Newcomers: It's not bad for everyone here on Hubpages!

1. 67

   a beautiful messposted 9 years ago

   I log on every day, and it seems that I always find negative things popping up in the forums. I am sorry that so many people are struggling on HubPages. From SEO issues to having popular hubs unfeatured for a multitude of reasons, it seems very discouraging for any newcomers.
   
   When I first got here a little over a year ago, there was so much encouragement and positivity going around. Now, it seems to be filled with negativity and bad news - not that it's necessarily the fault of the hubbers. It seems like there's a lot of bad luck going around.
   
   I'm hoping to provide a little bit of positivity and light for new (and even old) HubPages members. I started writing last December, and had about 20-30 hubs and AdSense by March. Now, I don't make much through AdSense. In fact, I've never gotten a payout. But the HubPages ad program and Amazon have been good to me - and I'm making a good amount of money to pay rent from that.
   
   Although some have been talking about less traffic to hubs, mine has been steady. My most popular hub has 150,000 views, the majority of which have come through Google. When I first started here, I was writing 2-3 hubs per week. Now, it's dwindled to 2-3 a month.
   
   I share my hubs on Facebook and Pinterest, which has proven to be a great source of traffic for me. I try to write on topics I find myself looking up - things that I know many girls my age are looking up: fashion, beauty, and DIY topics. I find that a lot of people want to learn HOW to do something, so they consult the internet. If you write on how to do things, you may find more traffic coming to your pages.
   
   Work hard, write often, and keep your heads up. You can succeed on HubPages. If you're a hubber with some good news, post it below! Pat yourself on the back! Hopefully it can provide some inspiration for the others on here.

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Christy Kirwanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for sharing your story, abm! It's great to hear about new Hubbers becoming successful, and yes, it certainly is still possible.

      replyreport
      1. 70

         Mick Beetposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Im trying hard..

         replyreport
   2. 96

      Glimmer Twin Fanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Well said and timely too!

      replyreport
   3. 94

      MarleneBposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Normally, I don't visit forums because they tend to be so negative. I stay away from negativity as much as I possibly can, so it was a joy to read your post.
      
      I am happy here at HubPages. This is a company that is extremely transparent. I value that more than anything. I take personal responsibility for my own success. The more effort I put into writing and promoting my hubs, the better the results.
      
      Thank you for generating a positive forum. It is a very nice change of pace.

      replyreport
      1. 43

         bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Amen to that.

         replyreport
      2. 70

         Mick Beetposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         trying here also....

         replyreport
   4. 92

      Thelma Albertsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Well done! I like this positive inspiring forum thread. It seems that I have read a lot of negative forums these past few days.

      replyreport
   5. 69

      DawnMSamoraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Beautiful,
      Thank you for your encouragement. I have only been on HP for a couple of weeks. I have a lot to talk about, but haven't written anything yet....Maybe I have the first hub jitters ha ha
      I really like your positive attitude. I will come back and read when I feel discouraged.
      Thank you a lot--
      DawnM

      replyreport
   6. 83

      NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I really can't complain either. With time and work, money and traffic start to come in. You're right, you have to be smart about topics. Also, titles to articles are very important. You have to title your articles in a way that reflects what people are typing into the search engine. And, yes, learn some SEO and keyword research. At this point, I don't know of a better way to get traffic other than doing keyword research for those search-friendly titles. It does work. Though on this account it did take me a couple years to start really earning, on another account, which I started after I learned a little SEO, I reached payout within months and continue to earn a good amount from it. That was with only 30 hubs, only 20 when I first reached payout. I've started another account that's well on it's way to doing even better; one day it got about 3000 views from organic traffic; only with ten Hubs. It subsided to around 300 a day and now around a hundred. Still, it's only a few months old and only has ten hubs. Age will increase those numbers, I'm confident.
      
      HP is a great site. It's user friendly, still gets good traffic, articles rank well in the SERPs, you can learn a lot from the community and admin is smart. If you are writing here and apply intelligent technique for getting traffic, your efforts will pay off.
      
      You're right about the negativity too. A real surge of it lately. But that has no effect on a person who is determined.
      
