I'm discouraged

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   Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years ago

   I've been doing this hubpages thing for over 2 years now.  I've been reading about how to increase your traffic, how to increase clicks, how to use your urls...etc etc etc.
   
   And, for all the countless hours I've spent I just can't seem to get this going without putting way too much time into it.
   
   I have read all the hubs about making $1000 in a month and it just doesn't seem to work, I don't even get close.  I was just banned from putting answers on at Yahoo Answers because I put my url in the answer, how are you supposed to promote yourself if you can't put your url anywhere?
   
   Sigh, I think the money aspect of this enterprise is really over-rated. 
   
   My rant for the day

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      psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Honestly I think most content sites are not very profitable for most content writers.  It does pay to be realistic and realise you have mulitple options when it comes to earnign online and Hubpages may or may not be your best option.

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      Twenty One Daysposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I Did post a hub about using the 4 Google tools to write relevant articles -if you are writing to make money. In the last 2 days, my impressions jumped from 20 to 200 on HubPages, plus mirror sites.
      
      As of this minute, just saw a single click come through worth <figure snipped>. The <CPM figure snipped>. So you can make money.
      
      Are you using the tools out there? Like Trend, Adwords, RSS/Twitter and especially Digg? I posted 3 article links on Digg and received 50 views in twenty-four hours. This is the perfect url site for content, especially if you want to draw traffic and avoid duplicity.
      
      anyway...

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   paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

   I, too, have become perturbed. Google still hasn’t got around to indexing my last two hubs.

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      Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      There must be a better way

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   I am DB Cooperposted 13 years ago

   Keep at it, and don't focus so much on promotion. I've found that the more content you add to a hub, the more traffic it will get. If Google hasn't indexed your hub, try making a hub about a related topic and linking to your un-indexed hub. Keep doing this and Google will eventually index one and then find the others through it. So far I've been completely organic with my promotional efforts, which is one way of saying I haven't done any promoting at all. Just keep building new hubs and stay active in the community and you'll see growth.

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      Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe I have unrealistic expectations.  I am active and I've written over 100 hubs, I have over 300 fans...but the money is dismal and it takes constant promotion, I'm exhausted.

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         Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         No offense, but you are missing a key point which is to write about subjects that are potentially profitable.
         
         How do you expect to make money writing about the soon to be "end times" and the demise of America? What are you selling? Bomb shelters?

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            BDazzlerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            As much as I hate agreeing with Mark ... he does have a point.  I write what I write for it's own sake.  Not to make money.  I was thrilled to make a grand total of $3.45 from hub pages this month.  I'm pretty sure it's an all time high.
            
            If you want to make money, you have to write about things that could at least potentially lead to sales of "something".
            
            I think you write about some very important things, but sadly, those things are not profitable (at least in this world).
            
            Based on what I've read so far, I would guess that writing about your various experiences as a business owner (like when you ran that boarding house) would naturally populate your hubs with more profitable keywords and thus make your pay per click google adwords be more profitable.

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               Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I am totally doing a "Five Best Bomb Shelters To Survive The Apocalypse" now.

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                  habeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Dang, Mark - I was gonna do that! lol

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                     Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     LOL You may laugh, but I wrote about unusual property for sale a while ago which includes ex US Government Inc Missile Silos.
                     
                     $200k for the 579th Strategic Missile Squadron silo site, complete with blast doors..
                     
                     

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                        BDazzlerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Only 200K?  Is that with city sewage or a septic tank?

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                           prettydarkhorseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           MK can write anything and it sells, hehe

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                           Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           Seeing as it is in the middle of the desert, I am going with great big septic tank.

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                              DoorMattnomoreposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              or at least hoepfully a shovel?

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                              Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              Why not just colostomy bags for the whole family? Easier than digging a hole for septic!!

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                        Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I love the fact that it's in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, and therefore easily and quickly accessible to insure life after the holocaust.
                        
                        Elite America will want to be sure and keep these bargain basement prices in mind as we approach a million foreclosures this year...

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                  BDazzlerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Hyperbole aside, that actually may be a niche worth addressing, the same technology for "bomb shelters" was invaluable here on the Gulf Coast immediately after Katrina.
                  
                  I visited data centers that had originally been hardened against attack for government work during the cold war era.  These were the ones that kept the local internet "alive" when the rest of the power etc. was gone.
                  
                  MRE like meals, emergency generators, etc. are all important disaster preparedness supplies.
                  
