Not Featured Content Worthy

1. 77

   Stacy Birchposted 8 years ago

   http://hubpages.com/holidays/gifts-for- … doctor-who
   
   I've rewritten this article three times, though I understand why it stopped being featured and it wasn't because it was badly written, but because they changed the rules from the first time I posted it and I didn't notice.  This was one of my most popular articles.
   
   I've done everything they told me and there are no more suggestions.  I added personal pictures, videos that go perfectly with my topic and deleted products, so it is way under the 300 minimum for words vs Amazon.com products.  I don't know what else to do?
   
   Has anyone edited an article that say it is not feature quality and brought their articles back from the brink of disaster or is it impossible?

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   1. 88

      Sherry Hewinsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      My guess is that they don't like the Amazon capsules. Lately, they don't want more than one. A text link to the item may be acceptable.

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   2. 77

      TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm going to be brutally honest here because I think you need to know the truth.  You apparently wrote this at a time when the team was very loose with the rules, but things have changed drastically.
      
      I read the article, and frankly, I think it is so spammy that it turned me off.   Furthermore, I think it is of low quality because all it mostly does is describe a list of products.
      
      The photos are not accredited, either, and it seems like a mish mash of things you threw together simply for the purpose of selling product.
      
      You have the basis for a good hub here, and you write well, but you need to cut way back on what you are saying and focus on one or two items, show photos of them, explain why kids would like them, tell why your kids enjoyed them, etc.
      
      Just posting a list of things to sell is not a hub, and I can see why it is not being featured.  You need to read Paul Edmonsun's post about spammy hubs and then make adjustments if you want this article to be featured.
      
      In the past, these types of articles were permitted and people made a lot of money from them, but they are the very things that almost knocked HP out of business.
      
      Sorry to be so blunt, but it is what it is.

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      1. 70

         Anna Marie Bowmanposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I have to agree here. The title is about gifts for kids who like Dr. Who, but then you talk about an ice bucket. What kid wants an ice bucket? Then, you include videos on crafts related to Dr. Who, which has nothing to do with the title, unless you want to talk about projects to make for Dr. Who fans. It seems rather jumbled and thrown together.
         
         I have written several hubs that involve gift ideas for various groups.  They are very clear, concise, and do include a few Amazon capsules, but also information about each item, where to find it, why it's good for each group, etc., and they are all featured.  It's just a matter of structure.

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   3. 77

      jackclee lmposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with many of the suggestions and comments. The one other thing you might try is to replace some of your images. A good looking image goes a long way. God luck.

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2. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 8 years ago

   HubPages' founder is paranoid about Amazon capsules and so the staff are conducting a witch-hunt for them. 
   
   Honestly, that's the explanation!   The 300 words per capsule rule is completely meaningless as they don't allow anyone to use anywhere near that many, even when it's totally logical to do so.
   
   To give you an example, I wrote a Hub reviewing four ballet DVD's so naturally I wanted to include a capsule for each one.  The Hub is 1,295 words long so I should've been OK.   After multiple submissions, I had to settle for three capsules only.  Which is ridiculous, because that means if the reader wants to buy it, they're going to have to go off and search for it themselves - how is that helping the reader?
   
   A week ago, I would've said you'll have to remove more capsules. Now, I'm noticing that they are allowing text links (there's a search box for Amazon when you click on the chain icon to create a link).  You can use the product images from Amazon if you're recommending a product and then put a text link in the accompanying paragraph.

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   1. 69

      makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The bit I've never understood about all of this is how does the business model function if you start eliminating all of the Amazon modules?
      
      If you've decided you don't want any Amazon modules cluttering up the site why not just say so - and eliminate them all?
      
      The issue to my mind is in part related to the fact that each hub is a one page only site - and hence HubPages now doesn't want hubs being anything more than simple one product articles. 
      
      Well we all know what happened when Squidoo adopted that strategy.......

