Why do so many hubbers not help other hubbers?

1. 86

   Annsaloposted 8 years ago

   I've seen in the past where people say that it's too much time compared to what they have, but really? I mean I see plenty of people in the Q and A and forums, including myself bickering.
   
   Surely there is time to help others out.
   
   Is it because it isn't your job?
   
   Is it because you think they should just use the learning center and figure it out themselves?
   
   Afraid they will steal work?
   
   Just curious because it seems by helping them we would be helping the site, so it seems like a win win for everyone involved. Yet most asking for help get very few responses. I feel kind of bad for them. What am I missing?

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   1. 87

      theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      "Be the change you want to see".

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         calculus-geometryposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         excellent

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   2. 65

      relacheposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      All of the above, plus zero ROI.  Many people begging for help can't be helped without sending them back to school to master writings skills they never acquired as teens, or to learn to write in a language which is not their first language.

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         hclpdposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         You don't really need English as your first language to succeed here. If you're good enough, traffic will follow. Having said that, I know there are a lot of people here who don't have any idea about what they're doing. You are right, though.

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      2. 86

         Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I guess I was thinking the ROI would be their work improving. I would think with minimal effort a person could be helped to turn a horrible article at least into something the professional writers would consider half ass decent. If it were half way decent then would in turn be picked up better by google which would help the site be looked at, at least better than it would be if the articles stayed horrible.
         Am I wrong/naive for thinking there is some type of trickle down effect in helping them improve their work?

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         1. 88

            WryLiltposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            That'd be a little like trying to edit Wikipedia articles in the hopes of improving Wikipedia.
            
            Dozens of spammers join Hubpages each week. Dozens more people join who will only ever write 2 or 3 hubs before quitting in disgust because they didn't immediately make $500. Hundreds of hubs are written each week, with a reasonable percentage being low quality. Hubpages pays MTURK to go through and approve the ones that are of decent quality - we used to have the hub hopper, but I assume the sheer number of hubs made it too much work to ask Hubbers to do for free.
            
            I have been here 6 years. In that time, I've referred a few hundred people on various accounts. Less than 5% of those have ever written a hub and less than 1% are still active on Hubpages. It's a great starting place but most people either quit or go on to greater things.

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            1. 86

               Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               I've been here as long as you and I had never thought of it like that. Thanks. I guess in a sense it is hopeless.
               I still have to think though that by at least checking in on those articles we are given the opportunity to either flag for low quality/spam or help.
               I don't know, maybe I am being a bit naive in thinking any of us actually can help.

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               1. 86

                  Millionaire Tipsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  You have been here for three years, but I don't remember your name as someone who offers people help.  You would know better than I why people don't offer help. 
                  
                  I try to help where I can.  Sometimes it is overwhelming when someone has so many issues, but if someone is a good writer with just an issue or two, I am happy to help him/her..

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                  1. 86

                     Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     I've been here for 6 years, and have 3 accounts. I don't go out of my way to offer help, but if I run across a question that I can help with I do.
                     
                     I'm glad you also help where you can.

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   3. 82

      Jason Marovichposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Writing on HubPages isn't an exact science.  Start at the Learning Center and then seek out information that pertains to what you are writing about. 
      
      Can that subject be monetized?  If not, are you OK with writing for free?  Why are you writing?
      
      If advertisements are going to be placed on your pages, are they going to sell?
      
      Do your best pages read well on mobile devices?
      
      Is your content original or is it just rewritten information already present in searches?
      
      What do readers feel after they've landed on your page?  Annoyed?  Satisfied?  Excited?

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   4. 95

      SmartAndFunposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      HP has set up automatic forum posting whenever a hub does not pass QAP. It is not completely automatic; every single hub that does not pass is not posted on the forums, but the posting process is automated for any author who chooses to click on that option in the email they receive from HP, informing them that their hub did not pass.
      
      This has resulted in large numbers of forum posts asking for help. I don't mind people asking for help, and I don't mind that HP set it up this way, but I think many forum regulars have gotten to a point where we just ignore many of these posts. It becomes tiresome. I help if I am in the mood, or if the title of the hub needing help piques my interest, but I am here on the forums less and less and so I am helping people out less and less.
      
