Annoying moderator (again)

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   notnymposted 7 years ago

   I have a hub which was being left alone and getting a stead 400-500 views a day, until today when I added one line of text. Suddenly, a moderator has decided to snip the one and only amazon capsules I had on the page (a capsule which has been there for months without previous issue).
   
   If I put it back, they remove it again.
   
   To me, this seems very unfair and it's quite annoying.
   
   To be blunt, I'm quite tempted to take my content and put it on my own blog. Sure, it'll mean I lose some ranking for that topic for a while, but I'll eventually get it back AND have full control. After all, it's my content.
   
   Is there any process to complain about a moderator or a moderators actions?

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      theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Have you checked to see if the Amazon capsule has been converted to an inline link? They are more effective, apparently.

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         notnymposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I had an inline link already, and the capsule further down. For the same product.

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            theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Well that's why the capsule keeps getting deleted - you can't have both - it'll be flagged as spam.

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               notnymposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Yet it had been fine for months, so why is it suddenly such a problem?
               
               Both have nofollow links in the code, so it has no effects on how the pay (or site) ranks.

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                  Will Apseposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  No follow or do follow, two links to the same product is spam.

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                  theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Because you edited, so it will automatically go through QAP again.
                  
                  I'm leaving mine well alone until I absolutely need to edit them. Amazon sales are pretty good at the moment.

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               3. 96

                  Glenn Stokposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  It seems you have not been keeping up with the HubPages blogs and newsletters. His don't get checked by QAP until you edit them. Once you edit an old hub, you have to bring everything up to the latest standards or else you risk the chance of either being unfeatured or having things snipped to bring it into th latest rules. The answers the others have given you here are correct. Read up on the latest terms of service in the leaning center.

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2. 71

   makingamarkposted 7 years ago

   Let's be clear that it's only (some?) moderators on HubPages who define two links to the same product on a hub as spam.
   * It's got nothing to do with Google - because Google does not say this
   * It's also very clear that there are hubs on HubPages and other associated sites which have more than one product on a hub.
   
   Amazon provides different code for images and text and the capsule
   
   I use links to images and title text separately on my own website, have more than one product on a (highly relevant) page alongside text talking about the product and...
   1) it doesn't cause a problem,
   2) people buy through the links and generate income for me
   3) the website is now #1 for its topic in the world.
   
   So I'd respectfully suggest this is NOT what Google thinks is spam.
   
   There are times when I wonder if any of these moderators have ever built a website and used Amazon....

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      lobobrandonposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      My website does well. And it's got not just one or two links to a product. I link to the product, reviews, some popular and helpful questions all through text as well as an image link. I have no problems with google and spam.

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      theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      It's nothing to do with Google; HubPages is simply cracking down on the number of a. external links and b. sales capsules. Right now they are converting capsules to text links because they perform better - or so they say. The last thing they want is for the niche sites to get Google-slapped. It's pre-emptive action. Good on them, I say.
      
      I have many hubs with three or more Amazon capsules. Their days are numbered, I'm sure.

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I haven't seen any posts saying in-text links perform better. I thought it was just part of their paranoia about Hubs looking "spammy".   I'm sure I saw a post saying something about the Buy Now button being too "in your face" - though why they don't just redesign their own Amazon capsule beats me.
         
         I agree with others, I think HubPages' policy on links and Amazon is way over the top and unnecessary.  However, it's their site.   They seem to be trying to future-proof the niche sites:  they know Google is going to keep on changing their standards, so they're trying to meet what those standards might be in the future, not what they are today.

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      notnymposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      My thoughts exactly. I've been building websites and following SEO for 20 years!

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   makingamarkposted 7 years ago

   Well all I can say is that my new website breaks the HubPages rules re. links and Amazon products and Amazon loves it and Google loves it and the traffic trend continues on and and upwards - so much so it's now the #1 ranking site for that topic according to Alexa on the similar sites test (which I know is not the final arbiter - but it's a good proxy!)
   
   I sometimes think that those making up the rules for HubPages ought to go and do a two-site test
   
   They should go and build two niche sites on another platform and see if they can get the one built according to HubPages rules to do well or better than the second site which they need to build so it breaks the HP rules but sticks to precisely what Google says about what a good website looks like.
   
   I'd be fascinated to see the outcome....
   
   PS for those who've never run a similar sites test it's fascinating - just fill in your site here http://www.alexa.com/find-similar-sites

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      Solarasposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      The problem is all those that put up spam, and those who will sneak back in after a page moves to a niche site, and add in an over abundance of ads.  So if there is a non-human catching them and throwing them back, it's their best defense.
      
      I have an old, old hub with bunches of Amazon capsules in it.  It was unpublished for "needs attention" or something so I went and cut out ads until their were just 3 ads in 2000+ words.  I can't save it after the deductions. It's too spammy. F-it I thought. It is a hub on gifts, and if one capsule per 650 words hits their filter, so be it. No point in posting that hub or working on it any longer. I'll break it down, improve it as was my plan and move bits over time.
      
      Not everything works here.  I get that they need to avoid the horror they experienced before.  And times are really good here now, so I will take what works here and find places for experimenting elsewhere.

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      1. 71

         makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         However if the things that HubPages say are not allowed are no problem elsewhere then the issue is to do with the concept of HubPages.
         
         The Internet is cluttered with an awful lot of rubbish. Google's main role is to sift. It just wants to see better content and it wants to see authoritative authors producing most of it.
         
         That's why when you know "your stuff" you can very often do better on your own websites/blogs if so inclined.

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