A HubPages + Maven Opportunity for HubPages Authors

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   Christy Kirwanposted 6 years ago

   Check out the latest HubPages blog post for an update from Paul Edmondson and HP staff on the latest Maven partnership development. Maven is now accepting applications for qualifying Hubbers to become Mavens! Details are in the post.

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   Wesman Todd Shawposted 6 years ago

   Interesting. I think the main reason I don't own or run my own website is that I'm simply not tech savvy enough to do so, am fairly well intimidated enough just trying to produce a good article,  and so I'm pleased with the formatting and support we all receive here.

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   Azure11posted 6 years ago

   Very interesting. None of my sites gets that much traffic but to be honest I'm not sure I would want to be tied down to posting every day in any case! But I guess for someone who really wants to build something big it could be a good opportunity.

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   Randy Godwinposted 6 years ago

   Is it possible to move my already successful niche articles to a Maven site, or would that cost me my present views?

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   jansharesposted 6 years ago

   Exciting, especially for those worker-bee hubbers who write for a living. I was surprised to see that I actually meet the traffic criteria. But I would not be able to post every day. Congrats HP for making this happen.

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      Robie Benveposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Congrats for having such a successful website!
      I don't qualify, but I agree that the posting every day could become unbearable, however, I think that we are automatically thinking of an article a day, while the channel may allow much shorter posts, plus you could have admin help from other people that keep it active.
      It might be more doable than it seems.

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         Cre8torposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         That's what I'm thinking too. I don't think it's as daunting as it seems if that's the case. I knew I should've started my own site a long time ago.

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         jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Good points, Robie, I didn't think of it that way. I guess it's worth looking into for more specifics.

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   Jeremy Gillposted 6 years ago

   To people like myself without our own website (other than our HubPages articles), the last part is most interesting, where even we writers may see a similar offer in the future. Looking forward to what comes from that.

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   Don Bobbittposted 6 years ago

   Yeah! It all looks good from 30,000 feet, and I would do it right now but the hook is a dedication to DAILY creativity and publishing?
   Not for me. I could and would do 1 to 3 times a week, but daily production can turn writing into a grind, quickly.
   And I do write at least 5 days a week, on one or more of my projects; novels, poetry, short stories, and technical advice, but sometimes I just want to go to a Tiki Bar, and watch a sunset over a cold beer, or go fishing, or other such getaways.
   SO, I'll keep watching for other offers. LOL!
   DON

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      Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Here, here!  Meet you at the Tiki bar at 5:00!

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         Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         It would be interesting if they took into consideration the wealth of authors they have available at HP who aren't tech savvy and have thus shied away from having their own websites.  If there was a way for hubbers who have a niche with lots of regular views to help them set up a website they could then transfer to Maven.  I don't know how such a thing might work or if it were even feasible or which side it might come from Maven or HP.  I'd have to say that HP seems like the one that is the most dedicated to author development.  That would help them not lose potential talent just because of technical stuff.  Just a thought.

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            ChristinSposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Or, you could take the time to learn it like those of us who have our own sites had to do.  I apologize if that sounds snarky, but in my mind, if someone wants to learn how to build a Wordpress website for example, there are tons of resources available for you to do that and many are completely free.  Youtube, Udemy (they run 10 dollar specials all the time for comprehensive courses), there are numerous blogs on the subject and I'm sure plenty of hubs as well.
            
            I have a couple of niches with good viewership and I recently sold a niche site for a pretty decent chunk of change.  I was able to do that because I made the effort on my own time and dime to learn that skill. I am now taking that money and using it to open a brick and mortar store - and I'm having to teach myself how to do that.  I don't expect someone else to set up the business for me unless I pay them for their time and expertise. 
            
            If writers here have avoided building their own sites for whatever reason, that's understandable, but no one should be expected to do it for them.
            