      Which leads to the fact that there are far fewer forum regulars here on HP than there have been in the past. With the decline of profitability here, plus silly bickering, banning and finger-pointing that has led to the decline in intelligent back-and-forth banter, there just aren't many people in the forums like there used to be. It is too big a job for a small handful of people to help all those who ask for it.

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      1. 86

         Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I had no idea HP even offered automatic posting. Maybe that is why it seems it is often the same person asking over and over.
         
         I agree. There has been a large decline in people over the years.
         
         Valid points though. With as few people left, I guess it would end up feeling like a job if those left helped constantly.
         
         I really did ask this genuinely. I appreciate all the feedback. So much I didn't consider prior to asking. Thanks SAF!

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      2. 69

         Anna Marie Bowmanposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I had no idea that HubPages did that...hmm...interesting. No wonder I keep seeing the same people post asking for help.  Maybe they should take that as a hint.  Who knows.  I try to offer help when I can, when I see something I can share an opinion or advice about.  I am not on the forums as much as I was several years ago, but have started to get back into it a little bit, when I have time.  I have seen a lot of Hubbers offer advice to others, only to see the person snap at the person offering help.  Now, this isn't a constant issue, but I have seen it a few times.  A lot are grateful, and those are the people that will continue to get help when they need it.  When you ask for help, and are given constructive criticism, a snarky, defensive attack is not the correct response.

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         1. 65

            WordCrafter09posted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I didn't know they had an automatic thing either.  I've just been thinking all those "feedback" threads are what people do (and think they have to do) in order to call some attention to themselves in the forums.  Oops.

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2. 88

   WryLiltposted 8 years ago

   Quite a few hubbers help other hubbers.
   
   However, I'm not going to help them if they're a spammer. I'm not going to help them if they want a free ride. And I can't magically draw the answer to all their problems out of a hat, because Google is a wiley beast which varies greatly for every topic.
   
   Writing online is hard work and not a sure way to make money. In fact, the vast majority of people don't make more than a few dollars. It takes a lot of learning, a lot of time, a lot of writing (and deleting) a lot of trial and error and a good dash of intuition.

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   1. 86

      Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. You are one I have seen help, but it seems more would step in for the ones that actually look like they are trying (not spammers).
      
      I get that it's hard work, but at least some simple starter advice can go a long way in making people feel like it is worth the hard work they will have to do.

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3. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 8 years ago

   If people are asking for help on the Q&A section, they're not getting help because they're in the wrong place.  Many Hubbers avoid the Q&A section altogether.
   
   If they are asking on the forums and not getting help, there are two possible reasons.  One is that these forums are very quiet these days.  There aren't many of us who still use the forums and those of us who do, aren't here as often as we used to be.  The other is that the person is a serial pest - I'm happy to give feedback when someone asks a question or posts a Hub for feedback, but not when they keep doing it again and again and again, having obviously made no effort to find the answers themselves.
   
   Finally, if someone else has already replied and given the same advice I would do, then I usually dont bother saying the same thing again - especially (as is often the case) if a person's English is so bad that they should not be writing on HubPages at all.

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   1. 86

      Annsaloposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, this was helpful for me. I don't use the forums much. So I had no idea there were "serial pest" posting over and over. That would certainly become time consuming and not actually helping if they aren't applying and writing better the next time.

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4. 96

   agilitymachposted 8 years ago

   I help on rare occasion, but honestly, I and others have been flamed when offering assistance.  What I often see are new hubbers hoping for strokes, not true criticism, when asking for someone to provide feedback to their hub.  I asked for feedback when I was new as well, but I EXPECTED and WANTED to know what was wrong - not really what was right.  After being told off several times for offering good and kind criticism after being asked for "feedback," I avoid helping. 
   
   Every once in a while, I will answer questions asked by new hubbers, but usually they have already been answered before I get to them.
   
   JMHO.

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5. 78

   lobobrandonposted 8 years ago

   As Sascha already pointed out, you seem to be here for quite a few years and I've never seen you on the forums before. Everyone else who's replied here I've seen them post and answer queries or help in some way or another.
   
   As for your questions, I go with what Susannah, Relache and Marisa already stated.

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