The hubs that are left behind....

1. 91

   Gcrhoads64posted 7 years ago

   What are my fellow Hubbers doing with hubs that aren't selected for a niche site? Do you plan on leaving them on HubPages or moving them. 
   
   I'm not sure if it would be better to move them to my blog and risk losing page rank or to leave them and see what happens to all those "left behind" hubs.

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      Barbara Kayposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      For right now, I'm waiting to see what happens. If the traffic gets any lower than it already is, I'll move them. Otherwise they'll stay. The ones that still earn I'll also just leave here.

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         paradigmsearchposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         My plan as well.

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      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That IMO is an important for 'new' articles as well. When to move a 'new article' to a blog. Right now I am learning the problems associated with those who have established articles with history with the initial transfers. I have not that history with more than a few. In other words what will be the standards? The blog said to aim for 80. How long for maturity - 6 months or a year, for traffic? You will not be able to submit a new article 'directly' to a niche site. It will be vetted at the Home Site won't it?

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         We don't know yet what the procedure will be once the sites are fully established.
         
         Currently, HubPages are hand-selecting Hubs from the main site to transfer to the niche sites.  That's simply not sustainable in the long term - it would take too much manpower.  There will have to be some other kind of system.

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      Sharlee01posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      None of my articles have made it to niche sites. So, I will have to start thinking about what to do with them. I can't imagine that HP will continue to pay a server to keep  the articles left behind. Unless they are making money to justify keeping HP going. My traffic is all but gone.  I guess it's time to move on ...

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

         My goodness!  They've barely started moving articles over and you're already assuming that none of yours will be chosen?  This is all going to take time, and you would do yourself a favor to wait and see what will happen.  And while you're waiting, do some updating to make sure your articles get chosen!

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            Stacie Lposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I didn't think mine would ever move to a niche site and then...WA LA ! one was moved today!

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               paradigmsearchposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               DenGarden will never be the same...

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      OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I'm leaving all of my "unchosen" hubs on HP because they are getting far more traffic than my hubs that were moved to DenGarden.  None of my hubs that have been moved are getting any traffic at all.  It's sad.  I wish that HP had  not moved them.

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2. 88

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   We won't know what's "left behind" for several months yet, because HubPages has said this is just the first pass.  They'll be coming back and selecting more once they've got the basic sites up and running.
   
   So personally, I'm happy to let my Hubs ride for the next twelve months or so, then I'll review.

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      L.M. Hoslerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Are you planning on adding new hubs for that twelve months?

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I haven't written on HubPages for a long time!  I have my own websites these days.

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            L.M. Hoslerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Ok I was just wondering if would be worth the time to continue. I made one payout and am halfway to the second. Just haven't had time to do much here for awhile. Now I have some time and don't know if it is worth it.

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               makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               The key question anybody should ask is "What do I do that gives me most joy and most value?"
               
               The next question is "How long would I agonise if by some misfortune I lost my purse with just under $50 in it?"
               
               then you have your answer.
               
               I LOVE creating my new sites. Nobody tells me what I can and cannot do. I get offered advice by my platform but I can actually do what I like and try different things and find out for myself what works and what doesn't. Very satisfying!

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                  misterhollywoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  +111111

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   2. 95

      Solarasposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Right now they have taken a second pass at my hubs for Pethelpful, and 5 more have been picked up.  I think it been 6-8 weeks(?) since the site launched.  That may give a time frame for the next pass at hubs left behind.

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   trieuvanmayposted 7 years ago

   good

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4. 71

   relacheposted 7 years ago

   Making these new sites has proven that nearly anyone who moves their content off the HubPages domain is going to see better traffic and earnings.
   
   Like Marisa, I do new writing elsewhere.  It just does so much better that way, all around.

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      L.M. Hoslerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Can you suggest other writing sites?

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         The whole concept of writing sites like HubPages is outdated. There are a few around still but most have closed down. HubPages is one of the few survivors that make any money.

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            Chriswillman90posted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Yes it is and kudos to the Hubpages staff to change with the times. Now I'm just hoping a few of my best hubs get selected for the niche sites.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I think they were asking  you the names of sites where they might be able to move their work if they don't want to keep it here.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, and I answered that question.   There aren't any - not if your objective is to earn income from them.
               
