One thing you wish you knew when you first joined HP.

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   Cardisaposted 10 years ago

   Many of us met HP by chance. Many of us came here looking for a way to earn and many of us came to express ourselves. For me it was a mixture of both.I wanted to make money with the thing I love to do the best...writing.
   
   However, there are some things I wish I knew back then. What is the one thing or number of things you wish you knew as a newbie?

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      Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That it was in my contract to be banned at least once a month.

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         Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         LOL I had no idea. I wish I knew what a jungle the forums would be

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            Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            You look nice today Cardisa. = off topic
            Are you feeling lonely? = bickering
            You are acting like a total ----. (Ok, I deserved that one.)

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               Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               You look great today as well Beth, thanks for asking. i am feeling a bit bored

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         paradigmsearchposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         

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      paradigmsearchposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I just wished that I'd discovered HubPages first. My discovering eHow first probably ended up costing me a fortune.

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      Genna Eastposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Cardisa;
      
      Good question.  I would have to say that I wish I had known about HP before I wandered in.  :-)

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      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I wish I would have known I'd be writing here for almost two years or, hopefully more.  I would have used a better HubPages name.

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         Heather Saysposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Aw!  Okay so now I have to ask what your name means...

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         Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         lol

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      cheaptrickposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      How to write...still trying to pick that up...at least it isn't automatic anymore...now if I could just get the voices to line up...I could put my helmet back on and write something that...makes sense...for once...

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   erinshelbyposted 10 years ago

   I wish I had known that just being approved for Amazon and eBay isn't enough to benefit from those earnings programs, but that you actually have to insert those capsules yourself into your hubs!
   Believe it or not, I had written several hubs and was approved for both of these earnings programs and had NOT inserted Amazon or eBay capsules... I had assumed that it would magically happen on its own (You don't know what you don't know!)...
   
   The other thing I would tell new folks about is the "groups" function. I would see other hubbers with the sharp-looking "next" and "previous" hub at the bottom and not know how it got there. Newbies, go to the top of your account and make sure you have your hubs sorted into groups so you can increase your traffic.

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   Theater girlposted 10 years ago

   Thanks! I did not know about this one! And I have been here almost two years!
   I wish I knew how to increase traffic and you just helped!

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   FatFreddysCatposted 10 years ago

   I wish I'd known that joining the HP ads program right away would work out better for me than trying to go with Google AdSense alone for over a year. Duh.

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   Theater girlposted 10 years ago

   I organized my page. Thanks again, and thanks for the follow!

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   quildonposted 10 years ago

   I wish I knew about the groups function too. I'll try that. Thanks for letting us know.

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   Suzanne Dayposted 10 years ago

   I wish I would have known that you would need to write at least 30 hubs before the writing came easier and you could relax properly into it and make some money. Instead of spending months playing around with 10 hubs, wondering why they didn't earn!!! Write more - this is essential.

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   rainsanmartinposted 10 years ago

   I wish I had started using the HubPages templates from day one.

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   Cardisaposted 10 years ago

   Good day everyone
   
   I think my biggest regret is not writing informative articles sooner. It took me months to get the real writing going. At fist I posted cooking tips and I should have let those stay but I deleted them because nobody was reading them...had no idea of how traffic worked.
   
   After that I posted poetry but didn't make much money of those.  I think it took me six to eight months to start writing the kind of articles that I now have on my account.

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    amiebutchkoposted 10 years ago

    As a newbie, I wish I knew how much of a commitment of time it was to interact on HP and how tied in my self esteem would get with my scores!  However, the things I've gained, such as this wonderful sense of community, people I really feel like are my new friends, a crazy load of information from exploring hubs, and a sense of accomplishment does outweigh this reality.  In fact, I am probably lucky I did not know what I didn't know....  it may have deterred me from being open to what I consider, a new interest in my life.

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    Millionaire Tipsposted 10 years ago

    I wish I had known about choosing a better user name as well.

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       Suzanne Dayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Same here

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    grand old ladyposted 10 years ago

    I'd wish I known of Hubpages when it was at its peak and lots of people were making big money. But no complaints, I love Hub Pages.

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    jansharesposted 10 years ago

    I wish I knew about the adsense process and that it takes time. I stressed over it ALOT thinking it was an instant thing. It made me neurotic. That was wasted energy for no reason except I didn't know. I feel so bad when I see newbies going through the same thing, posting the same questions about when and how. Is this some type of HP initiation? It's so unnecessary and very stressful.
    
    The other thing I wish I had known about is the addictive/evaluative nature of being a member of HP. It's makes you feel hooked into staying and proving yourself worthy of being here. Before you know it a year has passed and you're still driven by measures of your worth based on your productivity. It's all so inscidious.
    
    Okay. Rant over. Would I have joined if I knew all of this? I don't know. But I have certainly benefited from my time here and would not give any of it back. It's been a learning experience for sure. Thanks for asking, Cardisa.

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    Jeannie Randallposted 10 years ago

    I am brand new to hubpages and really appreciate all these tips!  I discovered you cannot post work here that has been posted elsewhere.  I am a voracious writer and tried posting an article I had on my blog only to have it denied.  I LOVE the hub templates

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       Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome to Hubpages. I hope these wishes will help you not to make the same mistakes we did

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    PoeticPhilosophyposted 10 years ago

    I wish I was aware of how the forums can get heated, ^o).

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    LuisEGonzalezposted 10 years ago

    I wish that I had studied SEO, techniques more before I  ventured in. However I can't help but loving  it!!!!!!!!!

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    Kathleen Cochranposted 10 years ago

    I wish I'd know what a great group of people I was going to meet and how much encouragement was waiting for me if I'd just sit down and write.  It's been a nice surprise just about every day.

