Hubpages Hobble Along

Working online

The newest thing at Hubpages was the introduction of "Niche sites". Separated into new sites that center on a group of related topics, this has worked out for the site to something of an improvement so far, at least Google is friendlier to them than the main site.

For me, it has worked out middling well. Probably middling because they greatly slowed the inclusion of hubs, and after having only four moved from the more than 140 I have on the site. For those with more of their pages moved the results are likely much better.

The income improved a great deal after the niche sites were begun. Which wasn't hard, considering the hubs were down to pennies before the switch.

Sites Moved

Based on traffic numbers, only the most popular sites tended to be moved (after editors were through).

Of mine these are the ones that were chosen from the main site:

• Stunning Silver Hair
• Flattering  Summer Fashions For Over Fifty 
• 10 Best Perennials For Your Garden

Tightening Control

Along with the niche sites, rules were implemented and strictly enforced. All in the hopes of enticing Google to more kindly view them, I've understood from the forum discussions.

Cutting away the Amazon modules has been high priority.

Submitting to editing by unknown persons is another. While it is stated that writers have a choice whether to abide by the changes to their articles, the reality is that punishment is severe enough that it is a right in word only, not reality. Banishment from the niche sites or "un-featuring" altogether.

The Main Site

Most of my writing remains on the main site, which struggle to get any traffic whatsoever for individual articles. Not that the site structure helps. It is very hard to find anything except the front page featured stuff.

Promises are made to to include more pages within the niche sites, but it is slow going for many like me. Some of the more senior members of Hubpages report many of their pages moved, but I notice the forums have quieted to almost a whisper about the changes. 

New Work?

The conditions are not conducive to new work, but I wrote a few when I had time (My work has switched to improving my own sites, and moving rejected (repeatedly unfeatured) articles to them.

Of the new articles I wrote,

• Best British Detective Shows
• Best Female Centric Detective Shows
• Hungarian Pysanky

only the "Best Female British Detective Shows" made it to one of the new sites.

Most people on the site are "wait and see", but many are writing new articles. 

I spend most of my time there tending my older work, trying to learn about what works for online writing and reading in the forum.

I won't put lion shares of time in, as I did at Squidoo , until it appears to be worthwhile in terms of income. Income, because links are frowned upon, and it does not benefit my work elsewhere. I also do not find the community to be as satisfying as Squidoo. Perhaps I do not understand the culture of it, yet.

That is the report on the Hubpage experience to date. Stay tuned for future reports.

Hubpage: Every Day Is A Struggle

A struggle to raise the profile number that keeps falling, to keep the hubs featured, to transfer writing from their format to a blog. Every. Single. Day.

 Every once in awhile the site gives me a request to know if I will recommend Hubpages to others. I ignore it. "Not now", is the answer I would have to give. I wouldn't do this to my friends.

The income is pennies and the workload has become almost unreasonable. My own nature is to tackle unreasonable tasks just to see if I can overcome the challenge of it... but not recommend it to others. 

Hubpages Has Become One Big Struggle

In trying to jump through the many hoops which do not seem to be enumerated for members of the site, I have ceased the actual writing.

I think I would feel better if I could write something and have it be acceptable enough to be featured. 

Part of the problem is what is used to evaluate the hubs. Mturk hires and robots, neither of which are good with the use of the English language it seems.

To be fair, when reworking my removed material I have had to rewrite some of it for my own satisfaction and standards. I edit regularly anyway, so that is part of my process and not something I am complaining about.

But There are strange things that seem to happen with my writing at the site. I don't like the edits that others make, and the system seems to promote nonsensical moving around of the various capsules. 

This Is A Rant

I don't mean to... but really so much is awry at Hubpages at the moment. And I am a bit weary of the struggle.

On the bright side.... it forced me to start working more on my writing and on building my own sites. That process had started with Squidoo.

For example sake I will list a couple of the Hubs that are totally unfeatured (have an empty circle next to them), followed by those unfeatured for lack of traffic, and a list of my top five featured hubs.

UnFeatured Top 5

1. Wedding Flowers For Each Month
2. Arabian Nights Halloween Costumes
3. Woodland Christmas Decor
4. Jamie Lee Curtis Good Looks
5. Helen Mirren's Style

UnFeatured For Low Traffic Top 5

1. Grandma Moses' Holiday Paintings
2. Costumes For The Christmas Play
3. Decorating Ideas For Christmas
4. The Cutest Christmas Teddy Bears
5. Irish Claddagh Gifts

Featured Top 5

1. Silver Fox Hair Styles
2. Middle Eastern Tattoos
3. Flattering Summer Fashions for Women Over Fifty
4. More Silver Fox Hairstyles
5. How To Write Thank You Notes

That should give you an idea of the different types of ratings I have in my Hubpage profile.

Some of these are topics I would not have written about, but prompts and contests on Squidoo inspired them. Some came from writing ideas ( like lots of articles that completely explore one niche).

I believe many more of my hubs will become unfeatured if I touch them (updates). Updates trigger the quality process. If they have Amazon capsules ( sometimes even one will cause a problem), or the topic is not liked... which is the situation with some that I permanently moved.

My plan is to completely reduce the number of hubs that keep on having problems and eventually replace them with newly written topics that are tailored for Hubpages liking ( for however long that lasts) just to see if I can do it. Sort of a "crack the code" challenge.

In the meantime, a lot of work ahead in trying to salvage the many hours spent in producing content and interesting articles for Squidoo/Hubpage consumption.

Was It All for Naught?

No. I learned things that many pay good money to learn. I paid in effort and time, which would be required anyway (maybe not quite so much of it, however!)

And don't forget... I did earn some money along the way. It paid for my hosting and domain names for a couple years.

Now, the cheese has moved and I need to find where today's cheese is stashed.