SubDomains: Keep My "Bad" Content or Get Rid of It?

1. 95

   melbelposted 12 years ago

   The whole purpose of sub-domains, from what I understand, is to give good hubbers the chance to rise up to the search engines while hubbers who don't produce quality content to umm not.
   
   Before the whole subdomain thing,  we were urged to flag spam (and otherwise "bad") content so it didn't weigh down the rest of the community.
   
   Now that we have the sub-domains, our own junk content can weigh down our good stuff, right? I have a few hubs that were some of my first ones (or content I'd had written by contractors in the past that legally belongs to me, but wasn't written by me.) Some of these hubs really don't target a keyword and will probably not ever rank for anything. They have low hubscores, etc.
   
   Should I move these poorly performing hubs to other sites in my portfolio so they don't weigh down my hubs?
   
   I would normally just try to improve the content, but some of my hubs really just don't have a direction. For example, I had a contractor write me a hub on selling useless junk on Etsy. Since the article he'd written didn't really fit on the site that it was intended for (and since you don't really sell your useless junk on etsy), I just threw it on HubPages and didn't think anything of it.
   
   What should I do? IF these sub-par hubs are weighing down my better hubs shouldn't I move them?
   
   The other side of the argument is that "Well, someday the hub MIGHT get an ad click." I don't think it would -- and if I move the hubs elsewhere, perhaps I can revamp it slightly and give it a brand-new url slug (I can't edit the url here on HubPages.)
   
   Sorry if this post is confusing or continues to reiterate the same point continuously. :S

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   1. 73

      Barbara Kayposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have the same question. I wonder what others will answer.

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   2. 86

      Ms Deeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for this question--I've had the same one. I think from reading this thread of thoughts that the 'jury is still out'. I favor improving poorly traffic-ed hubs rather than deleting--especially the title.

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2. 70

   AEvansposted 12 years ago

   My best hubs still remain at the top, but while in testing the ones that were not doing so well began to get more traffic in the sub-domain. I haven't moved any to my portfolio as of yet because I am giving it sometime to see how they all stabilize. Hope that makes sense.

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3. 60

   Fiction Tellerposted 12 years ago

   Yes, I'd remove or rewrite low quality content for the reason you state - because it'll bring down the good.  But I'd be careful about what I base my value judgement on.  Not Hubscore.  Traffic, to some degree. But a hub might just be under the radar temporarily or out of season.  Usefulness, most of all.  There are strong indications that Panda is all about how users are responding to our content over time.

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4. 89

   Will Apseposted 12 years ago

   I ditched half a dozen hubs that were getting no traffic. Google hated them and they were not making any money. What is the point of keeping them?
   
   On Squidoo they would have been dropped months ago. I'm starting to value Squidoo's succeed or die approach to web pages. Squidoo didn't get hit by Panda because they control their content.
   
   I'm going to control my content in the same way. No traffic will mean a sudden end.

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5. 85

   Rik Ravadoposted 12 years ago

   Ditching 'poor' hubs make sense to me.  The other issue is having too many niches mixed together.  It is generally accepted that a successful site or blog should be written around common key words and subject.  My hub topics are very broad and I think this may be why I haven't gained from the subdomain change as much as others.   
   
   There must now be a case for creating more HubPages accounts (with their own subdomain), each dedicated to particular topic such as fashion, cars, education etc.  If this assumption is correct then perhaps this is better done on another platform such as Wordpress or Blogger?
   
   I think I might create a niche account here and see how this goes but move other niche topics elsewhere and see which earns the most.

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      Garrett Mickleyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      "It is generally accepted that a successful site or blog should be written around common key words and subject."
      
      This is very true, thanks for pointing that out.  Many people may not know that.
      
      "There must now be a case for creating more HubPages accounts (with their own subdomain)...If this assumption is correct then perhaps this is better done on another platform..."
      
      I would suggest Tumblr for this idea, because in Tumblr you can sign up for one account, but have as many blogs attached to that one account as you want.  Only one thing to have to log in to, and all of your blogs are right there!  Not to mention, Tumblr has been using the sub-domain approach since they launched a couple years ago.

