To have the freedom to customize the design of the hub

1. 38

   makemoneyonlineposted 16 years ago

   Dear Hubpages Team,
   
   Hubpages is great, I'm the first to tell it. But it's very difficult to establish what is called an authority website with such uniform design. That's the reason I try to establish my own blogs with wordpress or joomla.
   
   So is it in Hubpages plan to give more freedom for the design ?
   
   Thanks.

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      darksideposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      You've never studied graphic design have you?

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         makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         I have managed some internet projects for fortune 500 firms so I guess I know a little bit what web design is about . Of course I don't want Hubpages to be transformed into some Corporate Web Looking Site: I just want to be able to customize MY own design as one can do on other similar platforms.

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            Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

            LOL - well if you know something about web design, you will know something about traffic generation, and I have several wordpress blogs that generate more traffic than my hubpages, so if you are interested......
            
            The awesome thing about hubpages is NOT having to worry about this stuff.

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               makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

               Web design has nothing to do with Traffic Generation which is the field of SEO. SEO appeals to search engine, web design appeals to the human who visits the site.

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            darksideposted 16 years agoin reply to this

            Having managed internet projects might mean you know a little bit about what web design but you've never studied graphic design have you?
            
            The way to establish an authority site is to have a uniform design.

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   Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

   Ummmm, I think you will find that HubPages carries a fair weight of authority already ... and the uniform design is there to make the Hubs readable ...

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      makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Hubpages as a whole yes but not hubpager as individual. You cannot join such or such network if you don't have an outstanding design.

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3. 60

   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   Why don't you set up a wordpress or Joomla blog? They are very SEO friendly and you have almost complete control?
   
   The whole point of hubpages is that you don't have to bugger about arranging the layout. I can tell you from personal experience that I have spent more time in the past messing around with wordpress templates and screwing up the look as I have done writing and promoting the content.

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      makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Of course that's what I'm doing : I have set up one but dozens of them
      
      
      
      The advantage of hubpages is also traffic as I explained here if you go on your own you will have hard time:
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-switch-to-hubpages
      
      When I set the blogs myself I have to build the traffic which is longer than just programming the html/javascript/php stuffs.

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   gamergirlposted 16 years ago

   I think you're misunderstanding the concept of the Hubpages page design, hon.
   
   The point is that the content speaks for itself, not the page's graphics.

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      makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      My point is precisely: let's improve that concept

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         Whitney05posted 16 years agoin reply to this

         Improve the concept would mean improve the content.. That has diddly squat to do about the graphics.
         
         If you have such a problem with it, you apparently have all this great web designing and internet experience design your own page.
         
         I personally love the simplicity of the site. Too much will make people run away. It would turn into that other site that's trying way to hard to change their layouts and graphics.
         
         If everyone had the ability to alter the color, background, graphics, ads, pictures, content layout, etc, it would be nothing more than a blog. And that is not the concept of the site.
         
         You'd turn the lovely HubPages into an ugly myspace.
         
         I second Jenny, Charlotte, and everyone else in saying if you think you can do better go elsewhere and design you're own blog or website.

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   gamergirlposted 16 years ago

   Err, that would require each Hubber improving their own content.  Something we should each do over the course of time anyway.

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   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   So you know all about web design, but nothing about SEO?
   
   As far as I can tell wordpress is just as SEO friendly as hubpages.

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7. 86

   Zsuzsy Beeposted 16 years ago

   I for one am grateful for the way things are here on Hubpages. I wouldn't want to mess with all the tech set up stuff. I'm almost positive a lot of hubbers feel the same. MakeMoneyonline if you have so much know-how why do you keep coming back constantly with your whining? I'm sorry I'm losing patients.Zsuzsy

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      Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      What ZB said.

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   2. 38

      makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Hubpages is great as I said here I know perfectly the value of it:
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-switch-to-hubpages
      
      We are in "New Features" topics, that's the new features I'm asking, may you allow me to do such request thanks

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   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   You already did.
   
   I, along with a few others, was just stating my opposition to the idea. Please allow me to do that thanks.

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      makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      It always amazes me why people can't stand the freedom of others whereas that freedom doesn't prevent them to stay with the old stuffs ... human nature is so strange isn't it ?

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         Stacie Naczelnikposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         It isn't only that some hubbers oppose the idea.  The hubteam most likely does as well.  Buried in one of the older forum threads is another discussion like this.  Basically, the HP team said something about wanting consistency throughout the site, so that is why it has such a uniform design.
         
