Looking for some mentoring please

1. 59

   h.a.borcichposted 14 years ago

   Hello Fellow Hubbers,
   
      Recently I published my first hubs and am utterly lost!
   
      Being computer challenged is nothing new, but I am suspecting chemo brain is exascerbating the situation. The site is so vast I struggle trying to find what I trying to learn yesterday.
      I have been hesitant to post on forums asking questions that are likely in a FAQ somewhere for I surely have no desire to tick others off.
      Fear of breaking major rules and being banned from hubbing has me paralyzed and unable to try backlinks or anything.
      
      What I am hoping is that a very patient soul would be willing to guide me as I find my way on Hubpages.
      With gratitude, Holly

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   1. 68

      relacheposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Well you might try reading the FAQ.  It's the button at the top of every single page on the site that reads "help."
      
      http://hubpages.com/faq/

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2. 84

   Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

   Welcome Holly!  As a first step, I recommend you read all of Darkside's Hubs on how to Hub. They're simply and clearly written and they're all well worth reading.  The one on Capsules will help you with layout, especially.
   
   They're all linked on his profile:
   
   http://hubpages.com/profile/darkside
   
   You can also post a link to one or two Hubs (not all of them!) in the Extreme Makeover section and people will give you specific comments.
   
   Don't worry too much about promotion yet - get comfortable with writing Hubs first, then you can move on to more complicated stuff.

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   1. 68

      Paradise7posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Marissa.  I could use it too.  I've been using the same basic format since I started, and want to experiment a little with format next time.  This is helpful for everyone.  I clicked over there and bookmarked for later reference.  Thanks!

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3. 60

   ediggityposted 14 years ago

   What exactly are you "lost" about?

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4. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   hi Holly, there are many patient, helpful people here, many with years of experience. if you have specific questions, just ask.
   
   many questions are answered in this forum if you scroll through the topics.
   
   welcome

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5. 69

   TINA Vposted 14 years ago

   darkside and jimmythedock profiles helped me a lot. They published hubs about capsules and URL traffic.  You may also check it out. Welcome to hubpages!

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   1. 75

      sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      jimmytheJock
      
      
      
      This is a pretty good selection of links to hubbers who write how to ----- hubpages
      
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Hubpages-Help

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6. 67

   Blogging Erikaposted 14 years ago

   I recommend keeping a notebook. When I first started out learning Unix for my job, I picked up a notebook and took notes like crazy.  I've kept the habit ever since then.
   
   Learning something like HubPages, with all the technical stuff that goes along with it, is a lot like taking a class in school.  Take notes just as if you were taking a class, and you'll find they can be really helpful!  (Just like they were at school!)

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7. 59

   h.a.borcichposted 14 years ago

   Hello again,
   
      Thank you for the warm reception.
   
      I have been reading and rereading the "how to's" and pages by darkside and many others. Somehow I am missing the part that makes it click in my head.
   
      For instance...
   
      I have published a hub on how I became frugal. Now if I create a second hub to expand on a portion of the 1st hub, is that considered a "backlink"? If it isn't a backlink, what is it? And is it ok to do that? And I would like to define what a backlink is since it is heavily discussed and obviously important.
   
      For a few weeks I have been reading the FAQ and suggested reading, but I don't really understand the terminology. The frustration makes me feel really stupid. A glossary would be great since Webster isn't helpful with this.
   
      Previously I worked in upper management and was very capable of learning and multitasking while navigating uncertain waters. Since all the surgery and chemo my ability to comprehend seems rather impaired. I feel grateful I still have somewhat of a grip on language.
   
      Again, I do not mind having to find the answers on the site if I can find them. I suspect my understanding of the verbage without definitions is not helping my difficulty comprehending.
   
      I'll try not to ask too many stupid questions, Holly

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No it isn't.  Sunforged has explained what a backlink is - it's just a link TO your Hub from some other site.  The more backlinks a Hub has, the better the search engines will like it. 
      
      
      How are you linking the two Hubs?  You should put them both in a Group (these are different from Hub Categories, you create them yourself), because that will create an arrow at the bottom of the Hub pointing to the next one. 
      
      You can also create a hyperlink somewhere in the text of one Hub, mentioning the other one.  For instance, you might say, "as I explained in part 1 of this series, "How to be Frugal" (words in quote are a hyperlink), ...
      
      Both these things are perfectly OK to do. 
      
      If you have several Hubs on the same topic, you could even do a highlighted text box or a links capsule listing them all.
      
      
      
      A lot of the words you're having trouble with are, I suspect, general internet-speak and not exclusive to HubPages.  If you Google them, you'll get lots of information.  But do feel free to ask questions here, too.

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8. 75

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   backlink isnt really a hubpages term, although im sure there are tons of hubs on the topic just using google for that question would be fine
   
   a Backlink is simply a link on a page other than hubpages that links back to your hub
   
   so, no , another hub linking to your hub on being frugal isnt a real backlink (its an inlink) BUT its better than no link and its a great start.
   
   i know the terms can be very confusing at this point..
   
