How To and What Is: Beginner Guide To Writing Content that Drives Traffic
63How to get traffic from search engines
If you are new to HubPages or find it difficult to find an audience from the major search engines, I'd like to suggest you try one of these very simple techniques.
Create a Hub that starts with "How To...." or "What is....". It's very important that your Hub's title starts with one of these phrases. Then make sure your Hub has the necessary steps and information.
Example of successful "How To" Hubs on HubPages. I pulled these examples from our internal stats. These pages get thousands of views per month. In fact, the lowest one had almost 8,000 views in the last month and the best had nearly 33,000 page views in the last 30 days.
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Play-MKV-Files-On-Playstation-3
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_ask_a_girl_to_a_school_dance
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Make-Delicious-Homemade-Donuts
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How_To_Turn_Off_Vistas_Useless_Junk_And_Speed_Up_Your_PC
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Cook-Asparagus
- http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Build-an-Outdoor-Fireplace---A-Step-by-Step-Guide
Traffic Patterns for How To Hubs
One thing to keep in mind from these graphs is that the Hubs didn't instantly get tons of traffic. They actually grow traffic over time. Search engines tend to test content out in their results. In the beginning, it's common to see traffic one day and none the next, but if you create a really great hub, then you will do well in the long run.
I created this to help people that are new to HubPages and looking for success. This is the simplest advice I can give someone that is trying it out for the first time. Start with "How To..." or "What is..." (Note: How To Hubs, get more traffic than What is, but I think it's easier to get traffic in smaller amounts for What is)
If you make a "How to" or "What is" Hub, please drop a link in the comments, I'd love to check it out.
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Comments
Wow, this is a great suggestion. I'm going to give it a try. I have a couple of ideas right off the top of my head. Thanks! (Plus, if Lissie is giving it the thumbs up, it HAS to be good!)
I keep getting traffic to a hub called How to Grow a Great Beard;not a lot, just consistent traffic that surprises me. Sorry -- I won't bother posting the link (it's well under 500 hits); but it doesn't look as if it's going to quit any time soon.
@Teresa - Personal grooming is a great "How To" category. I've also noticed that baking, pets, and technology seem to be excellent areas to share information about.
There isn't a hit limit to post your "How To" Hub in comments here.
This is awesome advice, thank you:) Great hub!
Thanks, Paul. Good suggestions. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I tend to throw up whatever I think is important or to share things that I like--music, movies, pictures, YouTubes, etc. I'm sure if I followed your advice and the advice of others I could get more traffic. I'm probably untrainable at this point in my life!
Hi Paul, Thanks for a great hub. I just changed the title of one of my hubs from Animal Rights from a Rural Perspective to What is Mankind's Duty to Animals? It might move some traffic my way but the new title fits the article much better. Thanks!
Also, I just changed Cure for Insomnia, (which my hubs do quite well), to How to Cure Insomnia. Thanks again!
Thanks for these tips I had no clue!
Sound advice, Paul. Nice to hear from an expert.
Here are 3 of my How To's,Paul
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-Money-As-An-On
Hey Paul, just what I needed! Thanks!
Good one Paul. It is always interesting to know how the other hubs are doing in terms of traffic. Thank you for posting your stats and tips.
Thanks for a great Hub, Paul.
Very informative and useful Hub. Thanks much.
Thanks for these simple tips that can drive traffic up. I will definitely put it to use.
Great Advise - and thanks for sharing.
My how to Hubs....
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-save-electricity-an
Thanks for the suggestions Paul. I think seasoned as well as new Hubbers can benefit from it.
Hi Paul, I took your advise and edit my last Hub by changing the title to What is.. I am hoping that this will increase traffic. I'll let you know if it works.
Thanks for the tip.
DynamicS
Particularly informative Hub, I think. I'm bad with a lot of titles because I answer a lot of requests and either don't re-word them, or else don't do a good job of re-wording them. Also, though, I sometimes just answer requests that I know aren't going to get me any traffic.
One big thing that stands in the way of 'how to' and 'what is' type hubs is the poor quality of images on hub pages. For anyone familar with Photoshop it is easy enough to throw a few graphics together which can illustrate a point quickly and easily. The problem is the graphics look terrible on the page- especially any text.
Google may not be able to read text on graphics but graphics can help SEO through image searchs.
Useful lists are another popular choice for hubs that will get traffic.
Here are my how to hubs
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-holiday-South-East-Asi
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-do-I-know-if-I-am-in-a
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-throw-a-pity-party-
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-NOT-to-take-a-horses-t
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-say-NO-to-SEX
Thanks Paul, for that advice. It gives me a better idea on how to start.
Ohh that's great easy tips. people alway want to look at "how to" and step-by-step guide
I have written several how-to hubs in the past, and some of these do get good traffic.
Useful information and excellent insight there Paul. Thanks for sharing. It's hubs like this that reminds us how much you all in HP HQ care! :)
Will it help to change the titles after a hub was published? I am afraid that its URL will remain the same?
I should have read this before I posted my first-ever hub. But now that I have, I'm thinking of dozens of topics I could write about. You got me going in the right direction. Thanks Paul. BTW, could you give me your opinion on my first-ever hub: Magnificent Chicago? I would greatly appreciate it.
@ReuVera - I think it's fine to change a title, especially if you are trying to improve it.
@Ladilin - I took a look at your Hub on Magnificent Chicago. My intention is to help, so my apologies if it's over critical.
Chicago is a big topic and it's unlikely that anyone will find this Hub or think the information is useful. Frankly, there are just much better sources of information on Chicago.
What I'd recommend is focusing on a much more narrow topic and go into great detail about it. For example, Create a Hub on Chicago's Best Steakhouses - Cover the details of how they prepare their meats, the history of the restaurant, how to get reservations on each one. Make it the authoritative piece with all the details. This will make for a useful hub and get traffic for extended periods of time.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for creating this hub for those that need your valuable information. Here my how to and thank in advance for the read.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Lovingyourself
That makes a lot of sense. I think I'm going to reword all my titles with How To now!
Paul, Very interesting article. People are always looking for advice, and that's why these type of hubs generate more traffic. Another reason is that a large percentage of these topics are "evergreen". This refers to a topic that will generate interest forever, and not just when it's in style or in season. (ex: political blogs)
Here is my hub that uses the How To approach: http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Get-Rid-of-Fleas-Wi
Thanks for the tip,Paul. Always helps to have a leg up when you start something new!
You are a genius, I hope this works for me. I am living way out from town and need the money for gas to find a job. I am so glad that I ran into this hub. Now this is what I call a fabulous hub!!
You are a very ambitious and impressive man, and it is always wonderful to have a reminder of that.
Thank You for building a community that we can all share and make money sharing.
Thank you for the great and simple suggestion! *sigh* I'll keep trying.
Lissie says:
8 months ago
I'm quite proud of this one http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Use-My-Ipod-Nano-in google's liked it from day 1 pretty much - I think because there wasn't much competition for that longtail keyword