5 things you wish you'd known earlier about hubpages

1. 63

   Kiwi Maxposted 12 years ago

   Hi!
   
   My name is Max and I'm new to hubpages.
   
   For all you experienced hubbers out there, do you have any advice for young hubbers like myself getting started in hubpages and fitting in?
   
   Cheers,
   
   Max

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   1. 79

      Greekgeekposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      How to hook up adsense and Amazon Associates correctly. It's possible my hubs didn't make sales for three years, but I can't believe  I made no adsense revenue in all that time. I fixed my profile settings last summer, so my  earnings here only go back to June. *facepalm*
      
      Always check and triple-check to make sure your payment info is all set correctly. Back then it was just a hobby, and I was writing simply to write, so I din't worry about it. But in retrospect, I must've earned a good chunk of cash for someone-- and it was't me!

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2. 88

   WryLiltposted 12 years ago

   Write your butt off now, and read read read. In a year you'll be glad you did both.
   
   And Google does not give a hoot how special you think you are. If people aren't Googling it, you'll never make money from it.
   
   I wrote a 2500 word hub on all the things I wish I'd known.

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   1. 63

      Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Wrylilt.
      
      I like how you said -> "Google does not give a hoot how special you think you are. If people aren't googling it, you'll never make money from it"
      
      Is there a program that let's you know what people are searching?
      
      Cheers,
      
      Max

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      1. 88

         lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I've written a video hub to help you find what people are searching for. But, make sure to never flood your hubs with keywords. Let the writing flow naturally. Read it out to yourself if you find it reading odd - You've manipulated for Search engines and you're doing a bad job!

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      2. 88

         WryLiltposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Check my profile.

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         1. 63

            Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Great stuff, thank you!

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3. 83

   CMHypnoposted 12 years ago

   That it's hard work, that its going to be a long haul, that traffic can go down as well as up, that you are going to meet some great people along the way, that you are going to get frustrated with your writing, tat you are going to feel like you have run out of ideas at times, so ultimately you have love what you are doing.
   
   The key thing - this is not a get rich quick scheme!  But as you can see many of us have been around for for a fair bit, despite our whinging at times, as it can be fairly addictive!

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4. 94

   melbelposted 12 years ago

   Read all you can in the Learning Center and take part in the WTI.

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   1. 63

      Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      WTI?

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      1. 88

         lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         WTI - Weekly Topic Inspiration

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         1. 63

            Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            ah thank you! Where would I find this?

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            1. 88

               lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Its a forum thread - They're usually highlighted on the top of the forums (in blue)
               
               http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/94967

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5. 72

   AEvansposted 12 years ago

   Don't get into heated arguments in the politics and religious threads. If you do participate just walk away, if it gets a little hot in there.
   
   As for the rest, I believe everyone pretty much summed it up.

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   1. 88

      lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Haha you can't post more than 3 posts for sure in those threads without being insulted or condemned
      
      I stay out of them

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      1. 63

         Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         haha,
         
         thx I'll remember that!

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6. 78

   Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years ago

   Not that I'm any expert, but this is my advice for now:
   
   1. Write good content that has some depth and interesting visual appeal to it - none of those 400 word hubs!
   2. Read the information in the Hub Pages and Tutorials Community topic.
   3. Review different parts of it over again as you learn more from using HP.
   4. Follow the advice given to you as you create more hubs.
   5. If you're looking for income, have patience. Think of yourself as starting out invisible, and slowly solidifying over a period of months. (Right now, after writing in earnest for about four months - I'm a slow writer by the way - You can still see general shapes in the background through my belly.

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7. 57

   kpaigehedrickposted 12 years ago

   no worries so am i, and the person who created this website is my own mom ahah.

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   1. 63

      Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Ah yes, Must remember Patience...
      
      ...
      
      ...so how long will that take?

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      1. 78

         Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Well, as they say, don't hold your breath..

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8. 0

   kimberlyslyricsposted 12 years ago

   the importance of reading as much as possible
   
   begin commenting on hubs you read with meaningful comments
   
   use word program for copy then transfer to text capsule
   
   experimenting within your hub on layout as much as copy
   
   reach out for help and do not fear turning to other hubbers for help

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   1. 78

      Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It helps if, when you've used Word to create your hub text, you copy it into Notepad, then copy that cleaned text into HP.  That helps to keep odd code from finding its way into your hub,while still using the features that Word can help you with, such as spell check, grammar check, auto replace, etc.

