Do you Google Plus your own hubs?

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   Dorsiposted 13 years ago

   I was just wondering....I really don't get this feature yet. I guess it's sort of like "liking" something on Facebook? I know it's supposed to help Google rate our writing. Is it OK to ask readers to click our Google plus sign if they enjoyed the hub?

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      Hollie Thomasposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sure I read or heard somewhere that this isn't a good idea. I think it may have on a podcast but I'm not sure.

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      kannanwritesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely No.
      
      I think pluses should come naturally and organically. And Google Plus still has a long way to go as far as general viewers understandably goes.

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   mulberry1posted 13 years ago

   I wouldn't Google Plus my own hubs. I don't know much about it, but I would think over time it would become quite evident to Google and I doubt they would look at that positively.  In general, they don't want us try to "game the system". They want pages to rise to the top naturally.
   
   Again, I have little to no knowledge on the topic, that's just my take on it.

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   Stacie Lposted 13 years ago

   Well I started using Google + recently and made that faux pas of +ing one of my hubs,just like I do on FB. I didn't realize this was considered bad taste.

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   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   I'd never do it.  I'm really "stingy" when it comes to what I'll Plus one.  I've read that there's a way someone's Plus one's are "paid attention to" (by the system), and if someone wildly Plus one's stuff their "vote" won't count as much to Google.  I just assume Step 1 may be that someone's vote won't count as much.  Step 2 could be that Google's system might take the person's overall approach to their Internet doings less seriously too.  I think "bad taste" is the least of the problems (according to what I've read).  I just don't know whether there's really that Step 2 or whether the negative consequences stop at the Step 1. 
   
   Separate issue, but I haven't done any posting of anything on the Google+ profile, so yesterday I thought I'd do a few.  (I haven't known what I'm doing on there for the most part).  Anyway, I posted a few without anything happening.  All of a sudden when I posted one to a page I really do think is worthwhile, some notice popped up, "That was a good post."  I don't know if it was the link or the length of words, or some combination of thing; but (in spite of Google' apparent "approval" of it) I suddenly felt particularly "monitored".     I'm not complaining.  It's fine, I suppose.  Still, the immediate "noticing thing" made it clear their system is paying close attention (and immediately).    Maybe that kind of notice is only new to me because I don't use social sites.    (I do know that Yahoo Answers does the immediate-notice thing when you have an answer that "seems to have a lot of punctuation in it".    )  My main point is that they're definitely monitoring a lot of little stuff people are doing.

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      Aficionadaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      
      Wow.  That's actually a bit spooky, isn't it?
      
      I have read the same thing as you, Lisa.  I have read that the authority of our +1 can be upgraded or downgraded because of the things we +1.  I think that some of the authority comes from our choice of quality.  For example, if a high percentage of our +1's goes to articles and posts from known, authoritative sources (NYT, WSJ, Slate mag, WebMD, for example), that will raise the value or authority of each +1 that we give. 
      
      If most of our +1's go to everyday things (our friends' posts, their articles, our own articles), that will downgrade the value of our +1.  (And I do think that the Step 2 that you mentioned is correct:  someone who indiscriminately gives out +1's will not be taken very seriously by Google as a writer or poster.)
      
      I think that it works (in a vague way) as a percentage.  That is, where does the balance of this person's +1 recommendations trend?
      
      I'm curious:  what sort of post did you make that was commended?  (I guess everyone who reads this will try to copy it, LOL!)

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         Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It was a post to a site that, when I ran into it, wasn't even clear about what it is (at least to me).  It was some person's article/report/paper on the brain development of babies.   I've often referred to it it (made a separate "thing" about it on one of my child-related blogs ages ago), and why I've always thought it stood out is that it's written in a professional way (complete with science references and images), but it's aimed at a "general" reader.  Oh..  and I guess it's not a "money type site", so maybe that had something to do with it.
         
         So, I've always included that when there's any link-posting to be done.  When I did it on the Google profile I did add a few lines about how I thought a lot of parents might appreciate it and how it's easy-to-understand.  I've dabbled in Facebook and some other social-type sites, and I'm new with Google profile thing; so I thought maybe I was getting a first taste of how things are done on such sites.  It was kind of startling and creepy, though.   
         
