New "Best Answer" Feature has been released

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   Ari Lamsteinposted 12 years ago

   Hello Hubbers,
   
   We thought you would like to know that the "Best Answer" feature, which was first described in this blog post:
   
   http://blog.hubpages.com/2012/06/best-answer/
   
   has now been released.
   
   We hope that you enjoy it!
   
   Ari

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      WannaB Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm looking forward to choosing some best answers to my questions. Thanks for this new feature.

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      gabgirl12posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Cool, cant wait. Will we get royalties for them too?

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   I'll go poke it with a stick.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   "Are you sure that you want to select this as the best answer?  This cannot be undone."
   
   What happens if a new, even better answer comes along after I have made a selection?

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      Ari Lamsteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The principal reason for not allowing a user to change the best answer is to prevent abuse of the accolade award for best answers.  For example, if we allowed users to change the best answer on their question multiple times, then people could quickly get the "1,000 Best Answers" accolade without actually earning it.
      
      It's possible that we will allow users to change the best answer at a later date, but it will require some care in order to prevent abuse.

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         paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Our species being what it is... If you let people "abuse" the accolade, you will get a frenzy of answers 5 times more than what it would otherwise be. And each of those answers, by necessity (if it wants to be selected as the new best answer), would have to be better than all the previous answers. This would all be a good thing.
         
         As for the "you select mine and I'll select yours" crowd, just shoot them.
         
         That's my tentative theory; but it probably needs some work...

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            Ari Lamsteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            You might be right.  I have added it as something for the staff to discuss.

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               lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Anyway the accolades don't give hubbers any incentives other than psychological happiness. So, developments shouldn't be hindered just because a few may misuse the feature. PD and ngureco do have good suggestions and I agree.

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   ngurecoposted 12 years ago

   1. Give the best answerer a 20% of the impressions as an incentive to provide good answers, and in which case answers in the form of hubs should not qualify as they already get a 60% of impression.
   
   2. Once the answer is selected as Best Answer it will move right below the Question and appear highlighted. Give an extra ad block there as an incentive so that those with thousands of answers can go back and pick on the best answers.
   
   3. When one asks a question, its natural he/she doesn’t know the best answer. They may need help from volunteer hubbers.

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      Ari Lamsteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the feedback ngureco. 
      
      Regarding (1).  The staff have indeed talked about incentivizing best answers via sharing advertising revenue.  While we might implement that feature in the future, we first wanted to see what kind of effect a "best answer" feature has without it.
      
      Regarding (3).  I believe that we already provide two mechanisms for the community to recommend a best answer: voting and commenting on answers.

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         ngurecoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That’s very encouraging. Once we see how this works out and what Google likes about it, I am sure people will be willing to give quality answers.

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   Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years ago

   Wow, it's kinda like web answers now. Neat.

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   ProCWposted 12 years ago

   Nice feature.

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   skearposted 12 years ago

   It would be helpful if the Q&A page in our account would show which questions are still open to new answers without having to click on the question.
   
   I see there is a flag to indicate if a best answer has been selected but choosing a best answer doesn't close the question to new answers.

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   ValeCruzposted 12 years ago

   Once there is a "best" answer, is the question then closed to new responses?

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   melbelposted 12 years ago

   I have a suggestion.
   
   Maybe you could have so that hmmm
   
   Let's say I award best answers 98% of the time... maybe on all my questions, it could say something like, "98% accept rate."
   
   That way when people come across my questions, they're like, "Oh hey, this person awards best answers a lot. I shall put forth some effort and answer this question."
   
   I see this method used on StackOverFlow. It gives users a reason to come back and look over their questions and award answers... since people are more likely to respond to questions with high accept rates.
   
   This way you would be rewarding both those who answer questions (via the "best answer") and those who ask the questions (giving them accept rates thus increasing the chance people will answer their questions.)
   
   Example since I'm terribad at explaining things:
   
   
   
   
   Edit: I was thinking. I think it would work out the best if the % was based on questions that have answers, not all questions a user has asked. It would be unfair to have a low percentage simply because many of your questions have gone unanswered.

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    Glenn Stokposted 12 years ago

    I just used this new feature on a couple of my questions and I love it. I find that some people don't answer questions properly. They either don't understand the question or they go off on a tangent and start talking about something else.  
    
    Now, with the "best answer feature" I can also go ahead and mark one specific answer when I see that they have directly answered my question.  Whether I agree or not makes no difference. Staying on topic and referencing the question that's asked is all I'm looking for to decide on a best answer.

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    SimeyCposted 12 years ago

    Hmmmmmm - are there going to be some guidelines about this? Should we always award best answer? Is there a down side not to awarding? What if a best answer turns out to be factually incorrect? What about when 'something new' comes along that makes the best answer wrong?
    
    As an example I might ask "What is the best e-reader?" get 20 answers and award the best answer to someone who writes a detailed answer about the iPad - then Amazon may bring out a new product that is simply 10 times better - I would want to be able to re-award a best answer.
    
    Perhaps we can have an option to change the best answer, but this has to be moderated  -so that there is no abuse of the accolade system?  - sorry for the extra work I may be giving the moderation team!

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    Marcy Goodfleischposted 12 years ago

    I like the idea of rewarding strong answers - just one question - do you think it will inhibit traffic if the 'best' has already been selected?  I'm not sure how those things work (traffic-wise); just wanted to ask and learn more.
    
    It's amazing to see all the new features you are launching!

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       Glenn Stokposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       The way I see it, traffic will still occur if the questions arouses curiosity. In addition, people can still leave comments and discussions can still continue.

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    Cagsilposted 12 years ago

    Interesting.

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    anupmaposted 12 years ago

    Great feature. Now a good answer could be appreciated in another way.

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    Rochelle Frankposted 12 years ago

    I tried choosing a couple of 'best answers'-- they became highlighted, but the big blue "B" didn't disappear from the listing.  Does that take some time?

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    paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

    Just a quick note. For those who are sufficiently inspired... Create an off-location directory of all your HP questions and then post the link in your profile.

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       melbelposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I've actually been thinking of doing that! I think I just might, now!

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       Ari Lamsteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       FYI, we will soon be releasing an update to the profile page that links to your questions as well as your Hubs.  The current profile page only shows your Hubs.

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          paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Somehow I think yours will be better than mine...

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    paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

    And a lament...
    
    
    
    
    
    I wish I hadn't deleted all those questions awhile back that I'd given up on.

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    Shanna11posted 12 years ago

    Yes! It's like Yahoo Answers, and I love when I get a 'best answer' awarded to me. I love this idea!

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    freecampingaussieposted 12 years ago

    Where will we see if we have been awarded best answer ? I have seen all the B 's to be worked out on my questions - A big job choosing !

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       MickiSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       You'll get a notification when someone has chosen one of your answers as Best Answer.
       
       Get enough 'Best Answers,' and you'll be awarded an accolade. I think you get the first one at 10.

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    Crazzykylexposted 12 years ago

    Copied from Yahoo Answers! O... I see

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