5 Basic Things I Wish I'd Known as a New Hubber on HubPages
94If I Had Only Known as a Newbie....
There are several things I wish I’d known as a new hubber, as it would have gotten my hubs off to better starts (e.g. bringing in more traffic). Knowing those basic things about HubPages and hubbing would also have saved me time later, time spent going back to revise my hubs. That's okay, though. I realize that there is a lot to learn about HubPages or any online writing gig, and I admit I am still learning. As I wrote in my very first hub, "Getting Over the Fear of Writing Your First Hub," at some point you just have to get over your fear and start writing. At some point, you must hit that "publish" button. There is always time to learn more. It is my hope, though, that sharing with you these five basic things will help you to avoid having to spend all the time I have in going back to tweak titles, alter format, and change out photos in an effort to revise my earlier hubs..
1. Keep Your Title Simple
Choosing your hub title is a very important step in getting traffic to your hub. I was trying to come up with fancy titles to catch readers’ interest, titles that would be more appropriate for the pages of a magazine. Later, I learned that simple search-engine friendly titles will bring in more traffic. Think about it. Are readers going to type in “How to Create a Captivating Chili with Zest and Zing” or “How to Make Chili"? So, go with the simpler title that searchers will be “googling.” Your title will create the URL that search engines find. Some say you could later edit the title to add in the more eye-catching words, but keep your original title simple in order to create a search-friendly URL. Another option is to dress up the title with catchier wording in your text itself or in the capsule headings, which brings me to the next trick I wish I had known.
More Sources for Help for HubPages
|
HubPages Video Tutorials - Hub Pages can Drive Mass Targeted Traffic to You
Current Bid: $3.99
|
|
Web 2.0 SEO Marketing Promo HubPages Squidoo Press Release LinkVana Package
Current Bid: $24.99
|
|
5 MINUTE TRICK TO BOOST WEB TRAFFIC & MAKE MONEY ONLINE FROM HUBPAGES SQUIDOO CD
Current Bid: $.99
|
|
Hubpages Video Tutorials on CD
Current Bid: $3.50
|
2. Use Capsule Subtitles
Find logical breaks in your writing to break up into sections. See the "Add More Capsules" at the upper right of the page you are editing? Click on "text" to add more text boxes. Copy and paste text (if you're writing from Word) into different boxes to separate a long narrative. Do put a title with keywords in the capsule title box as this subtitle can also bring more traffic to your hub. These headings will automatically appear in bold print, which will make the article easier to follow; an article with breaks and subtitles is easier to follow and may keep the reader reading until the end. I’ve looked back at some of my earlier hubs that just keep going on and on, breaking them into smaller sections to make them more appealing to readers.
3. Do Not Use Google Images
Pictures on Google Images are so easy to use, and you can just about find any photo you want. Still, most are copyrighted and you need permission to use them .I've looked, and I haven't found an easy way to get to a source that might be able to give you permission. Instead, use photo sources you know are legal to use, and give credit. Look for photos with a Creative Commons license for commercial use. Then learn how to properly and legally attribute the photos. Some sites you can use are
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
http://www.copyrightfreephotos.com/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_page
After about thirty hubs or so, I realized that I had photos that were not properly attributed, so I spent time going back and replacing photos with properly attributed photos from other sites, or, better yet, photos I had taken myself. Also, do put captions in the boxes under the photos. The words there can also bring you more traffic from search engines. HubPages has a basic outline of how to legally use others' images on HubPages.
4. Group the Hubs from the Hub Page You're Editing
At some point, I learned to go into my account where all my hubs were and create groups for similar hubs. It’s much simpler, however, to group your hub as you’re creating it. Look over to the right side of the page when you’re editing to see your choices of reorder, tags, summary, group. Click on group and your subgroups will come up. Of course, you have to create your subgroups first under your account. But once you do, it will be very easy to group your hubs as you go. Then, the related hubs will show up automatically at the bottom of your hub when it is published--right there for your readers to see. This makes it easier for readers to see what else you have written on the subject that they may want to explore further.
Good luck with HubPages!
These are just some basic things that I hope help newer hubbers to start out on the right track. There’s a lot of information to take in, and I’m still working on it. If you have any questions or comments regarding anything in this article, I'd love to hear from you below in the comment section.
5. Don't Follow Other Hubbers Just to Get Followers
Following other hubbers just for the sake of following or just to get them to follow you back can lower your hubber score. Make sure you like what the hubber writes before you click on the “follow” button. Read at least one of his or her hubs, and then look at the topics and hubber profile before deciding to be a follower. This will save you time later of going back to “unfollow” those hubbers you don’t read.
Sign up on HubPages now!
- HubPages
HubPages is your online space to share your advice, reviews, useful tips, opinions and insights with hundreds of other authors. HubPages is completely free, and you can even earn online ad revenue!
More Things I've Learned About Writing Hubs
- 6 Best Reasons for Writers to Join HubPages
Why join HubPages? Many writers join HubPages to earn money, but there are actually many more reasons to join this community of writers. - How to Come up with Hub Topics
How do you come up with ideas for hubs? Keep a notebook, take photos, ask and answer questions, and more! - Getting Over the Fear of Writing Your First Hub
Fear is definitely a factor in procrasination. Writing my first hub came after months of researching the site and reading other writers' hubs. At some point, though, you just have to start writing! - How to Keep Your Hubber Score High
How did I ever hit a 100 hubber score? Not sure. Tips on keeping your hubber score high.... Be involved, ask questions, research SEO and backlinks, and just keep writing and learning!
More Hubs about Hubbing
- 6 Best Reasons for Writers to Join HubPages
Why join HubPages? Many writers join HubPages to earn money, but there are actually many more reasons to join this community of writers.