            Many of us would be happy to help guide other hubbers, myself included - but help them set up a website? No, sorry.  Learn it or pay someone to set up a site for you and teach you how to manage it.  It isn't fair to expect those of us who have done the hard work to just give that time and energy away to those who haven't. Again, not trying to sound mean-spirited at all, but it's asking a lot to expect people to do that for you. (collective you)

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               Jeremy Gillposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               Correct me if I'm wrong, but the main advantage of owning your own site is extra traffic and ad revenue (theoretically, at least), but you also have to annually pay a free for your domain. And, of course, learn how to design your site.

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                  kannanwritesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  You are right. Annual fee for the domain name and hosting. Designing your site, not really if you are going to do it with WordPress.

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                     Jean Bakulaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                     We all excel in different areas.
                     
                     I am not at all tech savvy. I had a friend who designed a lovely site for me about one year after I began my online writing at HP. She called me a "writerly writer", and it was hard for me to learn to write blog style. I am creative and love to write, but each time the interface was changed I had to relearn how to navigate my own site! And trying to understand how to get the right ads on it was Greek to me.
                     
                     I like writing here and have learned to engage more with my readers from the Q&A. I do have a small Wordpress site, but it's mostly a place for clients who order services in my astrology niche. I don't even look at it for days at a time unless I get a notification somebody asked a question, made a comment, or placed an order.
                     
                     So right know this is out of my realm of comprehension and time constraints.. I spend more time drawing and interpreting horoscopes than writing now, as I spend 10-12 hours working with each client. I get my other "creative fix" here at HP.  Maybe later if the terms change. I also got bad carpal tunnel from my original blog, it's very time consuming and I like the freedom I have just writing here.

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                  TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  You are correct, and it there is much more to it than that.  We have been spoiled here at HP due to their amazingly creative tech set up.  You don't get that on your own site AND it is very hard to drive traffic to your own site.

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               Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               And some of us aren't tech minded.  That's the reality.  I have read and watched youtube videos until they are coming out of my ears and I am no more able to set up a website now than before.  I simply can't grasp the concepts just like I am willing to bet that there are things you can't grasp in some other area.  It's not always a matter of just deciding to learn it.  I have a Ph.D. I can assure you I am not lazy or entitled expecting other people to do things for me.  I have always gotten by because I worked hard.  No one has ever handed me anything in my life. Not everyone can do what I can do and likewise I cannot do what others can.  If we all were equally capable of learning the exact same things just by trying we could all be anything on the globe.  Perhaps with a bit of reading you could become an astrophysicist or rocket scientist.  I could not.
               
               I wasn't aware that you are a Maven employee.  My thought - and it was just a thought not an expectation or even suggestion just a reflection which I have learned it's best to keep to myself since there are those who seemed primed to be snarky - was that HP has a lot of very talented authors and THEY - those who actually work for MAVEN might benefit MAVEN by being able to PROFIT from these authors if they could get them on the site.  Not asking for a handout or anything else nor expecting anyone to do anything just for the betterment of someone else when they are getting something more in return.  Guess it's still just a greased pole kind of world out there and when HP is no more I will be one of the ones who gets jettisoned.
               
               Oh and congratulations on all of your famously popular websites you set up yourself.  I'm sure you'll have no trouble heading over to Maven.

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                  ChristinSposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  You're the one who's attacking and I even stated in my original post that it wasn't my intention to come off that way, but I've found that when anyone has an opinion around these forums it's pretty common place to get ripped to shreds. Comparing learning WP to rocket science and having a PhD is a bit silly though.  WP is not that technical.  If you can put together a hub, I promise, you can learn to write posts on a WP site. That being said, I won't be participating on forums anymore because it always gets ugly.

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                     Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                     It's easy to you because you know how to do it.  I have tried to learn it on my own and simply have not been able to grasp it.  Typing something into a box and choosing a couple of categories is not the same as putting together your own website as well as figuring out hosting etc.  That's not what the post was originally about anyway.

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                        makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                        But you don't have to figure out hosting!!!
                        
