Requesting feedback on this article

1. 44

   dylananthony4uposted 2 years ago

   Hi, I'd like feedback on this article. Thanks in advance.
   
   https://hubpages.com/living/bathroom-cl … -your-home

   replyreport
2. 92

   AliciaCposted 2 years ago

   Hi, Dylan. Your article contains information that has already been published on the web by other people. You need to edit the article to overcome this problem.
   
   I think we need to do one of three things when we publish an article here. It should contain new information, it may contain previously published information but is in an original and useful format for readers, or it should combine information from multiple sources.
   
   If you lengthened your article, I'm sure you could reach one or more of the goals. For example, you say in the introduction that the type of soap is relevant, but you don't discuss this in the article. That would be a good addition. You should also check for repetition in the article. Describing your personal experience with cleaning a bathtub or adding references could also be helpful.
   
   Stating the name of the photographer and the license of the photos that you use will protect you from complaints from the photographer. If you took the photos, you should say so.

   replyreport
   1. 44

      dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Alicia
      Yes, I know this topic is saturated, but like you said, I'm researching from different sources and spinning it in my own words to make it even simpler to understand. This is just a draft, or you can think of it as a foundation. I'll keep adding to the article every week or so because I read somewhere that editing your article and keeping it up to date is a good signal. Also, does Hubpages still implement the idle feature? I'm trying to avoid this as much as possible.
      
      Your feedback is always welcome, Alicia

      replyreport
      1. 92

         AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Good luck with your article, Dylan. HubPages doesn't "feature" articles if they are unsatisfactory, which is the current terminology. In addition, if they're switched to a niche site and they don't get enough views, they may be moved back to Discover.
         
         Personally, I don't think a submitted article should be a draft. I think it should be as good as currently possible when it's assessed so that it's switched to a niche site. I'm also not sure about the advisability of updating the article every week. I can understand this strategy if the article contains a breaking news component, but not in other articles. Perhaps someone with experience in updating articles frequently will comment.

         replyreport
         1. 44

            dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Okay, got you. How hard is it to get article into niche site? I have tried to apply for toughnickel and feltmagnet but got no reply. Which are some of the easier ones and responsive so I can apply?

            replyreport
            1. 92

               AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Every new article that we write is considered for a niche site. We don't have to do anything after clicking "Publish." That's why our initial effort is so important.
               
               We can submit an older article to a niche site every two weeks via the "Submit" button at the top of the article. It's advisable to edit the article before it's submitted, especially if it's a relatively new article that wasn't moved when it was created.
               
               I have never considered which are the easiest sites for accepting my articles. I just look at an older article, think about how I could improve it, edit it, and then submit it to the relevant site.

               replyreport
3. 96

   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   Here are a few things to consider:
   
   Having a cat as your profile pic undermines your authority as a writer. Many readers, including me, will find it difficult to take your words seriously when you're writing about important topics. It's tantamount to self-sabotage.
   
   Your first paragraph is way too long. HP recommends a max of three sentences, as extended paragraphs are awkward to read when using a smartphone.
   
   Like Alicia says, your doing something that's already been done with this article. If you're going to beat the competition, you have to be original and exceptional. Alicia has some great suggestions regarding taking a different approach.

   replyreport
   1. 44

      dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      As a writer, I believe you can go about it two ways. Showing your face and personal info or being anonymous all together and using pen names. I've chosen the latter for my own personal reasons. But I assure it's a real person typing this words. I understandd how it can undermine credibility but that does not concern me.
      
      Got it. I've been experimenting with paragraph length recently. Yes, I think you right about shorter paragraphs heard it even helps with ad placement.
      
      Regarding things being done. Everything under the sun has been done so we just have to keep refining and adding to it.
      
      Thanks for feedback, Paul

      replyreport
      1. 98

         DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Well, you can certainly go down the route of a cat avatar and no profile. However, you also have to ask yourself "If I was a reader, would I believe anything from this person?" I think you, as well as the majority of your readers, are going to bounce out of your page immediately when you find that the writer knows nothing special about the subject.
         
         Yes, you are correct in that virtually everything has been done at this point. I have a terrible time finding new subjects now, as opposed to 10 years ago when I felt there was so much to write about that was not available. Creating new information helps, and I did so about 5 years ago when I wrote about an alternative treatment using local materials. It has been rewritten and I do not even rank first on that page anymore, so that is, at best, a temporary solution. The best thing is what you are trying to do, which is make the material out there more readable.
         
         As to the niche site subject, it is hard for me to tell you which is best since all of my articles are on one site. Linda (AliciaC) is also mostly on one site because of her profile. Check Pauls pages as he is on many sites; what is different about what you are writing as opposed to his pieces?

         replyreport
         1. 44

            dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Okay I'll check them out. Thanks Dr Mark.

            replyreport
      2. 96

         PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         "As a writer, I believe you can go about it two ways. Showing your face and personal info or being anonymous all together and using pen names."
         
         Dylan: You've set yourself up with a false dichotomy. Using a real picture (or a picture of a real person with the appropriate permission or necessary rights) along with a pen name is normally enough to ensure anonymity.
         