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (147)
- Funny (3)
- Awesome (18)
- Beautiful (2)
- Interesting (43)
COMMENTSLoading...
Great hub with lots of useful info!
Great tips--thank you!
I don't follow a lot of Hubbers. In the beginning, my gmail went crazy to the point where I could not find my regular business emails. I am busy as it is, but I will comment on what I see on the feed as well as hop hubs. I set aside some time during the day and read Hubs at night when everyone is asleep. You can't follow everyone, and you aren't going to hurt anyone's feelings by not following them. As far as following, don't feel obligated. Voted up and everything else.
Love your "group your hubs" tip! I'm new and was just wondering how other hubbers have those links at the bottom of their articles. I will definitely be using that feature on my next hub! Thanks again!
I group Hubs too. But, so far I don't see a way to use the Hub groups as a link. It would be nice to post a link to all my related posts rather than picking one of them.
Thanks for the advice!
This is great information. I wish I had known these things when I first started, too. Voted up and useful.
Actually, it was Mark Ewbie who took the time to show me how to group Hubs. Everyone else with the high Hubscores were talking way over my head when it came to doing this. I did not understand them, but Mark took a peek at my account and walked me through it. And, I am eternally grateful. He said he doesn't normally do this, but I must have looked really hopeless and helpless to him at the time.
These are great tips! Thanks for writing this hub. I look forward to reading more of your work.
This is all very good advice. Unfortunately, I learned some things the hard way, too. Voted up and awesome!
very useful, as a start out hubber i learned a lot from reading this article. i now may have to go back to my hubs and start modifying some of them!
Victorialynn.....Thanks so much for the advice. I just made the decision recently to do some serious reading on the learning center. I've been hubbing fairly "blindly" myself. There is a lot to learn, but it's worth knowing all you can.
Great tips..really helped me as a new Hubie. Thanks..
Yes, Sunshine, good one! Spellcheck, everybody!
weestro and AudreyHowitt--thanks for the comments!
Arlene--Great advice about not following too many hubbers! Sometimes I think I'm stretched too thin. Can't read them all! People should definitely be selective, I think. Thanks!
teachertalking--I used to wonder about those hubs listed at the bottom of hub, too. It's so easy to group them if we only knew how! :-) Glad I could help. Good luck!
That Grrl--Using the grouping option, two of the related group hubs will show up at the bottom. Is that what you do? If you want to add several links, click on links under the "add capsules" section. You can add a lot of links with that feature. Have you tried that?
Arlene--that's cool! Mark Ewbie is cool, too. It was neat of him to help you learn how to group. That's the problem, sometimes, with hubbers trying to explain thing. I have had a hard time understanding a lot of what I've been told, as I think the hubbers that have been around a while tend to forget what it was like to know NOTHING. When I explain things, I hope I'm not skipping a necessary step! Thanks for the comments, Arlene!
jfrabe and esmeowl--thanks for reading. Hope it was helpful!
Yeah, and you were the one who explained to me how to use the SHARE button, Victoria Lynn! I put the question on the Forum, and someone said, "That's easy. Do this and this." Well, I didn't get it. Thanks for helping me out. People who have been around HubPages for a long time forget what it's like to be new. It's hard to learn things online when most of us learn by doing. I've pressed a lot of buttons and made things disappear, too.
tschaunerb--Glad it was helpful. Better to go back and revise now rather than down the road when you have so many more hubs!!!
Swetankraj--so glad the tips help you as a newbie!
Awesome tips for all hubbers! This is a great resource.
Thanks for this sharing of yours Victoria Lynn, noted all this great advice of yours...appreciate much...
Thanks. Very useful. I love hubs like this that teach a newbie like me more about getting better as a hubber.
effer--I probably need to visit the Learning Center more myself. I did a lot in the beginning, but then just started writing a lot. While I have learned a lot along the way, I need to go back and see what all I'm missing. Thanks for the comment!
I remember that, Arlene! The share button, yes. Yep, many of the explanations I've received are above my head. I still don't understand RSS feeds and widgets. Nobody can seem to get those through my head! haha.
Thanks, randomcreative and injuredlamb. Glad you appreciated the tips!
Thanks, DanielNeff. I like these kinds of helpful hubs, too. Glad you thought so, too!
I wish, I had read this hub before I started.
Great tips Victoria, lots of useful information, thank you for sharing and voted up.
I hear ya, Shyron. I wish I had known all those things before I started, too. There's just too much to know. It's overwhelming in the beginning.
Thanks, Movie Master, for the comments and votes!
Victoria Lynn - great hub Vicki! This is very useful and informative. Well done! :)
bookmarked and voted up!
Hey Vicki, very nicely written hub. It will be very helpful to many people and is pretty sound advice. Voted up and useful. :) Great job! :)
Interesting, useful and vote up, Thanks for great advice especially following practice I just don't jump to follow others but I do follow fellow Hubbers based on their comments, fan mail and activity on their own hubs so I guess I am already on right track. Thanks and Good Luck.
Victoria its unselfish of you to give someone else the opportunity no one gave you. As new hubber this is vital information that can be utilized. You rock
missolive--Thanks so much for the comments. Glad it's useful!
Thanks, cagsil! I do hope it's helpful. I know as a newbie--and still--I could use all the useful tips I could find!
Thanks for the great tips. I am in learning mode too as newbie. The links to images is vastly helpful--I am still getting a handle of these techy things. I had dial up slow speed for so long that I feel out of sync with all that can be done with highspeed! LOL
I will go and set that grouping bar--I was jsut looking at it today!
Zannisar--Yes, it sounds like you're on the right track on following. Just make sure you also enjoy reading what they write. Thanks for the comments!
