Is everyone disappointed about HubPages new system/standards?

1. 67

   TNT Huskyposted 11 years ago

   Is everyone disappointed about HubPages new system/standards?
   
   I've been noticing some people express disappointment with the way HP is running business lately. Some people have lost Features, and others are having difficulty getting featured. I haven't had this problem at all yet. I'm not trying to question anyone who shows disappointment right now. If it seems that way, sorry. but are the recent changes that drastic?

   replyreport
2. 0

   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   YES. I'm very happy they haven't hit you yet, all I can say is look out.

   replyreport
   1. 66

      Lady Guinevereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly.  At least we agree on something.

      replyreport
   2. 0

      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Lady.

      replyreport
3. 61

   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   Yes. I have 3 recipes I have tried tweaking until I am blue in the face and they are still not featured. I believe it is because they are too short but how to fix that???  I hate adding a lot of benign text. I know when I search for a recipe - I want the facts and not a bunch of text to read through.

   replyreport
   1. 70

      WalterPoonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Duffsmom, just a suggestion... My sister says good recipe articles are hard to find because they all tell you the typical steps but do not tell you the small difference that makes the big difference. Try explaining and you will exceed 1,500 words!

      replyreport
   2. 66

      ThompsonPenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's a good suggestion, WalterPoon!

      replyreport
   3. 77

      cloverleaffarmposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      When I did my recipe hubs, I added content by putting a little history behind what I was writing about, or a little story to go with it. Most are featured, but some are not.

      replyreport
   4. 38

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Like other comments, I agree that you can flesh out text and make it not "benign". Some of the best recipe hubs have information on personal tweaks, have video or photos of the process throughout, hints on where to find unusual ingredients etc.

      replyreport
4. 66

   soconfidentposted 11 years ago

   I don't have a problem with it to me I feel as if they are trying to promote quality hubs, instead of people who are trying to make money.

   replyreport
5. 63

   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   I'm not bothered by/disappointed with the changes in its own standards/aims, although a couple of things do directly kind of work against my enthusiasm.
   
   Anyone who at all knows writing (particularly freelance writing off- or online) knows that part of the deal is to know where a piece of writing is likely to fit best/be wanted by the publisher.  I think I have a good idea of the "overall, magazine, look/feel" HP wants.  It happens that the kind of writing/subjects I prefer don't lend themselves well to the "whole relevant-images, lots of capsules, thing.  Then again, something kind of confusing for me has been that not all magazines are alike.  Not all magazine pieces involve things like pictures of food or home decor.  For me, it's about the particular kind of subjects I prefer (and I've only been half-hearted on this site anyway, because I've always tried to find some way to make "what I really want to write" useful to someone, so it's been a hybrid kind of writing that amounts to mediocrity).  Now, with the emphasis on the "picture-magazine look" I realize (or at least feel) that the kind of stuff I prefer to write doesn't belong on here.  That's fine.  I can do the next thing and/or write what I think fits these days from now on.
   
   I don't like the uncertainty of thinking even featured stuff may be unfeatured at any time.  I'd rather be the one to notice that something isn't getting traffic and either be OK with that or else remove it myself.  SO FAR, I haven't had a problem with "featured', but "good enough" is different from "traffic enough", so there's that ongoing uncertainty.
   
   I don't like feeling that if I write something I know has substance, value and good grammar it will get "points off" because I haven't included pictures or polls. Maybe that doesn't always happen, but it's what it feels like these days.  I don't like wondering if people think my Hubs are "crap" because they aren't "stellar" (pictures, etc.).
   
   With the (reasonable) emphasis on subjects that may appeal to search engines there are fewer Hubs that appeal to human browsers.  So it seems to me as if there are fewer "genuine" things to read on here, and with that seems to have come either fewer "genuine interest" people on here (and in the community) or else mostly those who still hang onto focusing only on trying to get traffic (which makes sense but doesn't always "make for genuine interest"). These days it's like there's a gap between "either" and "or" - not just a dividing line.

   replyreport
   1. 70

      WalterPoonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Every publisher has their own house style. Personally, I think we just have to play by the rules of the game. If we think we have a good idea, just post it in the forum.
      
      http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/Elem … tellar-Hub

      replyreport
   2. 66

      Lady Guinevereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Or if they have too many changes and censorship we don't have to be here at all.  Our choice then and not theirs.