                  And if you're prepared for the Apocalypse and you happen to be in the path of the biggest hurricane to hit the US in 100 years, well, hey, it's a good investment.

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            relacheposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I think Mark has hit the nail on the head.
            
            I do almost no promotion, I don't do social networking, and I pay my rent with what I earn here.  And I'm not even working at earning as much as people like Mark, Misha or Nellie.
            
            A lot of people aren't doing very well on this site with earnings, but more and more of them are... http://hubpages.com/hub/Improve-Your-Hub-Earnings

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            starme77posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            There ya go

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   KCC Big Countryposted 13 years ago

   You have to remember that you're targeting a certain type of individual if you want to make money online.  You're not looking JUST to get traffic to your hub.  You're looking to get a certain type of traffic.  You want the kind of traffic that clicks on ads and/or buys products via Amazon or eBay.  You have to ask yourself if your hubs and hub topics attract that type of person.
   
   For instance, I have a couple of hubs that generate a lot of traffic, but it's not the type of traffic that clicks on ads.  Therefore, these high traffic hubs aren't making me any money.
   
   Think about the type of person that clicks on ads, then figure out the types of things they like to read about.  That's the secret.

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   Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

   Hi Brie, I don't think you should be discouraged.  I think you do have to refocus your hubs.  Look at the hubs of hubbers who have earned money.  Nelle Hoxie, Habee, Relache, Whitney05, Maddie Ruud. Your hubs do have to be more sales-y.  Also you have less than 200 hubs and only two years.  From what other hubbers have said it take longer and more hubs to be earning anything that you would consider significant.  But once you have it, it's great passive income.

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   Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years ago

   Thanks for the encouragement and advice...I'll do that.  Although, it's difficult to write about things I'm not interested in.  But, I'll definitely think along these lines and see what I can come up with. 
   
   I'd shoot myself if all I made was $3.00 in a month!

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   Nelle Hoxieposted 13 years ago

   I actually make decent adsense revenue on my book reviews - and sell a few books. It's one way to write about things that I'm interested in and monetize it. I didn't think these hubs would make a dime, it's been a pleasant surprise.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

   Hi Brie, I don't do so much promotion either, only three consistent backlinking sites. But I always do my best with my hubs.
   as early as four months, I received my first 138 Dollars -- adsense and every month it keep on increasing, not much, there are lows, but I consistently received something above 100 every month,
   
   I write whats in my mind without even studying about keywords etc.

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      Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Which backlinking sites do you use?  I have made just short of $40 dollars this month, that's not very good as I usually make at least $100.

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         climberjamesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I would be very happy with $100 per month . . .

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         prettydarkhorseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hi brie, yousaytoo, shetoldme, redgage and xomba -- if you can read ryankett hubs (I think you read them already?) about dofollow sites and then Mark Knowles and sunforged hubs about sites for RSS submission also, you can submit your feed to sites!

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            Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm on all those that you mentioned...and some RSS one's too.  I will look into what other successful hubbers are doing.

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               prettydarkhorseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               ok good luck to you and dont be discouraged ok? HUGS

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                  Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  thanks prettydarkhorse and thanks for the fan mail!

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               Sufidreamerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I'm a bit of a neophyte at the making income from HP, and am not fit to lace the boots of the people lacing the boots of Knowles, Sunforged and Darkside et al.
               
               That said, you are not off to a bad start with the sales hubs. I read your trike Hub and it is a nicely written sales pitch using your personality to sell. With a better keyphrase (you won't be found using just 'trike') and a bit of promotion, it should do well.
               
               You just need to write many more like that!

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                  Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks Sufidreamer, I must say, the salesy hubs don't come as natural to me, which is probably why I'm not making as much money.

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   BobbiRantposted 13 years ago

   Many great writers go unnoticed it can be discouraging but I'm keeping at it and hoping for the best.  I love Hub Pages best of all because this is real writers getting together, not the sensationalistic social networks I do not like.

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    starme77posted 13 years ago

    The trick to writing is to write what you know - or write what you are passionate about really - writing is a passion - if your constanlty thinking about the money then it becomes a drag

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       Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       That is what I have done and people are telling me to write more "salesy" type hubs.  Writing what I know has not been that profitable.  Maybe I don't know the right things!

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    Randy Godwinposted 13 years ago

    I think we all have different methods of doing things here.  Perhaps it's just the unique knowledge some of us have about the things we write about and we have a ready made profitable niche we can take advantage of.
    
