What denotes as spam?

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   favoredposted 8 years ago

   I received an email that one of my update articles has items that may be spam. I have no idea what it could be, because everything is about the product.  We are permitted an outside link ie my blog, but other than that I can't figure out why it isn't being featured.
   
   Could someone tell me what it could be.  It has been featured until I updated it again after the initial transfer update.  Thanks
   
   http://favored.hubpages.com/hub/craft-s … ners-67535

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Since I posted this 12 minutes ago now I have 5 being emails with the same message. All articles that I updated.  Guess I should have left them alone.

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         Susana Sposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I'm pretty sure it's all the links to your FB, Twitter, blog etc.
         
         All links have to be directly related to the page content.

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      peachpurpleposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      you are allowed to use external link of the same site once, i tried link 2 articles from the same site but was called spam

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         Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         No, you are allowed two links to the same domain.   If you are using HTML links then take a look at them, you may find there is more than one URL built into each one.  Or maybe you have linked to the same site in a photo capsule.

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            favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Marisa, I took out the links and they are still being flagged telling me to dust them off.  Any more dusting and they'll be invisible.  I guess product articles aren't "favored" here.  Would you look at it again and let me know what is wrong? (Craft Storage Containers with Handles)

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               relacheposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Any product promotion Hub is now "spammy" according to the latest newsletter. (Read just this AM)  You can not write a Hub just intended to sell containers anymore.

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                  favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Didn't see the notice.  Now it all makes sense.  Product reviews aren't acceptable anymore.  Got it.  Thanks relache.

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Actually it doesn't say that.  A good product review where you can offer advice based on personal experience is still OK.   
                     
                     This is where your problem is, as per my previous post.
                     
                     You've still got two Amazon capsules, one directly after the other.   Amazon capsules must be separated by text.  Amazon capsules too close together will trigger the filter, even if there's nothing else wrong with the Hub.
                     
                     You've also got a link to your profile halfway down the Hub.  That's an unrelated link and not allowed.
                     
                     You also have a self-promotional invitation to follow you at the end - just because you've removed the link doesn't make it OK.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               You've still got two Amazon capsules, one directly after the other.   Amazon capsules must be separated by text. 
               
               You've also got a link to your profile halfway down the Hub.  That's an unrelated link and not allowed.
               
               You also have a self-promotional invitation to follow you at the end - just because you've removed the link doesn't make it OK.

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                  favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I thought we were allowed 2 Amazon links between text.  Thanks for taking a look. I appreciate it.  This really helps in my decisions and future articles.

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     I don't know where that advice came from, you're the second person to say it was given out!  However I've noticed it's been causing problems for lots of people since the new filter came in.

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      Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Here is a related FAQ entry.
      http://hubpages.com/faq/#Spammy-Elements

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         favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Appreciate it Matthew. Didn't see the notice.  Product reviews aren't for this site. Will make appropriate changes in coming months.

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            Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            The issue isn't with all product reviews, but primarily with content that is a disingenuous review, is really a thinly-veiled ad, or lacks any real information beyond what a reader could find in a description on a product page on a site like Amazon.
            
            The main thing is that a Hub shouldn't primarily or solely promote product sales and should stand by itself if all the products were removed.
            
            So an example of a good product review would be one where the author actually owned and used all of the products they discussed and talks about real merits and problems with all products.
            
            Here are some things that are very helpful in a product review.
            
            First-hand experience with the product
            Original product photos
            Pros and cons of the product.
            How does it compare to other products?
            Would you buy it again?

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               favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Appreciate your help Matthew. The products I write about I've purchased or been given. Some I've even returned.  I try to take photos and list why I purchased the item, but haven't compared all of them to others.  The purses, tote bags, personal items, Morning Star vs. Boca products, etc. I have.  Have to do some revamping to make sure they all cover the bases.  It's hard when the reason we were requested to write them was to put them out there as product reviews.  So we did that and wrote about things we actually have in our homes (at least I did).
               
               I'm sure this is really helping lots of people.  Just have to keep at it in the meantime.

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                  Writer Foxposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't know if this helps, but here is a product Hub written by a staff member:
                  http://robin.hubpages.com/hub/Education … r_Toddlers

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                     favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Appreciate the example Writer Fox.  They have several products but not in the first module.

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        That is important - never have products in the first module.

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                           favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                           When we wrote these product reviews the format was already set and the product was in the top right corner.  You had no say over the format but the content was to be your own.  Each place has their own style so it's just a matter of learning what to do and when.  With the grace period officially over I imagine there will be much more traffic to the forums.  Glad to have had this interaction.  It won't keep me from being even more busy, but at least I know why now

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                              Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                              Yes, I had noticed that on ex-lenses and thought it was probably a standard thing.

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   Corrinna-Johnsonposted 8 years ago

   It is probably the links to your social media accounts at the end of your article which I think is considered overly promotional. Our social media links are displayed in your profile

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      That's what I thought, but when I asked I was told I could have those links as long as it wasn't two to the same place.  So is this not true?

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         Barbara Kayposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         They must all be about the same subject as your hub. I've never seen anyone else link to their social media sites on a hub, so that has to be it.

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            favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Barbara some of the hubs have been updated 3 times and one is even new. All went through.  What's changed?  Not everyone visits a profile page so I've always had those listed and HQ never said they weren't permitted.  A bit confused about what is and isn't permitted after updates.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               They are definitely NOT permitted.
               
               ALL links in a Hub must be related to the subject, no exceptions. Several other people have had their Hubs unpublished for linking to their Profile.  I have no idea how you came to be told it was OK. 
               