      replyreport
   3. 0

      chrisinhawaiiposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly, Lady G.  Why people gonna complain and complain?  This is not our website! We don't own it. Yet we all act like we own it or we're entitled to something. It's not hard to make your own website, guys. I own 7 websites.  Some people own 100.

      replyreport
   4. 63

      Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      True, Walter.  Doing that has worked for me for five and a half years on here now.  Some things don't change, even when rules do.

      replyreport
   5. 72

      dashingscorpioposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "I don't like the uncertainty of thinking even featured stuff may be unfeatured at any time. I'd rather be the one to notice that something isn't getting traffic and either be OK with that or else remove it myself"
      Excellent points!

      replyreport
6. 66

   Lady Guinevereposted 11 years ago

   Yep I certainly am.  They are drastic.  When I first started writing about 5 years ago things where all HubPages.  Then when the Panda's hit (2 of the as I recall) things started to change.  The changes that I noticed first was the the layout and functions were starting to look like other sites and not be like HubPages.  HubPages was different and a new and exciting site.  Now it seems like it is becoming like everyone else and nothing is different and unique.  I think some EGO and dollar signs have gotten in the way and I don't see that ever changing now.  I am not going to change my hubs every day just so that HP can make money off of me.  I was under the impression it was going to be the other way around.  They are not helping us. They are using us. 
   Some hubs will not have updates to add or change in the hubs itself and I don't have many pictures to add "eye-candy" to my hubs.  I don't like taking hours to find a picture. 
   I am moving on and that is a fact now.  It was that I was trying to see if things changed for the better, but it is not and I am not making money here so that is no longer a factor in my choice.

   replyreport
7. 0

   chrisinhawaiiposted 11 years ago

   I'm cool with it.  If people don't like it, they should go make their own website and do whatever they want with it.  It's not hard or expensive.

   replyreport
   1. 63

      Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'd agree with that.  It's just that this particular question asked for opinions.  Ordinarily, I don't say much about it and just do my own thing.

      replyreport
8. 77

   TIMETRAVELER2posted 11 years ago

   I am extremely happy with the changes because in the long run, I think they will upgrade the entire site.  Those complaining may well be the same people who have been getting away with writing substandard articles for a long time but still making good money...too short, grammatically incorrect, lacking substance, lacking visuals and links, etc.  Someone here said she "doesn't want to do the work of finding photos, etc"...well, producing quality articles IS hard work, but the end result is worthwhile, I think.  If you don't want to do the work, then you should find a site that is willing to accept less than that.  HP has been that site for some time, but that is all going away, and good riddance!

   replyreport
   1. 66

      Lady Guinevereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      U have no idea who is leaving and how they wrote or are writing and I for one take offense at your statement.

      replyreport
   2. 77

      cloverleaffarmposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you on the too short, and lacking substance hubs.
      Lady Guinevere, I am not sure why you would take offense to this.

      replyreport
9. 80

   Ronna Penningtonposted 11 years ago

   I'm still fairly new so I don't have much experience to make a comparison. I read another comment about recipes. I've noticed my recipes don't do well. I decided not to write any more of them and I've been happy with the performance of my other content.

   replyreport
10. 73

    stanwshuraposted 11 years ago

    Well, I find their newly constructed "quality" assessment to be a subjective instrument AT BEST.  I know to near certainty that out of the handful of my hubs judged as being of unfeaturable *quality*, more than one is quite well written and has gotten very positive feedback here and in other fora. 
    
    And...what exactly does "featured" mean, anyway?  Does it show up on the HP homepage?  Does it generate more money for the writer?  What exactly is the honor?

    replyreport
11. 0

    Ghost32posted 11 years ago

    I do my best to just keep on keeping on, writing and publishing one new Hub every night and seldom looking back.  I don't have much use for the Featured vs. Non-Featured system, especially since it's long term Google (and other search engine) results that I'm after, NOT HP traffic (though I'll take that, of course).   I've been working to produce pieces that fit the "new and approved" format in a way that feels okay for me, mostly because it feels "not bad" to do it that way. 
    