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      1. 82

         sallybeaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         It would not be so bad if staff were to abide by the same rules.  If you check their own hubs they have multiple links and also Amazon Modules on the same page.

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      2. 65

         relacheposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Amazon is doing everything in their power to bypass affiliates and turn anyone who ever contacts them into a direct customer.  Over the entire life of Amazon's affiliate program, all they have ever done is shrink the payout percentages and reduce then eliminate cookie active times, all of which just keeps the money with them.
         
         Affiliate sales are a drop in the bucket on the Amazon end, don't expect to see Amazon do anything but slim it on their end too.

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         1. 77

            TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

            If this is true, then why did Amazon negotiate higher rates with HP awhile back?

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3. 62

   FatFreddysCatposted 8 years ago

   You also might wanna delete this bit:
   
   "For every sale from Amazon on this page, Squidoo donates $1 to Room to Read"
   
   because Squidoo no longer exists.

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4. 51

   icvposted 8 years ago

   I hope, it will be featured when your hub gets more traffic

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5. 77

   Stacy Birchposted 8 years ago

   Thanks for all the help, you did reconfirm my fears that I can never get it featured again.  Oh the the cursed not featured Quality symbol.
   
   Thanks for telling me about the squid link heading, every time I think I have gotten all of them out, more show up.
   
   Writing isn't just selling products, it's about selling yourself as a writer and convincing others that you're good at it.  I can't even do that because one of the ones that "isn't feature quality anymore" http://hubpages.com/holidays/zombies-in-the-night featured my first amazon digital book.  We can't even sell our own products.

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   1. 77

      TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, you can, but you'll have to make some adjustments, just as I mentioned earlier.
      
      Focus on one product.  Compare it to similar ones and explain why this one is better.  Tell why children love it.  Point out its best qualities, etc.  Put one appropriately placed ad in, a video of kids playing with the toy, a poll and some nice, well accredited photos and you'll have a featured hub.
      
      Do the same for the other products and you'll have several.

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   2. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Of course you can get it Featured again, it's just a matter of editing.
      
      I gave you a general answer before - about the product limit - but I didn't look at the Hub properly. 
      Now I have, I can see why it's unFeatured. Your Amazon ads are all irrelevant.
      
      I know you'll say, "but my ads are for Dr Who gifts" - but your Hub isn't about that. Your Hub is about do-it-yourself Dr Who gifts.  There is a big difference.
      
      If you want to write about gifts, then change it so you're writing about gifts.  I have a Hub with gifts for flamenco dancers and I've managed to include a few Amazon capsules in that one - because that's what the Hub is about, so that is what readers are looking for.  But if you  want to write a Hub  about craft gifts, then you'll need to find products that people need to MAKE the gifts, because that is what people are looking for. I had a quick look on Amazon and found things like embroidery patches and a sewing pattern for a Dalek costume, for instance.
      
      If you wanted to have a section at the end where you actually SAY, "if you don't have time to make a gift, here are a few ready-made ones", that could work - but the other thing is that nowadays, you can't just pick a product at random.  You must show you have a reason for choosing it rather than the hundred other Dr Who products on Amazon.

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6. 77

   Stacy Birchposted 8 years ago

   That's what is bugging me, it's geared towards gifts you buy, mostly it is things you can make.  Crafts, drawings, cakes and has just a couple of modules in case someone doesn't want to take months hand drawing a entire Doctor Who art book like I did for my sister.

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   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I took a look at your Zombie Hub.
      
      These days, you have to demonstrate a good reason for having an Amazon capsule.  Just mentioning a film and saying it was "cheesy" is not a good enough reason.  You would have to give it a short  paragraph at least.   
      
      The other vital thing is that the information about the product must be close to the product.  You can't mention a blue widget, then go on to discuss red widgets, then suddenly there's a capsule with a blue widget in it.   If you've got just a few lines about a product, then put them IN the capsule, in the description, so it all stays together.
      
