Author Bios Removed From Articles on All Sites

1. STAFF

   Lisa-Winterposted 2 years ago

   As we continue to improve reader experience and traffic to our sites, we’ve decided to remove author bios from each article.  This moves content up on the page and allows readers to reach the answer to their query as quickly as possible. 
   
   It is more important than ever to update your real name and author profile to highlight your expertise.  We want readers to see the first and last name (or pen name) of the author at the top of the article, be able to click on the author’s name, and have it go to a professional-looking profile.
   
   To add or update your real name go to your Profile page, click "Edit Profile," enter a name in the "Real Name" field, and click "Save Changes."
   
   When you edit your author profile, be sure to include all your accolades (e.g., degrees, doctorates, awards, etc.) and expertise (life experience, etc.). Your profile can be long and detailed, outlining the many reasons why you are an expert in the topics you write about.
   
   Thank you for being such a great community of writers and readers.  Cheers.

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      jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Lisa,
      Do you mean HP is removing the profile pic/avatar that would click to the main author profile/bio? I see that my picture is gone but I still see the short bio that is curated to fit each article. That's good if those remain without the pic. Please clarify, thanks.

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         bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         From what I see, clicking on the author's name at the beginning of the article or name and/or avatar at the end of the article (end of comments for those that were carried over before comments went defunct) brings the reader to our main bio as shown on HubPages.com. However, the bio appears on the niche site, which gives more credence to the author, IMO, rather than taken to the original HP site that no longer ranks with Google.
         
         The niche/article specific short bio blurb still remains.
         
         Frankly, I think it's a smart move.

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            AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            It does seem that our photo has been removed from our articles and not our author bio, as Jan noticed. That's a relief. You've raised a good point about the potential benefit of the full bio being moved from the HP site.

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               bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Linda, our avatar appears at the end of the article (or at the end of comments, which is not a good place for the photo IMO; not many readers who land on our articles organically are going to read the comments.)
               
               Also, on another forum someone was dissatisfied with the fact that only the Twitter follow button appears next to our photo at the end of the article.
               
               However, when you click on the author's name and are taken to the main bio, two things occur:
               
               1. Our accolades are not shown. I don't have a problem with this. The accolades don't really mean anything to those who aren't Hubbers. Additionally, if an author hasn't been read 1,000,000+ times, a lower number might turn off an organic searcher, which isn't fair to the author.
               2. Links to all the social media sites which we provided when setting up our profile, appear. So the reader does have options if they choose to follow an author.
               
               Again, overall, I think this change is a good one.

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      jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Okay, I checked again, I get it now. Clicking on the author's name takes us to a whole new, clean bio. Very cool. The only thing now is I may have to add a paragraph to include the other topics I've posted about like recipes, etc., since clicking the author's name from any article takes you to the same bio page. I see the value in this decision as it supports author authority and niche. It doesn't really support authors who write on a variety of topics without a clear niche. Let's hope it helps overall.

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      AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Why on Earth would you do this? The bio is very short and tells the reader that the writer has a background in the topic that they are writing about. I doubt that many readers will click on the writer's name to go to the profile and get more information or even realize that the name is a link.
      
      I just took a look at an article written by Jan. At the beginning of her bio, she says "Janis is a licensed professional counselor." That immediately adds authority to what she has written. Why would you remove this?

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         jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         That was my confusion as well, Linda. I think that short bio stays. It's the profile pic which would take us to the main profile that has been removed. Maybe Lisa can clarify but I think I got it right.

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            AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            If Lisa means the photo is being moved, I don't mind and agree that it might be helpful. She did say "author bios," though.

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               jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, that's what initially threw me off.

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            eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            There never was a profile pic though? Well at least on my articles (apart from the new one that was added with the Twitter button)

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               jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Maybe I'm remembering from the past, Eugene? I could swear our pics were (or used to be) at the top of every article.

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                  eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Actually yes, on the old format sites. They're still of course visible when we're editing our articles.

