"This is an advertisement not a hub"

1. 87

   Cardisaposted 11 years ago

   The keywords Hubpages review are very strong. I missed writing about HP, short stories and such like. On my second account I decided to do a Hubpages review. I am not very good at reviews but I am using this platform to practice.
   
   The hub was published today and this is the first comment "This is an advertisement not a hub", now tell me where these people get off. The title says hubpages review, why the hell would someone make a comment like that? Am I too sensitive?

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   1. 69

      Emanate Presenceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, Cardisa, I don't know about 'too sensitive.' I understand and relate to your emotions about this. It is tempting to tell my story, but this is your thread. Suffice to say that two of my first three Hubs published yesterday were unpublished overnight. At least there was a respectfully written email to let me know and give me a chance to edit the Hubpages. Which I truly thought were well within compliance. I appreciate that Hubpages maintains a high standard. It is up to us to understand the rules of the game. Hey, I have to share that my Highly Sensitive People Hub survived the test last night. Not to promote my own Hub, but it seems so fitting to your question.

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2. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   Yes, you're too sensitive. You see your hub written as you wrote it, others may see it differently.  Generally a 'review' reviews the overall good and not so good points of whatever it is being reviewed.

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      But did he have to leave a comment like that?

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      1. 61

         paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Was it a Hubber?

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         1. 87

            Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes it was and I am hurt

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            1. 61

               paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Cardisa, I did a puff-piece on HP around spring of last year. Even after dozens of tweaks, updates, etc.: I still could never get it to get any traffic. So I killed it when Captain Z burst upon the scene. It will eventually appear on my blog. After reading this thread, I now have to decide: do I stay puff-piece, or make it a creditable review? If I decide to stay puff-piece, my first sentence will be something like, "I am a fan of HubPages, and here is why..."

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               1. 87

                  Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks PD, I realize that I was taking the comment too personally and I must brace myself for comments like that. Maybe it was not meant as an insult but just an honest opinion.
                  
                  I would make the piece search friendly if I were you. I have done that with most of my earlier hubs as well.

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      2. 83

         psycheskinnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         People do what they want, not what they have to.  i would just take it as one person's opinion, and that's all. If you don't like it: delete it.

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         1. 87

            Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I visited the hubbers' profile, out of curiosity and was not impressed, but you don't see me leaving comment like, "that is just your opinion not a hub"...lol
            
            I am starting to feel better. 

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      3. 69

         Emanate Presenceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         You asked why the comment was written in a harsh tone. Let's take a look.
         
         It is true, people always have a choice to be mean or kind to each other.
         
         In general, when they snap or bark, people could be either covering their own fears; have low self-worth and are building their self-importance up by putting others down; or they have physical issues. When I am crunchy, I jokingly tell my partner, "It's the constipation." Thing is, as humans we all have the power to overcome such influences or tendencies if we will.
         
         When someone bites at you, you can brush it off by saying to yourself with humor and non-judgment, "It's the constipation." Then, you could look at the comment without the biting energy and see if there is something to it.

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3. 73

   relacheposted 11 years ago

   Having just read the Hub, Cardisa, (or should I address my comments to "Emerald Strachen?"), I have to agree with the person who commented.  I don't find that Hub to be a fair and balanced viewpoint, and here are some of the reasons why I feel that way.
   
   You say HubPages gets over 50 million visitors per month.  Quantcast.com reports that in the last month HubPages got 25 million page view globally. 
   
   You say HubPages is a PR of 6.  Well, the front door (www.hubpages.com) is, but a lot of other pages on the site aren't.  In fact, you don't mention talk about how HubPages has been trying to get rid of low-value content at all.
   
   You talk about making money from referrals, but don't actually go into the reality of how hard that is to actually get people referred who are both skilled and prolific, which is the only way to get money from referrals.
   
   The only link in the entire Hub is a link to get people to sign up.  How about including links to other opinions about the site?  A review is pro and con, not just pro with a few sentences expressing "well, some people complain..."  You categorized it under "Comparisons between HubPages and other websites."  Where's the part comparing it to another website?
   
   Also, the Hub seems utterly devoid of the experience of the person who wrote it, and to me, personal experience is essential to reviewing something.  Otherwise you are just advertising.
   
   If you're going to practice in public, you're going to get public opinions, whether you ask for them or not.

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, Hp does say it gets over 50 million visitors each month so they need to amend that info.
      
      So wouldn't a comment such as yours be more productive?  Maybe not as long but something more than the snide comment. Again, maybe I am too sensitive and I write the way I see it.
      
      One of the problems I may have is that I tend to see things in rose colored glasses and maybe I failed to mention anything negative because I don't have any negative hang ups on HP. I admit I could edit it some to show more of my personal view point.

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      paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No wonder I didn't find the hub... Thought she'd unpublished it...

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      1. 87

         Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         No it's under my other account and I am editing it now. Hope it reads better. I feel so aweful now for making such a big deal, but if I didn't I wouldn't have got the help I needed.

