New Hubbers Need Your Comments and Ups/Downs

1. 63

   Perspycaciousposted 12 years ago

   It is especially important, particularly in support of new Hubbers, that when we have read one of their Hubs, we indicate our reaction by taking the few seconds needed to indicate our reaction to their Hub (funny, awesome, useful, interesting, etc.). Not only might it be a needed encouragement and reward for their creative time, but the accumulation of those comments over time builds their public credibility when new readers see their scores for their past Hubs.
   Let's take those few seconds to support their efforts.

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   1. 73

      Maddie Ruudposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This is exactly why we have the HubGreeters team!  But you don't need to be a HubGreeter to make a difference in a new Hubber's day.

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   2. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that reading and commenting on Hubs is a good way to encourage new Hubbers, while they're waiting for their Hubs to gain traction with the search engines.  However don't fool yourself that it will make any significant contribution to their ultimate success.
      
      The HubPages community is great, but the readership you'll get from it is tiny compared to the readership you'll get from search engines.  Over time, the vast majority of your readers will come from Google, Yahoo and Bing - and they won't even know what your scores mean, or care how many comments you have.

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   3. 60

      Spencer Camusposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What lovely sentiment. I'm still relatively new (I feel) and love it when I get good feedback on my hubs. I was encouraged from  the off, especially when it was feedback from long established or widely followed hubbers.
      
      Truth be told, I've been pretty slack on reading and commenting on anything recently. Shame on me! *slaps self on wrist*
      
      I will endeavour to do more, once I've shifted a load of work I have on.

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2. 79

   Shadesbreathposted 12 years ago

   Typically I am a cynical, sarcastic bombast in these forums, but I actually agree with your post. At least to a point.
   
   Many people come here and decide to "try it" with their writing. It may be that writing is their main purpose; it may be that they are really only wanting to make money and view writing as a vehicle for that; or it may be some combination of those and who knows what else, but regardless, I think that if there is to be a continued sense of community on HP long term--which I know I enjoyed immensely my first year on HP and still do in the degree to which it still exists now--it requires a bit of effort on the part of the more experienced.
   
   Whatever you can spare, you know? Don't have to crap on the crappy hubs, but if something is good, say so. Heck, even if it's just okay but suggests there's a chance that, with continued effort and some reading of tips and advice, they will eventually do well, why not say so.
   
   None of us wants to write in a vacuum, and everyone likes encouragement, even people who say they don't.

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3. 80

   Rising Carenposted 12 years ago

   I agree with this post but there is one thing that bothers me....
   
   Why "New"?
   I think it should be "All Hubbers Needs Your Comments and Ups/Downs". We all need some support

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4. 70

   JT Waltersposted 12 years ago

   I think new people need more modeling at the beginning. I know I needed it and still do.  So I think all of use can use rating to help us become better writers especially those who are new. I try to read as many as i publish a day and then if not that then at least 5 a day on average.  Sometimes I don't have a comment but I will rate.  That is if it is something I understand if I don't understand I try to avoid passing judgement unless it is really well written period.

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5. 79

   Shadesbreathposted 12 years ago

   Yeah, it's not just new people, Rising Caren. Everyone wants to know someone else knows they exist, acknowledge their contribution. But I think the OP, and JT Walters have a point that new people might need it more. It's that ice-breaking thing, you know? Nobody likes being the "new guy" and then being ignored. We all really appreciate that first person who says "hello" to us in a new environment, even if when its all played out, they turned out not to be our favorite person in that new micro-universe.

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   1. 70

      JT Waltersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agreed

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6. 87

   Will Apseposted 12 years ago

   Support from other hubbers is nice but if you want to make money you need to focus on getting traffic from search engines, especially Google.
   
   Once you start making money that will really give you a boost.
   
   Sadly, it usually takes longer than six weeks before the traffic from those sources is enough to motivate a new writer.
   
   p.s. I would avoid bold in your hubs, Perspycacious. It will alienate readers and possibly search engines too.

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   1. 70

      JT Waltersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      And I really agree.

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   2. 63

      Perspycaciousposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Good thought Will, and uses more ink to print, also.  I think I started Bold for my mother's ease in reading (at 103 and some cataracts.) Added Note:  I was not asking for Hubber comments for myself, although of course they are always welcome.  It just struck me that people could write good comments about how much they liked the New Hubber's Hub, but weren't taking the time to Vote Up and mark its qualities.  In the long run those count.