CookiesnoCrumbs--Great name! I'm glad I can help new hubbers. I've had a lot of hubbers who have helped me--and continue to--along the way. You rock for saying "you rock!" haha Thanks!
Mona--sounds like you're learning lots of stuff. Grouping is helpful. I'm glad the direct photo links are helpful. There are more out there, too. There's so much to learn! thanks for reading and commenting!
This is great for a newbie like me! Thanks for the helpful advice and quality writing.
You're welcome, Danareva. I'm glad the advice was helpful, and I'm appreciate of your compliment regarding quality writing. Thanks so much! Welcome to HubPages!
Today I joined hubpages and searching for helping material. Every thing you wrote above is absolutely right especially the last point.
ranamubashar--Glad you found this hub. Hope it's helpful. Welcome to HubPages! I hope you enjoy it!
As per my opinion the best thing I did after coming on HubPage is following you. I get to learn more and more as I read your hubs and follow your activities. My hubber score jumped to 84 from 8. It was unbelievable. Thanks to you. And the tips in this hub are also great as for a newcomer.
Great info! I was not aware that following a number of hubbers could lower your score. I write on another site and immediately followed many writers I recognized from there. I hope I don't get penalized too much.
This was very helpful.
ContentThreads--Your comments make me feel soooo good! I am so glad that I've been helpful to you. I'm glad your hubber score jumped up so drastically, too. Awesome! You definitely are doing something right. I'm going to have to check out your work! Thanks again so much for the wonderful comments!
debW07--If you really like those writers you recognized, then that will probably turn out okay if you do follow them and read their hubs from time to time. I would think it would work out. Good luck on HubPages!
Thanks so much Victoria Lynn! I would like to follow you, but I think I'll wait a few weeks before I add any more people to my list. :0)
Great tips I wish I would have known when I frist started. I spent a whole day fixing some of these things and adding summaries. I think this will be really beneficial to nebiew. Well done!
So glad it was helpful, wife2mike! Thanks for the comment.
debW07--Haha, you're funny. Touche! I hope you'll go ahead and follow me in a few weeks. haha. Great comment!
I totally agree with these things you wrote here. It took me I think about 6 months until I discovered I can group my hubs! *sigh* And the images, my first batch of hubs didn't have images that didn't have any acknowledgments or anything like that and one of the source actually commented that one of the pics was from her site. I'm going through all of my hubs and replacing these images with the images I can find from the links you provided. Thanks for this hub!
Thanks for the interesting information!!! It will help me a lot as I get acquainted to this site. (:
A very much useful peace of information
My first few weeks here, and I appreciate the helpful advice!
I am 4 articles in and glad to have this information. Great article and Congratulations on 100!
Thanks, tammy! Maybe this hub will save newbies some time. I, too, have had to go back from time to time and revise those early hubs because of something I didn't do quite right.
emievil--I guess some of us learn the hard way. haha. I've had to go back and fix things, too. It's my hope that this hub will help newer hubbers save some time by doing things right from the beginning. There is just so much to learn!
Joyce and yavudanshi--I'm so glad this hub was helpful to you!
Thanks Victoria. I'm new and have been learning as I go. This sure feels like a better place to start than where I was. After reading a few of your hubs, I'll be following you....and not just to follow :p
MomsTreasureChest--I'm glad the advice is helpful!
Nichole Bentley--4 articles in! Great! Spend some time on things so that you won't have to go back and revise so much. Good luck!
Being on HubPages for months now, I have made myself aware of these things. Lucky me.
I've joined HubPages 8 months ago and have just been active last 2 months. I guess reading a lot of others' hubs helped me on this.
I'm sure newbies will find this hub beneficial.
Just signed up. Great advice for someone just starting out. The information on the images definitely helps out.
Thanks, Cre8tor. Glad the hub was helpful. And thanks for the follow! I may have to see what you're doing, as well!
This is very good advice. Thank you for serving the HubPages Community at-large by publishing this needful Hub. Well done!
Great advice! Thank you for sharing these tips. They are easy and they make sense!
rLcasa....I did a lot of reading of others' hubs before writing. There's just so much to learn, and we can learn a lot from other hubbers!
In silico--Glad you signed up, and I hope your HubPages adventure goes great!
Very well written hub. It is very helpful to me as well as many other people.I really find lot of information as I read your hubs and follow your activities.Voted up and Awesome. :) Great job! :)
Again thanks for sharing.
I am new- so the hub was very much appreciated thanks :)
This is a great hub. Good information, for a person just starting out any information I can get, it very helpful.
You're welcome, James! thanks for the great comment!
VirtualTreasures--You're welcome! Good luck!
Thanks, IT Coach, for the encouragement and the votes!
Hreichel--Have a great HubPages adventure. Hope the tips help!
Another great article Victoria that answers some of the questions I just asked you on one of your other hubs (about your hubber score of 100)! And I'm making this comment for real, not just to make a comment! Thanks again for the tips.
I was tickled to find this Hub; useful, helpful & encouraging. I know what I want to write about, but the mechanics of 'How' to format properly and effectively are still new.
I'm sure i'll be back to re-read this and other hubs like it. /kudos
This is really good advice that I wish I had starting out. I will share so other newbies can benefit from it.
Love it - these are great tips. I especially like the title tip.
Great hub...voted up and useful for sure! Thanks for the links to the free photo sites. I've used some of them and am so glad to expand that list. Yes, I too wish I'd learned some of this earlier but at least we've learned, right? Thanks again...Sinea
I guess 11 months as a hubber still makes me a newbie because I learned a lot from your hub! So many things we don't know. You really provided great information and direction - which I intend to make use of! Voted up and useful. Thanks for SHARING.
Great tips and advice for newbies. When I come across people needing help I will recommend that they read this hub.