      Finally, I suggest to anyone here to study how to start your own site and what works in terms of making money from it. You do want to diversify and do something that gives you independence in this endeavor.
      
      Pax.

      replyreport
      1. 83

         NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Also: Experiment, experiment, experiment.

         replyreport
   7. 60

      Ben Aidooposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The negativity around us is unavoidable, at least not for now. There was a time when all the good writers had to do was make average effort to make good money on HP. That's how good they were. Then Google found out some folks were abusing the system, and sent out the Panda and Penguin bulldogs to clean things up. Now these same good writers are making twice the effort and getting half the traffic they had before. This can get your head spinning, looking for something or someone to blame. The other day I was reading a thread in the forum, people were blaming those who were not born with English as their first language for the fall in traffic on HP. I started scratching my head and wondering what one has to do with the other, when a poorly written hub would not be featured anyway. Glad to read something positive after all the negativity we've had to live with this long.

      replyreport
      1. 96

         wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         CPM plays a part as well.  In past years, I've seen days with $20+ CPM figures, and $10 was common.  No more; now half of that $10 is more like what we see.
         
         But that doesn't mean we can't earn some spending money here.  We most definitely can, we are just unlikely to earn a living wage writing on HP (or anywhere else, for that matter).  Treated as a full time job (probably with lots of OT) it's still possible, but not as a residual income sort of thing.

         replyreport
      2. 93

         Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         It wasn't that way at all. There have always been many very good writers who struggled to make much money here. That's because they couldn't get their heads around how to write for the web.

         replyreport
   8. 59

      Nastya Bronnikovaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Another newcomer here would like to thank you for the encouragement! I don't know what measure of success I'll achieve, but the community here seems really welcoming and ready to share tips and inside information, so at the very least I likely won't regret coming here to give it a try.

      replyreport
   9. 61

      MonkeyShine75posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Join us on the other forums
      http://hubpages.com/forum/topical

      replyreport
   10. 59

       theCozyColordanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I love the inspiration! I just got everything set up and am excited to get my thoughts and words out to the world!

       replyreport
   11. 60

       Simon Woodardposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Great post, thanks for your encouragement!

       replyreport
2. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 9 years ago

   I'll add to the op... There are lots and lots and lots of people here who make payout each and every month.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      sallybeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      A great place to begin writing.  I agree completely, it you write about things which people are looking for,  or solve a problem,  views will increase and so too will the earnings.   Write about things you either love doing or are an expert  then you won't need to look back.

      replyreport
3. 91

   EricDockettposted 9 years ago

   I really hope this thread grows as long as some of the negative posts around here.
   
   There are some problems lately, and a lot of bad vibes,  It isn't easy. There are more ways to fail and fewer shortcuts than ever before. But HubPages remains a powerful site, and I believe anyone who is willing to put in the work can have success here.
   
   Putting in the work is the key part. That means reading the Learning Center, then reading it again when you are done. Going off-site and reading sites like Moz and Copyblogger. Taking the time to learn and keep up with basic SEO. Brushing up on your grammar and style, if need be.
   
   Confused? Overwhelmed? The thing you are staring at right now is the most powerful device ever created by humans. Any question you have about online writing has been answered many times over on countless blogs and website.
   
   You don't have to rely on someone in these forums to help you or tell you what to do. Do the research yourself and take control of your own dang destiny. The same advice that goes toward building a good webpage anywhere else applies here as well.
   
   Point is, HubPages is a huge opportunity if you choose to grab it. Nobody starts out good at this. Well, maybe some people. But most of us learn as we go, fail, pick ourselves back up, revise our methods, and keep on trying. That's the path. You can do it too.
   
   If you just want to write and have some fun, you can do that as well. In my opinion it is much more fun when you are getting traffic and making money, but not everyone cares about that. Though I don't participate in it much, HubPages still has a great community of positive people, many of whom steer well clear of these forums. If you only want to write and make some like-minded friends, you can probably find a few around here somewhere.
   
   Thanks a beautiful mess for starting this thread. I hope at least a few of the people who are frustrated might decide to keep on trying.

   replyreport
   1. 84

      rebekahELLEposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      +  Yes!
      
