Not Featured Hub "Spammy Elements"

1. 70

   William F. Torpeyposted 7 years ago

   Re: My Hub  https://hubpages.com/literature/The-Hou … -It-for-Me
   
   This hub has been featured for a rather long time. It recently has been marked as Not Featured with a comment that it may have spammy elements. I do not put spammy elements on my Hubs. The notice makes reference to ads. I have only one ad (which is related to the subject of my hub (about a newspaper.) I see Hubpages has two ads on my hub which have no relationship to my topic -- so I'm wondering what the problem is. When Hubpages sends me a notice shouldn't Hubpages tell me why they decided to make the change? I have two youtube videos on the hub that are related to my topic (the newspaper business.) So what does Hubpages want me to do (and whatever it is why don't they just say so.)

   replyreport
   1. 74

      kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      @ William F., I relate to you in this area. I would go right now to the Team HubPages and get to the bottom. We support you.

      replyreport
2. 0

   Beth Eaglescliffeposted 7 years ago

   It could be the in-text links. There are three links to The Hour newspaper and one to Wikipedia - none of these are necessary for the reader to understand your article. Also there is a link at the bottom of your article to your profile - that is duplication as there is already a link to your profile on every hub.
   
   HP is trying to keep the reader on your page and links take them elsewhere. l would remove all the links and then resubmit.

   replyreport
   1. 70

      William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, Beth. Why can't Hubpages tell me that when they tell me the hub is no longer featured?

      replyreport
3. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   I often wish that HubPages would choose its terminology more carefully. Too often, it chooses words that seem to insult the writer, when in fact it's nothing like that.
   
   "Spammy elements" always means there are links in the Hub that aren't acceptable.  That's all.
   
   I disagree with Beth, though - I've seen other Hubbers say links are bad because they take the reader off the page.  That's not the whole story, because links are also good.  Google adores links that provide helpful information relevant to your article, so they can be a very good thing to improve your ranking.  So there is nothing wrong with having a link to The Hour newspaper.   
   
   However, the rules about links have changed enormously in recent times.  Hundreds of old Hubs haven't been subject to the new rules because there are too many to check - that's why this Hub survived for so long, in  spite of contravening the new rules.
   
   Firstly, we are no longer allowed to self-promote in our Hubs.  That means we may not link to our profile, or invite readers to read our other Hubs (unless they are directly related to the Hub in question).  So that link has to go.
   
   Secondly, the rules for Amazon capsules has changed dramatically.   Now, if you want to include an Amazon capsule, you must choose a specific product which is DIRECTLY relevant to the TITLE of your Hub.  You must also explain precisely why you recommend that product.
   
   In the case of this Hub, the book is not about the Hour Newspaper - but then, neither is the Hub, really.  I would advise changing the title of the Hub to something more general, e.g. The Future of Local Newspapers.  Then you could include a capsule for this book:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/News-Evolution-R … 1433123150
   
   However, you still need to provide a short personal review of the book.   In theory, HubPages demands that you've read the book or used the product - but in practice, I'd like to see them try and prove it.   If you can find reputable reviews and couch your opinion in personal terms, you'll be fine.

   replyreport
   1. 70

      William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, Marisa. Hubpages has to start thinking a little better. It's counter productive for them to demand critical changes ex post facto to hubs that were written years ago to make them fit new requirements. When they make critical changes they should only affect new hubs. Most of my hubs were written years ago. I'm not about to rewrite them now.

      replyreport
      1. 77

         jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I agree totally.
         Also, as you mentioned, HubPages have ads that are totally off topic and they seem to be perfectly fine with them. What am I missing? Should links and ads both be relevant to the topic of the article? HubPages are devoting too much attention to Google and not using common sense. What if tomorrow or sometimes down the road, google ceases to be the dominant search engine? What will HP do? The priority of HP, IMHO, should be content, and that should be of the highest quality. There is nothing wrong with providing details in a link to let your readers do some additional background reading by way of links. Good quality content will be long lasting way after any search engine. Besides, google is changing their algorithm on a regular basis. It is like chasing a dream...

         replyreport
         1. 70

            William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            It's counterproductive for Hubpages to require substantial changes long after a hub is written. They would be wiser to set up separate categories for hubs produced under varying guidelines. No writer wants to spend time rewriting old hubs. When I began writing hubs adding links was encouraged. When I add links or videos they are designed to enhance my hub. If  the editors fail to recognize the need for these links its Hubpages problem, not mine. When I put ads on my pages they are simply designed to portray the hubs as looking more professional. I don't care about making money on Hubpages, I merely hope to advance my opinions on a wide variety of subjects.

            replyreport
         2. 85

            Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I'm surprised you don't know that Adsense ads and HP Ads are based on the reader's browsing history.  So they may be irrelevant to the content on the page, BUT they are relevant to the reader, so that makes them OK.  We can have no knowledge of the reader's preferences so we can't possibly achieve that - therefore the only thing we can do is ensure relevance to the content.
            