Thank you for this information Victoria. I was fortunate to have my daughter tlpoague explain this to me. I really like using the capsules to break up the words. I didn't know that helped with the search engines though.
Some really great advice, thank you! As a new hubber, I just learned a lot. Voted up and SHARED! Will definitely get some more hubs up soon and will start grouping them now. Thanks again.
taylord--Glad this can help!
TrahnTheMan--I did answer some questions on the other hub where you left comments. Glad this one helped, too!
Stevethepainter--The "how to" can be difficult. Glad this could help!
Deborah--thanks for sharing it!
ktrapp--It took me a long time to learn about the title, and I still struggle with choosing one!
Great Hub. I love reading tips that can be useful in helping me be a better writing and Hubber!
Thanks!
Voted Up and useful!
Lisa Lynn
As a newbie, I appreciate the advice! Just joined today and nervously starting my first hub:)
I am just trying to write my first Hub and I can relate to everything you write! Great tips thank you !
'Are readers going to type in “How to Create a Captivating Chili with Zest and Zing” or “How to Make Chili"?'
They're going to write 'How to make chilli' but if you had 'How to make captivating chilli with zest and zing' it would still turn up when you searched for 'How to make chilli'. Personally I'll read a hub with a captivating and interesting title a lot quicker than I'll read a hub with a simple title as creativity stands out a lot more than simplicity - but that's just me.
Great hub by the way :)
Sinea--yeah, you've been here a while, too, and I think sometimes we just learn by making our own way, but I'm glad I can help newer hubbers. Good to see you!
tillsontitan--Glad you found the information useful after 11 months. I still find hubs helpful to me, too. I feel like a newbie sometimes, as I think there is still so much to learn. Take care!
Thanks, Just Ask Susan, for recommending this hub for the newbies!
mljdgulley--I think the capsules' breaking up the words do bring more traffic, as bold print is supposed to bring more traffic. Is your daughter a writer on HubPages?
amberld--Glad the hubs helped. Keep writing and grouping!
Thanks muchly for writing this Hub -- I've been here two years and never even paid any attention to "groups" which I will do immediately after your good information. Best, Sis
Lisa Lynn--Thanks for your kind comments. So glad it's useful!
salsalter--Just go ahead and do it. That first hub is the most nerve-wracking, I think! Go for it!
Mummy Yummy--Glad you can relate. You're welcome!
Al Shield--I agree with you that I'm more drawn to interesting titles, but the search engines do have a problem with all the extra words sometimes. I've tried this with a google search before and different things come up. That's why I've started putting simpler titles (go through Google analytics to check what might work) and go back and revise them later with more interesting words after the URL is already set. Seems to work better for me.
I am glad that you liked the hub!
Great tips for newbies! It is far too easy to find images with Google image search, but you can never be sure of copyright. As a photographer (having made many photos available under creative commons licenses) - thank you for describing other (better) ways to find images to use in hubs!
Required reading for all new hubbers. Voting this Up and Useful.
Angela--You're "muchly" welcome! Start grouping!
nifwlseirff--You're welcome about the photo info!
alocsin--Maybe we should start a required reading section. haha. That would be very handy!
Thanks Victoria. Great information especially about the photos. Will look into the sites you linked. Voted Useful, interesting and up. Good work.
jimsmillions--Glad the photo sites were helpful. Photos were always something I didn't know where to go for. Thanks for the votes! And best of luck!
Great tips. Thank you for sharing, there's some very informational ideas here.
Excellent advice. I'm bookmarking this to have as a referral.
I've read a couple of your posts after joining HubPages today and I have found them very useful. Thank you for putting this out there.
Great page, it was very helpful. You hit every aspect I was wondering about. Thanks so much for sharing and being helpful.
Awesome, Flickr. Glad you think so!
...most awesome hub advice of all time and will be duely noted and bookmarked and posted on my Facebook page with awe and admiration to you my friend and with a personal epi-man top five list:
5 Basic Things to think about when wanting to read something very special and important:
1. READ
2. THIS
3. HUB
4. BY
5. VICTORIA LYNN
lake erie time ontario canada 12:03pm
Thank you for the great advice. I'm new here so I need all the help I can get.
Marlene--I'm so glad you can use the information. Thanks for bookmarking!
djelrod--Glad my hubs were helpful. And I'm glad you joined HubPages. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Hi biancaalice. Cool that I answered your questions. You're welcome. Have fun on HubPages!
haha, Epi, I love your 5 Basic Things list! You're the best. I love your support!
savanahl--You're welcome. I'm not quite as new as you are, but I still need all the help and advice I can get, too! Enjoy HubPages!
thank you Victoria Lynn for writing such a high-quality hub! I'm somewhat knew to Hubpages and reading this will ultimately help me in the long run. You're definitely right, knowing how to properly credit photos and the significance of not following hubbers impulsively is information we should all know in the very beginning. Thank you again!
Glad I could help, Kevin! Knowing early some things to avoid will definitely save time. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Great information! I have been here for 3 months and am still a "newbie". There is so much to learn at the beginning. Thank you for sharing this information with us all. Voted up and useful. :)
sgbrown--I still feel like a newbie after 6 months. There are other things I'm trying to learn that I still don't understand. Glad I can be helpful with others just getting started. Thanks for the votes!
Concise and informative tips for any HubPages writer. It took me a while to find much of this out, particularly the title URL thing. Whatever you name the hub at first is going to be important even if you change the title later. Good one here.
Hi Victoria! This is a terrific hub! Thanks so much for sharing some truly helpful suggestions with us! :)
PegCole. It took me a while to come across info about the title and url thing, too. Glad this was helpful.
You're welcome, Jilltravel. Makes me feel good that I can help other hubbers. :-)
I need to bookmark this hub and return later. It seems to be useful.