      As I like to say, life is 'messy and beautiful'.

      replyreport
   2. 83

      NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      This is the truth, right here. Nailed it.

      replyreport
4. 89

   Millionaire Tipsposted 9 years ago

   I agree that HubPages is a good place to write.  Even if you haven't published anywhere else, you can get started, get practice writing, and if you are good, can even make money here.  The community has been on a negativity trend lately, but they are, for the most part, supportive and caring.   The staff is active and also supportive and caring. The staff continually seeks to improve the site and bring in traffic and revenue.
   
   Some people may call us cheerleaders, but I truly believe it is a good site.
   
   It is not a get-rich quick scheme, and there are people here who do not come here with the purest of intentions.  But there are many more people who want to share their thoughts with the world, and want to actually write.  I do hope that people are encouraged to continue to write high quality articles here.

   replyreport
5. 75

   Valeantposted 9 years ago

   Chunk loved HubPages.

   replyreport
6. 37

   louise-barracoposted 9 years ago

   Thanks for sharing

   replyreport
7. 37

   louise-barracoposted 9 years ago

   I have my blog on Pinterest as a secret board should I switch it to a board everyone can see?

   replyreport
   1. 61

      paradigmsearchposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      As long as you don't care if any of the included pictures end up on the front page of the New York Times, then the answer is yes.

      replyreport
      1. 37

         louise-barracoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Okay thanks if I decide to make it public I'll change some photos

         replyreport
   2. 67

      a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I would say make it public, because it's another source for traffic!

      replyreport
      1. 37

         louise-barracoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Alright I will do that

         replyreport
   3. 70

      Mick Beetposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Im trying hard....

      replyreport
8. 86

   Chriswillman90posted 9 years ago

   A little positivity is nice to see after hearing how negative issues play out on this site. I'm a newbie but I do like the community support; and I'm learning to become a better writer. Clearly this place is not a get rich quick scheme, it's about honing in your craft and learning more each day. I'm in the process of figuring out how to generate more traffic, but I've yet to get an Adsense account so it's not a dire need. Thanks for posting this it's a great way to make new writers on Hubpages feel more comfortable.

   replyreport
9. 76

   colorfuloneposted 9 years ago

   I am glad that you are having good success on HubPages, and that you decided to start a positive thread.
   
   This is strong encouragement.

   replyreport
10. 95

    Kierstin Gunsbergposted 9 years ago

    I love HubPages and thus far, this has been my best year here yet!

    replyreport
11. 95

    jansharesposted 9 years ago

    Thanks for posting positivity and light, a beautiful mess. We need some of that in the community. My good news is that after a little dry spell, I'm writing hubs again. I want to get back to writing at least one per month. Great spirit you have, love it!

    replyreport
    1. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       That's great to hear! Your hubs are always very engaging and insightful.

       replyreport
       1. 95

          jansharesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you.

          replyreport
12. 0

    swilliamsposted 9 years ago

    Thanks for the post B.M.Thank you for posting your positive outlook, It's nice to have some sunshine in the community. Keep up the inspiring work!

    replyreport
13. 96

    wildernessposted 9 years ago

    I don't generally post in such threads, not wanting to draw the attention of thieves, but yes HP is a good place to hone your internet writing skills.  Although I stopped writing hubs for over a year, I've made payout every month since the HP earnings program was instituted.  Along with Janshares, I'd like to begin writing again - HP has paid off handsomely for the time put into it.
    
    Although it seems that the glory days of internet writing are gone, it is still quite possible to make a nice chunk of change here and I fully intend to continue taking advantage of that.

    replyreport
    1. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       So good to hear! Congrats on the success.

       replyreport
14. 96

    aesta1posted 9 years ago

    I just transferred here from Squidoo and the other day I was a bit discouraged with the forum. But then, there are so many other hubbers here who really are more inclusive and ready to help hubbers who are struggling. What impressed me about HP is the presence of a number of professional writers and authors from whom I am learning so much.

    replyreport
    1. 70

       Mick Beetposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Trying hard here too...

       replyreport
15. 76

    LadyFiddlerposted 9 years ago

    Hi beautifulmess I am willing to help out in whatever way I can. If you need help around HP just send me an email @ absonlinework@live.com, be sure to write a subject and put e.g. beautifulmess from HP okay. I will get back to you as soon as I can, we all started off from scratch don't let the negativity get you down. HP is a wonderful place and the best writing site EVER!