                        You can put it on any one of the webware sites which sort out all the hosting stuff - all you need to do is supply a unique domain name and set up your C Panel and you're away!

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                           Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                           I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

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                              makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                              You do NOT have to figure out hosting if you find it too complicated.
                              
                              Use a webware product like Squarespace, Wix or Weebly and they make life EXTREMELY SIMPLE for people who find the techie bit difficult.

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                                 Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                                 Again, extremely simple for those who have the ability to think in technical ways.  I have been trying to figure out how to do a simple webpage on blogger using Glenn Stok's article which is very well written (https://turbofuture.com/internet/blogge … eb-hosting), along with other articles and videos.  And even that is not getting me there. This is really not the point of the original post which more of a "Just thinking out loud. . . I wonder if . . . " and not intended to start a debate or argument about anything.  (Glenn's article is definitely worth a read if you want to set up a website in an easy way but don't have tons of tech ability or knowledge).

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                     Wesman Todd Shawposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                     When people say, 'it wasn't my intention to come off ....' Yes it was. Every single time. That was the intention.
                     
                     Your post sounded like someone was asking you personally to build a website for them.
                     
                     Possibly someone has asked you to do something like that in the past, and for free. I'm sorry if that happened to you. You shouldn't work for free.
                     
                     The thing is, you vented on ...everyone I guess. I'm not mad. I just use Facebook for venting. Hey, do you do Facebook? We could vent at the world there. ..

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               TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

               One of the things Marisa Wright is doing now that she's left  HP is to set up websites for people.  Her prices are reasonable and she's darned good at doing it.  She's done two for me in the past.  You can email me for her contact info if interested.

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                  Jean Bakulaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  It was Marisa who set up my first website. I was wondering why I didn't see her at HP anymore, she was a presence for a long time. She's very talented and great to work with, also listens to what you want and executes it in a very creative way.

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   Cre8torposted 6 years ago

   So I don't have my own domain...just HP...but wonder does post mean an entire article or video daily or could it be a short paragraph or statement on a topic that spurs discussion in the feeds? I know that discussion was spoken about and having assistants that help in this area to post, discuss, answer questions as well so...does that qualify as "posting" daily or something much more in depth daily?

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      jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, Cre8tor, we need to look more in depth. I still feel that with running a busy private practice, I wouldn't be able to keep up.

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         Cre8torposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Well I believe they allowed you to recruit your own trusted moderators too so if that's the case you could lower the personal burden. I'm sure we'll hear more. Not that it matters since I don't have my own site but that could be impactful if they roll out something for those who don't. I could get moderators to help pretty easily with posting, commenting, and answering questions. Then focus on writing features on say a weekly basis while still having a hand in the daily too just not as much.

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         Cre8torposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         ....but yes....I'm not trying to run a business at the same time. That would be a full plate for sure.

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            jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            +1

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   Robinposted 6 years ago

   A post doesn’t have to be an article, although it is good to intermix longer posts that will drive traffic. Posts that encourage engagement and interactions are highly encouraged.

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      jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Cool!

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      alexadryposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Robin for the explanation. I was wondering about too.

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      Cre8torposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Robin! (Sorry...a bit late with my gratitude. :-)

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    jansharesposted 6 years ago

    Yikes! Correction: I don't have a personal domain to take to Maven. After reading the posts about building websites, etc., I realized that I misread the blog. I thought I qualified based on the monthly views I have here at HP, lol! My business website would not be appropriate. Anyhey, that's what happens when you're multitasking and not comprehending what you're reading.

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       makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       They want niche sites on established domain URLs i.e. already have a track record of traffic that meets the theshold for a specific niche topic.
       
       Such as the one I set up after I removed a relatively small number of hubs - and is now way in excess of the threshold - and which the Head of Development at Weebly wanted to buy out. I said no - and I won't be transferring to Maven either.
       
       On my own site I don't share the benefits with any one.

