How Do You Get A Hub Ranked Above 80?

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   bogerkposted 13 years ago

   All of my Hubs fluctuate between the 65 - 79 range with one or two that sometimes sneak in the 80 - 85. I'm just curious what it takes to get one or most of mine to stay about 80 or maybe even reach 90 +

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      Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'd suggest you post a hub in Extreme Hub Makeover, but I'll make one obvious suggestion instantly:
      
      Long paragraphs do not work on the web.   Pick any of my hubs and observe the paragraph length.  That's a very important part of writing on the web.

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         bogerkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I try to keep my paragraphs and capsules somewhere between 100 - 200 words. Some reach 250ish. Is that too high, or about right?
         
         Thanks for the advice! This is all so interesting.

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         1. 90

            Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            It's eye length.  Forger the rules you learned in school, it's how far down the page they go that matters.
            
            So, if there is content to the right (ads, Amazon), you need to be even shorter.  Internet eyes need to see regular white space or they go away quickly.

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               wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Elucidate, please.  If I have a text and Amazon capsule side by side, should I make one shorter to create white space?  Or do you mean the inevitable small space between vertical capsules?

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               1. 90

                  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  I mean you need shorter paragraphs to the left of the capsule.
                  
                  Go by eye, not by your English teacher. He or she never heard of the web unless you are under thirty.

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                     fortunerepposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     that was funny, but you are so correct!

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            2. 69

               bogerkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Great! I think I can break up some of my longer paragraphs in the Hubs I already have and can focus on length in the future.

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                  Randy Godwinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Pcunix is correct!  Better to use a few sentences instead of many using the blank space in between.  When photos or other capsules are placed to the side of your text it makes those few sentences look longer as the width of the paragraph is shortened.
                  
                  Large blocks of text also seem to tire the eyes on a monitor, unlike in a book or magazine.

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                  1. 90

                     Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Our writing teachers (assuming we had any) taught us not to break up thoughts.
                     
                     That doesn't work on the web.
                     
                     Here, because "readers" rarely read, we need to work with scanning and make it as easy as we can for our visitor to find the few sentences they may be willing to read.
                     
                     And then of course, we hope they click on one of our money links on their way out
                     
                     People who never had writing taught to them still pick up the rules from books and magazines, where actual reading still takes place now and then.  It's so quaint I can hardly talk about it without getting misty eyed!  I remember well when I used to read..

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                        Randy Godwinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I only began writing a few years ago and this was one of the first things I learned.  I began using my school "book learnin'" style but quickly adapted to the internet version.  It does make a great difference!

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               2. 90

                  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, that's easy to do and it will give your hubs more chance.
                  
                  I'm not a sports fan at all (quite the opposite) so I have no idea if what you wrote is worthless or priceless, but I do know my white space

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                     bogerkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     I won't hold that against you - Thank you for your help!

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2. 90

   Pcunixposted 13 years ago

   The reason is this:  most vistors do NOT read your hub.  They scan it, looking for the parts they want to read (if any).  If there are long chunks of text, they can't scan as easily, so they go away.
   
   Break it up.  I could have made this one paragraph and my 9th grade English teach would insist that I should, but on the Internet - if I want to be read - even this short thing needs two paragraphs.
   
   Nobody reads.  They scan.  Keep that in mind.
   
   The reason I put that on a separate line by itself is because that's the most important point.  That's the point I really want the scanners to see.
   
   Get it?

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      wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Ah!  You have created the white space.  I get it.  I think.  This is something I hadn't considered, even though I do it myself. 

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      1. 69

         bogerkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         My paragraphs are definitely a longer length than any of those in your reply.

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         wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Although I've got 2 and 3 thousand word hubs.  You'd be scrolling for 20 minutes!

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            Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            No, we don't
            
            Seriously.  Nobody reads anymore.  Google reads every word, but nobody else does.

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               Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Take this thread, or any thread, as an an example.
               
               The minute it goes beyond one page, you start seeing repetition: new posters saying exactly what was said earlier because they don't read the whole thread.
               
               You see it here every single day.

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                  DonnaCSmithposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  This is an interesting thread. Now, I wonder, if we'll begin writing with shorter paragraphs to make reading on e-readers easier?
                  
                  Will reading electronically change writing style?

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   2. 81

      David 470posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Pcunix is right, the majority of people do not read the entire article. Most of the time they scan what they are looking. It looks pretty ugly on a webpage if you do not break up any text.
      
      Personally, if i see a big GIANT paragraph, I am not very fond of it because its harder to read.
      
      It may also be a very good idea to make certain things in bold before paragraphs. Good place for keywords and such. It also makes things look better for the read or should say scanner ? lol

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   shazwellynposted 13 years ago

   I want to add, that dont expect to have a hub at a constant 80 + when you achieve it, it doesnt work that way.  HubPages algorythm takes many things into consideration - traffic, thumbs up, other's sharing, people linking from your hub (plus lots more).  Your hubs will always vary in time.
   
   Hub scores are not constant, they change over time.
   
   The one major factor to your hub score, as well as your authorscore, is dont go self promoting because the system is set up to anaylise bad internet behaviour.

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      bogerkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! This is all very interesting.

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      Donna Ferrierposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, I've noticed this about my hubs. Watching them go up and down on the ratings scale is like watching a see saw...LOL
      
      Sometimes I'll have one hub rated at 78 or 80 for a day or two and then another hub will creep into the top spot...others will be near the top for a time, and then others will creep up from the bottom. It looks kinda weird sometimes...LOL
      
      Peace,
      Donna

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   sofsposted 13 years ago

   Wow! I am learning something here.. somehow I have always tried to keep informational hubs this way, short paragraphs with a couple of bold words to make the point.
   
   This is more because I like to read stuff that is easy on the eyes.
   But I now know there is a method to the madness.
   
   Ha! my hub scores race up to 90 and the back to the mediocre 70 -80's  I keep losing hope.. Shazwellyn, your advice seems  make me feel better.
   
   Thank you PCunix and Shazwellyn for sharing.

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      DRidgeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I found this information important. I wish there was a whole page dedicated to it in the introduction to hubs. I am confused about ratings.
      I read. I thought everybody read. Wow. We learn something new everyday.

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