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                     jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     Thanks. Not losing my whole mind.

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                        eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        I thought I was losing mine forgetting about them

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         DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         You are correct, this is a big mistake. The bio was short, did not detract from the reading experience, and help some people establish authority. (Some people just told us that they liked to write cool stuff. Does that mean the rest of us should suffer because of their bad profiles?)
         
         Jan is a good example.

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            bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Something I recently noticed: my short bio still appears on Spinditty, PetHelpful, TurboFuture, LetterPile and ToughNickel, but not on Delishably or Dengarden. I wonder why that is.

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               DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

               They disappear when the article is edited or when it is a new article. I am not sure if they went ahead and edited all the Dengarden articles to remove the bios.

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               jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Yup, I discovered the same, Shauna. There is no short bio on my Delishably articles which is making more sense to me and addresses my initial concern I expressed in my first post:
               
               "The only thing now is I may have to add a paragraph to include the other topics I've posted about like recipes, etc., since clicking the author's name from any article takes you to the same bio page. I see the value in this decision as it supports author authority and niche. It doesn't really support authors who write on a variety of topics without a clear niche."
               
               It looks like the short bios are only for the articles that support your authority and niche. So, authors/hubbers who write on a variety of topics for the fun of it (or because they do have knowledge on the subject) will not be seen as having "authority" which I think is the issue expressed by Ced Yong.
               We also need to keep in mind that this change is in progress, and they may not be done yet with adding the short bios. I actually think I do have a short bio about recipes. Go figure.

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                  bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  I have a short bio for all the niche sites where my articles reside. I guess time will tell whether or not the short bios get removed from all sites.

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                  Glenn Stokposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Jan, to your point about authors who write on a variety of topics, I’m one of them, and my solution was to carefully make by profile bio relate well across the entire spectrum of my content, as I mentioned earlier in this forum thread. It wasn’t easy and took some thought, but I did it.
                  
                  Hopefully, HubPages will create the ability to make individual bios for each niche site. That would make more sense than individual bios for each article, which is probably why they are removing the author bio feature.

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                     jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     Yes, that's what I was thinking, too, Glenn. I'll need to add to my bio. Probably something about recipes since I have several. However, I'm not sure it will make a difference since I'm not a trained cook or have a cookbook. I post recipes for fun because it was an option when I joined HP. I also post recipes to honor family traditions. Hmm, that sounds like a hook for adding to my bio.

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                        Glenn Stokposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        I looked at your profile bio, Jan, and I think you hit upon a good addition—adding that you make recipes to honor family traditions.
                        
                        You are in the same boat as me because we both cover various niches. I like the way to express all your subjects in your bio. I think I’ll do the same and add some of my individual author bios to my profile bio (now that author bios are being eliminated).
                        
                        The crucial thing to do is to consider how it looks (and works) on each niche since, right now, the same bio is used on each. For example, take a look at your bio on Letterpile ( https://letterpile.com/@janshares ) to confirm it works there well. That’s how I did it with mine—reviewing my bio on each niche to see if it makes sense. I hope that wasn’t confusing.

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                           jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                           Not at all confusing. We're on the same page. I was thinking the same, Glenn, to expand the smaller bios and add them to the main profile bio to encompass as many of my niches as possible. Good idea to review each bio on niches.

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      CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I wish to share the following findings. In advance, I apologize for the length and tone of this post.
      
      I’m also not just reacting to this thread, but also the recent focus on having a mugshot i.e. facial pic in one’s profile.
      
      There’s a major annual Christmas event happening in my city. It’s a funfair that has been happening for over five years. If you search in google using the full event name, with my country’s IP, the top results are dominated by the official pages, several leading local lifestyle portals, and a bunch of ticket-sellers masquerading as travel magazines.
      
      -    The top result recommends the official event page.
      -    One result is the official Instagram account
      -    Several results are the above-mentioned lifestyle portals.
      -    The rest are ticket sellers. The second result, btw, is a ticket seller.
      