    replyreport
    1. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I appreciate it, but I don't need help myself! That was the whole point of the post - I'm doing well here, and was hoping to offer encouragement for others who are new or struggling.

       replyreport
16. 0

    t aaron brownposted 9 years ago

    I don't make any money, but this platform is still interesting to me for writing.  I have also noticed that the "how to" hubs do better, especially cooking, arts and crafts.

    replyreport
17. 64

    tlcsposted 9 years ago

    Nice to hear that you like it on hubpages. Me too. No moaning and groaning in this corner, I write because I enjoy writing and love it because others read my hubs.

    replyreport
    1. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I also love the writing and i am amazed at how the ideas keep coming.  I always groan after publishing the last hub, "Now where will i find ideas for the next one?'  Guess what?  I do.  I find them.  Happy Valentine's Day to all lovers of the written word.

       replyreport
18. 74

    Uzochukwu Mikeposted 9 years ago

    Beautiful, thank you for being positive. I believe in Hubpages and have faith that things will get better one day.
    
    Since I got approval from adsense on December 19, 2013, I have received two payouts from Hubpages(two payouts in one year), and I believe there will be improvement in time to come.

    replyreport
    1. 64

       tlcsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Wow that's good, I would be really happy with that! Your soon know if I get a pay out, every hubber on hubpages, google+ facebook and wordpress will all know!!! Looking forward to the day!

       replyreport
       1. 74

          Uzochukwu Mikeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Tics, I believe you will get a payout some day. keep writing.

          replyreport
19. 93

    Susana Sposted 9 years ago

    After nearly 6 years I still think HP is a great place to publish. I'm just a few weeks off 6 million views, so with an average of a million views a year the passive earnings have been good.
    
    Some people have put it down to luck or having got in early when things were easier, but it's neither of those things. I decided to work hard at it - it's as simple as that.
    
    If you put the effort in to learning to write for the web (as Eric suggested...see Moz and Copyblogger), learn to understand your target audience, and find the people who are doing this successfully to learn from, then there's no reason you can't be successful too.
    
    Treat it like a university course. It will probably take you at least 2 years of full time in-depth learning to get to the point where you have half a clue about what you're doing. Then another 2 to really understand...and that's if you're a quick learner. There really is a lot to take in.

    replyreport
    1. 83

       NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Totally correct about it being an education, learning to write for the Web. Any skill takes years to refine.

       replyreport
       1. 93

          Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          You've always come across as quietly determined. You definitely took the bull by the horns and got on with the work of learning.

          replyreport
    2. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!!

       replyreport
    3. 64

       tlcsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I am from the UK and I have notice that hubbers from the UK tend to write a little differently to hubbers from USA, do you think that the hub team with no UK English members may find my way of writing slightly challenging I wonder!

       replyreport
       1. 93

          Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          No need to worry, they're quite used to our ways lol.

          replyreport
       2. 81

          sallybeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          I am from the UK and tend to use to American spelling although I now have quite a large percentage of visitors from the UK.  I don't think it really matters.
          
          I think they are getting used to our ways:)

          replyreport
          1. 67

             a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             I don't think the spelling is a big deal! It's a only certain words, but I think the vast majority of Americans understand it as a UK spelling, not a misspelling.

             replyreport
    4. 74

       Uzochukwu Mikeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Susan, I like your testimony.  Almost  a million per year.

       replyreport
20. 64

    tlcsposted 9 years ago

    Great reply Susana S, my problem is I right about what interest me not what interest others, perhaps I should try to reverse this. Easier said than done I think!

    replyreport
    1. 93

       Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I think you've got some topics there that will interest others too The only thing is they're in exceptionally competitive areas.
       