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    Theater girlposted 10 years ago

    I know I answered this already, but Kathryn inspired me...if not for this little site and the advice of a friend....my writing would still be in a drawer. So thanks for all you supportive lovely people!

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    IzzyMposted 10 years ago

    I wish I'd known about SEO and the power of the Hubpages platform. I was over the moon the first time I saw one of my hubs on Google, even if it was on page 10 or something.
    The I began to learn about SEO and tweaked a few things and saw hubs shoot to page 1. I wish I'd known when I joined how easy it was to make money if you knew what you were doing. I'd just cottoned on a few months before the Big Crash. At least I got a decent Christmas out of it!

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    Sue Adamsposted 10 years ago

    I wish I had known that before writing a hub you have to do keyword research for the best titles (phrases punters are likely to Google). I've had  to change old titles to make them more searchable with good results but URLs cannot be changed so for some of my older hubs, titles and URLs often don't match. Heyho...  Learn SEO before diving in I'd say.

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    fpherj48posted 10 years ago

    Cardisa....What a great question.  I'm relieved your question is limited to "what we wish we'd have known before.......we joined Hubpages!"   Lord help us all if you had asked this question in terms of: before we decided on a career....before getting married.....before having children.....before buying a home on a mountain.........I mean, really......imagine those responses.  They'd be far too much FUN.  May even get us all banned...FOREVER!
    I'm going to have to say that I wish I'd have known that HP would become an addiction.....that my life would never be the same again.....that my real life would be pretty much put on hold and my "real life" friends would take 2nd place to my hub buddies.....and my Grandchildren would keep asking, "Grandma, don't you love us anymore?"   My nice, neatly organized home & office would ultimately fall apart around me, as I laugh and step over all obstacles to get to my computer.
    I wish I'd have known that making a dollar a day makes me happy and all those years I busted my butt to actually make enough money to pay my bills, was wasted!.......
    Yeah.....I wish I'd have known a lot of things, but I didn't and it's too late now.  I've tried to stop....just walk away.....put HP behind me and forget I was ever involved. 
    Alas, I am weak....a coward.....just a sniveling, spineless writer/reader, infatuated with hundreds of strangers from all over the world, whose words make me laugh, cry, wonder, learn and want for more. 
    To think I made it for 60+ years just fine.......but now have been hijacked and hooked, never to be free of HP. 
    Oh how I wish I'd have known............................................

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       Cardisaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Oh jeez, you've been spying on me!

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    peoplepower73posted 10 years ago

    How much work it would be to earn $50.00 per year for two years.  Although I enjoyed writing the 49 hubs, I thought they would glean more Yankee Dollars! Maybe if I wrote one more to make it 50, the money would start pouring in...I doubt it!

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    Marcy Goodfleischposted 10 years ago

    I wish I'd known about Panda and the exact effect it had on this site. I wish I'd known about SEO.
    
    What I never expected was to learn this would be a community of people I now consider friends. What a nice surprise!

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    Barbara Kayposted 10 years ago

    I wish I had known about Hubpages before I did. Learning keyword research would have helped too in the first year or so. I've deleted about 40 hubs that just didn't get traffic, because I wrote about subjects that just didn't make it.

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    elayne001posted 10 years ago

    When I started with Hubpages, I would post in the forums and was surprised when I got personally attacked for my believes. I would become emotional and did not react very well. The forums upset me and I learned to steer clear of them, especially those whose intention was to provoke and stir up trouble. Some people!!

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       fpherj48posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Sounds like how a lot of us feel....but it's a good lesson to learn.   However, most people don't have to join in the HP forums to get "attacked" for their beliefs.   That happens everywhere there is a diverse group of individuals with huge differences of opinion.
       
       Some are able to discuss maturely and with respect....others, not so much.   It's a chance one takes for offering an opinion.  Taking it personally is senseless.  Do not take attacks personally......you don't know these jerks and they don't know you.  Turn it around on them.  Rather than allow them to upset you......ignore them, laugh at them and realize you are a better human being than they are.  And know this:  There are actually "trolls" who have joined here, for the sole purpose of annoying, insulting and causing chaos.  Can you even imagine the pitiful, pathetic life these idiots have?   They're bottom feeders.  Have no use for them.     Peace, Paula

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    Mary McShaneposted 10 years ago

    I wish I knew was how long it took to get to $50, or about how long. I read about some people who are here 3 years or more and haven't met the $50 payout yet. So that was discouraging.
    
    I wish I had joined HP sooner and maybe I'd be on my 5th payout by now. lol
    
    I wish I had been here when the contests were at their height, it must have been great here for those. I would have liked to try submitting to them.
    
    I wish I had known that the Amazon hub tool was not as profitable on HP as it is on my blogs.  I put so much belief into it being as profitable on hubs as it is on blogs. I haven't made a dime on hubs with Amazon, but am doing ok on blogs.
    
    I wish I was here when the tags were being used on hubs, I got here after that function was taken away. I learned about it in a forum. I use tags on my blogs and find it very useful to bring traffic.  It is sometimes hard to work keywords into post headings and titles without being accused of keyword stuffing. If the tags were still there, I think it might be easier, but I don't know. I don't have a problem with doing keyword searches, I do it already for my blogs, but trying to word a title to 'grab' and still get a keyword in there is sometimes difficult.
    Good question!

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    naturopharmacyposted 10 years ago

    I'm a newbie too... For me, hubpages is a place for sharing useful information while earning money as our "salary". CMIIW :-)

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    Kiss andTalesposted 10 years ago

    How to write on Hp ! How to post,, how to comment,  and how to be silent ! But I did learn all people will never agree, and a few will. And that is ok, because I feel the same.

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