         In any case, it certainly struck me as a new kind of reminder that (imagine a robot voice here:) "we-must-stay-on-the-straight-and-narrow-at-all-times-now".   

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   laptop-coolerposted 13 years ago

   The Google Web Quality team actually recommends you like your own stuff.  Of course you can always separate what you do and do not want to know about so that you direct Google in the direction you want.

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      Aficionadaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's good to know, l-c.  Do you have a link for that, so we can get more information?

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      Aficionadaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      These more recent posts have clarified the HP position, no matter what the Google Web Quality team may have said (or may have meant).

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   Dorsiposted 13 years ago

   It would be really nice to get HubPages take on the google plus thing. Some direction on whether it's a good or bad thing to google plus your own hubs. I liken it to marketing your articles and if Google does not frown on it then I think it's a good thing. I mean,hey,we should "like" what we have written, right?
   
   I think people are spooked about using it because they are likening it to clicking on a google ad (which is a no no on our own stuff). But I think Google Plus is an entirely different animal, and they are looking at the overall user.
   
   Anyone from HubPages like to comment on this? It would be very helpful!

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      Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      They ARE two different things, and I agree that some "official word" from HubPages, specifically about Plus One-ing our own stuff, would be good.  Even if that happened (or has happened but we've missed it), I'm not sure I want to trust what I do to the "official word" of anyone/anything but my own instincts and any impressions I've gotten from reading different stuff about Google's overall aims these days.
      
      As much as I think of HubPages and like and respect this site, they're not in the business of safeguarding whatever "relationship" I establish/don't establish between my writing and Google.  What was "official word" on here about what people should do with their Hubs was un-done by Google not long ago.  It wasn't HP's fault, but I do think people have to use their own judgment when it comes to safeguarding their individual "reputation" in Google's "eyes" (at least if they hope to get Google traffic and/or be paid by Google).
      
      BUT, I do agree that "official word" that offered some sound, informed, guidance would be good.    My instinct is that they (Google) would care far less if we mess up with what we do on the Google+ profile (up to a point) than what we do as far as encouraging search engines to more highly view a page goes.

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      Robinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Dorsi!  In addition to the forum post, Jason also wrote a Learning Center article about this a few weeks ago. 
      
      http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/Usin … d-Google-1
      
      Thanks for bringing the topic up; it's an important one!
      Cheers!

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         Dorsiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you Robin. Yes, I think this will be very important to understand because I think this plus one thing is going to be a big deal with Google.

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7. 63

   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   Again, separate (but related in a way) matter from Plus One-ing:
   
   I noticed yesterday that on my Google profile they'd divided links into categories that hadn't previous been there.  Now there's "Other Profiles", "Contributor To", and "Recommended".  Some of my stuff had been moved from the previous "main" category to others. Before that I had only listed to "any site where I write" but not the individual pages.  (They also have the thing, "this page is specifically about me" when you're creating the link in "edit", so I figured that took care of what's a profile and what's a "main site".)
   
   Yesterday when I saw they'd moved some of my own stuff to "recommended" I assumed that's where people can post their own links to individual pieces of writing (which is what they did with some of my stuff that's a one-shot deal but that I'd added when I was "confessing everything" about everything I have anywhere.
   
   So now (and particularly considering what laptop-cooler has said), I'm wondering if what they mean is to recommend our own best writing on the profile - not necessarily Plus One our own stuff???  (Of course, I don't pretend not to be clueless when it comes to what we're supposed to be doing/not doing these days as far as Google stuff goes.    )

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   2uesdayposted 13 years ago

   http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/81071
   
   This may be worth reading it seems relevant to this forum post.

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      2uesdayposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think this is a HubPages take on it.

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      rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      yes, I remember reading when it was first posted that it wasn't a good idea to plus our own hubs.

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   Wentworth35posted 13 years ago

   I once googled one of my fairy tales, and discovered it on a Russian site, which I have never used, so have no idea how it got on there.

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10. 84

    Sunshine625posted 13 years ago

    Yes....and tweet them and facebook them too

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    Wayne Tullyposted 13 years ago

    Once or twice but then I plus others stuff mainly that I like more!

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    AEvansposted 13 years ago

    I Google + but I am still trying to figure out how to link my account to it. Its nuts! But I don't Google my own work.

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