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7. 71

   natures47friendposted 12 years ago

   Hi. I am about to publish my first hub and definitely need some modelling like JT Walters said.
   I agree with perspycacious and love your comments Shadesbreath. But everyone deserves a chance to try...don't they?

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   1. 79

      Shadesbreathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      They do, Natures47friend. Everyone does deserve a chance.
      
      BUT, "everyone" in the writing universe would do well to dwell within themselves as writers rather than within the realm of outside opinion.
      
      I do, totally, get the need for support and encouragement, but sometimes you just have to labor in silence and let the quality of your effort speak for itself. The old "cream rises to the top of the pail" thing.
      
      It's the disappointed expectation of approval that bites, and that pain distracts from the fact that respect is earned over time. So, come to this with the purpose of writing well, learning etc., and give the community time to discover you. They will. Especially if you PARTICIPATE in the community. I all-caps that because so many come wanting to "get" rather than give.
      
      Hopefully you'll publish soon, before I go to bed. I can't help but being curious.

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8. 91

   Pcunixposted 12 years ago

   Ayup.  And that is something I forget to do, so I am happy to be reminded.

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9. 84

   Max Daltonposted 12 years ago

   As a new hubber who just asked for feedback and received it very quickly in a separate post about an hour ago before I found this one, it feels good when the people who've been around here for a while take a second to give you feedback in any capacity.

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10. 65

    authorfriendlyposted 12 years ago

    I think we should define "new" as the first five or ten thousand views. I know at 5K or so I am still a newbie in skill and knowledge at least.

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11. 68

    Infiniteresearchposted 12 years ago

    I'm about as new to this as they come and I truly appreciate the votes and advice I have received from other hubbers. Your forum is a wonderful reminder.

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12. 59

    Xenonlitposted 12 years ago

    I try to read a few every day and to give encouraging words to the good ones. There are a lot of good ones to encourage, too! I did alright at first, but things seem to have died down.

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13. 74

    WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

    Agree with Marisa. Hub scores do not truly reflect the number of views a hub gets and its earnings and thus are meaningless.
    
    While an intelligent comment or two might add substance to a hub, the idiotic voting system is absolutely useless and makes this site look as if it is populated by illiterate schoolchildren, particularly with the insistence on the ridiculous "awesome". If a hub gains sufficient interest from a reader, it might be worth a comment. Including a automated push-button comment system denigrates the whole experience in my opinion. I have never, ever selected one of those options and never will. I really wish I had the facility to disable them on my hubs.

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14. 60

    LindaSmith1posted 12 years ago

    WriteAngled: I agree with you on those vote up vote down, etc.  They do not bring traffic.  If somebody takes the same amount of time to do the stupid things, use that tiime to hit Google + and other share buttons.  Sharing with those outside of Hub pages, is where we need the traffic from.  But I notice not too many use those buttons on hubs, but they will vote up or down, have 20 awsome etc votes, yet not but one or two shares.

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    1. 86

       Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Very, very good point.  I hadn't thought of it before, but it's an excellent reason to get rid of the voting buttons.

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       1. 0

          Baileybearposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          I've never understood what the voting buttons are for - is that how they ranked the top 200 new hubbers?

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          1. 86

             Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             No, it's just used to calculate a small portion of HubScore.

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15. 60

    LindaSmith1posted 12 years ago

    Well! I got curious and went searching.  What is the value of the vote up and down buttons.  ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT A FEEL GOOD OR FEEL BAD BUTTON. OR MAKE SOMEBODY FEEL BAD BY VOTING DOWN.
    
    http://hubpages.com/question/136177/exa … swer352154

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16. 60

    LindaSmith1posted 12 years ago

    This is a response I pasted here from the link I posted earlier:
    
    Once upon a Hub... the up and down votes used to be viewable. (this was a few years ago when they were first added as a feature) And instantly, everyone became obsessed about them, especially down votes. People wanted to know just who was voting them down.
    
    And thus, admin decided to make that info not viewable, and have since said that it's just a tiny fraction of what goes into a HubScore calculation.
    
    So, to go back to your original question... very little happens when someone votes a Hub up or down.

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