Have you decided to stop writing hubs?

1. 58

   Mark Knowlesposted 11 years ago

   No. Things have changed. The Big Boys want the money we were making.

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      Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This all sucks. :-(

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         paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Sounds like a good bubble title.

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            Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Excellent! Don't beat me to it! :-)

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      2. 58

         Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It is what it is. Things change and the Internet is particularly fast changing. I fully expect the search engines as we know them to be all but extinct in the next 10 years as they are replaced with dedicated apps for smart products. Recipe apps/hotel apps/travel apps/product apps/book apps/ magazine apps/etc etc. Maybe even sooner. Who can say for sure.
         
         If you want to make it in online writing - find a niche that needs people to write for a particular app.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Mark will a blog for a for such a niche work in that case?

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               Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Highly unlikely.

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         2. 74

            Barbara Kayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I"ve wondered about this too and it is the same with writing super long articles. People want answers and want them quick now.I think Google is behind on their thinking.  My husband keeps telling me that you can only earn money on the internet from something for 3 years and then it changes. I am beginning to think he is right. Change is inevitable. Search engines may become extinct.

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         3. 88

            Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Mark Knowles, EXACTLY.  Things are changing at lightning speed and we can't be dinosaurs.  I created an ebook and an app with ibuildapp and I KNOW some hubs could be made easily into great apps.  I'm learning how to "monetize" the apps, but it IS difficult because everyone wants something for free), but I'm learning. 
            
            I think the structure of hubpages is now looking like a convent wall - bare, sparse.  No one wants to read long content except if they're reading a novel.  "How To..." articles need to be slide shows that are fast and easy to read.  We have to ask "the man who owns one" (my favorite phrase from the 50s commercial), meaning look at who "owns" (i.e. is using the internet and how they are using it).  Just watch "Newsroom" on HBO and you realize that dialog is fast and furious, just like everything else.
            If I owned hubpages I would not require content to be exclusive (It's impossible, meaningless, and unnecessary as I see it ) ; I would gather together all similar topic hubs and create hub ebooks for $3.99 and share the profit with the writers who have articles under a topic and market the hell out of them ; I'd be on every NPR show I could find and every other show that would have me advertising the website, telling the story, featuring the writers;  I would have more contests with meaningful and worthwhile prizes; I would make the question/answer section more open and use ads more effectively on those pages;  I would definitely change the software interface for the articles to make them more exciting (slide shows, audio)  and help the writers have more flexibility and creativity.   I would start getting writers to create their hubs into audiobooks and publish in that realm as well.  I'd get hubpages on kickstarter to generate money to implement more of these ideas; I'd hire actors to create youtube videos advertising hubs; I'd create downloadable CDs on specific hubtopics; and on and on. 
            It's time to get out of the Pleistocene era of technology.  If the staff at hubpages can't do this, they should hire some 18 years old on the cutting edge, or we should band together and create apps and ebooks and videos ourselves.

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            1. 91

               Will Apseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               'No one wants to read long content except if they're reading a novel'
               
               I'll skip the rest of your comment, then, especially since it is obviously untrue. Long hubs do better than short hubs according to all the stats and also according to my personal experience.
               
               Why are the forums suddenly filling up with people who think it is fine to push out completely unsupported assertions?

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                  Solarasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I think it depends on the topic. If I am looking for something like - signs of cancer in dogs- and I am concerned about one of my dogs, I want all the information I can get. 
                  
                  If I want to know how to spell a word or quickly double check info on something I was not positive about, the shorter the better.
                  
                  If I need a thesaurus - the longer the answer the better etc.. I do think videos are weirdly important.  Add those and double your pageviews.

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                  1. 91

                     Will Apseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     I can do stream of consciousnesses too, but I will spare you.

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                  Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't like long hubs, therefore it is true that short hubs are better. I'm sorry, but I wanted to end this argument with a fact. Thank you.

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                     Will Apseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     The way things are in this thread, you will come back in a few minutes and say the exact opposite, Beth. lol.

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            2. 88

               Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               sorry to have taken time with my "stream of consciousness" - I was only well-intentioned, but it sure cured me of forums -So  thanks.  That kind of discouragement will surely end up saving me time. Over and out .

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                  Will Apseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Sorry, I probably need to learn more patience. As an interim measure I promise not to read or comment on any of your posts.

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            3. 58

               Mark Knowlesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               The other alternative (which is the route I have taken) is to get a job with a player with money. HP almost made it, but - at the end of the day, Google holds the purse strings (traffic) and relying on Google traffic (unless you are a player) seems broken now. Anyone who thinks they can make a living doing it the "olde," way is sadly mistaken or living in a third world country. I held on for a while, but everything I have seen has shown me that it is indeed dinosaur thinking.
               