      First thing that’s noteworthy. The ticket sellers have long write-ups, but they are simply regurgitating information, mostly info from prevent years too. They don’t use their own photos as well, all are indicated to be from elsewhere. Worse, photos used aren’t even from this year’s event. Likely, these sites posted these write-ups months ago.
      
      Second noteworthy point. All of those lifestyle portal do not feature the writer’s mugshot, bios full of accolades, etc, within the article. Many do not even have bylines. Only one site has a writer’s profile link that brings you to another page with a tiny mugshot and an, how to put it, amusingly written bio about cockroaches. This site ranks lower than the ticket sellers. (But for the local scene, this site is the top lifestyle portal. One of the most profitable ones too)
      
      By the way, the same happens with other events and topics.
      
      Before I continue, let me state that I appreciate the efforts taken by the Hubpages team to deal with the Google algorithm changes this year. I’ll say that every little effort helps too.
      
      But I truly, truly struggle to see why a mugshot and a list of accreditation would help. Yeah, it might, if the subject is a highly specialized one, such as legal advice or medical expertise. But there are so many of us writing about our favorite games, movies, Anime, travel experiences, cooking tips, etc, too. Are you saying that I have no “credentials” to introduce the attractions of the country I’m forced to live in since young, versus some highly celebrated travel writer with a tome of accolades, who had only visited my country for a week?
      
      If I want to write about video games that I enjoyed, what credentials should I state? That “I indulge in the mercurial world of digital make belief for at least three hours each day,” or likewise? Or do I have no authority to write on such things as long as I don’t work in the gaming industry?
      
      And the whole mugshot business. If you’re searching for trivial info like which horror book to read, must you really see the writer’s face in order to consider the recommendations? Sorry to be harsh, but I think anyone who needs to is extremely immature. And if that’s indeed the worldwide phenomenon, then it is perhaps time for all of us to stop writing.

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         EricDockettposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         I agree 100% about the author images.  I am a writer. I should be judged by my words. What I look like should have nothing to do with it. Like it or not, people do jump to conclusions based on how someone looks.
         
         What I look like is my business. The words I write are what should matter to my readers.

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            PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            At least your profile pic is neutral, Eric. I think that when authors use a fluffy kitten or jokey cartoon when writing about weighty issues like, say, personal finances or health issues, it's a disaster.
            
            Whether we like it or not, I believe that the general image projected does matter for anybody operating in the public domain, including writers.
            
            It's especially true with online writing, in my opinion, because people can reject an article found via search engines before they've even read any words.
            
            Human beings, including me, are judgemental in all sorts of ways and many decisions made aren't even conscious.
            
            If privacy is an issue, the name can be a pen name, the image can be another's that you have permission to use. A writer can maintain their private self to a greater degree, while still projecting a professional image.

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               EricDockettposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               It seems kind of weird to use another person's image as your own. That's quite a bit different that using a pen name.
               
               Unless . . . do you think that dude who plays Thor in the Marvel movies would let me use his picture? I've always thought we have a lot in common. For example, I have two arms and I believe he does too.

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                  eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Use DALL E or FaceAap to generate a fake image. The FaceApp image could be you disguised.

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            bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Eric, I don't have book in my library that doesn't have a picture of the author included in the About page or somewhere on the jacket. Dean Koontz. Stephen King. John Grisham...
            
            The author's photo doesn't prompt the read, but it does make him/her real. It's nice to meet the man/woman behind the words.

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               EricDockettposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Fair enough. If HP wants to pay me what Stephen King makes I'll reconsider.

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                  bravewarriorposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Stephen King writes novels. He doesn't write online. I think there's a very obvious reason for that!
                  
