Can you make money on hubpages without compromising your writing?

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   mtalbot2987posted 13 years ago

   I'm worried that a requirement for SEO techniques compromises the freedom to write about what you want on hubpages and still get enough traffic to make money. Is it possible to write about whatever you want and still get traffic or do you have to write on popular subjects to draw people to your articles?

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   1. 0

      klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think you answered your own question there. If you write about a subject no one is drawn to you won't get as much traffic and you won't make as much money. But that applies to everything - if you write a book on a popular subject you'll have better chances of selling than if you write a book on how to clean tiles of old farm houses. You just have to keep your options open if you want to make money, and write, write, write. I don't. That's why I only made about $8 in the last 13 months. but I know why I'm not making more money and I'm okay with that. I didn't sign up here to make money. I just wanted to write down my thougths and be part of this community which rocks!
      Good luck!

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      1. 68

         mtalbot2987posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the advice. I'm not really writing to make money just curious to see if it could be a pleasant side effect of my interest and if I can improve my chances of that side effect happening.

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   2. 84

      Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Over the centuries, artists have always written/painted/danced to please their patrons and/or the public. That's how they survived!  Only the best have been able to please themselves and persuade their patrons and public to pay them regardless.
      
      How many professional writers do you think write about "whatever they want"?  Many professional writers struggle to get a job, and even when they do, they write to order.  If you're a journalist, your editor assigns you to a department - if you're sent to cover funerals, you write about funerals.  Even if you're a columnist, you'll be expected to write for your target audience.
      
      The internet has changed the landscape - as amateurs, we're already very lucky to be able to get our work out in public. Why should we be so egotistical as to think we can do what most professionals can't, which is to be self-indulgent, write whatever we darn well please, and make a living from it?
      
      That said, I don't think it's necessary to abandon all your interests and write solely what keyword research tells you, in a style that SEO dictates.  You won't make as much money writing about your interests, but you can still earn money.   For instance, I write mainly about dance, which any keyword research will tell you is not a profitable niche - but I do make money.
      
      However, you do have to write something that people are actively looking for.  If people aren't searching for a topic, no one (except a few Hubbers) will even see your Hubs, let alone read them. That's why poetry, humour and fiction rarely do well.  Bottom line - if you're thinking of writing something, and you can't imagine what someone would type into a search engine to find it, don't bother.

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         Kangaroo_Jaseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         +1

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      2. 68

         mtalbot2987posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Bit disappointed to see humour in the categories that no-one searches for, as that's what I mainly write. But your advice is good, its making me lean towards writing for the fun of it and treating money as a bonus.

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         1. 84

            Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            The reason humour isn't a category people search for - what do you think people would type into a search engine if they want a laugh?  If you can work that out, you would get traffic to your humour writing.

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   3. 77

      Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Well, you are asking about two different things. One is making money, and the other is drawing people to your articles.
      
      You can write whatever you want and get people to come to your articles. It takes time, you can't be a total hermit about it, and you won't make too much money, but you can make some. I can only speak for myself and a handful of people I know well enough not to feel weird mentioning (Christoph Reilly, Stan Fletcher, Mark Ewbie come to mind), who scrape up a few bucks here and there writing about, well, whatever, so it can be done. I don't know what those guys get, but I haven't heard them talking about any new BMWs or Lexuses (Lexi? lol) due to HubPages earnings from their comedy. They do, however, enjoy readership for their stuff, as do I from time to time.
      
      Plus, you can cheat the system a little if you are clever. My last hub, as an example, I did some keyword research to see if anyone was searching for what was ultimately the punchline of the joke (Yes, my article is a joke; I almost never write anything serious), and I set the title to get traffic from organic searches. Technically, my hub is totally about what the title says; it's just not what any of those searchers are going to be expecting when they show up--hopefully they'll be laughing quickly enough to not bounce. I actually think that title cost me internal/local HP views, because I think people thought it might actually be about what it say its about, but, I am shooting for long term traffic, so, that's the price I have to pay. That's also part of the fun.
      
      Bottom line, it's your life, your writing, your experience here. Make of it what you will.