               Hubpages has (had) a great community, but unless the team get their act together and make some smart proactive decisions instead of the last two years of reactive decisions based on - I know not what - google's stated intentions? that will go play at bubblews.
               
               I haven't sen anything proactive. We need to change and soon if we are to survive. And I don't mean trying to compete with established players like wiki-fuckin-pedia.

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               1. 86

                  Jean Bakulaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Will,
                  I think people go for either short hubs or long ones depending on what they need at the time.
                  
                  If they have a little question that is not of much importance, they just want a quick answer.
                  
                  If they want to learn about a subject in greater detail, they will read a longer hub. All of my longest hubs always did the best, they were my 20%. I don't know if it will be the same after summer's gone though.

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                     IzzyMposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     My 'time on site' report suggests that  people were looking for a quick answer. They got it, and moved on.
                     They didn't read the whole hub, but something in that hub answered their query.
                     
                     Everyone is searching for something. It might be that just one paragraph in your hub answers them.
                     
                     Longer hubs are bound to do better because they answer a variety of questions.
                     
                     The likes of ask.com are sitting at #1 in Google search because the short answer is good for the searcher, even if it is incorrect.
                     
                     Powerful platform.
                     
                     Again the platform you write on is all-powerful in the eyes of Google.
                     
                     If the platform loses its edge so will its writers.

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2. 87

   moonlakeposted 11 years ago

   There are people making big money on blogs. I saw two ladies on local TV and one made $40,000.00 a year and one made 4 times that amount. Sorry if I have said this before in the forums I'm getting old.

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      Doodleheadposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am sure you're correct;   can you point us to some blogs that are doing well in this regard?  I would like to look at them.  Thank you.

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3. 81

   snakeslaneposted 11 years ago

   I love this song, and it seems to fit the thread:
   
   Crying Time

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Gosh, I LOVE that song - story of my life - I have heard a gazillion versions of this - well, maybe just another one or two versions - There's something about Willie Nelson that gets right to one's soul - huh?  How about this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVLGBvU3QLU

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      1. 81

         snakeslaneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Wow!

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4. 82

   CreeVikingposted 11 years ago

   I'm just busy. I write when I can and when I have a little inspiration

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5. 44

   David Trujilloposted 11 years ago

   So where is everyone migrating to?
   
   Bubblews??
   
   I´m in Bubblews as well but it is so suspicious the amount of money they pay and their inconsistencies on paying it. I just fear Bubblews will dissapear one day and all that content is lost.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are probably correct about them being a flash in the pan, but you are wrong about payments.  If you follow the rules and wait until you have earned at least 50 cents more than the payout level, you will not have problems. I have had two payouts and number three is on the way.  I don't put anything on that site that I may want to use elsewhere, so if it gets lost...well, I've already earned for my efforts, right?

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         David Trujilloposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, you are right. The site is just not as fun as this one. But I still use Bubblews on the side. Lets hope I followed the rules, I did like my own articles and later on I found out that could ban your payment. So I´m not as engage there until I receive that first one.

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         1. 78

            TIMETRAVELER2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yep, liking your own articles violates the rules and could keep you from getting paid.  I have hit that button accidentally a few times, but I try to be careful.  By the way, thanks for the follow.  You ought to move up to the US so you can RV!  No guerillas here lol!

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               Solarasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               What happens if you like your own comment?  I have done that by accident on a couple of occasions.  You can't undo the like.

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                  TIMETRAVELER2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I've done that, too.  Same rules apply.  Anybody can make a mistake, but if you do it too often...bye, bye!

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   2. 83

      earnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I write, then copy/paste it.  So it's not lost.

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6. 83

   Solarasposted 11 years ago

   Okay - So I decided to write a hub. In spite of all of the doom and gloom about long articles etc..
   This was a 2500+ word hub on Bubblews.  Lots of pictures - took me all day to write and post it.  I had been thinking  about it as a series for Bubblews, but why not throw the whole thing on Hubpages and see what happens.
   
   It had 2 comments, and now it is gone.  No longer in my list of hubs.  Is there a rule against writing about making money on social sites?  I seem to see making money articles online here all of the time. 
   
   It is no longer in quality assessment. It is just gone.
   
   Really pissing me off right now...

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      Solarasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oops - I found it hahha -- Changed the name so many times I could not recognize it once I had posted it. heehee....

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      earnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I feel your pain.  That's just outrageous. 
      
      Update: Oh, you found it.... good!