               DailyTwoCents was doing OK for a while, it could be worth trying.  But all the others - sites like Wizzley and Infobarrel - make even less money than HubPages, so what's the point?  Unless you want to join a group site for the community, in which case you could look at CreativeExiles.com - but that's strictly for creative writers only,  no non-fiction allowed, and no income opportunities. 
               
               The only way to make income now is a niche site.  That's why HP is creating them.   There are a few niche sites which run on a rev-share model but good luck tracking them down.  I came across a travel one not long ago, and Long Time Mother runs one with a small group of writers (not sure what her subject is but I'm guessing off-grid living).  Otherwise, you've got to start your own.

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                  misterhollywoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Very true - it's all about the niche. I had to do a comp!ete domain change last year on my WordPress site because I saw the writing on the wall. It was very painful at first but it was worth it.
                  
                  As for sites like HP that have revenue sharing, they are really all gone. And even guest blogging is kind of so so because backlinks don't count like they used to.

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         makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         @L.M. Hosler - alternative sites?
         
         Your own websites or blogs - it's not difficult.

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            L.M. Hoslerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I have tried that but my understanding of websites and blogs is limited. But I have started a new blog and will see how that goes.

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               makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               My understanding of websites and blogs was limited until I had a go.
               
               That's where everybody starts. It's a learning curve - there's no denying it. We start with a blank sheet and learn as we go
               
               However for those who have the content and the gumption it's something worth exploring.

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                  L.M. Hoslerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks for the encouragement. Do you know any good books on the subject of SEO that a beginner might understand?

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Writer Fox has an excellent article here on HP that is free and explains all of it.  Search his name, find his profile, find the article, (which I believe is on his slider), and have a go!

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5. 91

   Gcrhoads64posted 7 years ago

   I think Marisa has a good point. I think I will leave my left behind hubs here to see what happens over the next year. HubPages has been good for me and I'd hate to see it go under.

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6. 83

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 7 years ago

   I've taken years off from even looking at the internet at a time before. Sure my traffic is down, but the content that was truly good is still good, and still getting a lot of traffic.
   
   All that has happened on my account -is the pages where I didn't put enough effort into them, they aren't getting much traffic.
   
   So what I'm saying is the good content, the truly good content, is still doing fine. So even if nothing of mine gets selected to go to a niche site, I'm cool with that, and I've been producing a huge amount of work lately, and some of it is already starting to do well in Google.
   
   The other stuff - stuff which really wasn't ever very professional to begin with, that stuff shouldn't have ranked as high as it did, and I'm removing tons of it and putting it on blogger blogs.
   
   I still think this model of website is a fine idea, and can be profitable for everyone - the matter is only a matter of quality content. I think the publication standards are still way to lax, even though the junk winds up being de-indexed or never indexed at all.

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   1. 88

      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Wes, if that were true, then HubPages would not be bothering to create the niche sites. I don't always agree with what the HP management team does, but with the niche sites they are quite right: they are  acknowledging the reality of the internet now - that niche sites are the way to go. 
      
      Just take a look at how many sites like HubPages are left - very few.  They've all failed, even some of the recently started ones.  It is just very, very hard to make a decent income with a generalist site.
      
      I'm one of those who can't imagine what they could do with the leftover Hubs on the main site that would be worthwhile, but maybe they will surprise us.  And anyway, as they'll be coming back and transferring more and more Hubs over time, there may not be much of any quality left anyway.

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         makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I just think they're in "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" mode at the moment
         
         They know they've got content which is good but they haven't quite worked out what to do with it yet.
         
         I can find no rationale at all for the core site to still be here in two years time. I'd be very surprised if it lasted as long as that. I'm guessing a lot will depend on how well the new niche sites do.

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            misterhollywoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I agree - it's probably going to go away for content. Maybe it will remain as a login portal as a gateway to publishing to the niches. The reality is the core site has been penalized by Google so many times that it's not worth trying to rehab.
            
            Many companies have had to niche it to survive. It's been going on for sometime now. Actually, HP might be a little late to the party.

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7. 95

   Solarasposted 7 years ago

   My hubs that did not transfer to Pethepful, but are pet related, are also experiencing an uptick.  I had links at the end of many articles that were not removed or "snipped," so they are leading people back to my early hubs.
   
