Followers not being notified of new hubs

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   The few followers I have report to me that they do not receive notification that a new hub is published or featured. When I contacted HubPages help directly by email they told me that the messages were probably in the spam box of the followers. That is not the case. Anyone else having (or had) this problem and how did you rectify it?  Thank you.

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      Jodahposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I have had a couple of followers say they aren't getting email advice of my new hubs. It seems to happen from time to time and sometimes they need to unfollow you and then follow again to reactivity it. Other times if you publish a hub and it doesn't pass the quality test or is seen as duplicate and unpublished until it passes, they are not renotified.

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   Thanks, Jodah, for the information. I'll advise them to unfollow and repeat the process.

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      theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Don't forget that internal traffic is of not much consequence. External traffic is what you want to get paid by HP. I've never worried in the slightest about internal traffic. It's lovely to hear from other hubbers, but not important for earning.

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         Jodahposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Believe it or not some of us here at HubPages are more interested in the internal community and receiving and giving feedback from and to our peers in regard to writing rather than making money and providing articles for external searchers. A few dollars now and then are just a bonus but personally I don't care if I don't make a cent here. I just enjoy writing and love reading and leaving comments. Most other hubbers who have the same mindset as me however stay away from the forums.

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            Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            If "most other Hubbers" are like that, Jodah, then I fear for the future of the site.
            
            Bear in mind that HubPages is a business, and if it does not make a decent income, then it will close down.  If Hubbers are making mere pennies from their Hubs, then HubPages is making mere pennies also - their only income is a percentage of what we make.
            
            I'm glad you get satisfaction from writing here, and it's great that this site provides such a good social centre for writers.  But don't forget to be grateful for those Hubbers who do work to bring in an income - because they are the people keeping the site alive for you to use.

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               Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               I think it goes a bit beyond the pale to expect people to be grateful for having their concerns dismissed as unimportant and frivolous. We should be able to talk about bugs and glitches without getting talked down to and dismissed, even by the people you feel are our betters.
               
               Pointing out malfunctioning features isn't the same as being ungrateful. Suggesting that some people get a great deal of use or pleasure from a feature isn't being ungrateful, either, especially when a hubber has advised the original poster that his concern is unimportant.
               
               It's true that some people, even some of us who get monthly payouts, aren't just here for money. We actually care that people who wish to subscribe to our feeds actually can do so. Even famous writers know enough to be grateful for their readers, especially the loyal ones who subscribe to their feeds and read everything they write. Even if you dislike writing and only do it for the money, dismissing your loyal, subscribing readers as unimportant is a poor business strategy.
               
               P.S.
               I believe you read Jodah's post wrong. Jodah said, "Most other hubbers who have the same mindset as me however stay away from the forums." He is referring to a subset of hubbers who are similar to him, which is a very small subset, indeed. Even if you think hubbers who enjoy writing and being read more than the money it brings are ruining HubPages, there aren't all that many of them, exactly as Jodah's post implied.

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                  theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't think anyone actually said that, Kylyssa. Neither I or Marisa dismissed anyone as 'unimportant', or their concerns as 'frivolous'.
                  
                  Everyone is entitled to an opinion as long as they aren't attacking someone else. I was talking about traffic, not individuals. As in numbers of internal visitors vs external ones.

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                     Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Your post made it seem that you felt it was unimportant for the feature to work because you stated why you felt the feature is unimportant rather than suggesting how to get it to work. I took it to mean you think the OP ought not to worry about internal traffic because you don't. My apologies if that's incorrect.
                     
                     
                     
                     Mostly, I was bothered that it appeared to me that Marisa jumped on Jodah for daring to disagree with you. There's nothing wrong with you feeling subscriber traffic is unimportant, but there is something wrong with the implication that any hubbers who disagree with you are ungrateful detriments to HubPages.

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               Jodahposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Thank you Kylyssa, you understood and explained my post perfectly. I do not pretend to be in the majority here. Marissa, I am extremely appreciative to all the hubbers who write here for whatever reason especially those who write here to make money for both themselves and the site.
               The statement by Kylyssa "even famous writers know enough to be grateful to their readers, especially the loyal ones who subscribe to their feeds and read everything they write," is so important. Even if you treat this site purely as a business you need to acknowledge your readers.
               I know one particular writer here who is the published author of at least five novels with more on the way, who has written over 2000 hubs and has as many followers and who gets around 200 comments per hub. This person replies to every comment and takes the time to read a hub of every commenter to his hubs in turn. This is the reason he is one of the most popular writers on HubPages. I do understand that not everyone has the time and inclination to do this, even I don't have the time to read a hub of every person who comments on mine..but I try, and I do reply to every comment.
               Popular people like this who encourage and inspire other writers help keep a lot of people at HubPages rather than leaving and taking their writing elsewhere for better money. (Even though I would write here for nothing I admit I am making more payouts each year than the one before so it's not like I am earning HubPages nothing either.)

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                  Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Jodah, if my post sounded as though I was "jumping on you", then I apologise - that was not my intent.     I obviously misread your closing statement. 
                  
                  I certainly did not mean to dismiss anyone for complaining about a bug in the system - obviously if something is not working it ought to be fixed, and I know there are Hubbers who value the facility.  In fact if you look at my post I don't make any comment about the OP at all - I was simply reacting to what I thought was an incorrect statement about the reason most Hubbers are here.

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                     Jodahposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Marissa, I accept your apology as you did obviously is read my closing statement incorrectly, but that is easy to do online and I didn't think you were jumping on me. I realise that you are just as passionate about HubPages and its success as I am, and probably spend as much time monitoring forums and offering advice and assistance to other hubbers as I do giving encouragement and advice through comments on hubs. We do have different opinions and approach it differently but I think there is a place for both. Hopefully we can find a middle ground. I think Kylyssa took offense more than I did but explained the situation quite well.