I hope this hub will be helpful for you, Made. Hope you enjoy and are successful on HubPages!
This hub is extremely useful for newbies and hubbers of few weeks. Thank u for sharing. Rated it useful. Vote up.
Hi VicLynn - I hope TONS of new people see this. It took me a few years to learn all the stuff you mentioned above - and NOW I have to go back through all my old Hubs and correct a few things ;) I am going to share this with my followers and hopefully some of the newbies will read it and be more successful! Great Hub :)
This is good for everyone because someone may forget to group their hub or forget that a photograph they are using is copyrighted and they cannot put it in their hubs. I learned new things today. Thank you for sharing these tips! Voted up, interesting and useful!
Good information. Some of this I didn't know and I have been here 4 years.
@Victoria Lynn,
Really these are the great tips for new Hubbers. Voted up.
As a new-ish hubber, this is very helpful. Thanks so much. I do follow you, though, and I have to say, it's a good thing!
I agree these tips will help-- I don't follow unless I intend to read.. yeah up and useful :)
Hi there Victoria. My name is Sam. I really enjoyed reading your hub! Thanks for sharing your advice!
ishwaryaa22--go glad this is helpful for newbies! I wish I had known a lot of this stuff from the start. Thanks for the votes, and I wish you the best with HubPages!
Great advice. I do love following people as this give me option to broaden my knowledge. Well that is just me. Thanks for sharing
Really useful tips, thanks.
Ardie--Took me a while, too, to learn a lot of this. That's why I wrote it. Hey, thanks for sharing this one. It looks like I'm getting a lot of newbies reading it. A lot more comments. Thanks! Glad it helps!
riaha, I'm glad you learned new things with this hub. These are things, like the title states, that I really wish I'd known from the beginning. It's just impossible to know it all at once.
These are great tips you have given us. Thanks.
Awesome, moonlake! I'm glad this hub could help the old-timers as well as the newbies!
Thanks, jainismus, for the feedback and the vote up!
greatparenting--Glad it's helpful, and I'm glad you're following me. Thanks! I'm also following you, by the way!
Thanks for the validation, Frank. I appreciate it much!
Hi, Sam! Thanks so much for reading. I'm glad to share what I've learned.
Great advice for new hubbers and great reminders for everyone!
cebutouristspot--I agree. We can learn a lot from each hubber we follow. Writers have such different styles.
Silver Fish and Pamela K--You're welcome. Hope the tips help!
Thanks, justateacher. Good to see you!
I agree with everything except for the first point made, as I find that if my title is either too broad or too common, it will get lost in the billions of other webpages on the web. However by having a slightly longer title, you'll find that you're found more easier, and your audience will find just what they want in your Hub!
how did I miss this hub before I wrote mine today??? This is a great hub and I wish I had it when I started here 8 weeks ago. Thanks for the information!
Yes, drspaniel, I'm with you there. The title can be too common, thus having too much competition. Great comment.
kelleyward--Wish I'd had this hub when I started, too!
Right there with you on all of that. Great hub, very informative, clear and concise. Thank you, and now I'm off to try to fix my URL's.... which is another thing I wish I had known- you can't fix them after you've published!Have to delete and start over. Oh well .Thanks, voted up and following!
This is a great hub written in a way that newbies can understand. There were some things in it that I'm going to make use of, too.
Great list of tips and reminder for creating high quality hubs. I will try shortening down my hub titles I sometimes do the too long title and I will work on shortening them up in the future, thanks for the reminder.
Hi Victoria! I wish I have known this hub before I published my first article. These are excellent and very useful tips for a newbie like me. I'll bookmark this hub and it will serve as my guide for the next hubs I will write. I will surely use your tips. Thank you for sharing! Marked useful, interesting and awesome!Voted up!
Very helpful! I continually learn. I didn't realize that groups was near tags, reorder, etc.Duh!Thanks!
Yeah, grinnin1, I learned that later too. Can't Change those urls. Do you think it's worth unpublishing and starting over? I don't know....Thanks for the votes and follow...and comments!
jm72writes--Glad it was easy to understand and has information you can use. I still appreciate hubs that I can understand, too, because it seems that people sometimes forget how overwhelming it all is at first. And later, too, haha. The simpler, the better, with a lot of this hubbing information! Thanks for reading!
CZCZCZ--One thing to remember that another hubber pointed out--if the titles are too short and simple, they may get lost in all the other simple titles out there. So try to find a happy medium. Just not too fancy! :-)
Thanks, sunasia22, for the votes of confidence! so glad you find the tips helpful, and I hope that you and other newbies can use the information and benefit! I wish I had found this hub before I started writing. haha. :-)
I'm just starting to do research on writing in hubpages and this article was very useful. Thanks!
rebecca--It took me a while to find the "group" button, too! You're welcome!
Awesome, Kgiovannone! Good luck with HubPages!
Thanks! I wrote my first hub and would love to get your opinion.
grt info!...thanks for sharing with us.
Kgiovannone--Hope you do well on hubpages. I looked at your Dress for Success hub, and it's interesting and informative. I think you're off to a good start!
Thanks much Victoria. I'll be checking out some more of yours as well.
You're welcome, gforganesth1! Hope it helps!
Thanks, Kgiovannone! Glad to have you!
Great hub, Vicki! These are good points that I could have used when I first started. Heck, I can use them now. Thanks for sharing from your experience. It'll help make some hubbers experience less frustrating and more successful!
Poetic Fool--I can always use tips, too. There's just so much, and it helps to hear from others' experiences. Glad you liked the hub!
Hi Victoria, fantastic advice, especially about keeping your titles simple. When I first started writing hubs, I'd sit there and try and think of fancy titles. But then one day, it dawned on me that people won't search for fancy titles, so I went back and changed some of my titles. Wish I'd read this when I first started.