                  That said, anyone who wants to go beyond writing online articles that reap peanuts, create a freelance business that can be substantially profitable, and/or write actual books, is urged to gain an online presence. That usually means having a website and/or successful articles on the web. Agents Google authors they're interested in. If you're (or anyone is) serious about making a living by way of the written word, you need to consider what agents/publishers look for. They want transparency, even if you look like Igor.

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                  Misbah786posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Lol! Loved your response, Eric. However, I ended up including mine here and on Medium because Medium requested the same thing in their newsletter a few weeks ago. I guess nowadays, online readers read your articles only if the writer looks attractive. I mean, who knows? Weird though. But let's not forget abnormal is the new normal
                  
                  Edit: I just read Lisa's latest comment. It is not necessary to upload the original image.

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      Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I'll do an edit soon. Have a nice time.

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      DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      This is a bad move and certainly will not enhance reader experience nor will it help traffic. Bad move on HPs side.

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         Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Dr Mark, that the move will not help traffic, nor readers experience contrary to hubpages view, leave me wondering.

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            DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            There is not even any logical reason that it would help traffic. (Bios are not even seen until the reader clicks on an article.) Removing the bios however might make some readers more likely to bounce as they see that an article has no authority.

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               Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Thank you.

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         eugbugposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         We could put them back in using a text capsule, but they'd probably be removed as this is the new policy and deviant behaviour wouldn't be allowed.

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            DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            I am going to try this on my newest article and see what happens. I will let you know.

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   7. STAFF

      Lisa-Winterposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your comments and input. I want to address some of your concerns.
      
      First, the entire bio on the article is being removed, but it’s taking some time for it to be rolled out on all sites. It should be completed in a few days.
      
      Second, we do not require anyone to put a photo of themselves on their profile. It is a suggestion for boosting trust but isn’t crucial.
      
      Third, when writing your profile, we are not going to start requiring certifications. Life experience is just as trustworthy for non-YMYL topics. If you write movie reviews, add being a movie buff to your profile. If you write poetry or analyze it, put that you’re a poet and enjoy diving deep into other poets’ works. We would like to eventually have site-specific profiles, but we don’t currently have that capability.
      
      Finally, as Mr. Goodman mentioned, Google has added an E to E-A-T. The new E stands for Experience. This isn’t a new concept for HubPages. We’ve always welcomed and given a voice to everyday experts and will continue to do so.

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         DrMark1961posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         This does not address the issue, which is No bio=Less authority. (That is part of EAT.) By losing authority hubs will be placed lower in the search results, which means less traffic.

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            AliciaCposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            This is my fear as well. I've been exploring some other sites created by multiple authors. On some of them, the author's name changes color (from black to blue or the other way around) as the cursor hovers over it, suggesting that it's a link. The link goes to a bio. On one of them, a bio was present, though it was much shorter than the one that HubPages is removing. The bio was followed by a "Read more" link. I think making the link to our profile more obvious without making it distracting could be a good compromise on HubPages.
            
            I know that HubPages may not want the reader to leave the article once they've found it, but I'm afraid that things are going to get even worse if a reader arrives at an article, doesn't see any qualifications or experience of the writer, and then quickly leaves it because they want reliable information. We could add information about our background to the first section of the article, but this may interrupt the flow of the article and also be repetitive if we use the strategy multiple times.

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               Miebakagh57posted 2 years agoin reply to this

               Linda, I think Dr Mark, is about to test that in a 'text capsule'. Let's wait and see the result. Thanks.

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         jansharesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you, Lisa, for clearing up the confusion. Because we saw our bios still there on some, I thought those would stay which would be more specific to the article on which it appears. So, now I understand that the small author bios will be removed from all articles. (Hmm, )
         
         Now I see that HP is banking on readers clicking on the author's name to get to the main bio which (as you're suggesting) should incorporate all of our knowledge, expertise, life experience, etc. on every niche, to justify our authority. 
         
         I don't agree with this decision unless there will be a line that says, "click author's name for bio." Even then, I wonder how many readers would actually bother. At least with the small bio, they would get a glimpse of the author's authority. Anyway, carry on, HP . . .