         I'm totally paraphrasing from memory here.

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            makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

            I would accept that reason but not the one given by others here.
            
            But I do not agree because the Big Guys like Google are launching their own "Hubpages" and so become a heavy competitor especially as they control THE n°1 search engine. So be different would be usefull for surviving in the future.

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               Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

               Hubpages IS one of the big guys in this arena. And if you are not being as successful as you would like (which I suspect is the reason for this thread) it is not because you don't have the ability to customize the layout.
               
               And the crazy thing is - there are any number of platforms that will do what you are talking about and you have blogs that you use? But if I remember rightly - you like to keep your other sites a secret in case someone attacks your adsense earnings ?
               
               And the last forum thread you started was all about the fact that you were removing the adsense ads from your hubs. But they are still there.
               
               Hubpages is all about content, not window dressing. And as any window dresser or shop-fitter will tell you, the best just disappears into the background, leaving the product (in this case the content) as the star of the show.

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               Stacie Naczelnikposted 16 years agoin reply to this

               As Mark said, HubPages is one of the "Big Guys."  Google isn't everything.  Plus, what you are suggesting would not make HP "different" as their are sites out there that already allow this "freedom."
               
               You are, of course, allowed to think and believe whatever you want, but I wouldn't hold my breath about these changes actually happening here.

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               darksideposted 16 years agoin reply to this

               What, we're not different now?
               
               If or when Google does launch Knol I'd expect them to be rigid in their design sense. It's about the uncluttered delivery of information.
               
               And search engines rank sites highly determined on their content, not on their appearance.

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         Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         LOL - this is an oft repeated discussion and what I suggest is that you get yourself a wordpress/joomla/movable type platform where you have 100% control over the way it looks. I like hubpages uniformity. I like not having to worry about the way it looks and the reason it appeals to people is those reasons.
         
         And calling yourself a newbie after 10 months here and then telling us how clever you are with web design for fortune 500 companies and naming yourself  "makemoneyonline"  You are right - human nature is strange.

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   Shirley Andersonposted 16 years ago

   This may be a dumb question, but if a hub design depended on technical design knowledge, wouldn't that put those of us who don't know much about that sort of thing at a distinct disadvantage, possibly left behind in the technical dust and never read?
   
   I want traffic as much as everyone else here, but I signed up thinking this was more about writing than web design.
   
   Sorry, I really don't mean to be snooty.

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      Stacie Naczelnikposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Shirley, you aren't at all snooty here.  And, I totally agree with you.  If I wanted to worry about the web design, I'd be out there creating my own.

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10. 85

    gamergirlposted 16 years ago

    What amazes me is that you want to take a winning system like Hubpages, with it's bold graphics which complement the content provided through capsules, and make it into something potentially devastating.
    
    Actually, it doesn't amaze me.  It's irritating.  If you want to post content on a page which you can make changes in the graphics and make people less likely to read it, go ahead.  The majority of people who I've introduced to Hubpages as readers have stated that they LOVE the simplicity of each page, they LOVE the uniformity of the backgrounds and buttons. 
    
    I honestly don't see what the problem is, the graphics for the banners and buttons Hubpages uses are sharp, crisp, pleasing to the eye, and best of all:
    
    The graphics Hubpages uses emphasizes the Hub, and the content IN the hub, NOT the graphics themselves.
    
    I'm glad that my readers can actually read my hubs without having to squint, highlight text, install extra fonts or navigate flash intros or anything.  I'm glad that my readers can focus on my hub and not some moving picture or music file playing on my page.
    
    Most of all, I'm glad that Hubpages does the majority of setup for my content for me, AND gets lots of Google love. 
    
    You won't hear me whining or griping about my poor freedoms being infringed upon just because I can't bugger up the graphics on my Hubs.  The images are the LEAST of my concerns when I post new content.

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    Inspirepubposted 16 years ago

    While you many think that you can do a better design job than HubPages, makemoneyonline, and perhaps you might actually be able to, making that available generally would make it available to all the people who THINK they know a cool design but actually produce unreadable rubbish.
    
    You only need to look at MySpace to see the true horror of letting amateurs design their own pages.
    
    I think you have it all wrong, makemoneyonline.
    
    The authority of HubPages gets your Hubs to page 1 of Google - not your own individual authority.
    
    If you are taking about BRANDING, then develop your own logo instead of plagiarising the Wealth Dynamics one as you have for your avatar, and put it in the same place on each of your Hubs.
    