I started out blindly as well and am still learning things. Thanks for sharing this acquired knowledge of yours with all of those just starting down this road of hubbing. It will be helpful to many people. Voted up, useful and will share.
Great advice for those starting out on HubPages. I too made many mistakes and it takes longer to go back and edit hubs than it does to write them sometimes.
Thanks for SHARING. Up and useful
Great advice for those starting out on HubPages. I too made many mistakes and it takes longer to go back and edit hubs than it does to write them sometimes.
Thanks for SHARING. Up and useful
Very useful. I must check my hubs for photos. Thanks for the Great links for legal photos.
Very true! I had no clue of the many things you have mentioned here as a newcomer. Even the Learning Center which is a wonderful reference resource for new hubbers was not there when I joined. Good Hub, voted useful!
JKenny--I wish I had known that about titles, too. I think, though, as you tweak them, they can be improved, and I think that quality content will be found by the search engines eventually, anyway. At least, I hope! :-)Thanks for the comments!
Thanks, Peggy, for the words of support and for sharing. I think that most of us start out blindly, but the great thing about HP is the hubbers are generally glad to help other hubbers. Glad this hub could help!
I am always in a look-out for more and more ways of getting traffic. This one will help me a lot.. Thanks for sharing !!
What a wonderful topic and also a great hub! Great job! Voted up!
So true, viking305! Better done right the first time. Thanks for the votes!
I'm still so confused about photos. Some Hubbers use photos without giving any credit at all. I try to use my own when possible, but that's impossible at times. Good info here.
great hub with great job voted up
Thanks for the new sources for CC photos. I've only ever used flickr and my own
Thanks, viking! I appreciate your comments so much!
You're welcome, seanorjohn. Finding photos in the beginning was a challenge for me. I did mess up and use some GoogleImages until someone told me I shouldn't. I know there are other links, too, but these are the ones I use most commonly.
Anamika--no Learning Center? Well, glad this is helpful! :-)
alisha4u--Hope it helps. I need to study more on getting traffic, too. Thanks!
Thanks,Brett! Hope it's helpful! thanks for the vote.
This is beautifully written. Wish i had read this before becoming a hubber. Thanks
I know what you mean, mary615. I think that sometimes people who use their own photos don't give credit, so then it makes people wonder where it came from. I, too, need to go back to credit soem of my original photos in order to clarify that it is indeed mine. Great point!
Sweet tips. Applicable tips. Fine tips. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, winbo! Hope it helps!
You're welcome, cashmere. flickr is pretty easy to use. Using your own when you can, though, is even better, I think. I'm trying to use more of my own photos.:-)
Yeah, me, too, ikechiawazie! Hope it helps at this stage in your HubPage journey.
Thanks for the sweet comments, apologetics!
I seem to be doing OK with those 5 things. That's a relief. Now, on to other things. Thanks. Sandra Busby
That's awesome, sandrabusby! Keep on hubbing!
I've just read this for the second time-and found it even more helpful second time around!! thanks
bredandagnes--Glad you enjoyed the hub twice!
Hi Victoria, I learned from this hub. In fact, I have just edited my hub after reading these ideas.
Oh! Thanks a lot!
Awesome, The Marker! Hope you enjoy HubPages!
I'm "blind as a bat" when it comes to this writing business, but I will forge ahead! Thank you!
34th--I'm forging ahead, too! There is so much to learn. I hope this hub helped you in some way, at least. The more information we can take in, the better Good luck with your writing.
It did help my friend. I published 2 Hubs since I read your Hub.
They strike me as being lousy - but it's a start!
Thank you for your encouragement!!
Hello Victoria Lynn, great information here, thank you very much. Regards, snakeslane
34th Bomb Group--Glad the hub helped!I don't think your hubs look lousy at all. Keep at it!
Thanks!
thank you victoria.. this hub is very much useful to those newly joined hubbers like me.
Useful hug... thanks for the tips
There are several things you covered that I wasn't aware of. I am using them right away, thank you for sharing your experience!
Excellent. It is of much help! Thanks :)
The most useful thing I have learned here is to stay involved. Leave useful comments instead of "great hub". Try not to be negative about anything here.
If you don't have somethings to say, then just don't say anything, right?
Good tips. Here's another. Watermark your photos - that is the ones you personally take to be with your hub not the ones from photo sites. Mark them with something that identifies them to you. Perhaps your home hub page? Photos also end up all over the internet and may bring you some readers. I mark all of mine with my blogger web address.
You're welcome, snakeslane. Thanks to you for reading!
You're welcome, 34th!
sandsu--Cool! Glad the hub is useful to newcomers!
noufu--I assume you mean useful "hub" instead of "hug." haha. I like hugs, too!
Very interesting stuff..Thanks a lot
Very well said; clear and helpful! Thanks!
Hi Victoria Lynn,
I am a newbie to hubpages .... Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful article .... It helped me a lot to know about use of capsules and groups efficiently ... Great info .... Keep the good work up .... Vote up for me ....
Narconon--You are so welcome. Hope it all helps.
Same to you, Nare Anthony! You're welcome.
Austinstar--That's a pretty good way to be! Useful comments are the way to go. Being involved is key--and fun!
Angelo--But I didn't think we could have watermarks on our photos--even our own....We'll have to look at that!
htodd--You're welcome! Thanks for reading!
cbella229--Glad it's helpful! You're welcome!
Thanks, Java Programs. I'm happy to hear that you could use the information in this hub. Welcome to HubPages. I wish you much success!
Nice of you to share, Victoria Lynn. Online writing is a learning process and we get better with every article. However, nothing beats sharing experiences; this is how we really grow!