   Pageviews with the new site are up 300%; I cannot argue with that.
   
   My concern is that the big earner for me is Amazon.  I don't want to write new hubs in order to have the Amazon links ripped out.  That is where the money is.  Maybe, as Will Apse suggests, I should just sit back and watch for the opportunities to arise.  So be it.
   
   I have not given up on HP - just giving them time to settle in and hit their pace.  Cheers Team HP!

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8. 77

   LuisEGonzalezposted 7 years ago

   The way my traffic has been spiraling down since the introduction of niche sites I think that they will be heading somewhere else rather than staying at HP. The niche sites take the "best articles" from HP so they get the best traffic. What's left on HP is not really going to attract that many visitors so I ask myself why even bother keeping anything here???

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I think that is an individual thing because some of mine are still doing OK, however, they were doing OK before the team took 20 of my articles and moved them.
      
      Also, I am coming into my earning season now, so views would be going up, anyhow.
      
      Having said this, I am feeling that  if the team is not more careful about their choices, they could ruin the good thing they started.
      
      On AxleAddict, for example, they have allowed a three part (with more to come) blog, which, while well written, is supposed to be something they "discourage" people from doing.  I wrote to them about this because seeing it made me feel like they were beginning to undermine the standards of the new site, and they wrote back that they felt the series was OK.  SERIES?  Yes, it's already got 3 separate parts with more to come and eventually will overtake the RV portion of AxleAddict and turn it into something much different than what I had expected.
      
      This is the same type of decision making that tore HP apart, and now they're starting up again. 
      
      Thus, I don't foresee a lot for anybody here in the future.  I was OK with everything until this happened, but I can see that my online writing career, at some future point, will terminate.
      
      Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so.  This is not, nor has it ever been, a blog site.  Very discouraging.

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         Solarasposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I see your issue.  It is not a guide at all, more like a diary than a blog.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Worse yet, and this may sound a bit snotty, but it is being written by someone who has no real experience with this topic.  Being an enthusiast is fine, but you only reach that level after you have been involved for a time and really know what's going on out there.  I've been doing this stuff for more than 50 years and while I realize I don't know everything, I sure know a heck of lot more than most people who RV today because I have been able to see how things have changed, for better or worse, over the years.
            
            I honestly think HP is damaging the RV portion of AxleAddict by allowing this.  The man writes really well and could produce the same level of information in a form other than a blog, and they should insist that he do so.   Instead they're just throwing it in there and making excuses.
            
            Personally, I like most of the team members and feel they have been more than helpful and fair with me over the years, but doing this type of thing to those of us here who really know our stuff is demeaning and discouraging. 
            
            BUT...nothing I can do about it.  I've expressed my views to them, and they have responded, so it's over.
            
            As they say in the old West, I'll ride this old horse until it falls, and once it does, it's over for me.

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               paradigmsearchposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               My philosophy as well.

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               makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               but why not just move your hubs to a site you set up for your interest?
               
               That's what I did and after a year I'm now getting between c.50-100 times more traffic than on HubPages (and Squidoo). However mine is a very solid niche and I was already well known in it. However if you have the content the traffic will follow.

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                  Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  The problem is that some people don't have the necessary skills to run their own website or blog - or simply don't want to deal with having to do their own admin. And while I agree that traffic will come to a good blog, monetizing it is a challenge for some people.
                  
                  I think there is great potential for Hubbers to do what the creative writers have done - band together to create their own collaborative niche sites on their interests.  Long Time Mother has done that - started up a niche blog but with a group of fellow enthusiasts, not just by herself.  That gives them the community they'd miss on a sole-user blog, a range of skills to get the site set up and keep it running, and a committee to vet new members thoroughly before acceptance to keep quality high. 
                  
                  But the point is that the creative writers had no idea how to even get started, and I suspect that if I hadn't volunteered to set up the site for them, they would still be talking about it on their Facebook group instead of actively writing and sharing on their new site as they are now.

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     +1

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                     misterhollywoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     It really can be daunting to start your own blog for sure. I will say that learning how to do it can be worthwhile but wow is there a learning curve.

