Why do poems have the least amount of traffic on Hubpages?

1. 68

   bonnebartronposted 12 years ago

   Why do poems have the least amount of traffic on Hubpages?

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2. 82

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years ago

   Because internet searchers are not finding them - is the simple answer.  Most internet searches are done by people looking for information about something - and poetry is more of a subjective art than information.
   
   I like to read poetry.  I just know that because I crave income and . . .some sort of larger appreciation for what I can do well here - that because of that I don't do poetry.  I've got some . . . .for lack of a better description, drug induced prose stories here - but they get almost no traffic for the same exact reasons that poetry doesn't often get a lot of traffic.  My gonzo intoxication prose stories give precious little so far as facts or information is concerned to the persons that land on those pages.

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3. 58

   saddlerider1posted 12 years ago

   I can't and won't speak for anybody else, but my traffic is considerable. It might be in the type of  Poetry one scribes as well as the number of loyal fans and followers one has accumulated over their tenure here at the Hubs. I just started following you after clicking your name and I am very impressed with what I just read and will be back later when I arrive back from an outing.  Good question BTW

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4. 60

   princess gposted 12 years ago

   because poetry isn't searchable. You can't use titles and seo to lure people in. You just have to be found

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5. 64

   leroy64posted 12 years ago

   My most visited hub is a collection of Silly Limericks.  I don't even think they are that well written.  It was my second hub and I stumbled onto something.  After one month it was leaving all of my other hubs in the dust.  (I was tweeting my hubs to announce publishing them, if you are wondering.)   
   
   As far as I can tell, the combination of the words, limerick, silly, and a random female name, attracts hits like honey attracts bears.  There are not a lot of repeat visits.  Once limericks are read, they are not as fun.  Still I get hits every other day on that particular hub.   My Ice Cream recipe is catching up in terms of views, and steady traffic, and I hope will pass the limericks up before summer is over.
   
   Try publishing a collection of your poetry.  You can give the collection a title geared toward google searches and retain the creative control over your poems.  I am not a poet, so let me know if it works, assuming you try that out.

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   PK2010posted 12 years ago

   I think its because people like to search more for information on the how tos  or tips on this and that. Poems are, if I may be permitted to say are for an audience who seek to read for enjoyment and are not out to seek answers to the hows, fors and whys. The trend of the world today craves more answers and solutions and poetry does not always if at all provide that.

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   seichepreyposted 12 years ago

   I think that poetry is so subjective that an online search engine is generally directing someone to a specific poet with whom they are familiar.

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8. 70

   stanwshuraposted 12 years ago

   Well, and I don't know why this *mindset* is predominant, but I think (actually, I'm regurgitating what I've read oodles of times) that "creative writing" is less "monetizing" - it doesn't make search engines do the happy dance.
   
   They are "art for art's sake" and have little "pragmatic" or commercial value.  And, unfortunately, that means fewer people are interested in them.

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9. 0

   ExoticHippieQueenposted 12 years ago

   Because everybody loves the "how to" articles the best.  It is what it is.  BUT poetry is one of the arts.  "How to" articles will never compare when matched head to head with the beauty of a poem.

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10. 77

    Kathleen Cochranposted 12 years ago

    Poetry is an acquired taste, like oysters.  Some folks just don't care for it.  As a poet, that is fine with me.  Either my poetry speaks to you or it doesn't.  Poetry is not writing for the masses - by definition.

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11. 0

    SirDentposted 12 years ago

    I used to wonder about this also.  I have figured out one thing.  Poetry in general is very short with only a few words.  Google likes to see at least 350 words to an article.  Most poems fall below this word count.  What I did eventually is put more than one poem on a page.  I have 5 poems on one page linked below along with a short introduction.  This hub gets a reasonable amount of traffic and the total word count is just under 1000 words.
    
    http://sirdent.hubpages.com/hub/Poems-About-Jesus

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12. 0

    Saugasfinestposted 12 years ago

    I would suppose that although they're beautiful, people dont always find useful. Considered more as entertainment, and there must  be a better forum for poetry out there anyways...

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13. 92

    Tamarajoposted 12 years ago

    I  think that poetry is highly subjective.  The symbols metaphors and word associations are always very personal and sometimes difficult to translate to the audience. It truly means the most to the person who created it which makes poetry sometimes difficult to identify with.  Sometimes poetery can also get abstract  and cryptic and requires more thought  than most are willing to invest into trying to connect with the authors feeling and intent.
    
    I find the most interesting poetery is cleverly usiing and playing with words in a way that all can indentify and engage.

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