Wikipedia article on HubPages

1. 59

   Jason Menayanposted 16 years ago

   Hi all,
   
   We'd like to see if there is any interest among Hubbers to create a Wikipedia article on HubPages. We can not author the article on our own, as that presents a conflict of interest according to Wikipedia's rules, nor can we compensate any of you to write anything, since that would be another conflict of interest. You would have to do so completely voluntarily. But it could be a fun project, and would only help lift HubPages's prominence on the Web.
   
   I had created a basic article back at the end of 2006 but it was deleted after discussion, primarily due to the fact that the site wasn't as well-established back then (didn't meet their "Notability" requirements):
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: … n/HubPages
   
   Here are a few items that can be used to establish notability, and should probably be included in the Wikipedia article to avoid making it a candidate for deletion:
   - First Website to use the Google AdSense API for revenue-sharing with writers
   - Top 400 Websites in the world (according to Quantcast: http://www.quantcast.com/hubpages.com)
   - Writeups in Techcrunch (including YieldBuild): http://www.techcrunch.com/?s=hubpages
   - Mashable: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n … able%2ecom
   - YieldBuild: premier ad format optimization service for contextual ads like AdSense (http://yieldbuild.com)
   
   If it seems overwhelming, anyone always start a "stub" and then invite members of the community to add details, stats, etc. In fact, that might be the best approach in order to make it look like a collaborative project.
   
   Suggestions:
   - Don't put in any links with referral trackers!
   - Avoid "pitchy" language. The language should be very objective-sounding and unbiased.
   
   Interested? - Here's a guide from Wikipedia on how to start a new Wikipedia page:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page
   
   Feel free to organize how you'd like to proceed in this Forum thread. If there are pieces of data that you need from us, feel free to leave a request here and I'll try to help out.

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2. 87

   stephhicks68posted 16 years ago

   I'm not volunteering to start - just to say that this would be great PR for HubPages!  Cool!

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3. 76

   mroconnellposted 16 years ago

   I'm on it.

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4. 76

   mroconnellposted 16 years ago

   It's already up for speedy deletion which I'm contesting.  The URL to hubpages is blacklisted which put me on the radar.  I wish I had known.

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5. 76

   mroconnellposted 16 years ago

   Is there a source for the first site to use Google AdSense API to share revenue with writers?  I don't have time to find it right now, but I could really use it.

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6. 59

   Jason Menayanposted 16 years ago

   Fantastic, mroconnell! Thank you for taking the first stab at this. I did not know the hubpages.com URL was blacklisted - this is probably due to the fact that too many spammers were trying to hack links to their Hubs on related Wikipedia entries.
   
   Here's a link to the Google AdSense API piece - we were, in fact, selected for an official case study:
   http://code.google.com/apis/adsense/hubpages.html

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7. 76

   mroconnellposted 16 years ago

   I added that Google Case Study.  I think that goes a long way to proving importance and notability (which are different; importance is pretty nebulous).

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8. 70

   Maddie Ruudposted 16 years ago

   Someone else can go in and delete that "speedy deletion" notice, as long as it's someone other than the original author.  Another resource for the "History" section mroconnell started:
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Story_of_HubPag … cisco_Days
   
   Including the SFGate article Paul cites describing a trend of "live-in startups," of which HP was one:
   
   http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c … ;type=tech
   
   Another good TechCrunch article:
   
   http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/02/07/hu … r-squidoo/

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9. 76

   mroconnellposted 16 years ago

   Thanks for those links.  Good news, everybody.  Sephiroth BCR came through and removed the speedy deletion (He's got a lot more credibility than just any random hubber removing the deletion).
   
   I guess we have to get the site unblacklisted, but at least we've got a page now!

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10. 65

    Mishaposted 16 years ago

    Thanks Mroconnell,
    
    You are doing very important thing for our community, and we appreciate it

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11. 65

    Ralph Deedsposted 16 years ago

    This book by John Broughton may be helpful
    
    http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/03/02/194511.php
    
    Another couplle of items on Wikipedia
    
    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/20/techn … ref=slogin
    
    http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/17/techn … amp;st=nyt
    
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/techn … ref=slogin

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    1. 76

       mroconnellposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       How is this relevant?  I mean, it's about the people who run wikipedia being fallible.  Are you suggesting we avoid wikipedia?  Or what?
       