       If you really wanted to earn some money you'd need to look for titles with more moderate competition.

       replyreport
       1. 64

          tlcsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Yep you are right Susana, but it has to interest me for me to right about it, otherwise I lose interest and never get to the end of the hub!

          replyreport
       2. 60

          Ben Aidooposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          The standard feedback to a hubber wanting to increase traffic is "choose a keyword that is moderately searched". This means a keyword that few people are searching for. If this is the case, how could I possibly increase my traffic when only few people are searching for the keyword? So I searched for a highly searched keyword, and I got 14 million results. I suggested in the forum that if I wrote about this highly searched keyword from a unique prospective that should bring me traffic regardless that my hub would be one among 14 million other articles competing to make the Google first page. Someone responded that my hub could appear on Google first page no doubt, but "Good Luck". The comment seemed to suggest that my hub could appear on Google first page out of 14 million others only by luck, and that there was no way my hub could appear on Google first page on quality alone. It's just not going to happen with that much competition. Did I get this wrong?

          replyreport
          1. 93

             Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             The advice you've been given is correct. A hubpage cannot usually compete in any meaningful way with high quality, well established, authority (usually niche specific) websites for top level keywords no matter how good your page is. It's just the way Google works nowadays.
             
             Ideally what you want to find are high or at least moderate traffic keyword phrases with weak competition.
             
             I'd like to add more to my reply but I don't have time right now. I'll do my best to come back and write some more tomorrow.

             replyreport
          2. 47

             pateludayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             Google Has its own criteria to rank pages. All you should do is to create good contents, graphics etc. Targeting competitive search terms means you will have to fight it out more.

             replyreport
             1. 93

                Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                How would you suggest fighting it out? Let's say you wanted to rank a hubpage on Google's front page for "stop smoking"...what steps would you take?

                replyreport
          3. 0

             calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             According to this post and your previous posts on the same topic, it seems you have a lot of trouble believing there is any middle ground between extremes.  Nobody has any ulterior motives of  trying to hold you back from success. Far from it, everyone who's replied to you hopes you are able to create good content that gets traffic, since that is good for the site as a whole and therefore good for everyone.
             
             But if you want to insist everyone is wrong with no counter-proof of your own, then "Good luck."

             replyreport
             1. 60

                Ben Aidooposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                You are looking at the issue as though it's the "middle ground" or nothing at all. As you may have read, Pateluday agrees with me that it's doable to target a competitive keyword and succeed at it, but I would have to fight it out. Certainly, I'm not all alone believing as I do.

                replyreport
                1. 93

                   Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                   Test it out...
                   
                   Or do some research. Get a list of high traffic competitive keywords together (maybe based on existing featured pages in the finance, health and tech categories) and see how often a hubpage turns up on page 1 of the search results.

                   replyreport
                2. 83

                   NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                   I think you're right to question whether we should not go for competitive keywords. I know I've done well with some keywords and there are dozens of millions of results for them in the search engine. Also, not all sites that some people think are more reputable are impossible to beat. Why it is sometimes possible to get higher in the SERPs even with formidable competition, I'm not sure. There might be more to the Google algorithms than we think.
                   
                   Only thing is, your chances are better when the competition isn't huge, either in numbers or in who they are.

                   replyreport
                   1. 93

                      Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                      Personally I don't use the figure google gives as the number of pages containing a phrase as a good indication of actual competition.

                      replyreport
                      1. 83

                         NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                         That makes sense, I hadn't thought about that, and I think I know what you're saying.

                         replyreport
                         1. 90

                            Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                            One thing I've noticed is that Google seems to really like pages with lots of synonyms strategically worked into the text. These pages do well against all sorts of competition, no matter how cheesy they look. Maybe the algorithm is looking for new information on a topic, combined with extra synonyms on the page?

                            replyreport
                            1. 83

                               NateB11posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                               I only just now spotted this reply. That's very interesting and definitely worth studying and applying. I think it's what they call latent semantic indexing.

                               replyreport
                               1. 90

                                  Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                  It does seem to work. I've noticed that top competition pages in Google for the keywords I'm after, if they don't have any high authority backlinks, it's the synonyms floating them to the top....which explains why lengthy hubs do well, because you'd naturally use more synonyms....as long as you get out of "keyword writing" and write naturally. I believe Writer Fox is a great specialist in this method and a few other people make good use of it too. I write lengthy hubs, so end up with extra synonyms naturally added too.