      But frankly, I would just delete that product, because the most important capsule is the one for your book,so don't divert the reader's attention by including others.
      
      You're right, being self-promotional isn't allowed, so shouting "My book is published!" isn't going to work.   Move the book to the END of the section on "Face Your Fear".  Put some of the description of the book in the Description section.
      
      I also notice you've got two sections on Zombie Movies which looks weird - they need to be combined.

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7. 77

   Stacy Birchposted 8 years ago

   Honestly,
   I have been deleting things from it.  It's needs a full edit, which is hard to do on a kindle.  I actually posted this article on squidoo and when I did it was two full years before my book was actually published, I originally just said I was working on a book and I had over 200 jokes and I was still writing it.  It ended up being almost 600 jokes.
   
   I'm actually going to delete all the products except for my books, when my Zombie novella comes out.
   
   Thank you do much for looking at it, and if you have kindle unlimited you can read the book completely free.

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   1. 77

      TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sorry to tell you that you can't post links to your own products...aka books you've written, or your article will be unfeatured for being overly promotional.

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      1. 85

         Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Not quite true, TT2.  You can't include a link to your own product or site IF PROMOTING THAT LINK IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE ARTICLE.
         
         Otherwise, if the link is relevant to the topic and useful to the reader, it's absolutely fine.

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         1. 77

            TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

            You've got to be kidding!  I thought promoting your own products (aka a book you have written) is not permitted.  Where did you get this info?  Had I known that, I would have reviewed my own Amazon book!  Show me!

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            1. 85

               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               To turn it around, can you quote the rule that says it's not allowed? I think people have simply misinterpreted the actual rule. I have  always had a link to one of my dance websites in every dance Hub. When I had a flamenco book published, I had a link to that book in every flamenco Hub. Never had a problem.
               
               Referring the reader to a book that's relevant to the Hub is fine, regardless of who wrote it.

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               1. 77

                  TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  But have you updated those hubs since things have tightened up?  I think things have changed, Marisa and would hate to waste time writing a hub like this only to have it unfeatured.
                  
                  I always thought overly promotional meant writing solely about one product without comparing it to others of its same ilk and showing why it is better, etc.  Even with books, I think this holds true.

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                  1. 85

                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     But I am not suggesting you write a HuB solely about your book. That would be overly promotional. What I'm saying is, write a Hub on the same topic and then mention your book. I see lots of Hubs which mention only one relevant book.

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                     1. 77

                        TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        OK. Thanks.

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                  2. 77

                     Stacy Birchposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     I didn't write the article to promote my book, it was because Squidoo had challenges, they had monthly challenges about writing about new holidays, this one was either for Halloween or national Zombie or month.  Either way the article being featured so I guess it doesn't really matter.

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                     1. 77

                        TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        Stacy:  This post was meant for Marisa Wright.  Sorry.

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         2. 84

            Solarasposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            The HP staff are misinterpreting this rule. The wording "sole purpose" is being ignored and any links to products outside of Ebay or Amazon cause the article to be deemed overly promotional.  Your articles will all be deemed overly promotional once they get around to editing for a niche site or you update them.

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            1. 77

               TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

               But...if my book IS an Amazon product, what then?

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            2. 85

               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Not true. I have two recent Hubs where I link to a DVD that's not on amazon or eBay. It's sold by the teacher himself, so the link was to his studio website.
               
               On both those Hubs, I had to reduce the number of Amazon capsules but the link wasn't a problem

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               1. 84

                  Solarasposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I think you did find that this was a problem a while back on one of your hubs that you could not get featured, and asked the forums for help.  Perhaps it depends on which editor is looking at your hub and for what purpose (featuring vs. moving to a niche site).  I think that this rule is malleable, much like the rule on words per Amazon capsule.

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                  1. 85

                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     No, definitely not. The only time I've sought help on the forum was on my Hub DVDs for male dancers, and the problem was too many Amazon capsules. There was never any problem with the other link

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