Amazon Snipping

1. 86

   GinnyLeeposted 6 years ago

   I have been updating my hubs, but almost all of the amazon capsules have been snipped (even if there is only one on the hub and it is directly relating to the article). 
   
   I see that HP is limiting them, but is there a definitive rule that is being used to snip out the products capsules?  I don't mind changing them up if it is causing a problem, but I haven't seen the HP policy on what is or is not allowed now. 
   
   As an example, I had a lego minifig storage hub have the amazon capsule removed, even though the link was for the exact item being discussed - and now there are no amazon capsules at all.
   
   I saw some folks recommended in-line amazon links (instead of using the capsule) - but google would still see the amazon affiliate link, right?

   replyreport
2. 94

   Glenn Stokposted 6 years ago

   GinnyLee, If you do things right, it is not limited to one per hub. I have a hub on a niche site with five Amazon capsules.
   
   As for you, did you specify only Amazon products that are directly related to the title of your hub? 
   
   Did you make it clear in the content that you are using the product yourself?
   
   Is the product absolutely 100% related to the subject? For example, if you have a frying pan ad in a recipe hub, that’s not 100% related.
   
   Did you place your own meaningful content within the capsule or did you have an empty capsule showing just a product?
   
   Even if you use in-line text links to Amazon, you still need to follow these rules. Note how robhamptonp clearly said he personally uses the item in his example.
   
   These are things that Google reacts negatively to and HubPages is saving you from disaster by snipping.

   replyreport
   1. 90

      Sherry Hewinsposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, what Glenn said. Mention something about why you chose that exact item, and why it's better than similar products.

      replyreport
3. 94

   CWanamakerposted 6 years ago

   I'm not sure about inline affiliate links however my guess is that HubPages wouldn't go for it.  HubPages has been on a campaign to remove any links or product capsules that may appear spammy or salesman like including links to outside sites that a reader may not find useful.  I had several hubs in the past like "top 10 father's day gifts" and "Best BBQ grilling accessories" that did fairly well however HP removed all of those capsules.  However, they aren't 100% against Amazon ads, I just think it depends on how it is used as a couple my articles still have them.

   replyreport
   1. 88

      theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Inline Amazon links work much better for me than capsules. It's because the text flows naturally. If there's no opportunity to add one, then I simply don't use an Amazon link at all.
      
      Highlight the item mentioned. Click on the link button on the capsule dashboard, select the Amazon tab. You should see the product there. Click it and the link is added to your text.

      replyreport
4. 83

   tony55posted 6 years ago

   I think i read somewhere that you can only use 1 amazon capsule per article. This was not the case in the past. I  hardly use them in my posts because they don't earn me any money.

   replyreport
5. 69

   Garry Reedposted 6 years ago

   Has the Amazon program been cancelled?
   
   Throughout my first 40 or so articles I used both Amazon inline ad links and capsule ad links without the slightest problem.
   
   For some time now every one of these Amazon ads and links has been “snipped” before my article gets moved to a featured site, usually “Soapboxie.”
   
   So I quit doing inline and capsule Amazon ads altogether. Now at the end of my articles I group 3 to 4 links to other articles that I mentioned in my article and one of those would be a link to an Amazon book or product.
   
   Now those are also being “snipped.”
   
   I sometimes literally spend hours searching and researching Amazon books and other products that are directly and ABSOLUTELY relevant to my article and they still get snipped.
   
   So what is the point of being in the Amazon program if it still exists? The only decent money I’ve ever earned with HubPages was from my Amazon ads.
   
   And then the question becomes why write for HubPages at all if my only chance to make any money is from the few pennies I get from AdSense?
   
   I’ve been following all the rules since day one but the rules seem to be incredibly slippery and constantly changing without notice and therefore irritatingly pointless.

   replyreport
6. 88

   theraggededgeposted 6 years ago

   No, it's still fine. I make three figures with Amazon monthly. And not 'just' three figures either.
   
   Most of it comes from a select few hubs, and almost always from inline text links. Capsules don't seem to work well for me anymore.
   
   You have to be clever how you do it. For example, with books, I download a sample from Kindle, and use an attributed quote from the intro to help explain a point I'm making. The Amazon link then is valid and useful to the reader (I just hope no editors are reading this ).

   replyreport
7. 54

   Daniel Mollatposted 6 years ago

   So if inline products links work the same way as Amazon capsules and they are not clipped by our editors, why even bother to use Amazon capsules and run the risk of it being clipped?

   replyreport
   1. 88

      theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      They can be snipped as well if you don't do it right. Some hubs do better with capsules, others with in-text links. It depends if the image is important.

      replyreport
8. 75

   huntnfishposted 6 years ago

   The majority of my earnings on Hubpages are from Amazon.
   
