The apprenticeship program

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   Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years ago

   What is up with the apprenticeship program. Can anyone who has done it express their views on it, please?

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      leahleflerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm currently in the program (June start date) and it is an excellent program. It couldn't possibly hurt to apply. I have no idea how they choose people for the Apprenticeship Program - whether it is according to the date of your application or by other factors. There are only 30 people accepted for each month, but I believe HP is looking to expand the program in the future.

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   relacheposted 11 years ago

   The first people accepted are still actively in the program.  And the waiting list for other applicants is at least two years long, if not longer.

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, thanks for your replay relache. In the words of Anna Rosanna , "Never Mind!"

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      landscapeartistposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      wow.  that is a long waiting list.  I was wanting to get into the program but that is quite a long wait.

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3. 64

   Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years ago

   I very much appreciate veterans like relache informing us of things like that. That is one of the things that keeps me here is the fellow hubbers. Yes two years is a very long time.

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      landscapeartistposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      oh, it is definitely long, and you are right.  If it wasn't for veterans like relache, I would probably still be thinking about getting into the apprenticeship program.  Now that I know the facts, I can centre my time and energy on my hubs and research. 
      Mind you, I would still eventually like to get  into it, but I will most likely wait until the waiting list comes down a bit.

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   Shanna11posted 11 years ago

   I'm in the first group--we're in our fourth month. It's a lot of work, but I feel it's worth it. I was new to online writing entirely, and it's really helped me understand and shape my writing so that it can be successful online.
   
   Applying can't hurt. But if you do get in, just be aware of the time that it does take.

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you very much Shanna for your honest answer. I pray that you do well in the program.

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   ChaplinSpeaksposted 11 years ago

   I am in the first group, too.  Joining the program has kept me motivated and given me new direction that has already paid off.  If you apply, there are deadlines and criteria you have to meet each month.  Even if the wait list is long now, it can't hurt to get your name on the list.  People may drop off, or as someone else mentioned, the program could be expanded.

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Chaplin. Congrats on being in that pioneering first group. It would be nice if the program expanding. That probably is an incredible push forward to write though, wow!

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   Jason Menayanposted 11 years ago

   The wait list is about a month or so long, actually. If you feel like you meet the requirements and have the stamina to publish at least 8 great Hubs per month for 6 months, apply!

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for the reply Jason... it sounds pretty rigorous from the way Chaplin, Shanna, and you describe it. I just may give it a shot .

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   adjkp25posted 11 years ago

   I'm in the second group and we are in month 3 of the program.  It has really educated me to what different ways hubs can be written and how our hubs are searched for online.  It is a bunch of work but it has been very rewarding from what I have learned.

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      Laurinzo Scottposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you adjkp25... I wish you the best in the program. You all have given me a different perspective on it.

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   IzzyMposted 11 years ago

   Hey any chance of all you on the program sharing some of your new-found knowledge to those of us who were metaphorically told to get lost?

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   Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years ago

   I'm in the second group as well - and as adjkp said, it is indeed additional work, but it's worth it.  Izzy, you are one of the most experienced people on the site and we can all learn from you!
   
   As for what we are learning - I'm not sure it's any big secret, but it all has to do with SEO basics, learning to improve hubs through layout and use of capsules, and supporting each other as a team.  Even though I've written professionally for years, and my work has been online, I've found it helpful to learn things that are unique to online publishing.  For example, my earliest hubs often had catchy titles you would find in a magazine. So they're not very search-friendly.  That may seem simple to someone who has published their work directly online for years, but it's been a new way of thinking for me. 
   
   I truly appreciate HubPages for creating this program to help new online writers learn.  I also feel they would expand it in a heartbeat if (and when) they have the staff resources to handle bigger groups.  As with the changes in layout and design, I have seen things our group has encountered that, I'm sure, are used to tweak the program as they go along.
   
   Anyone interested in the program, who also feels they have many things to learn about SEO, etc., should apply.  Some people have applied who clearly know just about everything offered in the lessons.  Believe me, participants in the program put in a lot of time to meet the requirements, over and above the lessons themselves.
   
   Others have applied but the response was so huge that they are on a wait list or have been asked to apply later. That's similar to any class you'd take (for any subject).  You apply but if it's full, you might have to try again.  I hope people who aren't in a group now or in an upcoming group that's scheduled will be patient and apply again.

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      IzzyMposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is a learning curve without an ending Marcy.
      
      I set out to learn, and thanks to a select few of really helpful and knowledgeable hubbers here, I did learn, and saw the results immediately when I applied my new-found knowledge to my hubs.
      
      My problem now is that I have several accounts, some of which do well, but some which don't.
      
      So I am assuming that it is something I am doing, or have done, and I am really failing to see what it is.
      
      That is why I would have appreciated being allowed on this course, because maybe a penny still has to drop somewhere, and the course many have shown me what it is.
      
      Reapply in six months? Half the time I don't even know what day of the week it is LOL, never mind worrying about when the six months is up.
      