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      1. 88

         lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I find just one problem and that is the extra line space that appears on the hubs when copied from word. I just edit each capsule again and then delete the space.

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         1. 78

            Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I had no trouble copying directly from Word for several hubs. Then I had one hub that was a mess with odd characters. I couldn't find anything that would cause it. When I went looking for answers in HP, I think I found this solution in the forums someplace. I had to delete the offending hub. So I thought I'd get this info out there when it seems appropriate, to help others avoid the frustration.

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            1. 88

               lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Oh! The only problem with me is the extra spacing. But, if at all that happens I know what to do Just have to copy it into a simple text editor as you say - I read it on the learning center when I was new - or it may have been the forums not sure

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      2. 0

         kimberlyslyricsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         thanks!

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9. 74

   Shanna11posted 12 years ago

   For me, having joined two months ago, I feel that I'm finally getting the hang of Hubpages. I feel comfortable and enjoy it. I wish I would have known that the religion and politics forums should be avoided, that making friends makes Hubpages a lot more enjoyable, that quality content that gets google searched a lot will provide decent revenue...
   
   A lot of Hubpages knowledge comes in its own time and it's something you need to learn for yourself. People gave me lots of advice when I was new, but I tended to ignore a lot of it. Learning it on my own helped a lot.
   
   Welcome!

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10. 63

    Kiwi Maxposted 12 years ago

    Thanks everyone!
    
    I am Learning
    
    Writing all these down so I won't forget them.

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11. 84

    tsmogposted 12 years ago

    If I were to begin anew with the knowledge I have now I would,
    
    1) Make it fun no matter what
    2) Take the time to read the learning center in its entirety. Mind you I didn't say study. I said read.
    3) Decide the main interest desired to write on/about, while keeping in mind that will expand
    4) Write a simple intro profile page saying enough to be comfortable with and why you are here.
    5) Write your first article remembering you have the 'power' to delete
    
    I have to add a 6th, then read everything you can here and elsewhere on that interest while keeping the interest in focus. (whisper whisper Take a peak at Muddy Rudd's article on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)
    
    have fun, fun, fun, on your journey along many paths of exploration and discoveries while learning and sharing along the way. . .

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    1. 63

       Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       That's a very good point, Tsmog!
       
       Make it fun - You have to love what you do to do it well.

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12. 82

    manlypoetrymanposted 12 years ago

    1. That poetry and short fiction...don't make any money on here...traditionally.
    2. That all the hubber friends you made at first will be long gone after a year.
    3. That they will keep adding these little buttons and other little "ranking" things...a few years after you have joined...that will show up on your profile page.
    4. That people don't like to add comments to older hubs...no matter how many hits they get a day!
    5. That shorter poetry works will not rank...like other hubs!

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    1. 0

       kimberlyslyricsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       MPM
       
       these are awesome!
       
       

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       1. 82

          manlypoetrymanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Hi KL...!

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          1. 0

             kimberlyslyricsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             I wanna hub on a tractor too manly, unfair!
             
             You well?

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             1. 63

                Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Hi Kim,
                
                What's an MPM?

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13. 86

    IzzyMposted 12 years ago

    There are two things I wish I had known about Hubpages.
    
    One is, this is a tremendously powerful platform to write on. Articles here can do 10 times or more better than they would do on your own blog or website.
    
    Two, title is all-important, assuming you are a good writer who can write useful content. I have read some great stuff here that has failed because their title did not fully reflect the content.
    
    Online is not the place for fanciful magazine article type headers, if your hub is about butterflies, for example, use the word in the title. Calling them flutterbyes or other artistic names will mean losing a potential audience.
    
    Somewhere in your title should be the words that searchers can find.
    
    Learning those things are what changed my online experience here.

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    1. 63

       Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Flutterbyes ROFL!

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14. 82

    manlypoetrymanposted 12 years ago

    Yes KL...good to see ya'...and you?
    
    It's fun to hub on a tractor...you should deff...give it a try!

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    1. 63

       Kiwi Maxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       were the pauses the times you were looking back on the road? lol

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       1. 82

          manlypoetrymanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          How'd ya' guess?

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15. 55

    ftclickposted 12 years ago

    That is so true. Make it read natural like you are talking.

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