               Bear in mind that the QAP team are hired through Mechanical Turk to score Hubs - they may not be up on every rule.   So sometimes Hubs can be approved multiple times before a HubPages moderator notices a problem.
               
               If you are going to link to your blog, it must be to a post that's directly related to the subject of your Hub - not the front page.
               
               By the way, I'd say that first Amazon ad is a problem too.   You are recommended not to open your Hub with an Amazon ad.  While  you've right-floated it, on mobiles it would become a full-width ad at the top of your Hub, which is regarded as an indication of spam.

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                  favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I didn't open with the ad. I have no idea how they get there.  Most of the ads I don't even like, so how are you to know what will appear?  Where is the setting for moving the ads?
                  
                  Thanks about the redirection of the blog.  Didn't know that.  It was just the general link.

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     I'm talking about the Amazon ad you've put in the first paragraph.  No one else can place Amazon ads in your Hub but you.

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                        favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        It's the way it was placed from our old Squidoo accounts. We didn't put them there, but it was designed that way by them.  Didn't know Amazon was considered an ad though. It was a product review article.

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                           Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                           Sorry, I confused you!   I should have said "Amazon capsule" because that what it's called here - on any other website it would be called an affiliate ad, that's why I was careless.  And the rule is that you cannot start a Hub with an Amazon capsule.

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                              favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                              Going through and moving them as I go.  Thanks for the heads up.  Also deleting links.

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   GiftsByDianaposted 8 years ago

   Glad you asked this. 
   I don't list my social media links, but was thinking about trying it here and there - now I sure wont.

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Lots to edit, again

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   Lorelei Cohenposted 8 years ago

   Since the latest Google Panda update this past couple month ago links are now being very closely examined by the big search engine. Links must be relevant to the topic and lead to quality webpages. Social media links are generally not all that relevant so removing them will probably not detract from your articles.
   
   Good luck with getting your articles refeatured. I am busy refining my articles as well.

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Lorelei.  Sure wish they let us know when I republished them the first time.

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   Virginia Allainposted 8 years ago

   I'm getting the same emails and I don't have links to blogs or social media on mine.
   It's the presence of products on the hub (my guess).

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Could be. Have to rethink our products articles for this site.

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         Dressage Husbandposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         They do not like product articles, but reviews of products you have bought are OK! I have a couple of reviews, and they are amongst my best performing Hubs.
         I do not see the difference really, it is the question of what they believe the reader is looking for. If it is a Hub titled as a review it is OK but if it is just promoting the product it is not.
         I am starting to get the feeling that big business is influencing Google to punish the smaller people who had been out performing them in SEO.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Virginia, the mere presence of ads on your Hubs will not cause this message.  Their are a few things that can cause it. 
      
      - if you have two or more Amazon capsules together.  They need to be separated by a paragraph (this has never been announced as an official rule, but I notice it being penalised all over the place).
      
      - if you have an Amazon capsule in the first paragraph.
      
      - if you have "unrelated links".   HubPages is very strict on this.  All links and products must be directly related -  "tangentially related" is not enough.   For instance, if I look at your potholder Hub, you have an ad for a sewing machine.  Yes, a machine is necessary to make the potholder - but it's unlikely someone will go off to buy a sewing machine just because they need a potholder, so that means it's not closely related enough.  The same applies to your links at the end of the Hub - although you've found a link in the word "kitchen", the relationship is a bit tenuous.

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         Virginia Allainposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks, Marisa Wright, for your well-considered input. I appreciate how specific your tips are and will try them out.

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            Virginia Allainposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Actually, the potholder hub is featured, so apparently they didn't ding me for the sewing machine or the kitchen links.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               They may not have dinged you YET, but that doesn't mean they won't, so it's worth bearing in mind.   
               
               The QAP work is outsourced and the assessors aren't necessarily up to speed with all the rules.   The trouble starts if a moderator (HubPages staffer) looks at your Hub.   It's not unusual for people to have a Hub published for months before that happens.

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   aesta1posted 8 years ago

   I am really sorry this happened. I do hope, Favored and Virginia, you'll find the reason why and share with us. It makes us a bit wary of editing some of our hubs. Right now, I only edit the ones at the middle or bottom of my list for fear that if I do something, it might trigger some of these unwanted messages.

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I wish I would have let them sit as well.  Will take into consideration what you are doing.  Seems best.

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   Sue Adamsposted 8 years ago

   Hi favored,
   
   You may find the answer here:
   
   http://hubpages.com/faq/#Spammy-Elements
   
   Pay particular attention to what the rules say about products:
   
   "If the products were removed from the Hub, the remaining content would not likely satisfy the reader."
   
   Now that the grace period is up, we may expect many more product-hubs to be scrutinized.

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      favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I just removed all the links for now and will figure out what to do next.  Fixed the photos, etc. before so there shouldn't be an issue.  So I thought.  Even with the changes I'm still getting them flagged.

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   DaphneDLposted 8 years ago

   I had the spam issue with Pinterest, because the site from which I was posting had posts by other people which qualified as spam, even though my posts did not. One of your links may have been connecting to something which set off the spam detector.

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   Sherry Hewinsposted 8 years ago

   You might want to read this post: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/127831
   There are some new guidelines on what is considered spammy, they are trying again to clean up the site. When you edit a post, you bring it up for review again.

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    Rui Carreiraposted 8 years ago

    HubPages is really getting strict on their spam policies, but this is good on the long run since it will increase the value of all the articles published that pass their spam tests.

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       favoredposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       One can hope so and that all this is worth it.

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