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4. 73

   WriteAngledposted 11 years ago

   It reads like a pure advertisement to me as well. There is no discussion of the pros and cons of writing on HP vs. other revenue sites, own web sites, paper publications. There is no critical look at what HP provides, no mention of the changes taking place and of the fact writers are divided in their opinions of those changes.
   
   In addition to the figures cited by Relache, I have found two other over-estimates in your article:
   
   You claim over 1.7 million hubs have been published and that there are over 150,000 active hubbers.
   
   HP's own stats page cites:
   Published Hubs: 1,158,710
   Published Users: 147,597

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you.

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5. 87

   IzzyMposted 11 years ago

   The thing is, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and frankly I prefer honest opinions to the usual "good hub" comments which are probably written by people who never actually read it, only skimmed it.
   
   Although I also thought the hub read like an advertisement (and you must be saying 'well done that commenter for getting me all those views now'), its not something I would have commented on at all, if you hadn't brought it to the forums.
   
   Think about it, you have said very little that isn't already said in Hubpages own pages.
   
   if you leave the hub 'as is', but add another few paragraphs outlining your own personal successes (or otherwise) on Hubpages, then you will have written something nearer a review that will read less like an advert.
   
   Your commenter actually makes a refreshing change here on HP where no-one seems to want to comment negatively in case they hurt the author's feelings.
   
   Sorry yours got hurt.

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As a matter of fact, I am in the process of editing the hub as we speak and I am adding a few pointers that Relache and WriteAngled pointed out. I am not very keen on writing reviews but I want to learn as I also wish to write product reviews to make money! I though a good practice would be HP since I am here on the site.
      
      Thanks to all of you for your honesty and I guess I was a little sensitive.
      
      I have had people correct me in my hubs before. Some time ago Rmcrayne made a few pointers on a hub and she was so gracious about it. I guess when you get corrections and opinions like that you expect everyone else to follow suit.

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6. 73

   WriteAngledposted 11 years ago

   I think that a review gains credibility when the author comments on negatives as well as on positives.
   
   There really isn't anything that is 100% perfect, although we may think we have found such perfection when we first discover something.
   
   If I read a review, which mentions drawbacks as well as advantages, I feel I can trust the writer. I feel the writer not only is being honest, but also has been around for long enough to have experienced all aspects of the matter being reviewed. I am happy that I am given the opportunity to consider the bad as well as the good and thus feel more empowered to make a decision.
   
   That is not to say that an all-positive review is necessarily dishonest. However, my usual reaction to such is to wonder whether the author is either being paid to write a glowing review or is very, very new to the topic, and still caught up in that original "glamour" of the place.
   
   And yes, I also have been guilty at times of raving on too enthusiastically about something in the "first flush" of discovery!

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Writeangled, I am taking all these comments under advisement (always like saying that) and am editing the hub. Good practice for me.
      
      Gosh, hubbers are so helpful!

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7. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   You might include what the apprenticeship program involves

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, I never thought of that.

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8. 73

   WriteAngledposted 11 years ago

   It might also be useful, when citing any figures, to say "at the time of writing" or "as of September 2012", because I think these figures will be changing quite a bit. For example, I think the number of published hubs has decreased dramatically as spam/spin has been purged, and it will continue to do so even more with the idled feature in its current form.

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think what happened was that I wrote the hub some time ago and forgot to check the figures again.
      
      I did some addition to the hub now up to 1300 words and still more to go. I did also put a special capsule with all the hp stats as is today quoting the date and all. I have added some cons and a write up on how hard it is to earn from eBay, Amazon and referrals. Will continue tomorrow as my eyes are tired.

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9. 73

   Kangaroo_Jaseposted 11 years ago

   Cardisa,
   
   One aspect to try and remember is to write with your head and not your emotions when doing a review. One needs a thick skin like a Rhino as well when writing in general.
   
   Read peoples suggestions, take on board what works for you, discard what will not.
   
   I myself write because I enjoy doing it, even if there are some people who reckon I should go into a corner and shoot myself in the head twice because they commented my writing was worse than swimming in pig sh*t (got that as an email from one 'guest commenter)
   
   You take the good and the bad......and keep writing.

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   1. 87

      Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you KJ, I am a natural "heart" writer. Learning to write with my head is still in process. Thank you for the encouragement and I have also taken the above suggestions and made a few changes to the hub.
      
      People who are online are so cruel. I would rather not comment than to insult someone and leave a comment like that, or send an email like the one you sent....so sorry about that. People aren't very nice!

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10. 83

    psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

    Writing something that might alert you to a way to improve your hub is not necessarily cruel.  On thr internet it is import to try and assume good intent.

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    1. 87

       Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I wasn't referring to my comment but the email KJ received....lol

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11. 83

    psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

    I was no commenting only on what you said but how others have replied characterizing the hubber who commented on your hub as mean, self-important and generally a bad person.  Which strikes me as not a fair assessment.

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    1. 87

       Cardisaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I see your point. For the record I never said or thought he was cruel, just insensitive. I have seen worse on others hubs

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