                                  replyreport
21. 47

    pateludayposted 9 years ago

    It is Great on hub pages for many people for a lot is hard work and many miles to go. Both Seo and Earning money.

    replyreport
22. 91

    Elderberry Artsposted 9 years ago

    It took me a year to really start seeing results but sticking with it has been worth it. I tend to go through phases of writing loads of hubs and then not so many as I may be focusing on other areas of my work.

    replyreport
23. 77

    psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

    I think it would be fair to say I put in that effort.  But it is also accurate to say that I used to earn 4x the money with half the content.  There is a difference between negative tone and simple not-so-great realities that no amount of positivity will erase.

    replyreport
24. 74

    Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years ago

    It seems like, no matter when we joined HP, we all get the message we've just missed the Golden Days of HubPages.  Thee and a half years ago, I felt the same way.  Then I went on to write and make friends and get encouragement.  Nothing is perfect, but I see a direct correlation between realistic goals and satisfaction among the mostly contented hubbers.  We don't have to be Pollyannas all the time, and calling out problems is sometimes necessary for the site to continue to attract new hubbers and keep the old timers.  But overall, HP is like anything else in life.  You get back what you put in and things don't always go your way.
    
    I looked through your hubs and you've carved out a nice niche for yourself.  Continued good luck!

    replyreport
25. 93

    Dolores Monetposted 9 years ago

    It seems as if people like to complain more than praise. When my traffic dropped, it was easy to blame HP, easy to blame Google, easy to blame anyone other than myself. But due to personal reasons (as well as being a big complaining baby) I produce less than in the past. I used to write more hubs. Is the loss in traffic a coincidence? Hmmm....

    replyreport
    1. 77

       psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       The role that Google played on a site wide traffic drop  was absolutely clear and openly discussed by Hubpages staff as being the reason for many recent policy changes.  So I don't think it is reasonable to suggest that was not a real and significant trend that effected almost all hubbers.
       
       Being positive is fine, but not to the point of being blind to real trends that should be used by people to decide how, and where, to direct their writing efforts.  Especially those of us who depend on the income and need to optimize it.

       replyreport
       1. 60

          Ben Aidooposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          It may well be that internet visitors are no longer searching in large numbers for the low competition keywords that brought high traffic to HP in the past, and the recent drop in traffic is reflecting that change. Or it may be that the low competition keywords have become highly competitive, which has brought in a larger pool of good writers from whom Google now draw its search results. Whatever it may be, one thing is certain. Change has come to HP, and it is "high competition for traffic". I agree with you psycheskinner. Recognizing that this change exists, and using it as a guide for how hubbers direct their writing efforts is right on target.

          replyreport
          1. 77

             psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             It is not a change in volume though, it is a change in how Google ranks Hubpages with roughly the same overall volume.  This is an establish fact with a supporting data Hubstaff have discussed and blogged about.  This is why the rules here changed and the way we write hubs to make the best of the remaining earning opportunities also had to change.
             
             Being aware of the up and down sides of what is happening here is what makes writers more efficient.  Too much pessimism and too much optimism both damage the ability to show optimal behavior.

             replyreport
             1. 87

                Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                +1

                replyreport
       2. 80

          Marcy Goodfleischposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          I agree, Psycheskinner - this is a business site, in addition to the wonderful and supportive community. You are right that trends need to be analyzed and our efforts adjusted to optimize navigating through them.
          
          This goes for the site as well as those who publish here, and I am glad site admins and managers analyze things and make changes. I can't imagine the challenge they have to track Google's latest tweaks, interpret what they mean for this site, figure out what to do, and (in many cases) adjust or create systems within the platform to adapt to the changes.

          replyreport
26. 70

    Mick Beetposted 9 years ago

    Thanks ..from mickbeet....check it out

    replyreport
27. 93

    Dolores Monetposted 9 years ago

    Of course there were significant changes, but I thought we were going to be positive here. My problem with the whole thing is that I have trouble understanding the difference between what G says they want and what I see popping up on the first page of a search: short paragraphs surrounded by tons of ads, sites that require you to click through ten pages to get all the information offered, and sites that are totally commercial. I also wonder how much the use of small hand held devices affect how people look up info. The short sites seem to work best for that venue and the ADD kind of thinking that permeates society today.
    
