Your advice will be highly appreciated - combining hubs

1. 91

   Cardisaposted 12 years ago

   Hello hubbers. I have three related hubs, parts 1 to 3. Part 3 is the one getting most of the traffic. Part 2 hardly get's any at all even though they are linked. The word count when combined would be 2873 but given that it's a travel hub with lots of info I was wondering if I should just combine them and make one hub.
   
   Also I am not sure how to do it. Should I delete the other two and wait a while before adding them?

   replyreport
   1. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Cardisa, I think you should leave them "as is".  Take a look at the stats for Part 3 and see what keywords people are using to find that Hub - do you have those keywords in the other two parts?
      
      I think it would be worth changing the titles so each one reflects what that Hub is about.  Google doesn't like blog posts or Hubs that have almost the same title, so it may be ignoring the other two.  A good title gives each Hub a chance to succeed on its own as well as in the series.
      
      I would also make your "read more" capsule highlighted.  You've currently got a highlighted box with a list of things to do, that doesn't really say much.  Put your links to the other two Hubs there instead. 
      
      Finally, off topic - you're overdoing linking to other Hubs (not your own).  The first thing that hit me when I opened Part 3 was the three blue links in the first couple of paras - inviting readers to click away from your Hub before they've even noticed your ads.  You're losing income that way.  Also bear in mind, people don't like being directed somewhere that isn't truly relevant ("budget" for instance).
      
      Personally, I don't link to other people's Hubs unless they truly add value to my topic, or say something better than I can.  And I would never link to a category - that's not helping the reader refine their search, it's sending them back to the beginning. 
      
      I hope you're not linking for the sake of Hub Karma - you should know Hub Karma does nothing to help your earnings and in fact can be damaging, because you're sending traffic away from your own Hubs, and increasing the potential for broken links (because people unpublish Hubs all the time) - and broken links count against you with Google.

      replyreport
      1. 91

         Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Marisa, thank you! I had linked them with the hub Karma thing and had neglected to unlink them after being told the the hub karma was crap...lol
         
         Thank you so much for your advice...will be copying this to make sure I don't miss any of your instructions.
         
         I was wondering if changing the title would affect the URL? Does it matter that the URL will be different?

         replyreport
         1. 86

            Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            You're welcome.  Actually one of my websites got Panda'd and the only possible reason I could find was similar titles. I had several 'series' type posts - how to fit pointe shoes #1, how to fit pointe shoes #2 etc.  I combined some of them into one and varied the titles on others and lo and behold, at the next Panda update, my traffic came back.  So I'm almost paranoid about making my titles different now!

            replyreport
            1. 91

               Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I had no idea. I really want to thank you. Already worked on the titles using the suggested keywords. I will unlink the hub karma stuff next then make sure my links are highlighted.

               replyreport
               1. 91

                  Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Marisa, I wan to thank you again. I made a few changes yesterday and I see all double red triangles today! I have a little more tweaking to do but thanks again so much for your help.

                  replyreport
                  1. 77

                     lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Cardisa is it the traffic from your third part that is flowing to the others or are you already seeing improvements with the search engine traffic? Both ways its great and congrats -I'm just curious

                     replyreport
                     1. 0

                        Website Examinerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        It is amazing, and I have learned something new if that is external.

                        replyreport
                        1. 77

                           lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Haha

                           replyreport
                           1. 91

                              Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              I see a few extra Google extensions in the stats. I think the links that Marisa mentioned were hurting me as well. I changed the titles using the keywords in the stats too. The traffic is definitely not HP. I was getting a trickle for parts 1 and 2 before but it could just be a general thing as most of my hubs are showing red flags today.

                              replyreport
                              1. 77

                                 lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 Ok great to know

                                 replyreport
                                 1. 91

                                    Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                    I just double checked, some of the traffic is from HP.....LOL

                                    replyreport
                                    1. 77

                                       lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                       Ya that's what I thought
                                       Btw I just checked out your hub on using blogger to promote your hubs when searching for your travel hubs. I read your comment where you said they allow ads now (wordpress?). Searching the site and trying to add my adsense code to check it out

                                       report
2. 0

   Website Examinerposted 12 years ago

   Keep them as is. Learn to promote them better. Do not rely primarily on the links to generate traffic for the weaker hubs.

   replyreport
   1. 91

      Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks WE, I have been learning to let each hub stand on it's own. I will find more ways to promote them.

      replyreport
3. 91

   Cardisaposted 12 years ago

   @ Brandon, they sent me an email sometime ago about doing that but can't figure out how to do it. I tried to add HTML my blog but it didn't work. I know I can add ads to the Wordpress website (Wordpress.org).
   
   Someone told me how to do it the other day so I must go back and find that forum post.

   replyreport
   1. 77

      lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I tried adding HTML in the page as well as an HTML widget it didn't work. If at all you get the forum post let me know. I have a xxx.wordpress.com site not .org

      replyreport
      1. 0

         Website Examinerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Running AdSense in text/HTML widgets on Wordpress.org blogs is a common method. The ads may not run immediately. Apparently, third party advertising like AdSense is restricted on Wordpress.com.
         
         http://en.support.wordpress.com/advertising/

         replyreport
         1. 91

            Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I see. I thought that that they were suggesting the blog since I have a blog there.

            replyreport
            1. 86

               Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Are you on Blogger or Wordpress.com?

               replyreport
               1. 91

                  Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Both. I got one of those emails telling me that advertising is now available on WordPress but I forgot the I had also signed up and uploaded WordPress.org to Godaddy.

                  replyreport
                  1. 86

                     Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     I just had a look and Wordpress.com is now offering members the chance to earn income from their own earning program, a bit like HPAds - but only if you have a custom domain name attached to your blog.  Was that the email you got?
                     
                     http://en.wordpress.com/apply-for-wordads/
                     
                     For the wordpress.org blog, you have an almost infinite range of possibilities!  If you haven't already signed up with a few affiliate programs, I think Skimlinks is worth a look - they take a cut of your earnings but they make things an awful lot simpler, so I feel it's worth it.  I wrote a Hub about it.

                     replyreport
      2. 86

         Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Advertising is not allowed on a Wordpress.com blog.
         
         On Blogger, you need to add a text/HTML gadget, then you can paste the code you're given by the advertiser.

         replyreport
         1. 77

            lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I have ads on my blogs but was just wondering about wordpress if they made changes
            No changes then, thanks everyone

            replyreport
4. 84

   viryaboposted 12 years ago

   Okay, off to check out the Skimlinks hub Marisa, as ive never heard of it. Thanks for this new info.

   replyreport
   1. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      In a nutshell, Skimlinks gives you access to all the various affiliate networks in one place, without having to apply individually to any networks or any merchants, so you can get started more quickly.
      
      Once you're a member, if you have a Blogger or Wordpress blog you don't need to learn about how to create affiliate links.  You just add their script or plugin to your site, then create ordinary hyperlinks to products, and Skimlinks turns them into affiliate links automatically. 
      
      Plus, instead of having small amounts of money sitting with several networks, you receive all the money in one Skimlinks account which means you reach payout faster.  Of course there's a catch, because they take a big cut of your earnings - but you have to consider what your time is worth.
      
      My affiliate link is at the end of the Hub if you'd like to join.

      replyreport