub community forums.

      replyreport
      1. 70

         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I have not really made any effort to embed referral links into anything and I've not once attempted to bring others to HP. Recruiting only works for those who are good at it. I've done it before in the MLM Industry, but when I started writing here it was with a different purpose.
         
         I may get into it though, simply because to take my writing to the next level and my company to it's next level, I'll need more people to have an active writing voice, so other ideas I have can be accomplished with regards to changing America and putting it on the right path.

         replyreport
3. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   It doesn't help much if they don't write! I have 12.
   
   Total hubs published - 121 - 100 by one hubber.
   
   One has a hubber score of 1.
   
   some of them don't stick around. For those that do, I have commented on their hubs, promoted decent hubs with tweets. I'm not sure if any of them are currently active expect one or two.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      rebekahELLE, I have to agree with you. Getting referrals who don't become active in the community does absolutely no good. For those twelve individuals, do you felt like you offered enough personal encouragement, or was there perhaps more that you could have done to help them become more successful here?
      
      Another interesting question is whether 10% of impressions and possible revenue is worth all the extra effort it takes to maintain happy hubbers in the referral chain. Should HubPages revamp the referral program somehow to better reward hubbers who strive to be better mentors for their referrals?
      
      A question to anyone, how would HubPages possibly rate and reward hubbers who foster higher rates of success in their referrals?

      replyreport
      1. 84

         rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         To be honest, I don't check often to see if I have new sign-ups, or check how referrals are doing. I didn't even know I had them for quite a while! I have a sign up on my profile and maybe one hub, and that's it. 10 of the sign ups came from my profile page link.
         
         Some of the hubs written are done well, but I never thought of it as being my responsibility to help them or to be their mentor. If one of my referrals asked for my opinion or assistance, I would be glad to help, but I really don't think most people who sign up through a referral tracker look to that particular hubber as their mentor.

         replyreport
4. 64

   jcmayer777posted 12 years ago

   None.  I don't even know how it works on this site.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I hope this helps answer some of your questions!
      http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/url- … te-program

      replyreport
5. 61

   Brie Hoffmanposted 12 years ago

   294 Sign ups; 154 hubs

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That's a very impressive number of referrals, but a low ratio for new hubs. I would be interested in learning more about your tactics and things you think you might have done differently, Brie.
      
      For someone with as many referrals as you have, do you think it would be beneficial for HubPages to improve their referral system to allow members to interface with their referred members more efficiently?

      replyreport
      1. 61

         Brie Hoffmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I have no tactics.  I provide a place on my profile where they can sign up and that's it.  It is not something I've really made any effort in cultivating except for what I just said.   
         
         I don't know, I am not really interested in teaching others how to write.

         replyreport
         1. 81

            BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            So given your level of effort and your desire, would you say that the referral program has been a success for you -- monetarily speaking?
            
            I would imagine that someone in your position might resent having the program changed to require more of a mentoring approach. I hope I'm not inferring too much here... I'm not trying to put words in your mouth or cause a conflict. I'm just very interested in learning more about your point of view -- even more-so given your expression that you have little desire to teach people how to write.

            replyreport
6. 73

   relacheposted 12 years ago

   220 sign-ups
   792 hubs created
   4.25 million page views on those created Hubs (of which 10% is advertising impression time that I get)
   
   About four of my referral sign-ups are active and quality users, meaning they not only made lots of Hubs but also have high AuthorScores.  Pre-Panda, I would earn close to $100 per month from my referrals, with probably 3/4 of that coming from one single referral user.  Sadly revenue from my referrals has fallen about drastically, even after sub-domains were introduced.
   
   I review hubs made by my referrals and flag things that are low-quality or spam.  I twice wrote to all my referrals and offered to give them advice, but not a single one took me up on the offer, so I din't bother anymore.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This has to be the most impressive result reported so far in this discussion, relache. It sounds like out of all of those referrals, you got very lucky to have 4 very active members contributing to the community.
      
      It seems a little sad that no one took you up on your offer for help. Is there anything you think HubPages might improve in the program, or do you see a future in which the referral program dies off and is no longer an option for the HubPages Community?

      replyreport
7. 91

   prairieprincessposted 12 years ago

   I have two referrals and none have written any hubs yet! I hope they do sometime, too.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hello, prairieprincess! Thanks for taking the time to chime in! Would you mind sharing how you got those two referrals and any steps you may have taken to help them succeed?

      replyreport
      1. 91

         prairieprincessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         BB, one of my referrals was from my profile page, and one was from my writing blog. I was very surprised by both of them!
         