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         SerenityHaloposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Site-specific profiles might be a good idea in theory, but if writers have work on multiple niches, that means they'll have to create multiple author pages and monitor them. It might be superfluous. A one-stop shop that explains one's experience maybe even with badges to niches would make it easier.
         
         I also have no idea what thoughts are being tossed around for site-specific profiles, so I could be entirely off-target here.

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      Kenna McHughposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I just saw this. I will update by profile bio! Fingers crossed! I'd love to see some positive changes.

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   Sue Adamsposted 2 years ago

   Nice, clean, and a great improvement.
   
   One glitch?
   The link works fine but as a user, I wouldn't know it's a link because the hand cursor fails to appear when I hover over the author's name.

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   EricDockettposted 2 years ago

   @Lisa - Any thoughts on removing the noindex tag from niche site profiles with a certain number of articles (more than 10, for example)? This was something that was discussed a long time ago.

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   Glenn Stokposted 2 years ago

   Thanks for this announcement, Lisa. I'm way ahead on this. lol. A long time ago, I made my main bio generalized rather than specific to any topic I cover.
   
   I did that because I noticed it was used as our bio in all the niche sites. So what you mentioned in this announcement has been necessary for many months already.
   
   And it's vital now more than ever for any author that writes on various subjects since the focus is on a single bio.
   
   Removing the individual author bios is an interesting plan, and I hope it helps gain reader views. It make sense that readers will get to the heart of the matter much faster.
   
   If mentioning one's expertise is necessary before getting into the content of an article, authors can always add that to the beginning. That is still crucial for YMYL and EAT, in my opinion.
   
   I'm not surprised that this feature is being removed since many authors were not using it properly. I noticed several authors using the same bio in all their articles despite the fact that they could have made 100 variations. When the author bio at the top doesn't relate well with the content of the specific article, it confuses readers. I wonder if that was the primary reason for this decision.
   
   In closing, I just wanted to add that I noticed the author bio disappeared when I updated my articles. Thinking it was a bug, I emailed staff about that a couple of days ago before seeing this announcement.
   
   The bio still displays on older articles until updated. However, based on your announcement, I suspect they will automatically be removed across all articles eventually.

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   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   This is not the first time that HP has talked about profile pics and bios over the past couple of years. It seems that mentioning it in the forums has only a limited effect.
   
   I do wonder why editors don't email writers personally when editing niche articles if the issue is so important, as happens with making improvements to articles.
   
   Generally speaking, there do seem to be widespread efforts by HP to improve the site's reputation with the search engines, which is welcome. The drops in traffic over the past 18 months or so have been terrible.

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   CYong74posted 2 years ago

   Paul, are you suggesting that HP enforces this as a must? And in turn, suggesting hubbers who do not see the wisdom, or need,  in doing so be booted from the site?

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      PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      You're in danger of putting words into my mouth and getting into "straw man argument" territory...
      
      However, if the issue is as important as they imply, then the logic is that they push for change more robustly. I doubt that they would boot someone from the site, that seems draconian. Maybe they downgrade to Discover until issues are resolved, as they do with articles, I don't know.
      
      As far as a specific issue like your trouble with writing a bio for video games, I do think that there are ways around that. I worried about that too, but there are some good examples of how other writers have approached bios where qualifications and professional roles don't generally exist.
      
      The main problem is that there are a lot of bad profile pics and terrible or non-existent bios out there when you investigate. They not only undermine the credibility of the specific writer but also the image and reputation of the site generally.

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         CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

         I have written a mail to the editors and teams to request their clarifications on this matters.
         
         And I’m not putting words into your mouth, Paul. I’m telling you how these discussions and your posts sound to me. They toe very near the proclamation that if someone can’t prove himself or herself worthy of attention in a profile, then that person’s writing is not worth a read. Worse, it brings down the authority of the niche site.
         
