Make it easier for visitors and hubbers to explore by topic

1. 79

   Lionrhodposted 9 years ago

   Why is it that THIS page is so buried?
   http://hubpages.com/topics/tree
   
   IMO this should be front and center at the top of the bar, so that folks can search through the topics they want to find rather than by keyword.
   
   I'd find it useful as both a hubber and as a visitor.
   
   I wouldn't even know how to find this page if it hadn't been for a post in the forums.

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   1. 90

      Millionaire Tipsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      If you look at the menu on the top right side of the screen, you will see the word explore. Hover over that and you see hubs that you can browse. Click on hubs, and you will see a list of hubs. On the left side, you can choose the topics you want to explore.

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      1. 93

         lisavollrathposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         The problem is that readers have to be smart enough to figure out where their topic of interest is hidden. They can't do that without a lot of clicking, which is heightened by the fact that our topic tree is somewhat less than intuitive.
         
         For example, I write a bit about art journaling. It's hidden in scrapbooking. I'm not a scrapbooker, and neither are most of my regular readers. They're mixed-media artists. Mixed-media is hidden in crafts & handiwork. Most of my regular readers don't consider themselves crafters, so they would never think to look there.
         
         Also, if your content is in a topic that has less than 20 hubs in it, your topic is hidden in the left side navigation. So, even if your reader is smart enough to figure out where your hub might be, your topic won't show.

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         1. 79

            Lionrhodposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Exactly my point. Finding subjects on HP is a mess.

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   2. 73

      relacheposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      HubPages has regularly changed and added to how navigation on this site works. They use the data they have which shows actual visitor behavior to make these adjustments.
      
      Your opinion that visitors come to the site and then make keyword selections to find topical pages is pretty different from everything HubPages has said about their traffic over the last year, and it doesn't match up with the behavior which I see on my own Hubs, so you may find your suggestion isn't fast-tracked.

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      1. 79

         Lionrhodposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         IMO when a site makes it nigh impossible to follow keyword and/or subject areas then it becomes a no brainer that that wouldn't match up with the behavior you see. Because the site setup itself makes searching that way darned hard.
         
         I can only go by how I personally use those sites. I'll check out what they consider related links and then try to follow their category drill down. When I can't find that, I tend to be disappointed.

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   3. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It's a good idea, but when you consider that over 90% of HubPages' traffic has always come from Google search - where readers arrive at a single Hub and then browse within that subject area - then it's not likely to be on their priority list.

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      1. 79

         Lionrhodposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Hopefully they'll be fixing it so we can actually SEE the category a hub is posted in.
         
         However the reason that folks historically use HP in this manner is likely tied to the fact that searching through the site in any other manner is unwieldy.

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   4. 82

      peachpurpleposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      i didn't know there is such link! I guess i am indeed out dated. I usually browse through the front page

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      1. 79

         Lionrhodposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you for proving my point!

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2. 86

   paperfacetsposted 9 years ago

   I noticed the last few days that the topics I used when I first transferred here have new sub-sub topics. I can now pinpoint my topics better.
   
   Seems the topics are being addressed somewhat.
   
   I will have to go back to the hubs I edited three weeks ago.
   
   I make sure the Groups I build are very specific so the right topics come up at the bottom of my hub.

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3. 66

   Arachneaposted 9 years ago

   I think your request is well founded. I think you're right about folks not doing a search because of the challenge to use the current site map and topic search. I'm sure there's a reason for the current design, but as I have seen a number of positive changes since joining HP, I've considered it possible this may also be on their honey-do list.

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4. 71

   makingamarkposted 9 years ago

   I'm not sure about the logic that is being used to justify why improving navigation might not be a priority for HubPages.
   
   When I was a management consultant I was always taught that after you have made your winning pitch the next top priority was to make sure they stick with you and come back for more. Now that to me seems to be intrinsically linked to how well you present what else you have to offer and make it easily accessible.
   
   Isn't it the case that until navigation and opening up access to specific topics becomes more transparent to visitors that visits will almost always be through Google (ie via search rather than by repeat visitors)?
   
   How about a comparison to other sites which also have lots of content and see how they manage to keep people travelling around the site?  You can collect benchmarks for normal percentages of new and returning visitors and how long they stay on the site.
   
   The KEY STATISTICS are
   * how many pages do people view and
   * how long do they stay on the site
   and the key tasks are what helps to promote such behaviour.
   
   Speaking personally, on my blog I've got nine years of archives and am dedicated to interlinking to related subject matter. I don't have a problem keeping a significant percentage of my visitors for over an hour.

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   1. 79

      Lionrhodposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Precisely.
      
      Back in the old days when I had my website, I kept folks on my pages for a loooong time. I had plenty of content for a one person site. Once you understood my principles of organization the site was easy to find your way around. (Pretty easy for the pagans who were my main niche, plus I made sure to spell that out well for anyone who was new.)

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