That's true, Joyette. I have learned a TON from other writers. That's the best way to do it!
wow what a great hub. thanks for all the tips.. you have really helped me
Debbie
Cool, Debbie. That's great to hear. So glad!
The section about copyright images was useful thanks! I pull most of mine from Wikipedia so it should be okay I think -- plus I source the info.
wiserworld--Sounds like you're doing the right thing with the images!
Yep. You are right. You can't watermark photos. Still you can add printing to the photos. I title my photos and put my profile address near the bottom out of the way of the photo. The photo looks good, shows everything it should and still is marked as mine. Can't do this on public domain nor on loaned photos (like Wiki).
True, Angelo, true. I put that the photo is from me when I use my own. I'm trying to use more original photos. Thanks for the input!
Thank you so much for this Hub! I'm definitely going to go back and edit some of the photos in my Hubs. I'm trying to do all my own photography, but it's difficult to have my own photos for some of my health topics. Great Hub!
ladeda, I know what you mean. Original photos can be difficult with some topics. It's okay to use legal images, if you just make sure you properly attribute them. It can even bring you more traffic if you leave a link for the photographer and thank them for the photo. :-)
What an awesome hub!
Thanks, beagrsv. Much appreciated!
This definitely helped me revise my work. Thanks for the great info. I will be applying it!!
You have done it again great information this is a must read.
I follow you because I appreciate your informative hubs. I am still floundering around and have so much to learn. I have one question about the grouping, please. Do you group the hubs only by subject matter or can you group all of them? I guess the latter wouldn't make much sense, though. (Voted up!)
Awesome, Socttye. Hope the revisions make a positive difference!
Billjordan! I love your comment!! Thanks so much!
Well, thank you, MizBejabbers, for that compliment. There is always a lot to learn, if that makes you feel any better. haha. Group together by subject so that when you publish a hub, the other related hubs will show up as links at the bottom of your hub--automatically! I just noticed you are from Arkansas. Me, too! Love the Ozarks! I will have to keep an eye on you to see how you do! haha Ask me anything any time!
OK. I think I figured it out. The photo they talked about had writing across the actual photo. I took that one off. The rest I'm changing so the writing is meaningful. For my http:// signature, I'm just going to make it tiny and out of the way.
Previous comment was in anger since I did not believe I did anything wrong.
Hi Victoria ~ I'm helping you reach the goal of 100 clicks for USEFUL on this advice column! You have really stated 5 basics that people do not realize can be easily implemented, but make a big difference in the search. Blessings, Debby
Angelo--Do you want me to delete previous comment? Well, it sounds like you got stuff straightened out. I'm glad!
Thanks, Debby. Much appreciated. So glad you think this is useful!
Voted up and useful! Thank you especially for the grouping suggestion. I'll do that now!
cookies4breakfast--Sounds like a good breakfast (your name, that is!). Yes, the grouping thing can be done very quickly and is very helpful.
Again, very interesting and useful hub :)
..... great!!! now I have to go back and redo all my pictures I used from google!!! LOL thanks! I'd much rather do it now then later
Thanks, Chris. Glad you think so!
Oh, Victoria, u r as usually perfect. As for me it was useful to know where to get pictures. Up to this time I thought "Google was the best" here)))
madmachio--Yes, change those pictures now. I had to go back and change a lot of mine at one time. It's a pain, but I felt better once I had "legalized" all the images. haha. Good luck!
Thanx for the tips! The two that applied to me were about attaining legal images and grouping my Hubs! I noticed other Hubbers had arrows on the bottom of thier Hubs pointing to other similar Hubs that they had published and I wasn't sure how they did that.
seo4site--Google does have great images, don't they? I just wish there was a way to use and properly attribute them. I guess if we searched down the source, but it's hard to tell where the photos originally came from....
(And I'm not perfect, but thanks for saying so! :-))
Yeah, it does! )))
wba108--I had to learn that grouping thing too. I used to wonder the same thing about the hubs on the bottom of the page and how they got there. It's a neat little tool. Knowing about how to use images is very important, too. Glad you got something out of the article!
Thanks for some good tips. I'm stuck at the moment on images for a Hub and will check the sites you suggested.
There is really a lot to learn, but it is interesting for sure.
xstatic, yes, there is a lot to learn, but it IS interesting. AND worth it!
Many thanks for this!
Hi, kimberly. You are welcome. Thanks for reading!
Good tip on grouping hubs Victoria, I'm going to check that out. The whole idea about following everyone, never appealed to me, I always read their profile first, then check out their hubs to see if anything interests me, there are very few I don't follow because I seem to lean something from every hubber.
Vote up and interesting :)
you are of great help to beginners
Thank you, great info for new hubbers!
eddie--That's the way to do it--look at the profile and a hub or two to see if you like the writing and topics. Thanks for reading and voting!
nihar and Riversfish--Glad I can be helpful to new hubbers!
Thanks for the advice Victoria. I am a new Hubber and I just published my first Hub yesterday. I'm going to save this Hub and refer to it in the future.
Awesome, billd01603! Hope things go well for you here. Glad the hub helped.
Thanks for the hub Victoria, I've written 11 now but feel as though there is so much more I can learn. Each new one I try to improve on the last, now I must start grouping! It's like life you learn as you go along, but finding great hubbers like yourself to help us all out is so invaluable. Thank you, voted up.
Pannonica, I have also depended on hubbers who have been here longer. It helps so much, and I'm glad to help, too. And there is still so much to learn. I'm still learning. Thanks for the input and vote. I wish you the best on HubPages!
Simple tips. Great tips. Useful article and concise too.
Thanks, Devious one. I love your concise comments, too! :-)
i joined the hubpage about two months and now i had started writing for it.your tips are valuable.thanks..
Truefactory. I joined and looked around a bit before I started writing, too. It helps to get a feel for things. I hope you enjoy your experience here at HubPages.