    Personally, I prefer to read a longer article, like the kinds that appear on HP, sites with a bit more information that I generally find on page one of a search. As this apparent conundrum has me confused (and for other reasons) I produce less.

    replyreport
    1. 80

       Marcy Goodfleischposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Delores - that's a good observation - I have noticed that HP has stopped discouraging 'blog' types of writing.  They now refer to hubs as also being blogs.  I don't know that they've lowered the standards for content, but perhaps the term 'blog' is now so widely used for online content that they've had to brand this site in that manner a bit.

       replyreport
    2. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Sometimes i even think that i missed something because the maze of ads hide the article i want.  Some of them are stubborn.  I cannot close them.  I'm on Hubpages so i understand that we need ads to get paid, but they should not hide what Hubpages is all about: content that will be useful or entertaining to someone somewhere.  As for the length of my hubs, i stop when i don't have anything more to say.  I cannot cheat readers.  They know when writers have run out of steam.

       replyreport
28. 60

    Heidi Vincentposted 9 years ago

    Well said bonda!  For my part, I find the article length requirement ridiculous in many instances for 2 key reasons. 
    
    Firstly, a lengthy article is not always necessary to adequately respond to a query or concern that an internet using is seeking assistance about. Persons want the information they are looking for in as concise a manner as possible.  No one is interested in a diatribe that goes around the bend, up river, through mountain ranges, into dark valleys.....(you get my drift).
    
    Secondly,  Once the information on a hub has been put together concisely, adequately answers all potential areas of query or concern and is appealing to look at, then the article length is redundant.

    replyreport
    1. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       We writers are at a disadvantage.  Readers have a wide choice.  They click away rivers and mountains and click on sea shells and pretty pebbles on the beach.

       replyreport
       1. 60

          Ben Aidooposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Who said we can't have a serious discussion and have fun at the same time? Great metaphors, Heidi and Bonda.

          replyreport
          1. 43

             bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             Thanks Ben Aidoo.  It is all about writing.

             replyreport
    2. 74

       Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I think readers who want just the facts would be better off at Wikipedia.  HP is for writers who have something to add to just the facts.  Hubs are supposed to be original content.  That's hard to do if you only include information that can be found elsewhere.  Where's the creativity?  Where's the skill?

       replyreport
       1. 60

          Heidi Vincentposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Again!  'Creativity' does not have to be synonymous with 'lengthy'.

          replyreport
          1. 70

             Mick Beetposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             On the money.... 

             replyreport
          2. 74

             Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             No, hubs don't have to be "lengthy" but they have to cover the subject.  If it's worth writing about, it needs more than 500 words.  More than 1,500 usually loses my interest.

             replyreport
       2. 90

          Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          The hubs I find most useful to read are those where the author has some sort of personal experience or story or tutorial that they have done themselves. Wikipedia does not offer a personal touch like this.

          replyreport
          1. 96

             SmartAndFunposted 9 years agoin reply to this

             +1

             replyreport
    3. 93

       Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       There are no specifically stated length requirements, just suggestions.

       replyreport
    4. 90

       Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       All we have to do is wait until Google figures out that "lengthy" might not equal engagement. Then they'll relax about the word length to some degree. I expect this to happen over the next few years, as soon as they decide upon a new benchmark for quality. No one knows what that new benchmark will be yet, we can only guess.

       replyreport
29. 59

    Akira Josephposted 9 years ago

    I only started yesterday however, this is my first time in the forums. Hoping there isn't too much negativity. Personally don't see why it should be there in the first place.
    
    I was introduced to the HubPages via my wife through her brother and thought it was a great idea and will now give my best and see what I can accomplish.

    replyreport
    1. 74

       Kathleen Cochranposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome.  Look forward to your work!

       replyreport
    2. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       It's not all the time, promise!! Just lately there have been a lot of negative posts. I'm happy this post has kicked off and everyone is able to share positives!!

       replyreport
    3. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome Akira.  Your cellphone produces great images.  Use those photos to make your page attractive.  Hubpages has a Learning Center which tells you how to use other people's photos.  It also explains how hubs are published but not featured.

       replyreport
    4. 0

       Susan Mortonposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Hi & Welcome Akira, I am recently new to Hub Pages as well. I am looking forward to making friends and reading some great articles. I will be sure to read a few of yours this week. Have faith in God that all will work out.

       replyreport
       1. 74

          Uzochukwu Mikeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Susan and Akira, you are all welcome. Making it here is all about being patient and contributing through writing of articles.
          