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7. 48

   Doodleheadposted 11 years ago

   No.....I'm still waiting.    Eventually maybe someone will decide my hubs are cool.
   Looks like everyone who wrote at least 1000 hubs is making some money.  Until then I'll just sit here in the dark in my rocking chair thinking of another hub to write.

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   1. 0

      Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Im not making a penny and never will if it makes you feel better... go with the long hub... Will's probably right... course I wont read it if it's more than 2 paragraphs, but eh.

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8. 0

   Beth37posted 11 years ago

   When I want to read, I pick up a book, you know? There are SO many hubs on HP's that if your goal was to browse, you would be here all day. If your goal was to google a subject, I can understand why you would want a lot of good info, but I want quick and concise when I'm googling a subject. I'm not disagreeing with any of you as far as what is best... what I know about all this you could fit on the head of a pin. I just know what I personally like, and if a writer is just trying to fill space, I get bored quickly. Time is valuable... said the woman hanging out on a forum. lol

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      Solarasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      +LOL!

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      Brie Hoffmanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Funny and yet..I agree

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9. 73

   nArchuletaposted 11 years ago

   I haven't stopped -- I've still got ideas I want to develop. I've gotten a new (teaching) job that prevents me from writing as much as I'd like, and I make WAY more money writing on other sites. I really like Hub Pages, though. To me it's just a hobby, like flamenco. I'll never make any money there either, but I love it!

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10. 91

    Will Apseposted 11 years ago

    Do you have any idea how many lines of code are required to make this forum work?
    
    Rather more than you could scratch on the head of a pin.
    
    What does this tell you?
    
    That there are longish subjects that might impact on your life.
    
    Well, not everybody's life, I suppose. If you were a bushman in the Kalahari desert, forums would probably not matter so much. Or pins. Sand would probably be important, though.
    
    Sand is a big subject.

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       Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I *am a bushman in the Kalahari desert. I'm glad someone finally noticed... now shorten all your hubs.

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11. 93

    SmartAndFunposted 11 years ago

    I have several hubs that are almost finished - I wrote them months ago. I have ideas for other hubs, too. I just feel kind of foolish to spend any more time on hubs or actually publish them at this point. Maybe I'll go ahead and finish them if things improve around here. We'll see.

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12. 91

    Will Apseposted 11 years ago

    Oh, OK. Can I have that scorpion head if you are not going to eat it?

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       Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       But that's the best part.

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13. 92

    Sue Adamsposted 11 years ago

    Even if I wanted to I couldn't write any new hubs. There just isn't the time with all the changes we have to deal with, now on a daily basis. HP have gone mad. They don't have enough to do it seems other than bugging us with new, useless changes every day. I said in an other thread may be they should get a life or maybe they are over-staffed.

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    1. 89

       Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I guess I will have no choice but to start deleting hubs, as I my score just dropped under 85, when my latest hub has a score in the 90s and almost 400 views in two days, and then my score drops.  Really just do not understand at all.  All hubs are featured of mine, but I guess I need to start deleting now!!!

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14. 83

    earnerposted 11 years ago

    I've just banged out a quickie..... but it is annoying that you can't get the shortcode until the stats have been gathered.  And there's no initial score etc.
    
    All very offputting and you feel guilty and judged .... and you fear some instant problem/unpublishing of it.
    
    I kept it simple: Banged out words off the top of my head, used my own images, one small, relevant Amazon module.  Job's a good 'un.
    
    I needed to write that info up, to be able to link to it from somewhere else..... so I published because I needed to stick the information somewhere.

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       Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I wonder if that means the same thing in the US as it does in the UK.

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          earnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          A quickie ... yeah, it does.... on reflection.

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             Solarasposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Beavis, "You said 'Banged!' Heheeehe"

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                Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                lol

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15. 83

    earnerposted 11 years ago

    I was feeling on a roll .... so wrote another hub this morning.  Heart's not in it, but I need to post content somewhere and it's "bigger content" so not suitable for the B place,
    
    I doubt it'll set the world alight, I did it more for me really.  I doubt Mr G will be impressed enough to direct his visitors in my direction.  But it's down in black/white, while I fancied writing it, so is available to copy/paste amend if I need/want in the future anywhere.

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       Mark Ewbieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       OK, I'll copy it.

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16. 52

    janderson99posted 11 years ago

    Testing ☺ ☻♥♦♣♠•◘○◙♂♀♪♫☼►◄↕‼¶§▬↨↑↓→←∟↔♥0▼ !"#$%&'
    ┐└ ¥┴┬├─┼ãÃ

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    1. 38

       Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That looks like a cross between a tweet and a bubble.
       