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        Thanks Jodah, glad it didn't upset you!
                        
                        I don't think it's necessary to find a middle ground, it's just a case of acknowledging that HubPages can be used in a number of different ways, and respecting each person's right to use it in the way they choose.

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                           Jodahposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                           Yes, that will work. Cheers.

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   Hi theraggededge!
   
   Thank you for your reply. I realize that it is the external traffic that earns $ and that internal followers are mainly for comment. However, I'll take what I can get as far as readership. I'm very new to HubPages and have 4 Editor's Choices out of 12 articles, but clearly the public is not that interested in the work. In short, my traffic stinks. I try to chose interesting topics and make them as informative as possible and yet the page views can only be described as dribs and drabs.
   
   In my last article (posted on NY Day) I tried to choose search friendly terms but when I find the article on Google it first lists my name and underneath in small print the title and summary. If I were searching the topic of "What is a Kodkod" and found that result I would move on to something that includes the topic in the search result. I would be interested in the kodkod and not M G Del Baglivo. This is the first article that is so listed, but it will certainly not improve my external traffic if that is now the practice.
   
   Anyway, thanks for your response and advice. Cheers from Maryland and Happy 2016!

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      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's perfectly reasonable to be concerned when the subscription feature isn't functioning properly and the "Technical Questions" subforum is exactly the place to ask questions about it.

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4. 60

   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   To be honest, I'm sorry I asked. It seems I've opened a can of worms and that was not my intent. Thank you to all who responded.

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   Just for the record, I do object to the description of Hubbers making "mere pennies" from their articles and the implication that they are a detriment to HubPages. I thought this was a site for writers who could eventually add to the value of the exercise. I'm not sure what is gained by deriding we beginners.
   
   I went to high school in the US and can spot a cheerleader personality when I hear one. At the same time, having been raised in New Jersey, I also know what a Mafia boss sounds like.
   
   Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be nasty for the shear pleasure of it.
   
   Cheers.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I did  not "implicate that [Hubbers making mere pennies] are detrimental to HubPages".
      
      If you reread my post, you'll see I said, "I'm glad you get satisfaction from writing here, and it's great that this site provides such a good social centre for writers."    How is that saying they're detrimental?
      
      There are writers who start out making pennies, who go on to earn reasonable amounts online.  There are others who look at what's required to earn that money, and decide they're not interested. Both groups are equally entitled to be members of HubPages. 
      
      I guess I am a little sensitive because in the past, the creative writing/social groups on HubPages have been known to deride and belittle "commercial hack writers" like me, on the grounds we are not being true to our art.   I jumped to the conclusion that Jodah was implying something similar - clearly I was completely wrong and you will note that I have apologised for that.

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   [if] "Hubbers are making mere pennies from their Hubs, then HubPages is making mere pennies also - their only income is a percentage of what we make."
   
   "don't forget to be grateful for those Hubbers who do work to bring in an income - because they are the people keeping the site alive for you to use."
   
   I suppose then that we "mere pennies" writers should start and end the day with a prayer for your existence on HubPages. I work hard to engage readers on this site. You imply that effort is a trifle.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I have already said I misinterpreted Jodah as saying most Hubbers weren't interested in the money - and implying that was a good thing.  My answer was meant to point out why it would not be a good thing. 
      
      And yes, I do think you should be grateful.  I'm very grateful to the big earners from years ago, who contributed thousands to HP's coffers - without their work I doubt the site would be around now.  Likewise as the site is struggling today, we should appreciate those who work hard to bring in the income to keep the site going.  I don't count myself amongst them - my Hubs do earn steady income, but I'm not actively writing new Hubs these days, so I'm not contributing nearly as much as some.

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   This "mere pennies" contributor (I still object to that description of anyone on HubPages) will now end his participation on this thread. I look forward to further dialogue with you on other topics jn the future.
   Best

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      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      You have interpreted that description in a way I did not intend.
      
      And anyway, if your goal is to make money from HubPages but you are thus far earning only pennies, I was NOT referring to you.  All new Hubbers earn mere pennies in their first year or so, it's your apprenticeship.
      
      I was referring to those Hubbers who CHOOSE not to engage in the process of learning search-engine friendly writing or the art of how to attract readers.  They are HAPPY earning mere pennies because self-expression is more important to them.   They often write high quality Hubs and they are  welcome on HubPages, BUT it's just a fact that if all Hubbers took that attitude, HubPages would cease to exist because it wouldn't be making any money.  So thank goodness for the hack writers who write the commercial stuff (and again, I wasn't referring to me).

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   M G Del Baglivoposted 8 years ago

   I do understand your explanation and appreciate your recognition of those of us who must earn very little at this stage of the process. My writing centers on science topics and I can assure you that income from this endevour is my ultimate goal. I enjoy the research and writing but would not do it for free if that were my only choice. My talent lies in writing nonfiction and having a platform for producing passive income while exercising that ability.
   
   I apologize for my reaction yesterday, but I took the comments personally. That was a gross misunderstanding on my part. I'm a retired trial attorney and can argue an issue with intensity at times, a poor choice now that I am a civilian.
   
   Your contribution to HubPages is greatly appreciated by we new participants and I look forward to further discussions with you and other members.

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   Marisa Wrightposted 8 years ago

   I am inclined to argue issues "with intensity" too, so I can understand.  Glad we have clarified our respective viewpoints.   
   
   Earning an income from online writing is a greater challenge today than it has ever been.    Four or five years ago, you would have been in a great position to do well here - today, success is much harder to achieve no matter how good a writer you are. 
   
   There is a real learning curve to writing online and you will even need to unlearn some of what you know - for instance, titles need to be crafted in a totally different way.  It will take time, good luck!

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