   I only use capsules, I have never experimented with in-line links. Plenty of my Amazon capsules get snipped, and then I go back and forth with editors for days on whether they are relevant or useful to the reader. I've had whole hubs I've abandoned because the editor made me realize I wasn't actually providing any novel information about the product, and they were absolutely right. Honestly, just following the letter of the Hubpages rules is not always enough to get an Amazon capsule approved. It can get a little tedious, but in the end I think we end up with a better experience for the reader.
   
   I stopped adding any Amazon links for products I don't personally own. If you haven't read it, owned it, or used it, you aren't going to be able to provide any new information that isn't available elsewhere on the internet, and thats what both the editors and Google is screening for. Most people who want reviews just check Amazon Reviews directly, so you need to be better than that. The best strategy to reassure both editors and readers you know what you're talking about is by adding original photos of you using the product with success.
   
   Final thought, if your typical/target audience for your hub isn't "people looking to buy ___", its probably not worth trying to sell them something they don't want. In general, people hate ads.

   replyreport
   1. 90

      Teeuwynn Woodruffposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I'm planning on writing an article for Father's Day on buying gifts for the father in your life. It seems logical to put Amazon capsules in for the items that are available there and that I have some experience with. But I would certainly have more capsules than usual. Is there no point in writing the article because it will be defanged because the reader won't be able to find any of the gifts they might be interested in buying?

      replyreport
      1. 88

         theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Do it anyway. There are plenty of gift hubs with several capsules that get passed. Just make it as detailed and useful as you can. Be better than all the rest

         replyreport
         1. 90

            Teeuwynn Woodruffposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks!

            replyreport
            1. 88

               theraggededgeposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               And hurry up about it! You need to get it done early so that it's indexed in Google, blah-de-blah....
               
               And I meant to say... in case the editors do snip like crazy snipping things, you only need one or two active Amazon links. The best, most irresistible items on your list, and not the most expensive. As long as you get a click-through, it doesn't matter what they buy in the following 24 hours, you'll get the commish.
               
               
               Good luck!

               replyreport
9. 86

   GinnyLeeposted 6 years ago

   The email that comes with the snipping says "...if you add back the problematic elements your article has a very high chance of becoming defeatured." ---so I don't want to risk adding them back, even as an in-line link.
   
   The capsule they cut was directly relevant, imo.  The lego minifig hub was dealing with using a printers tray to store and display minifigs.  My amazon capsule was for the printers tray - with my custom description on it.  I thought that was pretty relevant.
   
   My more popular article was on smoking salmon on a big green egg and the amazon capsules for the tools used for this recipe were snipped as well.  I thought that the tools needed for the recipe would be relevant - they have been fine since I published it in 2013.
   
   I honestly don't mind it if amazon capsules need to be deleted if they were recently discovered to be causing problems with google, but without understanding where the capsules violated policy (which I can't seem to find), this seems arbitrary and capricious. 
   
   I would like to understand how I can add more relevant products than the ones I am writing about, and I would think the reader would want to have easy access to order them if they are reading about it.

   replyreport
   1. 94

      Glenn Stokposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      GinnyLee, Your hub was about lego minifigures. It was not a review of a printers tray or any of the other tools. That is why they were snipped. You need the items to be 100% relevant.
      
      A good method to know if you are doing it right is if the items in the capsules relate to the title of the hub. I have two hubs in niche sites that each have five Amazon capsules. They were never snipped. They relate to the title.
      
      I know you think that you want to make it easy for readers to have access to the tools, but the tools were not the subject of your hub and because of that Google would lower your ranking for seemingly being spammy. Google has strict rules about this. HubPages needs to be sure our articles meet Googles requirements for our own success and for the success of the entire platform.

      replyreport
10. 92

    Rochelle Frankposted 6 years ago

    Thanks for explaining this in detail, GlenN. I have a couple of hubs that really help with Amazon earnings. I was a little bit lucky with that, but now I understand it better.

    replyreport
    1. 94

       Glenn Stokposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       You're very welcome Rochelle. I guess you saw my reply to Doris. You always got it right.

       replyreport