       I just published a new Hub yesterday. It's full of Happy Birthday jokes and QAP didn't like it at first.  They really have no sense of humor, but it's featured now.

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       1. 52

          janderson99posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          If its an "a" Birthday date it may be EC 'd and given the Nod.

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             Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             I don't know what this is: "a" Birthday date.
             
             I opted out of EC.  This Hub should do just find on my subdomain.  It's already on page 3 of Google and should move up quickly.

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                janderson99posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                You need to be an 'a' to get an EC
                EC = a x a HP's law for Chosen Ones.

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                   Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   I don't think animals qualify for the "a" program.  HP discriminates against animals.  That's why they have those weird captchas requiring everyone to prove that they are human.  I'm going to report them to the SPCA and PETA.

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17. 89

    Victoria Lynnposted 11 years ago

    I'm not sure I would delete anything yet. I'm just seeing what will happen. I might even write a hub here and there. I have some started. It's just hard to get motivated to finish them!

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    1. 89

       Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Well, you have a great high score, and all of mine are featured and just received a good-scoring one with a good bit of views, and then the score dropped!  Unless the weekend stats do not update until Monday, but it is a lot of work and then ...  I would just delete the lower-scoring hubs to see if that will help the aggregate scoring go up?  Who knows?

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          Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Yeah, maybe. I don't know. It's hard to know. :-(

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             Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Yes, probably so, even if they are featured.

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             Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             What score would you look for to delete, those under the score of 70?

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             1. 89

                Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                I'm not sure. I've always tweaked those under 60. My lowest is now 65. I'm so sentimental that it's hard for me to delete or unpublish them. Honestly, I'm just really not sure what to do!

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                1. 89

                   Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   Yes, me too, and that is the problem, for they started out initially very high and of course over time drop slowly, but my favorite hubs to me, personally, are those when I first joined HP.  I guess I could tweak them and just see, although they are featured, but one can always tweak a bit more indeed!  Well, if you have the lowest one at 65, and your score is still high, then maybe I just need to figure out how to promote mine more on the Internet, by changing the title maybe?  Well, that will not work due to the URL staying the same, I guess?  See how much I know.  lol

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                   1. 89

                      Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                      Yeah, Faith, you can still tweak the title. I don't know how much the old url figures in, but I do know the title helps. Try the title tweaker under your account. I've tried that before. And you might tweet or share a few in other ways where you think people would read them.

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                         Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                         Okay, thanks so much, Victoria, I will try that before tossing and maybe looking at making other little tweaks and just see.  Title tweaker?  Never heard of that before ... lol, no wonder I am having trouble.

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                         1. 89

                            Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                            Title tuner, I think it's called. You'll see it in your account, and you can use it on hubs to give you suggestions. :-)

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                               Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                               Thank you!  lol  17 months, and I never knew such : )  So glad I have connected to you, Victoria, as you are so very helpful.  Thank you again! am going now : )

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                                  Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                  Hey, Faith, it was a good reminder for me, too. I just tuned some titles, too!

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                                     Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                     Oops, I just had to ask you something, and went to the wrong forum.  : )  I went under Title Tuner and saw some hubs in there but not the one I was wanting to tweak.  So, does that mean HP is suggesting I tweak those that are in there, or can I cut and paste the title to the one I want to tweak in there somehow?  Or should all hubs show up under it?  Thanks for your help again, and you can send me your bill!  :  )  Guess, you are having to take me to raise.  lol

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                                     1. 89

                                        Victoria Lynnposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                        Hey,, sweet girl, just tune the title that show up when you click on title tuner! Just those. Does that help?

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                                        Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                        Yes, that helps; however  ... some of the "words" they suggest do not fit with what the hub is actually about, but I will figure it out : )  and I already changed one that wasn't in there and changing out imagery, etc. and such, and just could not leave it as it is now, so unpublished until I can finish the one.  weeee  Thank you again. Time to sleep now.

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18. 93

    e-fiveposted 11 years ago

    I've fallen off a lot, but not out of malice or pique.

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19. 80

    Vinaya Ghimireposted 11 years ago

    Hub traffic is falling and earnings are dropping, nevertheless, I believe the problem is temporary. That's why I'm still publishing hubs. On August, I published 6 hubs.

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20. 92

    Sue Adamsposted 11 years ago

    This is where you find the Title Tuner on your My Account page..
    
    
    
    I believe it is based  on what people have googled to find your hubs. So use it with discretion as some of the keyword suggestions are plain silly.

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    1. 89

       Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thank you ...I found it and you are right, plain silly and not related at all to the subject of the actual hub.

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