    I have been making adsense payout for the last few months with each month being almost 1/2 more than the last.  My Amazon sales have picked up too.  Just telling you this because, like Relache, I do very little backlinking, just the click on Facebook when the article is published and an occasional Shetoldme listing.( despite nothing much from either of these)
    
    Actually, a small number of my hubs are responsible for most of the revenue.  The others are mostly for my own enjoyment and amusement.  Doing the things suggested by the above experienced folks will indeed help increase revenue to your hubs. 
    
    But writing about things which are already flooding the search engines will only make it harder to be competitive in, causing much more work to get good results.  You have to find the right things to put out there.  Just my take on things, which may not be typical at all!

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       Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for the advice Randy.  Uno, I just perused your hub and noticed you have quite a few friends (considering how many hubs and how long you've been on here).  Do you have a secret to acquiring that many friends?
       
       Also, I think I am noticing a pattern here.  Most of the hubs that have high hub (overall) scores are written in such a way as to be more literary.  My hubs are more informative.  Don't know quite what to think about that but maybe I will try my hand at more story telling hubs in the future.  Btw, I enjoyed your hub about Southern GA.

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          Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Brie, I'm surprised at many of your comments, given you've been here for 2 years and are aiming to make money.  You seem to be ignorant of facts most Hubbers of your standing have learned long ago.  Maybe you've been too focussed on promotion and haven't spent enough time in the Knowledge Exchange!
          
          1.  Good HubScores have very little to do with earning potential.  Literary Hubs do not earn money!
          
          2.  Getting more friends/followers will not lead to more traffic or more money.  Followers are other Hubbers, your paying customers all come from outside the community.
          
          3.  You can make money with informational Hubs, if you're more comfortable with those. However, before deciding on what aspect of your subject to write about, you must ask yourself - if I write about this, what will people want to buy?  So for instance, I write about dance but I don't write about ballet history - I write about tutus and have ads for tutus, or dance shoes with ads for dance shoes.  Or learning to shimmy with DVD's on shimmies.  I know I could make more money writing "sales" Hubs, but I'd be less motivated to write and therefore would have fewer Hubs - and I'd enjoy it far less.  Do what works for you.
          
          4.  If you had applied for eBay when you joined HubPages, you would have been accepted - however these days, you must have your own website to apply.

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          Randy Godwinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Actually Brie, the how-to hubs I have published are those which make me money.  My personal hub stories do not make much, either from Adsense or Amazon! 
          
          The amount of "friends" thing is a mystery to me!  I do not follow many people and then only those who I like or whose hubs I enjoy reading.  It seems I get a lot of newbies when my score is 100.  I guess they think it helps to follow someone with a perfect score in some manner.
          
          Thanks for reading my south Ga. hub and keep trying to find your niche.  I wish I knew what would help you but I'm still learning things every day here.  Good luck!

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             Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Great...I just started a personal history series   Trying to unlock the door I guess.

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                Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Brie - ask yourself, if someone comes to your personal history Hubs, what will they be looking for and what motivation will they have to click on your ads?
                
                If you can't think what ads will display and what motivation they'll have to click on those ads, then you can guarantee the Hubs won't make money.  It really is that simple.
                
                Since your Hub is about living in New York, you might get visitors buying books on moving to New York - but will Google present your Hub to people who are thinking of moving to New York?  Possibly not.
                
                I know it's hard for us writers to accept you can't just write about interesting subjects and expect to make money - but it's a fact of life.

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                   relacheposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                   I write my Hubs about things that interesting to me and I do make money.  But I consciously pick from my interests things that I know are of interest to others.  Not stuff that I hope or guess is of broader interest.  Meeting a need is a time-honored way of building traffic/readers.

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    Bard of Elyposted 13 years ago

    Brie, I understand your feelings because I too find it a lot of work for a small return but I know it does work and is worth it and I accept I have a lot to learn about how to become one of the high-earners. I can make around 100€ a month and have had over 50 from eBay. It's not enough to live on by a long stretch but really helps all the same and that is why I am now doing the 30 hubs in 30 days again!
    Just keep at it is my advice and good luck!

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       Brie Hoffmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       How did you get on ebay?

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    CkhoffmanKposted 13 years ago

    If you're a good writer and you have strong SEO skills, then you can make a substantial amount of money here, and on other content sites.
    
    The key is to LEARN about SEO, and other related topics and then write for as many places as you can.
    
    I pull in around $2500 a month between DS work, Associated content, Constant content, and a few others.

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