         There's no necessity to use pet photos.
         
         Like Dr Mark says, having no bio is also problematic. You can write an honest and professional bio without giving away info that compromises your privacy.
         
         It's true that things are way more difficult nowadays regarding topics. However, I would still avoid things like making money from writing and basic SEO advice, which, even if you get that stuff onto the niches (unlikely), will almost certainly be just a spit in the ocean.
         
         Of course, if you're genuinely unconcerned about demonstrating credibility as a writer, none of the advice that you receive really matters.

         replyreport
         1. 44

            dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Haha okay, I'll take it into consideration.
            
            My read time or bounce rate is okay though. I just realized I need longer content to keep people on the page longer. People don't seem to mind the profile pic or lack of bio. Thanks for the advice anyway.

            replyreport
            1. 96

               PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

               If you have published 53 articles and none of them have made it to the niches, then you are definitely doing something very wrong.
               
               That's what I think when I look at your profile page.
               
               If you don't accept that you have a problem, then you're basically doomed.
               
               Getting a proper profile pic is very basic stuff that you'd know about if you'd spent any time at the Help Center. The fact that you apparently don't seem to know or understand that makes me question you in other areas.
               
               You've published 53 articles in four weeks and you're trying to give others advice about how to write online. It doesn't really make sense...

               replyreport
               1. 44

                  dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  I just joined 4 weeks ago. I have applied to FeltMagnet for one of my articles, and they said my article is good; I just have to wait because they have a long waitlist.
                  
                  I appreciate your feedback, but I think I'm doing pretty good for myself to start with. Because of the wait times to get featured on niche pages I'm not totally dependent on them. I have found that discover.hubpages.com also has a really good DR and some of my hubs are ranking on page 2 on Google. Like I mentioned earlier I have a strategy I'm following. Eventually all my hubs are going to have at least 1500 words.
                  
                  "You've published 53 articles in four weeks and you're trying to give others advice about how to write online. It doesn't really make sense"
                  
                  Actually it does it's not that complicated to be honest, you just have to do some research and start writing. I can literally educate anyone on any topic with my articles. There are no gatekeepers of knowledge ever since the invention of the internet. Google and Youtube is your best friend as a writer.
                  
                  "If you don't accept that you have a problem, then you're basically doomed."
                  
                  No one is perfect Paul, and I appreciate your brutally honest feedback. I literally said that I've taken every feedback into consideration. Please don't feel like I'm taking your advice for granted.
                  
                  I don't even have pics on my IG. I'm just paranoid like that about personal information I put out on the internet.
                  
                  I just want my readers to focus on the message in my articles not necessarily the author.

                  replyreport
                  1. 92

                     AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     Dylan, you have no references on the factual articles that I’ve seen, and you have given no credits to the photographers and the artists. That could get you into trouble.
                     
                     If Google is your friend, as you say, you need to say where you found the information that formed the basis of your article. Rewriting and expanding the information from a particular source and adding your personal experience with the topic if you have any is vital. There's no point in writing the article if you don't do this.
                     
                     In addition, you cannot “literally educate anyone on any topic with my articles.” Some subjects require years of specialized study, and in areas such as medicine and veterinary science, lots of practical experience as well. In addition, some topics are frequently updated with new discoveries or theories, and some relatively recent ideas are shown to be wrong. You need to budget time for research and updating articles for these topics.

                     replyreport
                     1. 44

                        dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        Understood. I have started attributing my images to the respective artists as you can see from recent posts.
                        
                        Yes, you right some topics are more technical and need more time researching to get the facts right. Though with enough time and good research no topic is out of limit.
                        
                        I'm going to add references to my articles later on.

                        replyreport
                        1. 92

                           AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                           I've just looked at your most recent articles. The articles are all short, and one of them appears to have more blue headings than actual text. You need to slow down and think about your approach to writing here, Dylan. The articles are fine for an overview that you will gradually improve, but they aren't ready for publication.
                           
                           I took a quick look at your world's biggest dogs article. "Freddy" is the correct spelling for the name of the fourth dog, and his death was announced in 2021. The present tense in your description is wrong. I didn't look at the other dogs.

                           replyreport
                           1. 44

                              dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                              Thanks for heads up. I'll revisit the article.
                              
                              I'm on a sprint. I want to reach a certain number of articles then start improving and promoting them. That's why I'm choosing to write the bare minimum.
                              
                              I'm looking at this more as a business than a passion.

                              replyreport
                              1. 92

                                 AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                                 I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your last sentence. I love writing, but I need to earn money from it. It’s a business for me as well.
                                 
                                 In my opinion, a business person would want to do a good job on an article the first time that it’s published so that it will quickly be switched to a niche site. This is where most people here earn the most money.
                                 
                                 If we don’t do a good job with our articles initially, we need to wait two weeks between each submission to a niche site. If we have a large number of articles that aren’t on a niche site, it’s going to take a long time to get them switched. Unlike Discover, the niche sites are specialized.
                                 
                                 Promotion is fine, but writers need all the help that they can get. Having an article on a niche site should provide help.

