Niche sites all over Google search results

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   Jesse Drzalposted 8 years ago

   I have been really noticing the new niche sites taking over on my Google searches in a big way, with many articles coming up right on top of search results or really close. Looks like the sites are becoming really successful.

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      Chriswillman90posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Agree they appear to be flourishing, maybe not all of them but many.

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      NateB11posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I've been noticing the same thing. Very encouraging. From what I can tell, it's working.

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   makingamarkposted 8 years ago

   You do realise that when searching you only get accurate results if you are not on your own machine (which knows you and what sites you like) and/or you are using an anonymous way of browsing the net?
   
   Otherwise what you are seeing is exactly what Google THINKS you want to see because of your past habits in terms of sites you frequent.
   
   Try doing a search using the machine/device of somebody who does NOT frequent HubPages.  That gives the most accurate result.

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3. 0

   Will Apseposted 8 years ago

   For a long time, I was supportive of this site because I felt for the staff and writers as it edged its way towards the abyss.
   
   Now I reckon it is time, to forget about being nice (not one of my strong points, anyway, lol) and start exploiting the potential of those shiny new niche sites.

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      makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Or - even better - exploiting the potential of your own shiny new niche sites!
      
      Having been through all this once before, there's one thing I learned from that experience - if you have to move your content more than once it's better in the long run to move it to a site you control.
      
      For those starting out I'd absolutely advocate writing for HubPages new niche sites. That's very definitely where the action has moved to in the HubPages family.
      
      However if you've already developed a body of content and are motivated to go it alone, then developing your own niche sites can be a lot of fun - and also rewarding!
      
      Certainly the drop in traffic to - and earnings from - the main site is a huge incentive for me to get a move on with moving my content to my sites with the very marked upward trends in traffic and earnings.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Aha, I always wondered why you defended the site so staunchly when I was sure you had the intelligence to see the true situation!
      
      I agree, for those who have expertise in the right areas, I think there's good potential in several of the niche sites.  Unfortunately my main niche is on one of the cobbled-together ones and I don't think it's going to share the success of the others (unless theyre sensible and delete my subject from it altogether!).
      
      I do agree with MakingaMark that if you have a LOT of expertise in a particular niche, then you're better off starting your own blog or website than writing for the niche sites - BUT not everyone has enough material in one specialist area, and even those that do, don't always want to deal with learning how.

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Why not do both?  Why not write for the niche sites AND start your own site on the same topic...just approaching the topic from different angles?

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            makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Why? Why waste time writing about something more than once?
            
            I'd rather spend time improving my article. I don't want more than one angle - my aim is to be definitive!

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            Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Because if you are serious about creating an authoritative website or blog, then you need to conserve ALL your information for that site, because size is important.  Plus of course, you'll need new material to add to that site for years and years.

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               makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Ditto!

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4. 0

   Will Apseposted 8 years ago

   My traffic and income held up better than most people during the long night of SEO hell (which continues on the main site) so that made me more sympathetic.
   
   I suspect libertarian influences in the background somewhere but I like to see the democratic elements of HP and I have recently decided to see the niches as meritocratic rather than elitist. Anyone can enter the game but you need to work hard, learn fast and have some talent to succeed.
   
   Also, I am a bit of a chancer, so I sympathise with anyone running any kind of business that their lives are riding on.
   
   Beyond those things, I like things that need fixing.  When has HP never needed fixing, lol?
   
   Finally, I should say that niches bore the pants off me. I am approaching ten years of writing online and that is a very, very long time. If I can't write about something different everyday I will sink into despair.

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      makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Horses for Courses Will! It's not that one is right or better it's just that we're all different
      
      Some people like variety and some people like to research one topic and become an expert on it.  I guess it depends on whether you lean towards journalism or a PhD in terms of temperament!
      
      I'm sat writing a new webpage for my website this morning which I've been meaning to get round to for ages on my very long "to do" list relating to artists and moved from Squidoo to HubPages and will finally be "birthed" later today on my site - and all because of some publicity for the topic which is coming up!

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