         I have written to both of them and offered to answer any questions they have and told that I would help them in any way I could. I haven't heard back from them but I do think that is something I would like to pursue more ... to offer my help up front to new bloggers who are signing up. I remember how intimidating it is to learn so many things when you first start.

         replyreport
         1. 81

            BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            That's very interesting! Do you think that it might be more beneficial to have the program changed somewhat to allow for members of HubPages to apply for and sign on as community mentors for a chance to earn more instead of using the current referral program?
            
            This might help match up your desire to mentor with those members who are actively trying to learn.
            
            This might be too ambitious, and limiting for those members who have worked hard to foster referral growth. I just got thinking about this the other day and it seems like the referral program isn't talked about much and it also seems like many people who have responded so far haven't experienced the best possible outcome of the current program.
            
            I'm not trying to change the way the program works right now, I'm merely asking if it couldn't be better in some way. Either through building in a referral management component that allows us to share information with our referrals, possibly by offering a private forum space shared by ourselves and those members, or by changing the way the program works to benefit more people.
            
            I am very happy to see so many people jumping in with their personal experiences, making this a very healthy discussion!

            replyreport
            1. 91

               prairieprincessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               BB, I think that has possibilities. Because I am an English teacher, I have a keen interest in helping others and would like a way to mentor others. I have thought about offering those services on my profile but I wasn't sure if this would be within HP's TOS (because it's making a promise.) But I see where you are going with this, and I like it!

               replyreport
8. 66

   PaulaHenry1posted 12 years ago

   1 with one hub...hasnt been on for about a year....

   replyreport
   1. 81

      BradyBonesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Did you know this referral, PaulaHenry1, or was it a chance referral like two of mine have been? Did you do anything to encourage this new hubber, or did you only realize that you had a referral after too long had passed to offer much encouragement?
      
      If you haven't done anything to contact this person, do you think it would do any good to send them an email through the HubPages system now, or if they have their email unpublished do you think leaving them an encouraging comment on their one hub would maybe help rekindle the desire to write on HubPages again?

      replyreport
9. 61

   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   I'm like Cagsil - none. I don't know what to do beyond put the little "invitation" on my profile, with the link.  I sure as heck don't know anybody in my offline life who'd at all be interested.  I'm not the type to go out looking for strangers (somehow).  So, as a result- none.    I don't care, though.  All I care about is that I'm making money stuff I've written.  That's what I came for, and stayed because of.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      David 470posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Nobody I know would ever want to write 100s of hubs. Most of my friends would give up or think it's too hard.
      
      My one friend originally did not think I could make much, but when I told him I made 350.00 dollars in a month through writing passively, his disposition changed.
      
      I just would like to make 1000 dollars in a month to show a member of my family that it's possible.
      
      Passive > Upfront overall.
      
      I got a fortune cookie that said this
      
      "It's not the hours you put in, but what you put into those hours that count"
      
      I might post that on another thread.
      
      That quote could not be more true when it comes to writing. You will make nothing writing about non-searched topics, regardless of how much you write about them....

      replyreport
      1. 61

         Lisa HWposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         My friends and relatives know how much I'm earning,and they think it's really good.  That's why I don't see the need to get "all involved" with referrals  The friends and relatives just aren't interested in doing this type of writing (or writing at all).  Different people can put completely different types of efforts into those "hours", and often accomplish the same kind of aims.

         replyreport
      2. 89

         lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Great prove it to the non believers that its possible :-)

         replyreport
         1. 81

            David 470posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yep!

            replyreport
10. 81

    David 470posted 12 years ago

    I have 20 sign-ups with 31 hubs. It's actually been a while since I checked. Most of the hubs come from two hubbers.
    
    Not sure how active the hubber with the most hubs is.

    replyreport
11. 61

    LindaSmith1posted 12 years ago

    I have 232 from referral tracker but not one person has signed up for hub pages.

    replyreport
    1. 70

       Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Then you've not referred anyone. You've only had 232 hits to your referral tracker.

       replyreport
12. 80

    QuestionMasterposted 12 years ago

    Across all accounts I  believe I have about 120 sign ups and ~500 referral hubs.
    
    Out of those, I would only say I have referred one "prolific and successful" hubber.
    
    Of those I've attempted to help in any way (usually those I see who've published a few decent hubs), I've usually been ignored, rebuffed or simply treated as if they didn't need help. So I let my referrals fend for themselves.
    
    I found that the best ways to get signups is to use your referral link everywhere.
    
    -Any site where you link to Hubpages, even in general conversation.
    -On social media (FB, Twitter)
    -When linking between your own hubs.
    -When linking to another users' hubs.
    -Every now and again on Yahoo Answers and the like (many questions get ranked highly in search for random terms, so this is often a good way to get plenty of clicks, if not sign ups.)

    replyreport
13. 87

    Shil1978posted 12 years ago

    As of now, 112 sign-ups with 454 hubs! Quite a number of them are active!!

    replyreport