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   4. 69

      qeylerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The short answer is no.  You have to write crap full of SEO words.  Look at the 'top' earners. Page after page of garbage.  Nothing you can even recall you have read.  Says nothing, but runs the SEO and the Key Words perfectly.
      
      then you buck up some way way down at the bottom article; beautifully written, unique...
      
      to make $$ on line, write for the Algorithm, write for the Search Engine,
      find out what is trending and write about it.  It can be crap, quality means nothing...
      
      Or write what you want and get 83c

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         Randy Godwinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Not always true.  I enjoy writing my articles and some actually make a decent few bucks as well.  I don't always check out the proper keywords either.  I don't write about things which do not interest me, but I have lots of interests and this helps too.
         
         Experiment with your writing.  Take no one's advice exclusively.  No one here knows it all,  otherwise they wouldn't be writing here. 

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2. 76

   psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

   It depends entirely on whether want you want to write is something that will earn money. I mean, a DIY diva will rake it in, someone who wants only to write free versus about potatoes, not so much.

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3. 59

   Fiction Tellerposted 13 years ago

   Hi, mtalbot,
   
   If you're asking whether you can write on a wide range of topics, yes.  If you're asking whether you can make money writing fun, clever stuff and entertaining stuff...that's a problem that hasn't been solved yet in the new economy of the Internet. Very few people have been able to make money off of non-commercial content. It's coming, but when, nobody knows.
   
   If you want to reach an online market for your writing, it's best to write in a way that enables them to find you, and one way is by using SEO techniques. How aggressively you have to "optimize" depends on lots of things.
   
   It's also best to write on subjects they want to read. I can't think of any time writing has ever been an act of total freedom, really - it's all about accommodating your reader.  Well, unless you're just writing for an audience of one, or for an educator or boss or professional colleague or client who pretty much has to read your material because it's their job.   Just as in print, you won't get anyone reading what you write if you don't write what they want to read.

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   1. 69

      qeylerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Over the years people have learned to become 'computer friendly'.  We've learned how to fit into the templates the computer finds easiest.  In writing, we write , if we want $$$ what the Computer will be attracted to.  It is the Computer with 'judges' our work.
      
      If you write online your title is "Civil War Romance in the Confederate States of  America."   NOT  "Gone With The Wind."

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         WriteAngledposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Well said!

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4. 85

   Len Cannonposted 13 years ago

   Write whatever you enjoy if that's what you want.  The only real concession you need to make is to format it just enough so that it something people will search for.  A little parsing of your title is enough to get some traction.
   
   Obviously hardcore SEO is best for earners but just a minute or two of effort is enough for "fun" articles.

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5. 68

   Cheeky Girlposted 13 years ago

   There are mainly two kinds of writing that we will all write, and yes, I am generalizing...
   
   1. Write what we (in this case You!) want to write about.
   
   2. Write what others want to read about.
   
   Which is it with you?
   
   As for humor. Is there some rule that prevents you adding humor to some of your hubs? Are you maybe waiting for some permission to "start your engines" on the racing grid? Go with your heart, go with your instinct. Sometimes I see great hubs with barely any comments, and other times I see pretty mediocre hubs and dozens of comments. But people by and large do like good content that is entertaining, and gets their attention. Good hubs make people want to return and read more from that writer. Writing is as much "going on you instincts" as it is "method" at times.
   
   And what exactly does "Compromising your writing" mean? If hypothetically some writer was a bad writer and didn't want to compromise their writing, I'd be inclined to advise them to say "screw it, it's time I made some compromises..."
   
   There's a flip side to this too. By writing the hubs on subjects you want to write as opposed to what others want to write, you could invariably stumble on a great topic and strike proverbial "Writing Gold"! Don't be afraid to write about topics no one else has tried. I've written hubs on divorce vouchers and the future of driving in America - and to my amazement, they did the business. How the heck could I have seen that coming? They weren't trending or anything. Just trust your instincts. The world is begging for great quality original writing on great topics, however unusual...

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6. 43

   maxraviposted 13 years ago

   What I always say that don't write your content for adsense or ads.write it for your readers.write what they like and not with the intention to earn money.Intresting is it will fetch you money too.

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