      So, I really would appreciate if someone who is/was on the course would hub about it, so that I could see what it is I am missing.
      
      I recently spent 3 weeks updating every single one of my hubs, taking out a good deal of repetitive phrases (especially on sales hubs), and the next Google update didn't bring my traffic back.
      
      I will wait one more month, then as far as I can see my only option will be to unpublish my hubs, from the bottom up, and wait and see if that helps.
      
      I have a fairly new subdomain that is flying, but someone stole one of my articles and grabbed the coveted #1 position for it. I DMCA'd him and got his de-indexed, but that hub is now sinking in the SERPS. It's as if Google thinks I have copied it, but I am the author.
      
      That sort of thing happened on this account too, but that is because this account is slapped to Hell, so everything ranks above it.
      
      But for this to happen on an un-slapped domain tells me that something is wrong.
      
      I can't figure it out, so I would have liked a helping hand, which is what this course offers.

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         prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I hope you'll be in Izzy!
         
         For others, just emulate (like a model hub) but not copy the latest hubs of others who said they are part of the program. It might help if you take notice about the structure, layout, photos, videos, length of words and how the titles are formulated etc. For topics, Simone always post topics for the week - Weekly Topic Inspiration - so if you can write about those topics, it will be good I think.
         
         As much as they like to accommodate everybody, resources, time and including staff availability might impede it.

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            Randy Godwinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I don't know about this, PDH.  Has there been any indication the mentored folks have achieved great traffic or earnings since they entered the program?  As far as I know, there's been no stats produced showing this is indeed the case.  The way things change around here I'm wondering if anything is dependable anymore as far as what is really wanted by Google or other search engines.
            
            And since I don't know who the mentors of the program are, it's hard to see what success they themselves have had with their techniques.  I hope the program works, but I'd hesitate before making lots of changes merely on what COULD work.  Just my 2 cents worth, though! 
            
            

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               prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Perhaps it takes time to evaluate if there will be an increase in number of views. G always speaks in general terms and everybody is half guessing what are the specific things to do. Sometimes you have to dig in up to page 4 of G searches just so you can find what you are looking for.

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                  Randy Godwinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  This is why I place no faith in those who claim to know what Google wants.  I just stick to writing the best I can and let it go at that.  I already know how I don't want to write. 
                  
                  
                  

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         brittanytoddposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Izzy!  I would love to help you out with any questions you have.  Unfortunately, we are not allowed to post any hubs about hubs or HP because we are trying to write hubs that will be prominent on search engines.
         
         The program is a lot of work, but I have a full-time job and am still making the requirements (and finding time to exceed them some months).  I have learned so much from the HubPages staff about my writing and how to improve it.  I hope you will apply and it certainly will help "the pennies drop".    Good luck!

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10. 84

    Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years ago

    I'm wondering if someone (Admin, or maybe a participant in the program) could post some of the information here in the forum.  I don't think participants can write hubs about the lessons - there are guidelines about what we can write about, at least while we're in the program. I'm thinking you're talking more about a critique or something.  I have the same problem (smaller scale due to being new here).  I have hubs that ought to do well because they're what appear to be marketable titles, but they have little or no traffic.
    
    The program doesn't (so far, at least) go over our individual inventory of hubs and suggest changes - it just offers basic tips each month for new hubs & helps us learn to use capsules we may not have used yet (maps, for example). We had some basic information on keywords, too. 
    
    It would be neat to form a Buddy System or something where Hubbers could ask each other for honest opinions on hubs, titles, etc.  The team atmosphere helps in that manner, but heck, we are all still learning some of the basic things. Some members of thus site are absolute experts at keyword research and are so cutting edge about the world of SEO.
    
    I saw a thread Admin posted about reading and critiqueing the hubs of other Hubbers - maybe that would be a step toward that type of exchange.

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11. 87

    IzzyMposted 11 years ago

    The point was, I did apply and was told to re-apply in six months.
    
    No matter, I don't have so much time on my hands anymore anyway, looking after two elderly parents now and that is a full time job in itself.
    
    And no, I am not planning on writing a hub about it; some things are personal.
    
    The trouble with pennies dropping is that Google is moving the goalposts every 5 seconds!
    
    Honestly, does anyone here think the SERPS are returning good results at the minute?
    
    If you think they are, try reading a few of the sites at the top - full of copied and spun content, again, though that stuff disappeared briefly.

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       Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I love the way you phrased the analogy of the moving goalposts.  I've seen it several times in just a few months, and I'd really not bothered to think about it before jumping onto this site. I know Google is trying to improve its ability to sift out the spammers, and they are in it for money, but I have to believe they're harming a lot of great sites and burying a ton of good content in the process. 
       
       I understand the fulltime job you're going through (it's actually a 24-hour-a-day thing).  So many people are dealing with parents, work and kids of their own. Your parents are blessed to have your love and care.  And yes, it's a very tender and personal thing.

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