   In the best case scenario you want to write articles that are so memorable, other sites and other people create links to your articles on their pages (backlinks) ...search engines see this behavior and decide that your content/article is more worthy than others to appear early on on search results.
   
   Thats the real reason and purpose for backlinks and its importance for your hubs
   
   But since all of us marketers know that search engines like backlinks, many of us artificially create backlinks using various methods...our own sites, social bookmarking, commenting on blogs, signatures in forums, signing guestbooks on .edu pages!!!! ....and now its become a race to see who gets the most backlinks for a specific term.
   
   
   Just starting out here on hubpages, just focus on writing the way you want to and l;earning about the tools at your disposal...have fun first, and dont be too worried about the rules...its pretty hard to break them unintentionally..the FAQ's have already been pointed out to you..plus a little common sense and your bulletproof..there is no no such thing as a stupid question, every single one of us learns a new thing everyday...the net changes pretty quickly, good luck

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9. 87

   mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years ago

   A backlink is easily added to a hub by:
   
   Highlighting a portion of the text in the hub you are currently writing, then clicking on what looks like a horizontal paperclip at the top of the capsule, then when the dropdown box appears, it gives you the option to link back to your other hub.
   
   Click on the drop down arrow, and select the hub you have previously written that you want to "link back to", and the URL will appear in the box. As soon as you click "insert", your selected text in your main hub will appear in blue, and if anyone clicks on it they will be directed to the hub you wrote, and that you linked back to.
   
   Hope this helps, but if not, feel free to email me for other info.
   
   Regards
   
   Misty

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      sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That is a way to create a hyperlink within a hub...but 99.9% of the time when you are reading tips about how to write and promote your articles online..none of us are referring to a hyperlink on the same domain (hubpages.com->hubpages.com) and the appropriate term would be internal link
      
      we are always referring to getting a link from another domain that leads to your hubpage
      
      ex.)   link from   frugalliving.blogspot.com -> hubpages.com/yourhub     BACKLINK
      
      hubpages.com/yourhub -> hubpages.com/my hub internal link
      
      
      the internal link has purposes particularly for speedy indexing but it is NOT a backlink
      
      some general terminology guides:
      http://www.ksl-consulting.co.uk/seo_faq.html
      
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Post-Hub-Pages- … ng-Lexicon

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10. 59

    h.a.borcichposted 14 years ago

    Hello sunforged,
    
      I am almost giddy that to finally have a definition for a flippin backlink!!! Thank you It had not occurred to me to consult wikipedia. Duh.
    
      Let me ask this to be sure of myself....
    If I made a hub about growing a vegetable garden, I could proceed to create a hub focused on canning tomatoes? Perhaps another hub devoted to my best zucchini recipes? And place the "inlinks" on/in the original veggie garden hub without a problem? I can link the two ( or however many) together if they are related subjects?
    
       I have a great time writing my hubs, and I have darn near 20 more almost ready to publish. I am fairly confident in my writing and am having a great deal of fun with that part. My difficulty begins when I go to create the hub.
    
       Again, keep in mind I have a limited understanding on the verbage when I ask this question: When I publish my next hub, rather than get myself bent up about every misunderstood detail, what would you recommend I focus on getting right first? Layout? or ?
    
      Thank you very much for your help. I have made a big note to hit wikipedia when Webster cannot help me, Holly

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11. 59

    h.a.borcichposted 14 years ago

    Hi,
    
    Just wanted to note a few responses came in while I was responding to sunforged. Otherwise I may appear more dense than I really am.
    
      The specifics are great! I can learn that way!
    
      Thank you all so very much, Holly

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    1. 85

       rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Holly, you have some very fine tutoring taking place!! you're learning from the best. looking forward to reading your hubs.
       
       (and we get to learn too!)

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12. 75

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    Some general terminology guides:
    http://www.ksl-consulting.co.uk/seo_faq.html
    
    http://hubpages.com/hub/Post-Hub-Pages- … ng-Lexicon
    
    
    
    Not only could you physically link those related articles using the little chain icon in the text capsule, you could also stick the links into a link capsule or create a group as Marissa explained that would automatically link all those related hubs together.
    
    look here:
    
    http://hubpages.com/my/groups
    
    You dont really have any reason to be concerned on how you link your own hubpages together...there are no hubpages created mandates on that and little to no negative  consequences on an internet level..link them together any way you feel like
    
    
    
    After writing quality - layout is certainly pretty important - be sure to break up the text capsules give your lazy internet readers a break - show them a picture or some products - the occassional bold header or bulleted list
    
    if you are interested in earnings, than layout is uber important - learn how to trigger the ads to appear in different places...Lissie (hub author name) and Darkside (hub author name) both have articles about this placement and layout options

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