            As for pleasing Google - if you had a customer who bought 90% of your product, what would you do?   Would you say, "I know this customer is going to die one day, so I'm going to totally ignore his needs and go looking for other customers now?"   
            
            No, of course you wouldn't.  You would seek to expand your customer base, but you'd make darn sure that you looked after your best customer for as long as he was around, wouldn't you?  HubPages gets 90% of its traffic from Google.  It would be very stupid of them to throw that away.

            replyreport
      2. 85

         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         You have to remember that your Hub is not in a back issue of a newspaper, it's on a live, current site, so it has to meet current guidelines. In a sense, HubPages does have a category for old Hubs that follow old guidelines - that's what the unfeaturing system is for, to allow Hubs that don't meet the guidelines to stay visible.  They could easily have decided to simply unpublish or delete Hubs that don't meet current standards, after all.
         
         HubPages is not asking for substantial changes, it's asking you to remove links that break the new rules.  I'm the one who suggested you change the title, so you could keep the Amazon capsule - if you're not interested in making money, then you can leave the title as is, and delete the Amazon capsule.
         
         The few changes you're being asked to make are not hard, and they're not asking you to change your text.  The links rules are easy to understand:
         
         1.  All links must be relevant to the TITLE of the Hub.
         2.  You can have one or two links to the same website, no more.
         3.  If it's an Amazon link, you must talk about the product and say why you recommend it.
         
         Google changes its algorithm frequently, and what Google found acceptable when you wrote that article is not what Google finds acceptable now.  If you want readers to continue to read your work, you must be prepared to tweak it to keep up with what Google wants - otherwise your Hub will be relegated to the trash by Google and no one will ever find it.

         replyreport
         1. 70

            William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Sorry, Marisa, Google doesn't pull my strings. I'll remove my ads and links. If that's not enough I'll remove my hubs.

            replyreport
            1. 85

               Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I know Google doesn't pull your strings - but you've chosen HubPages as your platform and Google is vital to their business.  So you're stuck with rules that are designed to make their business work, like it or not.
               
               I do feel you're making a mountain out of a molehill.  HubPages has NOT asked you to change a word of your text, or cast aspersions on your writing.  All they've done is asked you to remove some (not all) of your links, which would take only a few minutes.  You're an intelligent man and the rules (which I've explained) are not that hard to understand.

               replyreport
               1. 70

                  William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  I understand the rules, Marisa -- and you are an intelligent person and I'm sure you understand that I do not have to think the rules are wise. As noted I have removed the awful links.

                  replyreport
      3. 77

         TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

         You're not going to win that argument.  The team stated long ago that all hubs will be reviewed and those not meeting current requirements will become unfeatured.   This is the only way the team has of removing spam and poor writing that was permitted years ago or to make upgrades that allow articles to be updated to meet current standards.  You can choose to refuse to do the upgrades,of course,but your work will no longer be featured or have  the opportunity to move up to the niche sites, which is where they have a bettr chance of earning.
         
         If you've been around for awhile, surely you know that the entire site almost went under.  The steps the team has taken,whether we agree with them or not, are the same ones that saved HP and those of us who write here.

         replyreport
4. 73

   Author Cherylposted 7 years ago

   You can contact them regarding any issues you are having.  They will respond quite quickly

   replyreport
5. 70

   William F. Torpeyposted 7 years ago

   It's their business, Author Cheryl. They can run wisely or not as they wish.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly my point. I don't agree with some of their rules either.   It doesn't change the fact that it's their site so while we can have a moan about it sometimes, we don't have much choice - if we want our work to be published, we have to abide by them.

      replyreport
6. 70

   William F. Torpeyposted 7 years ago

   They certainly have the long-established right to be wrong. but what I object to is the ex post facto aspect of their actions. The frequently change the rules after the game has started is objectionable. If the rule changes were applied only to new hubs there would be no objection.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I would buy that argument if the article was in a back copy of a newspaper.  Those stay archived and unchanged and that's fair enough. 
      
      However, every single Hub that is live on HubPages is current as far as the reader and the search engines are concerned, and therefore every Hub needs to meet current standards.
      
