Looks like HP was latest victim in the new Google "Penguin" update

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   Dorsiposted 12 years ago

   After sitting on this for a few days it's looking to me that some HP writers just took another major hit with this newest "Penguin" update from Google.
   
   My page views after subdomains were about 5,000 a day. Then they sank to 2,500. Now today they are at a dismal 500 views - the slide starting right after the new Penguin algo change hit. WTH is going on? This latest update was supposedly about removing spam, why have some HP writers taken such a hit??

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      2besureposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am looking for other sources of income with my site that do not include Google.  You can not depend on a steady income with Goggle.  They are a internet Nazis!

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2. 77

   Ms Deeposted 12 years ago

   I note that the last few days my traffic has slide by about 30%. However, another hubber I know who has had VERY VERY dismal traffic for a few months has during this same period suddenly seen traffic increase by a factor of about 15 times. It must be that these Google adjustments put traffic on a roller coaster ride before settling down.

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3. 70

   WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

   I have not noticed any major effects on my account for months. The last one was the rise I saw after the first Panda wore off. Since then, my traffic has been swinging fairly widely, but aroound a constant point.

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   Express10posted 12 years ago

   I have been hit too despite the fact that I don't do negative or unethical tricks to get readers so I don't understand that. It is nice having more people comment or contact me. Now it seems like a handful reading my hubs or answering questions, etc.

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5. 91

   Cardisaposted 12 years ago

   My views have dropped by 50% too. I am seeing a slight increase like 10% today but I am  not holding my breath. I sent a report to Google so I don't know what they are going to do.

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   Hauntyposted 12 years ago

   It seems that the only ones to be able to count on a steady stream of income from HubPages are those with 500+ hubs. This fluctuation is just too much for me.

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      SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Not sure if that is true - I was hit hard by the first Panda round and have had many ups and downs along the way! I've deleted probably a hundred hubs during the year and am aiming to delete probably another 50 or so in the next two weeks. I've also rewritten and upgraded about 100 or so hubs.
      
      My income so far is about 10% down on last year despite probably having twice as much traffic (I found a couple of great niches) - so taking into account all the varying factors for my own account I'd say that even though my income looks steady - I'd probably be earning twice as much if Panda, Penguin, Puffin etc hadn't hit!
      
      This is the problem with the whole thing - there are far better writers than me on HP who have done exactly the same as me but they are tanking - I bet that even Google don't really know what is happening!

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         Randy Godwinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I agree, Simey!  There is no rhyme or reason for some of this stuff.  Everyone has a theory and no one knows anything for sure.  My opinion is we are simply being tossed around by Google while they make millions on ads and products.  Money talks and bullsh*t walks!    It's the American way!
         
         Until the Big G is taken down a few notches we can expect nothing else.  They are riding roughshod over the internet now.  We can expect nothing we can depend on until they are dealt with by the law. 
         
         
                                                    

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            SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Of course the US is not going to touch them as they will not only provide nice tax revenues (tax on earnings and tax on affiliates) but also I'm sure Google are making some very nice donations to those in power!
            
            It'll probably take a Eurozone hit to do something, but even then I'm not sure what the law can achieve....

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               Randy Godwinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               As I said, it's the American way.  And yes, greased palms are certainly a large part of the equation. 
               
                                                        

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         Hauntyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I'm only saying because of all the hubs you write only like 10-20% really keeps earning. It's almost hit and miss so it's only in the numbers, imo. Have your deleting hubs improved anything? Also, how long do you wait for a hub to start gaining traffic before you give up?

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            SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It's very hard to tell if deleting hubs is helping or not - the way I look at it is that if a hub is not being read then it's not adding any value to my portfolio and therefore I either rewrite and refocus it or delete it - depending on how saturated the subject is.
            
            I tend to wait six months or so before deleting hubs - and usually analize the traffic - if I have low overall traffic on a hub, and no traffic in the last 30 days then something is wrong with it!
            
            There isn't a right or wrong way - one thing I'm considering - once I've got rid of the 'crap' - is taking underperforming hubs and moving them to a different sub-domain.....

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               Randy Godwinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               What is the thought behind this reasoning, Simey?  If the hubs don't garner hits on one sub, why should they do better on another? 
               
                                                      

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                  SimeyCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I'm talking about the in-between hubs mostly - the ones that aren't crap, have potential, have some traffic (say less than 25 views a month) but with some work would have more.
                  
                  My thinking is that a key factor that Google seems to like is traffic - so if I can get my average traffic per hub up then it should help the whole domain - of course there's no real way to measure this - just a hunch really....
                  
                  What I'm realizing is that having 100 poor hubs, 300 medioacre hubs and 80 quality hubs is perhaps not the best thing - I'd like my main account to have 150 quality hubs and then I'd use my other sub-domains to test different methods!
                  
                  Of course - there's no guarantee that 150 quality hubs would do better than I am doing now - in fact it could kill off my traffic completely - so it'll probably be a measure I'll try if I ever see my traffic plummiting again!
                  
                  I guess I should follow the adage 'If it ain't broke don't fix it' - but the problem is there's a new adage for Google:
                  
                  
                  "If it ain't broke, we'll break it tomorrow for ya!"

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                     Randy Godwinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     I don't know.  I've tried deleting a few hubs with no positive results.  I try and make all of my hubs as best I can with no backlinking at all.  It takes me a long time to get them to my own satisfaction, and still I agonize they aren't good enough.
                     
                     My problem may be my fiction tales, as they are really not informational at all.  But personally, I don't believe there is any sure fire way to guard against Google's guerrilla tactics lately, as almost everyone has been hit at one time or another.  Google apparently is trying to shut down content farms such as HP and others so they can have their way with the internet.  They need to go down before anything can really be depended on for any length of time.  Just my opinion, though!
                     
                                                      

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      Marye Audetposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Not true. I had over 750 before I started unpublishing a few of them... and I have taken a huge hit.  My traffic is down to 2500 per day on average +/-  ... and before 4/25 it was at 7500 +/-  Last fall it was at over 14000 +/-   
      
      This is another fine moment of "try not to panic" brought to you by the friendly guys at Google. That's Big G - little o - oogle. Home of the panda,the penguin, and soon - the terminator.

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         PaulGoodman67posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, Google can be judge, jury and executioner, if it chooses to be.  HP (and us) are pretty much powerless.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

   Their intentions are good for their own sake. G algorithm metrics applied to gazillion of pages is imperfect - not even close to approximation!  To be subjected to a roller coaster ride!

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   Will Apseposted 12 years ago

   I have not been complaining too bitterly, so far, because on my account, at least, Google identifies the pages that readers like pretty accurately and they keep their traffic.
   
   The mediocre pages are also identified accurately, Each testing sees them get a surge in traffic. Then they go back to where they were.
   
   The poorly performing pages I delete as soon as I realize that they are not delivering what readers are looking for.
   
   I don't think that there are places for pages that readers don't like anymore.

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   Marye Audetposted 12 years ago

   just checked. One of my hubs that has been on page #1 in the #1 position on Google for at least 3 years is now part way down page 5. So there ya go.

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    Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

    Well I for one, am not adversely affected and I hope it remains so.

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    davenstanposted 12 years ago

    I try not to panics about these things. I haven't taken a huge hit, but it is enough for a new hubber. After the last update, my traffic went up a week or 2 once the update started. I am just going to give it time.

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       Dorsiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       That's wise. HP is a great place to write. These Google updates are just part of writing and learning.

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    eternaltreasuresposted 12 years ago

    same here. 1 month ago I get more than 100,000  page views per month but now only 75,000 per month more or less.

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