       What about the other articles?

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       1. 65

          Ralph Deedsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          My only thought was that the more we know about Wikipedia the better we will be able to deal with any obstacles to having a good entry for HubPages.

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          1. 76

             mroconnellposted 16 years agoin reply to this

             Oh. Thanks! 
             
             Here are some more, relevant links:
             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SD
             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Blacklist
             
             I don't see us on the blacklist, so maybe we were auto-removed.  I don't want to try readding it until I'm sure since that might re-flag the speedy deletion.
             
             If anybody wants to make changes now that the article's a bit more than a stub, please do!  The strength of wikipedia is in the ability for open participation.
             
             I'll get to that history stuff if nobody else does.

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             1. 65

                Ralph Deedsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

                Here's a very interesting article on Wikipedia. It's actually the one I was searching for when I linked the other articles. I'm sure you'll find it very interesting. Keep up the great work! HubPages should have had a wikipedia entry a long time ago.
                
                http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21131

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             2. STAFF

                pauldeedsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

                We do appear on the blacklist, just search in this document for 'hubpages' and you'll see it.
                
                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki:Spam-blacklist
                
                I'm not sure what the procedure is to get removed.  It will truly be difficult for us to ensure that nobody abuses the wikipedia trust in the future by linking to hubpages in ways contrary to their rules.  All we can really do is ask.
                
                Great work on this though, mroconnell.  We appreciate it.

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12. 68

    DJ Funktualposted 16 years ago

    Go mroconnell go!   
    
    I enjoyed answering your hub request once before and if there is anything else you ever want a musical HUB for just ask.  YOU ARE AWESOME and on a roll.  Just thought you'd like a little reward for your efforts. 
    
    mroconnell's hub is Best Fictional Band Ever fyi.
    
    HUBPAGES!  wOO hOO!
    
    If you haven't joined mroconnell's fanclub yet, now would be a great time!

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    1. 59

       Violette DeSantisposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Oh, I so did join his fan club the other day!  He got me back into hubbing with one of his excellent requests.  He is what hubbing is all about! (is hubbing a word?)

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13. 70

    Peter M. Lopezposted 16 years ago

    Nice job, mroconnell.  You're off to an excellent start.  Much appreciated.

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14. 76

    mroconnellposted 16 years ago

    I added hubpages.com to the blacklist's proposed removals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaWiki_ … d_removals
    
    We'll see where that goes.  Thanks for all the link and encouragement, everybody.
    
    Have there been policy changes since the original blacklisting that would help reassure the wikipedia community that there will be less abuse than before?  Perhaps the notion that people actively remove overly promotional hubs, pornographic hubs, etc. is enough of a change in policy to differentiate us from the last time hubpages got listed.  Also, anything differentiating your anti-spam standards from Squidoo (who are currently blacklisted as well) might help.

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    1. STAFF

       pauldeedsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       We have a dedicated moderator now.   We would also be willing to take action against the accounts of known wikipedia abusers on HubPages, provided that we can positively identify them.

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15. 59

    Jason Menayanposted 16 years ago

    This is excellent stuff!
    
    We can definitely continue to add to the Wiki on HubPages as time goes on - it doesn't need to be completed immediately. It might be good to have someone other than mroconnell insert stuff, too, to not have all the activity come from the same user/IP.
    
    Someone might want to insert something with this information (not necessarily verbatim) into the line after the initial $2 million funding from HW.
    
    * HubPages, and its sister service YieldBuild (an online ad optimization service) got a second round of VC funding from Storm Ventures and Hummer Winblad of $6 million:
    http://venturebeat.com/2008/03/03/ad-op … mpetitive/

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16. 76

    mroconnellposted 16 years ago

    Update: Hubs are still blacklisted but they have white listed the main site and it has been added to the article.  If you ever want to cite a hub on wikipedia or include it with th external links you can petition specifically for that hub to be whitelisted which they think is a better way of ensuring only good, verifiable, reliable hubs get linked to.
    
    Sounds fair.

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17. 58

    darksideposted 16 years ago

    Excellent work mroconnell.

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18. 87

    stephhicks68posted 16 years ago

    Thanks for doing all this work!  This is really great!

