Editor for Dengarden requests changes

1. 94

   OldRosesposted 7 years ago

   I was notified that one of my hubs is eligible to be moved to Dengarden if I make a few changes.  Can someone tell me what "APA title case" is?  I'm being asked to use it.  Also, I'm being accused of "keyword stuffing".  Sorry, I didn't mean to but there aren't any synonyms for potatoes or seed potatoes!  I can eliminate some but I'd like to know if there is an optimal ratio of keywords to text so that I kow how many mentions of potatoes and seed potatoes that I need to eliminate.  Thanks!

   replyreport
   1. 89

      Patty Inglish, MSposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I love being a member of APA. Here is the link for your answer:
      http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/ … style.html
      
      
      Synonyms for "Potato": tuber, spud, tater, murphy (from the Irish potato, not used much), root vegetable.

      replyreport
      1. 94

         OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you!  According to the link, I am using correct capitalization so I still don't know what I'm being asked to do.
         
         As for synonyms, I used tuber and root vegetable but spud, tater and murphy are not appropriate for my hub.

         replyreport
         1. 93

            Sherry Hewinsposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            You could also use words like them, they, the seeds. I had a similar problem with my hub on White Elephant Gift Exchange. I hadn't intentionally stuffed it, but I did repeat that phrase many times, and I was able to eliminate many of them when I put my mind to it.

            replyreport
         2. 89

            Patty Inglish, MSposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I'd think the three synonyms of "potato, tuber and root vegetable" would be enough variation. Maybe the HubPages Team can give you some more insight.

            replyreport
            1. 94

               OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Oh, it's not a matter of not enough variety.  I use the word "potato" too many times.  I write for gardeners, not Google, so I don't pay attention to SEO rules.  Another problem could be the term "seed potato" being counted as keyword "potato" even though a gardener considers them two completely different terms.  Hence my inquiry about the maximum number times I can use "potato" in my hub without making Google unhappy.

               replyreport
         3. 89

            Patty Inglish, MSposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I think HP wants to see the APA level-two headings for 
            
            "A word of caution" as A Word of Caution
            
            and
            
            "What's a seed potato?" as What's a Seed Potato?

            replyreport
            1. 94

               OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Patty, things must have changed since I last took a grammar class (back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth!) because I was taught differently.  Those are sentences and only the first word should be capitalized whether they are used in a paragraph or as a heading.

               replyreport
               1. 89

                  Patty Inglish, MSposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Same here - I've found the APA guidelines to be nothing like our usual grammar classes, for sure, and the latest 6th edition has several changes. But ask Team@Hubpages.com for sure to find out exactly what they want. Best of success to you!

                  replyreport
                  1. 94

                     OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Thanks, Patty!  I appreciate your help and encouragement.

                     replyreport
      2. 94

         Frances Metcalfeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Hi. You coild use variety names, such as Charlotte. Just a thought!

         replyreport
         1. 94

            OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Great idea!  Thanks!

            replyreport
         2. 89

            Patty Inglish, MSposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            "Charlotte Potato" - I like it.

            replyreport
   2. 94

      sallybeaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I find that this is very helpful.  http://capitalizemytitle.com/

      replyreport
2. 94

   OldRosesposted 7 years ago

   Thanks, Sherry.  I can definitely re-work a few sentences.  I was just curious how many of the offending keywords I needed to get rid of.  I know that there is an optimal ratio of keyword to text but I can't find it.

   replyreport
   1. 93

      Sherry Hewinsposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I can't really answer how many, or what percentage I removed. Once I edited it though, I didn't think the hub actually lost anything in the process. Reduce it as much as you can, to where people can still understand what you're saying, and it sounds like natural conversation.

      replyreport
      1. 94

         OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Will do!

         replyreport
3. 87

   Will Apseposted 7 years ago

   I had a similar thing recently with the word 'drill' in a page about 'drills'. The editor is right, there are a lot of instances of the word on the page, and I remember struggling to keep the number down when I wrote it.
   
   There are no usable synonyms.

   replyreport
4. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   I sympathise.  I have the same problem with many dance subjects - there is no other word for "pointe shoes", for instance.
   
   I assume it's your "Guide to Growing Potatoes"
   
   I can see why the moderator may have thought you were keyword stuffing, although I know you do not play those games.  But I can see several sentences where you've repeated the word "potatoes" when it's unnecessary, and in fact the sentence would read better if it were not repeated, e.g.
   
   "Originally there were many wild species of potatoes and you would think that the 5,000 varieties of potatoes we have today originated from those many different wild potatoes"  could be written as "Originally there were many wild species of potatoes and you would think that the 5,000 varieties we have today originated from them".
   
   "If you are not using straw or grow bags for your potatoes, you will need to dig up your potatoes to harvest them" would probably read better as "If you are not using straw or grow bags, you will need to dig up your potatoes to harvest them." 
   
   I think if you just make sure you're not repeating in a sentence, it will be fine.  I would not add any more "tubers" because that is probably used often enough already.

   replyreport
   1. 94

      OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you!

      replyreport
5. 94

   Susan Hambidgeposted 7 years ago

   Hi - Start by taking out the ones you said you can naturally take out. Don't try and make weird sentences just to get rid of the word potato, but just make sure you haven't repeated the word unnaturally. That is what makes it look like it has been deliberately stuffed.
   
   Next change all the titles and image titles, it looks strange but it is what you see most often in professional print and I guess it makes the niche websites look more consistent if everyone's articles appears the same in presentation.
   
   Then see if it is enough. Don't stress out about it too much, it might only need a few tweaks.

   replyreport
   1. 94

      OldRosesposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I'm having a real problem with the capitaliztion issue.  I need to mull it over some more.  Thanks for the suggestions!

      replyreport
6. 0

   DIY Danposted 7 years ago

   What's taters precious?

   replyreport
   1. 85

      HeadlyvonNogginposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      You know, PO-TA-TOES! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew...

      replyreport