Looking for new help to improve my Blackout hub for a niche site

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   Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

   Last month, I came here to ask for help on how to get my Blackout hub into a niche. I've took your advice to make it better and send it to Dengarden's niche site. I sent it out this past Sunday--it came back declined yesterday. So I'm asking again here for you guys to point me in a new direction to try again next year. Here's the link to the same hub: https://hubpages.com/education/What-to- … tBrownout.  Thanks!

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   Rupert Taylorposted 7 years ago

   404 Page does not exist.

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   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   Here's the correct link
   https://hubpages.com/education/What-to- … utBrownout
   
   The first thing that strikes me is - it's not recommended to use headings on your photos.  Use the captions instead.  It's important that the headings for different sections stand out, and headings on the photos just muddy the waters
   
   The second thing that strikes me is the same advice I gave last time - your introduction is off-topic.  When a reader arrives at your Hub, you have about one paragraph to convince them you're going to give them the answers they want.  If someone arrives at your Hub, it's because they're looking for ideas on what to do in a brownout or blackout.   If they find themselves reading about what a brownout IS, they'll think, "this isn't what I'm looking for", and they'll click back to Google to look for a more relevant article.   It's great to include background info in a Hub, but the place for background info is at the end of the Hub, not at the beginning.   Get to the point and keep the waffle to a minimum.
   
   I can see one other problem with the Hub and it may be the main thing that is holding it back.  I'm thinking to myself, "what kind of people would find this Hub helpful?"    It doesn't seem like many people would be seeking this kind of information when a blackout or brownout was actually happening,  (since they might not have internet anyway).   It seems to me your best bet to attract readers is to focus on how to PREPARE for a blackout or brownout. 
   
   So I think I'd rewrite it for the person who's wondering what they might need, so that when the power goes out, they've got their games or snuggle blanket or whatever at hand.

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      DrMark1961posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Marisa, do you think it is okay to get to the point without even bothering with the introduction? I wrote a hub on feeding my Pionus parrot correctly and realized the introduction, which is why a Pionus is such a great bird, did not fit at all. I just shuffled things around and put the intro near the bottom, but now think maybe I should just go back and delete it so the hub is more focused on the feeding. Any ideas on this subject? As always, I appreciate your input.

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      1. 87

         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Getting to the point without bothering with an introduction - that's what I'm recommending, really, but it's a fine line.  Aesthetically, there are times when jumping straight in sounds too abrupt, so you need to temper it with an opening sentence or two.   On the other hand, if that first paragraph doesn't convince your reader you've got the answer they're seeking, you're lost - they'll click back, your bounce rate will go up, and your Google ranking will go down.
         
         Whether you take your introduction and tack it on the end is up to you - it adds length and keywords to the Hub so in that sense, it could be worthwhile.

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4. 67

   Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

   Thanks Marissa. I would have to figure another way to rewrite it next year somehow.

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5. 67

   Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

   Rupert, the link works fine for me. I don't know why you have that error message. https://hubpages.com/education/What-to- … utBrownout

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   paperfacetsposted 7 years ago

   One goal to target is HP's love of bullet lists and numbered lists. Make it a list of things to do during a blackout or such. You have enough ideas to that. Some editors like a summary list first and then the elements broke up in the narrative in a consistent highlighted visual. Using a "callout" for insistence for each bullet or numbered item.
   
   Layout is very important. A way to focus on layout is to look at your Hub using the Mobile Preview feature. How is it reading on a narrow visual device? (With ads stuck into your narrative that do not even relate to your subject.) Does your narrative keep interest in that scenario?
   
   Tone and sentence structure is another thing to look at, and I am at a lose for advice on this area. I am still trying to figure that angle out. I think HP is looking for crisp, detached, informational reads with strict adherence to commas.

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7. 67

   Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

   Thanks Paperfacet for your ideas. I did see it in Mobile Layout earlier this year and it looked fine to me.

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   Rupert Taylorposted 7 years ago

   Hi Kristen
   
   The URL in your original post still doesn't work. It looks to be slightly different from the one Marisa posted.

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9. 67

   Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

   Hi Rupert. How odd?  This is from my Articles link. It worked for me when I hit it. Better? https://hubpages.com/education/What-to- … utBrownout

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10. 67

    Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

    Hi Rupert. How odd? It worked fine from my Articles page. Let me know if this does: https://hubpages.com/education/What-to- … utBrownout

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       DrMark1961posted 7 years agoin reply to this

       Kristen, it is working fine from my PC too.

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11. 67

    Kristen Howeposted 7 years ago

    Thanks for letting me know Dr. Mark.

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