          It sometimes take up to six months to receive good traffic. I am enjoying now but it took me months.

          replyreport
30. 60

    niclfletcherposted 9 years ago

    Thanks for the reassurance. I signed up this week, thinking it would be a great way to get started writing content. I'm hoping to learn the ropes here. I was a little put off after seeing just how many people seem dissatisfied with how the site is working though/search engine issues.
    
    I've posted my first hub today and am really hoping to get involved on the forums too.

    replyreport
    1. 67

       a beautiful messposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Congrats on your first hub!! As a site, I think it's great. Some people are upset but I think it's just because they're not doing it as best as they could.

       replyreport
31. 90

    Suzanne Dayposted 9 years ago

    I have to say that over the years of being on HP, the forums often get filled with doom and gloom stories with people being scared over changes, traffic upturns and downturns and the future of Hubpages.
    
    All I can say is that the proof is in the pudding. Track your earnings month by month and find out how you are progressing - this is the real story and you can make firm decisions based on fact, not emotion.
    
    I must admit I get a bit frightened myself over forum news sometimes. But when I look at my monthlies, I know that it is emotional stuff only and my wayward belief that earning online this way has to be hard. Really, it doesn't have to be hard as long as hubs fit quality standards and you write more and more of them and let them mature, you'll see increasing results. At least, that's what I've been seeing.

    replyreport
32. 98

    PaulGoodman67posted 9 years ago

    The forums often fill up with the dissatisfied.  The people doing well are usually quieter, or even silent.  It's human nature.

    replyreport
    1. 90

       Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Maybe the satisfied ones are doing well because they're not worried about forum sensation stories?

       replyreport
33. 87

    Marisa Wrightposted 9 years ago

    Yes, Suzanne!   This is exactly the reason why long Hubs do well, it gives you the chance to cover a wide variety of terms related to your main keyword.

    replyreport
    1. 90

       Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I must admit there's plenty of proof that synonyms work well.

       replyreport
34. 0

    k-swarupposted 9 years ago

    Thanks for sharing your story! It explains a lot!

    replyreport
35. 73

    PinoyMomposted 9 years ago

    Thank you for sharing  your experience with HubPages.  This is a must-read for every new comer.

    replyreport
36. 49

    Mills Pposted 9 years ago

    I may not get the number of views that I got on Epinions, but it took a while for me to get a following there. I expect the same here.

    replyreport
    1. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       I am of the same opinion.  I just take it one hub at a time.  I will get there eventually.

       replyreport
37. 0

    Susan Mortonposted 9 years ago

    I just want to say Thank You for sharing your story. I have been on here about two weeks and enjoying it so far.

    replyreport
38. 68

    Keisha Hunterposted 9 years ago

    Thanks for sharing. I think I need to go find out some DIY answers and make some hubs then. I hardly log on these days but am hopeful.

    replyreport
39. 56

    Hicks Daysposted 9 years ago

    it's good to rread a positive writing once for a while. Thanks for sharing this

    replyreport
40. 61

    Paul Maplesdenposted 9 years ago

    I joined HP just over two years ago and keep coming back to the site. I have tried writing at other places, but HP still remains the best place to write if you have something to say. Just looking at the SEO side of things, HP has done a great deal to rebuild its authority over the last few years and has managed to survive when others have fallen by the wayside.
    
    The other thing is that HP doesn't thrust rules changes on us because it's trying to annoy us - There are often very good reasons, caused by external factors, for changes to be made. Ultimately, if you have something to say, have the time to build up a body of work, understand a little about SEO and want to make some pocket money, I think HP is hard to beat.

    replyreport
    1. 43

       bondaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Oops! one of my hubs fell from grace.  It was de-featured or un-featured due to low traffic.  I fixed it a bit, dusted it, found great photos, added a 3 minute video and it was featured again.  Maybe i should revisit my old hubs.  Hey! How are you doing?  Need a new twist to your old self?  If i don't give you a new paint job, you will be de-featured.

       replyreport