Getting Started...Questions About Initial Thresholds

1. 52

   jeffnewburghposted 10 years ago

   Hi guys,
   
   I've been looking through the lists of available FAQs and although they're helpful...it can be a bit overwhelming to sift through them all to find the answers to questions I have at the beginning. I only have a couple:
   
   So I have posted a new hub (my only one so far) and although it's tagged as "featured" with a score of 66 (still trying to figure that out). Do I need to hit a threshold of ~5 hubs in order for my account not to be stuck in a pending/limbo? Seems as though the only views on my hub were probably my own. Is this simply a matter of not having amassed enough hubs yet?
   
   Secondly, I do have an affiliate code for the HubPages Ad Program, but it's not active. Does this also have to do with an original threshold requirement or is there something else I need to do for it to become active?
   
   Is the idea here that the more you write, the more followers you'll have and the easier it can become to increase earnings? I love to write and explore different topics, both those I'm passionate about and even those I don't know as much about as well.
   
   Do most of you find that this can be a good source of supplemental income? Just wondering if the quality of hubs isn't always directly correlated with more/higher earnings. Thanks and I apologize if these questions are dumb. Still very new...

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Snakesmumposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Until you have five featured hubs, you are in "Boot Camp" and your hubs will be
      checked before they are published.
      I'm a newbie here too, but welcome to Hubpages.

      replyreport
   2. 67

      relacheposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      No. Followers are other HubPages users, they don't earn you money.  It can occasionally get you a t-shirt or a coffee mug.
      
      For money, you want readers to find you in the search engines.

      replyreport
2. 79

   Barbara Kayposted 10 years ago

   Most writers here will tell you that you need a number of hubs to get ranked well on Google. Just be patient. The more hubs you write the more people will follow you and the more Google will like you.
   
   Earnings depend on what you write. It took me awhile before I discovered what niches worked. If you write about subjects with keywords that are highly competitive, you won't earn money.
   
   Try sharing your hub on social sites like Pinterest, Stumble Upon, Facebook etc. You will get you some traffic that way.
   
   Many writers here earn a good income, but they have been here for several years and worked hard. That is what it takes.
   
   I think you need to have 10 hubs to get you out of boot camp. I may be wrong and the 5 is the correct answer, but I thought 10. Then you'll be able to use the onsite Amazon.

   replyreport
3. 91

   Kathleen Odenthalposted 10 years ago

   All of your questions can be answered easily if you look through the FAQ section provided by HP.

   replyreport
   1. 61

      PaganCallingposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      that's right, I'm new here too and have the exact same question, but FAQ answered all of mine

      replyreport
4. 74

   chef-de-jourposted 10 years ago

   OK, thank you. Other kind hubbers have given you some good factual information so I won't double up on that.
   
   I too recall feeling very lost and confused when I was just starting out on HP! It was panic, panic panic but eventually I managed to get all the information I needed and gradually, step by step, set up all that was necessary to start earning money.
   
   I earned 2 cents in the first week or so but didn't let that put me off. I made mistakes, everyone does, but that didn't put me off either. I wrote simple hubs to begin with, up to a 1000 words, on all the topics that interested me. I earned a bit more, not a lot,a pittance, but that didn't hold me back.
   
   So, I think the message is clear - if you can write quality hubs on any subject, and get them indexed by Google and others, and spread your message to social sites, you will eventually start to earn some money.

   replyreport
   1. 86

      Suzanne Dayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I've heard from a lot of people that if you write 100 hubs of 1000 words each (or more), then you can expect a massive boost in traffic past the 100 hub mark. Many of my other friends on different websites also say this is true, including an Etsy friend. So the key is to write more and to write well!

      replyreport
5. 52

   jeffnewburghposted 10 years ago

   Thank you all for the helpful comments! I'm sure it'll take some time obviously, but I'll get the hang of it. I've always loved to write so, why not share with people and maybe earn some extra money while doing it. Never hurts.

   replyreport