      In a sense, HubPages "unfeaturing" system is what you're asking for - it consigns your Hub to the archives, where it doesn't have to be changed or updated.  It's stlil published and your followers can still read it if they want.  So if you're happy for it to be an archived, unchanging record, then maybe you should just leave the links as is and be content that it's unfeatured.

      replyreport
7. 70

   William F. Torpeyposted 7 years ago

   Archived in a back copy of a newspaper?  The article was published in The Hour newspaper (as noted at the bottom of the hub. Last I knew it was archived in the Norwalk, Connecticut, public library on microfiche:
   
   "I wrote this column as a "My View" for The Hour newspaper of Norwalk, Conn., on April 1, 1999."

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I know - but it didn't have the links in it when it was in the newspaper.  They're a new thing you added when you published it here.  You were willing to make those changes then, why not make them now.

      replyreport
8. 70

   William F. Torpeyposted 7 years ago

   I don't intend to change my links every time Hubpages decides it has another bright idea. If Hubpages doesn't understand that it isn't wise to force their members to make constant changes to old hubs it will lead to their downfall. Hubpages should be looking to the future -- not dwelling on the past.

   replyreport
   1. 87

      theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      You seem to be doing exactly that. I'm very happy with the changes - HubPages is working hard to future-proof the site and they are also ready to respond any time they need to. I think they are doing a great job.

      replyreport
      1. 70

         William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Maybe Hubpages should require that George Orwell's book be updated. After all 1984 is long gone.

         replyreport
         1. 87

            theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I think you are determined to keep this going to infinity. Either play by the site guidelines or publish elsewhere. Your choice.

            replyreport
         2. 85

            Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Oh don't be silly.   
            
            If HubPages had asked you to update your text, that would be equivalent.
            
            HubPages has not asked you to change a word of your Hub.  It has asked you to remove advertising which was useful at one point, but could be damaging now. 
            
            The internet changes.  Get over it.

            replyreport
            1. 70

               William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Hubpages has not asked me to change advertising. In fact it hasn't told me exactly what it is they want me to change. Nevertheless I shall remove all advertising from my hubs -- and links as well. If they want more they will have to tell me what it is they want me to remove.

               replyreport
               1. 85

                  Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Now you're being obtuse.  An Amazon capsule advertises an Amazon product. That's what I meant. 
                  
                  You seem to be having an uncharacteristically childish response to the email.  We've all received one like it and have had to make the same adjustments you have. In theory, I should be much more upset about these new rules than you, because I do want to make money, and having to remove Amazon ads affects that.  But I understand that the internet is a constantly changing place and that since I've chosen to publish on HubPages, I have to follow their rules. 
                  
                  You got an email you didn't understand, because they used HubPages jargon. You asked for a translation and you got it.  It's no skin off your nose to remove the Amazon product because you say you're not worried about the income, and the change will take you only a minute or two.  I cannot understand why you're throwing such a hissy fit.

                  replyreport
                  1. 70

                     William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Stupidity bothers me. Hubpages needs to think more clearly.

                     replyreport
                     1. 87

                        theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        Quod erat demonstrandum.

                        replyreport
                     2. 85

                        Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        HubPages is thinking VERY clearly.  The site relies for its income on the search engines, especially Google. If it shows non-compliant content to Google, it loses income.  It's as simple as that.
                        
                        You may not be aware that search engines look at the overall quality of the site as well as the quality of the individual article.  That means an average article on an otherwise good site will rank better than an excellent article on an otherwise poor site.  That may sound unfair, but it's a fact of life.
                        
                        So, it's in HubPages (and our) interests to ensure that every single Hub visible to Google meets their criteria, no matter how old it is. Google has now decided to punish irrelevant links and products (which it used to not mind), so they have to go.
                        
                        You have the choice to not make the changes, in which case your Hub becomes unfeatured - which means it's still published, but hidden from the search engines so it can't hurt the main site or other Hubbers.  It's your choice.

                        replyreport
                        1. 70

                           William F. Torpeyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           Good luck with that.

                           replyreport
                           1. 85

                              Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                              Good luck with what?

                              replyreport
                     3. 77

                        TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        Seems to me that the HP team is being anything but stupid.  Out of all the content writing sites that were online awhile back.  HP is the only one that still is functional.  This is because of the intelligent, careful planning of the team.
                        
                        Calling people stupid because you disagree with them is a poor way to resolve a problem.  There is nothing at all stupid about HP, and plenty of us are prospering because of their team.
                        
                        The site is healthy and grows more so daily as the team continues to weed out problem articles.  It's as simple as that.

                        replyreport