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19. 78

    SweetiePieposted 16 years ago

    This article on wikipedia about hubpages is nice and concise.  Thanks for making it!

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20. 76

    mroconnellposted 16 years ago

    Thanks again, everybody.  I want to stress that the cool part of wikipedia is that EVERYBODY can participate.  Please feel free to add content, especially if you already have a wikipedia account.
    
    Especially during the next couple of days.  I'll be preparing for a trip and then traveling, so I won't really be editing this article for a few days unless I get a sudden bout of inspiration.  I'll see you all in a few days.

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    1. 65

       Ralph Deedsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Great job. Have a good trip!

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    2. 83

       compu-smartposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Wow!! Firstly let me say i think this is such exciting news that Hubpages is going to be a wiki hopefully soon.It's about time!!. I personally would love to participate if i was not so busy!!
       
       mroconnell..I, and i know everyone here at hubpages is right behind you ..You really seem to know what your doing and from your profile your a "geeky kid"..well,  i always new that geek was the new sheek! Good job! ill be watching the progress and as you mentioned, everyone and anyone can help..
       Enjoy your trip;)

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21. 70

    Maddie Ruudposted 16 years ago

    If someone wants to jump in and add a company box for us (see Squidoo's wiki page for an example, I've made it super-simple for you below.  Just copy the script below and paste it at the top of the edit page for our wiki entry.
    
    
    
    Just a note: I'm not sure what the procedure is to get a URL whitelisted, but if someone could do that for the URL hubpages.com, that would be much preferable to what's already been taken off the blacklist, which is www.hubpages.com/index.php.  If you're the one pasting this in, and you're worried about getting in trouble and don't want to deal with the blacklist/whitelist deal, just use the above that we're sure is kosher until someone else can come in and petition to have hubpages.com itself permanently okayed.

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22. 58

    darksideposted 16 years ago

    Logo-squidoo18.gif???

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    1. 58

       darksideposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Fixed.

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       1. 70

          Maddie Ruudposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          Oops, my bad.  I copied the script from the Squidoo page and neglected to change that.  Thanks for taking care of it.

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          1. 58

             darksideposted 16 years agoin reply to this

             It was just after 9am Sunday morning here and it's not a good time to go 'wtf?".
             
             I quickly scrambled for my hubpages folder which has a bunch of different logo sizes. It felt like the whole world was going to come crashing down if I didn't fix it!
             
             The company box makes the page look a lot tidier now. Thanks for making it as easy as a quick copy and paste.

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23. 58

    darksideposted 16 years ago

    It'd probably good idea to warn people now that the wiki entry for HubPages is not there so people can link to their HubPages. Or to slip their tracker into the External Link URL.

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24. 76

    mroconnellposted 16 years ago

    Hey official HubPages people,
    
    I would like to start a page for YieldBuild.  If you could help me out with researching articles or anything like that Google Case Study (that is very legitimate and I would have never found it on my own), let me know.  If there is a clear argument for notability and importance, I can comfortably start a wiki for yieldbuild and it can grow synergistically with the hubpages articles.
    
    I have everything on the press page of yieldbuild so I'm asking if there's anything you haven't listed there.

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25. 59

    Jason Menayanposted 16 years ago

    Ryan,
    
    We might want to hold off on this.
    
    The reason is that YieldBuild doesn't have the same level of notability, and an immediate, separate entry on it right after HubPages went up might raise some red flags that both were engineered by us as a marketing ploy.
    
    It might jeopardize the HubPages entry, too.
    
    Let's hold off until YieldBuild until we make another "notable" announcement and open up to public beta.
    
    Thank you, Ryan, though - your first effort for HubPages was top-notch, and we'd be honored if you would do the same when the time is right for YieldBuild.

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    1. 76

       mroconnellposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I hear ya.  Let me know when evidence of notability drops like a really big public client or a large-scale media assault.  In the meantime, I probably won't include it in the HubPages article either as was earlier suggested (the exact phrasing was something like "its sister page YieldBuild").  Rock on.
       
       More edits to the primary HubPages article to come.

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26. 70

    Maddie Ruudposted 16 years ago

    Does anyone want to add a link to HubPages' wiki article to Squidoo's, under "See Also" where Google Knol is listed?

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