         I should clarify too. I have no difficulties, at all, if I need to spin a thick load of juicy BS for any of my entertainment hubs. I know how to write rubbish and I’ve worked in corp comms. However, none will involve “degrees, doctorates, awards,” as long as I’m being sensible. That brings everything back to square one, doesn’t it?
         
         As for hubbers with “bad profile pics and terrible or non-existent bio,” hey, I agree. But then again, I wonder what’s so terrible about a poet or a short story writer putting up a picture of a flower. Pardon me for saying so, I think the issue here is that you’re not considering the vast variety of topics published here, and how awful this profile and bio pic business sounds to some of us, especially newbies.
         
         Sorry to bring this up too, but I suspect this was why that newbie misinterpreted your advice so badly and went way, way overboard with her reaction. I could tell you were merely trying to help, but by critiquing her avatar that way, she took it you were mocking her person.

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            PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            For sure, as I said to Eric, if someone is writing medical advice and has a childish cartoon profile pic, or they're giving financial advice and have a terrible bio, I struggle to take them seriously as a writer.
            
            I strongly suspect that that's a common attitude and not unique to me.
            
            The issue, though, is what Google thinks, not me. The site depends upon the search engines for its financial survival. HP, in my opinion, are currently reacting to EAT, or EEAT, as it's now become with the latest Google update/announcement.
            
            To ignore what's happening with Google would be financial suicide.
            
            When I joined the site twelve years ago, HP's approach was laissez-faire, they essentially published anything by anyone. They could do that because Google assessed articles individually and didn't punish the entire site for errors or transgressions by individuals.
            
            Since then, the site has had to become more and more strict about its publishing rules. That trend will continue, I believe, because it has to. The pressure from Google is relentless.

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               CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

               If we were to talk about authority, then let's be honest. Flashy bios will not help, because people can always lie. Or inflate their achievements. This has long happened on LinkedIn.
               
               We lose authority because our content is checked for style and grammar, but seldom for veracity. On top of every niche site looking like some Outbrain ad scam with barely any branding or topic cohesion.
               
               Anyhow, I will wait for the team to respond to my mail.
               
               I am not picking a quarrel with you too. And I agree with what you say about professional articles. But I hope you understand not all of us are writing such things.

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                  PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  My view is that a professional-looking profile pic and bio won't necessarily help you, but a bad one will almost certainly harm you (and quite possibly the site too).
                  
                  I read some bios by writers on here where I think they'd actually be better off with nothing rather than the crap they've put. Bad bios can also be indicative of articles having been copied or spun, but that's perhaps another matter.
                  
                  I understand that there's a big range of topics on here. However, I think HP understandably prefers to have common rules.
                  
                  For sure, there are some exceptions, such as poetry being allowed to be shorter in word length. Most of the site is not poetry, though, it's factual and practical (and it's also where the revenue comes from).

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                     CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     In the face of plummeting traffic and earnings, let’s not go down the dark, meaningless road of speculating whether it is the fault of other hubbers. Or casting aspersions on hubbers who have a different approach or have yet to get a feel of the game. Besides, you are but speculating. In the same spirit, another hubber can also say you are responsible for this drop in authority because of the topics you write, etc. Would you like that?
                     
                     Hubbers with absurd profiles also tend to struggle with being featured, let alone published on niche sites. Are you suggesting that existing writers across all the niche sites have lacking profiles and thus why the entire network is simultaneously tanking in authority? If you feel my question is putting words into your mouth, which I’m not, then consider the kind of light you’re shining on hundreds of us.

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                        PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        It's a public forum. In my view, that actually makes it an ideal place for debating what HP is up to and the ideas and views of other hubbers.
                        
                        HP are often very good at keeping pace with changes by Google and the wider internet. However, in this case, they've been caught on the hop and are playing catch-up.
                        
                        EEAT is more of a revolutionary, then an evolutionary change, in some ways. It requires robust action. I'm not even sure if what HP are doing now will be enough in the medium term.
                        