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   2. 89

      Will Apseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is early days yet with sub-domains but many people who have reported big improvements in traffic cover a big range of topics.
      
      I have huge variety of hubs and they are doing just fine.
      
      A sub-domain is not a blog.
      
      This talk about niche domains seems crazy to me. Concentrating your hubs means you are concentrating your authority, your links in etc and that will probably work out better in the long run.
      
      Call yourself 'longhaultravel' or something similar and people won't take you very seriously either

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6. 85

   Rik Ravadoposted 12 years ago

   Thanks for your feedback Will - The problem for me is if you are right then my relative lack of a boost from the subdomain change suggests I may have a quality issue with my hubs rather than too much content variety. 
   
   Garrett: Thanks for pointing out Tumblr - will check it out.

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   1. 89

      Will Apseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Your stuff looks pretty good to me, Rik. I'm surprised you are not seeing a big boost from the sub domain change.
      
      I don't know if you ever experiment with title changes but a title change can really boost a quality but under-performing hub. The title tuner thing that Hubpages provide can help on that score.

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         Rik Ravadoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for your kind comment will - incidentally, my traffic has increased around 40% in the last 24 hours.  Its very difficult to assess how well we are really doing with so many fluctuations (as when a new version of Panda comes along).
         
         Revamping my hubs (including titles) seems like a good idea!

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7. 87

   Cardisaposted 12 years ago

   I was thinking the same thing. I have decided to take down those hubs that aren't doing so well. Most of these are poetry, I guess people don't search for poetry much on the internet.

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      noenhulkposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That's correct. Most topic with high traffic is on health, home and garden and making money online. Don't worry, articles with such traffic depends on how they are shared and promoted by the writers. It also depends on how the writers shared and promote their articles online not only the usefulness and substance but the marketing strategy.

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      1. 89

         Will Apseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         'Most topic with high traffic is on health, home and garden and making money online'
         
         I wouldn't take this too seriously.
         
         Plenty of subject areas get high traffic.

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8. 72

   deosfluviatilisposted 12 years ago

   AEvans - my how you've changed!

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9. 72

   KeithTaxposted 12 years ago

   Rather than delete bad content (It isn't that bad, is it?), improve your hubs. I like to make the rounds every month or so. I find grammer and spelling errors previously missed and wording that does not work. By increasing clarity and updating content your hubs are "quality." Just my opinion.

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10. 87

    Cardisaposted 12 years ago

    As for me I'd rather just write articles for HP now. Poetry is not something I care to rewrite as they are expressions of how I felt at that moment or inspiration to write about something special. I don't care to rewrite then, that would change the whole purpose of them.
    
    This morning when I checked I was not doing so bad so I might just leave them alone.

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11. 58

    codehubposted 12 years ago

    i've been thinking of focussing the sub domain, but am holding off for now

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12. 54

    janderson99posted 12 years ago

    It's like fishin' - the more hooks you have out there, the more fish you are goin' to catch.
    Google loves pages and big fishin' baskets full of pages - the more the merrier.
    Its your Sub - Upsize it! You can't count on anyone else now!
    Who knows what Google regards are 'bad' anyway?
    Don't delete nothin'
    Who know when the wind will change and your poor performing hooks will suddenly catch a fish! Keep 'em baited and out there!
    Stop worrying about your old stuff - get writin' - publish more hubs!
    Tight lines everyone!

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       Will Apseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Google knows what Google regards as bad which is probably the most important thing.
       
       If it decides your stuff is bad that is good bye traffic.

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          janderson99posted 12 years agoin reply to this

          If Google knows what Google regards as bad and Google does not tell us what is bad, then how do we know what is bad or good, as only Google knows?
          The good will triumph over the bad if there are enough of them, so my plan is to write heaps and heaps of new quality hubs that humans like to read and enjoy. Fix the obvious stuff such as spelling and duplication (Use the right bait) on the old hubs, but don't delete them - Google may think they are good!!. Ah well back to the fishing!

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