Custom Summaries

1. 75

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years ago

   I'm finding that the Custom Summaries do improve traffic as they were said to do.
   
   I want to know, however, from the folks who do get good traffic on their good hubs still, that recently created a custom summary - how many words should this summary have?  Of course putting search terms/keywords into the summary is a given, but I'd like to learn more about the technique, and length that these things should have in order for them to be "optimized" to the max.
   
   Suggestions?

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      Jo_Goldsmith11posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I am wondering after you add the information for you summary, how do you save it? I am new and I will have to read up on it. Great question`

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      1. 94

         Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Go to your account page. Click on a hub. Go to edit mode.
         Under the box of capsules you will find words. One of them is "summary". Click it and a little box will come up where you can add or edit a summary.
         Click the finished editing button.

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2. 60

   Mark Ewbieposted 13 years ago

   I'm not an SEO person.  But the summary appears on the search results - it's a chance to sell your page to someone browsing through the list.  How you sell it is up to you - if your likely searcher will want short and pithy  - do short and pithy.  If they want well researched whatever, do something that will convince them this page contains it.
   
   As I specialise in arguably (but not legally provable) misleading information I tend to write the summary and then add "Not" or "Spoof" to the end.

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   1. 75

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Dude, in the South - you'd best be described as "A Hoot!"

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3. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Creating a separate hub summary, instead of allowing Google to pull the first paragraph, does have advantages.
   
   However, the first paragraph, if you read any veteran hub on online writing, you would learn that the first paragraph of a hub should be written solely for "hub summary", which Google takes to begin with. Therefore, no extra work is required.

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      Simone Smithposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed, though there is something to be said for unique summaries

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      1. 75

         Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Simone - but wouldn't doing a summary, and/or changing a summary in effect be the same as changing up the content, and thus, freshening up the page for Google?  Seems like a good idea anyway to do a summary - but maybe in some instances the first paragraph can't be improved upon.

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      2. 70

         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I am not doubting that.
         
         @Wesman- Okay.

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         1. 75

            Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I just deleted my summary for my best performing hub.  I think my first paragraph says it all in a better way.  Thanks for your information.

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   2. 75

      Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I thought that that was what was going on - but I have a problem with that.  I sometimes am more of a storyteller than Mr. Seo Shaw.  I think that I had best do the custom summary.

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4. 83

   K9keystrokesposted 13 years ago

   Should we be staying within a certain number of words when creating a custom summary? I have heard that less than 50 characters is the guideline, is this accurate?
   @Cags~ Nice to see you hear today, hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I saw on the news that Boston (HubCamp location) is having a dark and rainy day. Makes me glad to be in Calif, although I do remain a bit jealous that I am not at HubCamp rain or shine! 

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      K9, last time I checked Google pulls 150 words from the first paragraph of a hub and uses as your summary. If you write one, then I would think that the minimum would be 100 or 150 words.
      I'm almost always around. It's raining here, on and off, but I am 90+ miles from Boston. I was not attending the HubCamp in Boston. Chose not to. But, it is great to see you.

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      1. 83

         K9keystrokesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hey thanks Cags-- now that I think about it , the 100-150  word count does sound more appropriate. I really appreciate the info.

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5. 60

   Mark Ewbieposted 13 years ago

   I just checked my favourite hub and Google search results return the summary not the opening paragraph.

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6. 69

   Alastar Packerposted 13 years ago

   Hi Cags, so if one already has a three or four line custom summary it'd be better to re-write to a 100+ words?

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7. 69

   Alastar Packerposted 13 years ago

   Thanks anyway, got it figured.

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8. 75

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years ago

   <-----makes a mental note to pay more attention to Cagsil when he talks "net talk."

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