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          jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          Long time no see, Katherine. I need to consider doing that at some point with hubs that don't fit anywhere. Just don't have the time now.

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             makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

             Waves enthusiastically!
             I've been run off my feet lately with other activities which are doing very nicely....
             
             My take on all this is that the time has very definitely come to have a long hard think about  whether there is a future in writing about a number of different topics.
             
             All those that I know who have done well in the past and continue to do well now seem to specialise in one or more very specific niche topics - because the way Google now works is such that having an authoritative website on a niche topic is the only way to get decent traffic.
             
             I also find I write much more on the niche topics now I don't have to think about whether a third party is going to say it's OK.
             
             The other nice and unexpected spin-off is the scope to
             * lecture/provide tuition in your area of expertise (with associated fees)
             * write for related and authoritative websites - which makes you CV good to others re fee-related opportunities for writing

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                jansharesposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                Great advice, thanks!

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    Don Bobbittposted 6 years ago

    I have several websites/blogs that I have built on Wordpress and on Google Blogspot. In fact, I have too many it seems to me at times.
    I find it funny that HP spent so much time blocking one of my sites where I write short articles on the world of RV's, some of which I used to send people to my better articles on the same subject on HP. And now? I think they want to love me again?
    I'm a retired Engineer and lifelong Rv traveler, so neither the challenge of building a site, nor providing technical information on RV's is a problem for me.
    But trying to build one for someone else that isn't technical can be a real challenge for anyone.
    I don't know where HP/Maven is going with their future dreams, but all of this seems to be "Blue Sky" to me at the moment.
    DON

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       makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       The business model is predicated on the notion that they can keep building their 'expertise' base by getting people on board who have already done the hard work of getting niche topics started and up to respectable traffic level.
       
       As opposed to the old 'About.com' model where they employed people to do exactly what they want people to do for Maven i.e. post on a very regular basis to build and maintain traffic
       
       Thing is I suspect you lose your copyright to anything you write for them - as the About.com people found out when they were offloaded......

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    psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

    What is less clear to me is why a person with a 25,000 uniques per months website would benefit from transferring their site to Maven.  Maven doesn't currently seem to have good pagerank and there is no way, based on that post, to know if the traffic will transfer well and the income would be higher.

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       Jean Bakulaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with Don it all appears to be "Blue Sky" right now. Also, as psycheskinner mentions, we haven't spoken about details regarding page ranks, money, concrete issues like that. So it remains to be seen if a move to Maven is beneficial to us. And by looking at what is on the site, I feel like it's not.

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          liesl5858posted 6 years agoin reply to this

          I don't really understand everything at the moment about the offer but I know I won't qualify because I don't have a website and my articles are written just for HP really. I can't post daily as well as I work full time. So I only write when I can.

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          Shesabutterflyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          +1
          
          I don't have a website to transfer so this doesn't really apply to me, however I'm curious why hp authors would be required to have a daily commitment when it's clear several of the Maven channels do not have any new content for months (including conversation replys/posts ).
          
          I have to agree with you and several others though that more information is needed before I would move anything to Maven (I noticed they were working on ways to get other hp authors onto Maven in the future).

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       makingamarkposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       I agree. I can see a lot of disbenefits. Not so much on the benefits front.
       
       I qualify but I certainly won't be signing up for this one.

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          liesl5858posted 6 years agoin reply to this

          It would be interesting to see what happens though in the future. All of these things are foreign to me. I will be in the background watching what happens next.

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    Glenis Rixposted 6 years ago

    It’s very easy to create a website on Blogger then purchase a domain to which you can have posts redirected. I use Go Daddy, which is very cheap. But getting traffic can be a problem, especially after I cancelled my Facebook account when the recent scandal about unethical sale of users’ data came to light.

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       Natalie Frankposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       I have been trying to do so, but it just looks like another blog with one post after the other.  It isn't even published right now because it isn't what I want.  I agree about FB.  I still have an account but almost never go there.

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