                                 replyreport
                              2. 88

                                 theraggededgeposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                                 Bare minimum = draft. You won't have any credibility or authority in SERPS. It's not a good strategy. Additionally, going back to previously published articles and trying to drum up enthusiasm for the topic again is difficult.
                                 
                                 The best time to get articles onto a network site is soon after publication when they are reviewed automatically. The hardest time, as Linda says, is later when you can only submit one every 14 days. It'll take forever... and there's no guarantee they will be accepted.
                                 
                                 I know that these days, when I press 'publish', my article will go to a network site... because I've done my research, stuck to the guidelines, and offered the reader something they can't find anywhere else.
                                 
                                 Edit: Also, what's the point of asking for feedback if you have published a sub-par article? None of us want to read something that is unfinished.

                                 replyreport
                                 1. 44

                                    dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                                    "The best time to get articles onto a network site is soon after publication when they are reviewed automatically. The hardest time, as Linda says, is later when you can only submit one every 14 days. It'll take forever... and there's no guarantee they will be accepted."
                                    
                                    Wow, okay, this is totally new information to me, and it gives me a whole new perspective. I didn't know they could get added automatically after publication. I thought you just had to apply every 14 days. But then again, how do they decide on which network site to put your article if you don't apply?
                                    
                                    I'll take Linda's advice and slow down so I can focus more on quality rather than quantity.
                                    
                                    I really want my articles to be featured on network sites. I'm going to study your articles and see what I can learn from them.
                                    
                                    Thanks for your input, Bev.

                                    replyreport
                                    1. 88

                                       theraggededgeposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                                       You are welcome, Dylan. It's pointless wasting your energies if it can be done in a more thorough and streamlined way.
                                       
                                       The team is experienced enough to know where to send articles according to their topic so you don't need to worry about that Often when a writer submits an article manually, the editors may move it to a different site than the one you chose.

                                       report
                  2. 86

                     Jan Stepanposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     Dylan, things need time and practice. You can't run away from that. That's what Paul refers to when mentioning your large amount of articles made in such a short period.
                     
                     You cannot expect to convince people to see you as a credible writer in that sense. Growth, experience, and taking steps one by one are the ingredients you need. Do not rush things forward and expect fast results in return.
                     
                     I think it's good that you are self-confident but don't get too pompous, as that will only harm you in the long term. The people trying to help you here are, in my opinion, real professionals in their industry, and most importantly, they have valuable experience with them.
                     
                     I know and understand that hunger you most likely feel as a young writer/journalist myself. However, don't let it blind you, and have respect. It will help you be more self-aware, and then I promise you, the results will start to show up.
                     
                     I wish you good luck in your writing career! Keep going!

                     replyreport
                     1. 44

                        dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        Thanks for the advice. I'll try and aim for at least 500 words moving forward.

                        replyreport
4. 44

   dylananthony4uposted 2 years ago

   Noted, Bev. If I may ask based on your experience which one of my articles is likely to be accepted on a network site? I don't want to waste my chances. So far I have made some changes to some articles and submitted my most venomous snakes article to Pethelpful. I'm just hoping it gets accepted.

   replyreport
   1. 88

      theraggededgeposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      You've got 59 articles. I can't go through them all The venomous snakes one is promising but Pethelpful is not the right place - they aren't pets, are they? It'll probably be Owlcation. Having said that, if someone else already has a similar topic, then you have to make yours better.
      
      Also, as you have already been advised many times, you have to credit the source of your photos and state their licenses. No article will be accepted to the networks without that information.
      
      https://hubpageshelp.com/content/Learni … -image-use

      replyreport
   2. 92

      AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that the article about the most venomous snakes stands a chance of being switched to Owlcation, but I think some changes would increase the possibility.
      
      As Bev says, you need to state the source and license for each photo so that people can see that you have used the images legally. Next, you need to briefly define any science terms in the article that may not be familiar for everyone. In addition, you need more references. Having just once implies you got all the information from that site, which suggests that there was little point in writing the article. Perhaps you could add the sites that you mentioned in the article so that people could investigate further if they wish.

      replyreport
   3. 96

      PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      When I started here, I made all the classic mistakes. I churned out low-quality articles. I wrote SEO and how-to-write online advice. I wrote worse versions of articles that had already been written a thousand times beofe. You name it, I did it.
      
      Just producing lots of mediocre articles wasn't a good strategy 12 years ago and it's an even worse idea now that there's a huge emphasis on quality.
      
      Even after all this time, most of my articles fail. I feel lucky when one of them takes off.
      
      You can improve your chances, though. For starters, over a hundred articles on hubpages.com or Discover are barely worth half a dozen in the niches, in my experience. So getting into the niches is a priority.
      
      The HP Learning Center explains how to research topics and keywords, once you've mastered that, you can proceed from there. Without that knowledge, you can waste a lot of time and energy...
      
      That's my two cents worth, anyway.

      replyreport
      1. 44

         dylananthony4uposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Okay, now that you've said that, I feel like it's a numbers game again. The more articles you have the more chances of some getting into niche sites and some going viral. However, producing quality articles will take less effort overall. But then again, having many articles gives you peace of mind; you don't have to worry about some of them being deranked by competitors.

         replyreport