    However, most of all, I ignore what HP has to say as much as I possibly can without getting bounced and just keep on cranking out "stuff". 
    Works for me, at least so far.

    replyreport
12. 82

    peachpurpleposted 11 years ago

    I have lots of problems with my unfeatured hubs. Previously i had 21 of them, now i have 2x the amount! Seems that google panda surface, my hubs are affected like the others. My traffic dropped from 250 to 120 as at today. So, kind of sad and worried. Thinking of giving up HP....

    replyreport
    1. 73

       nArchuletaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That's really weird about the drop in traffic. I checked out your Hubs, and they seem to be the sort that do traditionally well. Nice photos, too.

       replyreport
13. 72

    jdw7979posted 11 years ago

    I am new to Hubbing, yet have no problem with higher standards. We could always open our own websites if frustrated. I enjoy this outlet and tightening it up a bit makes for better reading..

    replyreport
    1. 66

       Lady Guinevereposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh boy you are in for a surprise if things keep going this way.  Tightening up is one thing but going to the extreme is another.  I hope that you don't get caught eating your own words in a few months.

       replyreport
    2. 72

       jdw7979posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I guess it will be a wait and see for me. I hope I don't eat my words, but it wouldn't be the first time. I wish I had found Hub Pages a few years back for comparison purpose, and to just have an earlier start.

       replyreport
14. 69

    theryanprideposted 11 years ago

    Still new at this and trying to figure it all out but i have noticed changes like unpublished some of my hubs but it pushes me to strive to do better and prove to them i can write a good hub.

    replyreport
15. 62

    djdaniel150posted 11 years ago

    I didn't publish any new hubs for several months, and the first thing I noticed was their heavier analysis over my newest hubs. I had one hub that was 3 paragraphs long, in which I was notified it wasn't long enough, so I had to go back and edit it. They want more substance it seems. Unfortunately, not everyone is a great author, has the ability to capture others attention, and should even be in the blogging or web publishing business to begin with. I look at hubpages as mostly a bunch of people try to make money off their writing, without taking the writing into account itself. For all those complaining about the newer standards, well, when it comes to the internet its survival of the fittest. Your content has to beat out similar content across millions of other sites across the web. The higher the quality of content, the more likely that content is to appear in organic search results. So this explains why they're being so picky.
    
    Heck, I wouldn't allow 99% of the posts on this site to be published at all on my websites, why should they?

    replyreport
    1. 67

       TNT Huskyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I didn't originally come here for the money. Honestly, i didn't even know about the adsense program until after i made about four posts. though i agree with you on the "survival of the fittest" part there.

       replyreport
    2. 73

       nArchuletaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Aww, critter, if you were in even my ESL class you'd be lucky to get the 78 HP has given you. He who hath no sin and all that... (I checked the link to "your" website. I do hope there's another to which you're referring...)

       replyreport
16. 87

    krillcoposted 11 years ago

    When something gets so large that there needs to be a computer program to 'evaluate' articles, there are bound to be casualties. Kinda like the Borg...it is futile to resist.

    replyreport
17. 73

    nArchuletaposted 11 years ago

    I haven't really noticed because I'm pretty new. However, when I saw Marisa Wright, whom I greatly respect for her blogging and writing ability, had non-featured Hubs, I questioned the QAP.
    
    However, a stringent QAP is necessary. I have a (not so) secret addiction to cat hubs. 98% are great. Maybe not literature, but readable and enjoyable. I have read a few, though, that I could not even finish due to very poor grammar and spelling issues as well as lack of substance. By all means, tell me cute stories about your cats -- don't tell me how you abuse them then write a "poem" about how you had to put them down. (2 separate hubs, similar substance.) What kills me is these are longtime Hubbers who have hundreds of followers. Like I -- snarkily, I admit -- told a Hubber on this thread, if they were even non-native English speakers in my English class, I would be hard-pressed to award more than a D.
    
    That said, I've loved on some cat Hubs -- keep 'em coming!
    
    As far as pictures go, in this day and age of internet content, you don't have a choice. I'm even a little older, but I'm so used to web pages and the like, that I won't even read a Hub that is sans pics. And the younger generation? Sheesh, you'd better put all the capsules in. They do NOT read from left to right, top to bottom. I've learned from 12 years of teaching, across socio-economic and cultural lines, the younger generation jumps all over the page.
    
    Sorry to the kiddo I dissed below. My "grade" stands, but you're 100% correct in the social Darwinistic statement of survival of the most cutting edge on the internet.

    replyreport