                        From a personal perspective, my traffic took another big hit at the weekend. I rely on the money I earn here to survive.
                        
                        I have a vested interest in other hubbers playing their part in helping the site recover. Arguments that hubbers should be allowed to use flowers as profile pics and that bios are too difficult for certain topics don't hold water for me. You're free to disagree, but that's my view.
                        
                        While HP have certainly made some major mistakes in the past (e.g. subdomains) they generally have much better access to relevant stats plus greater expertise than me.
                        
                        They're trying to react to EEAT and I support them in that. My only criticism of them is that it seems too little too late in some respects. But then again, I don't know the technical ins and outs involved.
                        
                        However, the profile pics and bios thing does seem like common sense to me. I've listened to the arguments against and they don't seem very good.

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                           CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                           I didn't see your reply earlier.
                           
                           And since you want to put it that way, I'll be blunt. You're in the wrong place then, depending on the wrong platform. This is a free for all membership site. There will always be hubbers old and new who will not do what you want. Who will keep putting those flowers as their avatars. Who do not read these discussions because they do not even look at this forum.
                           
                           Because they treat this as a hobby. A pastime. A "learning" experience.
                           
                           And if this whole bio thing is as deadly as you believe, imagine the "damage" caused by say, ten? Fifty such hubbers? On top of all the other issues like the ads and so on.
                           
                           What are you going to suggest when that happens?
                           
                           By the way, I doubt you're the only one depending on the income here for survival. I myself do not but I still appreciate what I get here, thus why I reacted to your post in the first place. It sounded to me like you are musing about steps that will kill my income, and all because I disagree about the importance of this profile business, or how to approach it.
                           
                           But I suppose that's hard for you to appreciate.

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                           CYong74posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                           With the above said, I apologize for the sparks and antagonism in this exchange, and I retire from the argument.
                           
                           I received a reply from the team yesterday and it was a curt, good clarification. Pretty much what I expected them to say too.
                           
                           Have a great Christmas weekend.

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                              PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                              Have a good Christmas!
                              
                              I wasn't targeting anyone personally. My original observation stemmed more from my experience that you can ask humans to do something, but if there's no carrot or stick involved, a large proportion won't do it.
                              
                              I would be more than happy if we could just do our own thing on HP. But Mr Google effectively stopped that. I guess that can lead to some quarreling. However, I've always had great respect for your opinions and insights Ced.

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   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   Could an Instagram button be added to our profiles?

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      PaulGoodman67posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I used Instagram a lot when I was doing t-shirt designs and merch. I've never tried it for writing (HP or Medium).
      
      My view is that because Insta's very much image-orientated it won't be very good for HP, certainly when compared with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.

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   Miebakagh57posted 2 years ago

   HubPages required each writer to give a bio relevant to the article being written. It's a professional touch, and that means sense.                                    Yet, many of us here have written extremely good stuff without the related bios.                                    Yes, the issue has been discussed numerous times in the forum. And like any other challenges still subsists. My question is: how does the read affect SEO? Thanks.

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   eugbugposted 2 years ago

   Maybe Hubpages could add a colour change on mouse hover to our name at the top of articles to indicate it's a hyperink. It would be preferable to an underline as used for other hyperlinks.

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    Glenn Stokposted 2 years ago

    An editor just added my author bio to a new hub I published a few days ago. I purposely left it out since HubPages has eliminated the feature. So I'm curious to know why it was added, especially since it doesn't appear on the niche sites anyway.

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    1. STAFF

       Lisa-Winterposted 2 years agoin reply to this

       The author bios are still being added/edited because there's a small chance they will be reinstated at some point.

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          Glenn Stokposted 2 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you Lisa. May I suggest including that answer in the weekly newsletter so everyone knows. That would help the editors from having to spend time adding the bios for Hubbers who stopped including them due to the original announcement.

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