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               NateB11posted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I remember years ago I read a Hub on martial arts, my topic, that was one of the most horrid things I'd ever seen. The person didn't know what they were talking about, giving "self-defense" advice that would most likely get a person trounced if they tried it; the person had no training, that was clear--at a school or in the street. I thought, "Wow, people think they can take a subject and toss up an article about it like it's legitimate even though they're clueless."
               
               Anyway, in that way I know what you're saying about someone writing on your subject and they don't really know the subject. What I'm wondering though is if this series of Hubs in question would really overtake the new niche site. Whatever Hubs get traffic are successful, I'm not sure the amateur Hubs would necessarily detract from the expert ones. Maybe they will, I don't know. A person would have to ask what Google wants and I think what they want is content that has information people want and that they will read. Seems if the niche site has that, it will be successful.

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                  makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  What works every time is an expert writing with authority on a niche site that is quality controlled. Every time you drop standards on "expert" or "niche" or "quality control" you lose readers and increase the bounce rate.
                  
                  Or maybe it might be more accurate to say you'll lose people who will return to the site.

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                     TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     +1  Exactly my point.

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                     NateB11posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Who determines what is authoritative on the Internet and for what reasons? The general public often considers junk good. There is no way for Google to determine what's authoritative with algorithms. What really gets traffic is something that is significantly popular, to some group of people, on the Internet. That is all. Doesn't even have to make sense, have value or have meaning. No doubt about that at all.

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                        NateB11posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        I'll put it this way: You can write scrolls of authoritative text on subject that is unpopular on the Internet and it will get no traffic and make no money.

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                           TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           We're getting off topic a bit here.  We're not talking mostly about "authority", we're talking about acceptable format according to HP's guidelines.  They have clearly stated that they "discourage" blog type writing, yet the move something to the new site that clearly is a purely personal account of something that will be written in an ongoing series that they have already posted for the first three levels.
                           
                           Don't you think doing something like that is damaging?  If it isn't, why, then, does the team "discourage" that type of writing?

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        This is a good article about what authority actually means:
                        
                        https://www.imforza.com/blog/25-ways-to … authority/
                        
                        It's not quite the same meaning as authority in the real world - in fact what we're really talking about is achieving a type of "authority" which Google's algorithm can actually measure, which means it's fairly limited.   However one of the fundamental elements of authority is having a good-sized website where every post, every link, every ad is talking about the same subject area (they don't all need the same keywords, Google is sophisticated enough to understand relatedness now).   Google's robots can't tell what qualifications you have to write about that topic, unfortunately - so that's when it starts looking at what people think of the content, which is where links and social media come in.  The theory is that if your information is no good, people won't link.
                        
                        But you are right, Nate, it can be a vicious circle - because no matter how authoritative your site is, they won't link to it if they don't know about it.  So that means working out why your SEO isn't working, and also working out what you need to do to give it an initial promotional boost.  If it's a good site, then you shouldn't need to promote endlessly though.

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                           makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           Exactly - and if you are a recognised authority in your field then people link to you.

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                              misterhollywoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                              +111

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                        eugbugposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        Maybe some sort of rating system could be setup by Google where visitors to a page could vote it up or down or rank on a scale from 0 to 10 or whatever depending on their experience. Maybe they could build this into their Chrome browser. The rating would then influence the page's ranking and position in search results. This mightn't be applicable to all sites, but if a user is searching for information on a topic or looking for "how to" information, often lots of pages have to be trawled through to get comprehensive info. Usually what ranks high in searches are pages with vague information and little detail.

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                  TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  There are not a lot of RV hubs on AxleAddict, so if one person writes an ongoing series, eventually it will overtake the others simply because of the amount of content, and this will skew the content from being  original writing to blog writing.  No question about this, unless the team picks up a whole lot of RV hubs that will balance the series or simply stop uploading them, which would be awkward to do.
                  
                  The answer is to tell the author to rewrite them as basic informational, rather than totally personal so that they will fit the appropriate pattern and maintain the quality of that portion of the site.

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            makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Well HubPages has a track record of not being able to understand the difference between websites and blogs.

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   paradigmsearchposted 7 years ago

   
   

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10. 91

    Margie Lynnposted 7 years ago

    Hi, I will leave my left behind post and edit to make them better!

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