    You don't need to make the rest of the page match your logo colours. The McDonalds M and the Nike tick are great examples of logos which do not require an entire page of matching colour to get their message across.
    
    Consistency and quality content will build your brand. Actually, looking at McDonalds, it seems you can do it on consistency alone, which is probably a good thing for you.
    
    Logo. Top right of every Hub. And as your avatar. That's all you need.
    
    Jenny

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    Zsuzsy Beeposted 16 years ago

    That's exactly what I'm thinking. Hubpages was easy to set up and it looks good. We  WRITE and individualize it by adding pictures videos etc.. Then we go the the next to WRITE again not mess about with design. My extra 2-3-4-5 cents worth. zs

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    Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

    I second, third, fourth, fifth (or wherever we are up to) what almost everyone else is saying.
    
    HubPages sells itself as a place where you can create web pages without having to know all the techie stuff.  Have a look at the front page without logging in and you'll see it, right there!
    
    So clearly, HubPages can't make the design any more complicated than it is, without losing one of its major selling points.   More freedom inevitably means more choice which equals more complexity.
    
    As Jenny says, having a uniform design also means that people are pretty much forced to produce clean-looking, professional Hubs whereas if they had total freedom, we'd be bound to get some of those awful fluorescent over-animated monsters you see elsewhere!

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14. 86

    Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

    So you would suggest what exactly, makemoney?  That the site should become the preserve of those who know how to design webpages by themselves, and therefore don't ned HubPages?

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       Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       It sounds like it might be a helium meets myspace.

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15. 85

    gamergirlposted 16 years ago

    Dear Makemoneyonline,
    
    I'm sorry that you're not happy with the services which Hubpages provides for FREE to you.  I consider it a downright privilege to have this service available, to be able to write and get paid ad-share for what my writing brings in.
    
    I'm honestly disgusted by your desire to incorporate ready-to-fail strategies into a successful venture like Hubpages, and really wish you would let the issue fall.
    
    This thread has been responded to by some top-notch hubbers, not including myself, and if OUR comments aren't good enough to put the issue to rest for you, then nothing we say is going to make you realize your flawed thinking.
    
    I really hope that you come to realize Hubpages is not going to set themselves up for disaster just because YOU can't focus your energies on systems you control.  Simply put, you don't run Hubpages, it's not your place to institute changes like this one on the hundreds of Hubbers who I'm sure DO NOT want the layout of the site to change.
    
    I hope you go through this thread from the beginning and re-read the posts made within.  I really do.  For your comment about human nature, it's only natural to take advice from those who are successful, so think about that, too.
    
    Have a great day, and I hope you have continued success on Hubpages.

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    knolyourselfposted 16 years ago

    Google knol is up and running, but invitees only. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/ … ibute.html
    or if that don't work:
    googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/encouraging-people-to-contribute.html

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17. 85

    gamergirlposted 16 years ago

    Bah.
    
    I like Hubpages.  I've put a crapload of time into my work here.

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    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    I spit on google. In the immortal words of Monty Python, "Their Mother was a hamster and their father smelled of elderberries.... I fart in their general direction."

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    Whitney05posted 16 years ago

    If you're not happy with the design, go somewhere else. If you're so worried about what other sites are doing and how they're changing they're layout and design, go there. Not to sound rude, but you just seem so worried about what someone else should do to make you happy.
    
    With the experience that you claim, why can't you just set up your own site? Do what you want.
    
    The simple design and uniform layout makes the site look clean.

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    Zsuzsy Beeposted 16 years ago

    Right on. Just a quick observation if YOU MakeMoneyonline would count up all the comments and effort you have made about change here change there how much now and then etc....all that boohooing on the forums here, you could probably have had two mega hubs, that might have made you some of the "allmightydollars" that you're so much coveting...

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    knolyourselfposted 16 years ago

    Personally I think the design of the hubpages website is great. It is simple and what is there is there. Maybe a little more color but that's me. Look at most sites and just a maze of nothingness, and I at least, look and stare and leave. As for personal hubs, it is web 2.0 and not that sofisticated yet. I like my profile picture proceeding me and identitying me everywhere I go, you know so people can avoid me. Big spash of color. So I give rave, rave.

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       makemoneyonlineposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       For me Hubpages is of great "Usability" (webmaster's term if you don't know what it means search a glossary) and well optimized for adsense but as for the looking they all follow the "Wikipedia" kind of look.
       
       From business point of view, the first platform which would offer the same features as Hubpages with Customization will take over it because if you are free to either stay with "wikipedia" like look or you can customize IF YOU WANT.

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