You're welcome, nelsenmoen! I hope the tips help you on HubPages!
Thanks for the tips :-)
You're welcome, boundarybathrooms. Hope the tips help!
True, true, TRUE on so many things you point out here...like the title for your hub. I used to want to come up with funky titles but then I realized it's probably better to use searchable words. Before I read this hub, I used to get pictures from google images but now (thanks to this article) I go search on the creative commons website. Great information Victoria! Thanks for sharing~~
StellaSee--You're welcome. I used to go get Google images, too. It was so easy, and they are so plentiful! I'm glad this hub helped you.
Victoria, I really appreciate the tips. I have found it is much easier to use my own photos. Thanks for the tips on titles, especially. I am new at all this and every little tidbit helps. Voted up and useful.
Lisa
Lisas-thoughts. So glad this helps! I have been getting into taking my own photos so much that I just ordered a better camera! I'm glad all these tips help you. Other hubbers' tips have helped me a lot, too!
Thanks for the tips. I wrote my first two hubs today and I will go back and apply your ideas.
You're welcome, Tammy. Welcome to HubPages!
Very informative article. I am also a new Huber writing two poems. Your information and tips are much useful for me. So many thanks.
I think these tips are not just pertinent to newbies but also for some of us who have been around awhile. It is easy to get caught up in the writing and not asking ourselves if we are writing quality rather than quantity. I wish I had read more hubs like this early on. Better late than never.
I am a new Hubber, and can really use these tips. I especially appreciate your input on where to get images. I've been using my own up to this point because I didn't know how quite how to handle images from the Web. Thanks for the help!
Awesome, Anju. Glad the tips helped!
I agree, Blond Logic. That's why I wrote this hub. There are things I didn't know for a long time. As you say, better late than never, though. We are always learning, aren't we? :-)
mperrottet--Using your own images are great, too, often better. I try to, but then I use web images when I don't have one of my own that will work. Welcome to HubPages!
Great advice! I am sure this will help many new hubbers.
ty Victoria Lynn many of those topics you covered were problems for me as well as I was and still am a relative newbie here within the hub-community. I gained insight through the tutorials but more importantly through reading fellow hub-writer's work and taking advice also from more experienced members of hub. Their support and seeing how they set up their hubs that I particularly enjoyed went a long way and still does.Voted up and useful.
great basics -- I appreciate your tips
Lovely hub and thanks for the pointers... I just joined today. :)
Pinkchic. I do hope these tips help new hubbers...and those who have been around for a while! :-)
I agree, Laura. Looking at other hubbers' work and advice is one of the most helpful things we can do. Great input. Thanks!
You bet, Neil! Glad you think so!
Thank you so much! I'm a new hubber and this is super helpful.
You're welcome, Suelynn. Glad to help. Welcome to HubPages!
Awesome thanks for this info. It seems I have a lot to learn. But,this is fun already.
Awesome, ashleeosborn. I'm glad. Welcome to HubPages!
Asktheblonde--You're welcome for the info. Just keep learning. HubPages IS totally worth it. You can have a lot of fun here!
As a newbie to hubs this was very informative. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips for newbies, myself being one! I hadn't been using the Capsule Subtitles enough. Thank you for sharing these great tips with everyone.
Simple and to the point...thanks and cheers
Thanks for all the advice..I just published my first page yesterday and it was hard to hit that publish button lol
yeah you're right! we are here in hubpages not just to earn money but, on my own, to learn more hidden things behind the world of writings...thanks sharing this superb hub...highly recommended...!
Duchessoflilac--You are so welcome. I'm glad this hub helps.
You're welcome, homepagepays. I didn't know about the capsule subtitles for a while either. Glad I could help.
mts1098--Thank YOU, too, for reading and commenting! Cheers!
One of the mysterious things about writing for Hubpages is the 'algorithm" which goes up and down like the thermometer on a Spring day. One trick to remember is to try not to pay too much attention to the score, and just write your best and hope for the best. Participation in commenting,and on the forums, and so on is very important, and is my weakest link personally, but it is something one should try to do to be successful on Hubpages. Just some of my thoughts on the subject. Thanks for the Hub!
tjdavis--It gets easier to hit the publish button. I still get nervous, but the first time was definitely the hardest!
Thank you! Very useful information for a brand new hubber, especially the guidance about where to find images to use legally--something I was unsure about.
Victoria - Solid advice and definitely tips I'll follow. Thanks for the information on free/creative commons image sites. Those will come in very handy.
Thanks, ultimate kenneth. You are so right in that we learn so much about writing!
Woody--I agree that quality writing is the most important thing. It's helpful to be involved, though. That's for sure! Great comments!
mamakatz--How to find images seems to be a common problem. I was glad when I learned some places to look. Glad to help!
great tips!
Jeff--You're welcome. I'm glad the photo info was helpful. That kind of info was always helpful to me!
viveresperando. Thanks. Hope they help!
This was very interesting. I just signed up for hubpages today after only a month of researching. Hopefully my first hub will come very soon. I'm in the creative process, taking photos, taking notes, etc. I'm very anxious to get my first hub done and continue to make it a habit. Your tips are very useful. Thank you for such a great hub!
Ashley, Once you get you first few hubs written, I think you will find that you enjoy it so much that it will inspire you to keep on hubbing! Good luck!
very helpful and interesting, as i have just joined and wrote my first hub a couple of hours ago!! eek! im still trying to get the hang of the whole making money from hubs thing but im really enjoying writing and reading other hubs :-)
Good tips, especially the titling capsules. I find, as a reader, just that one step can give your hub a more professional feel.
sydneey--Just keep doing what you're doing, and the rest will come!
You are so right on with everything you mentioned. I definitely here you in regards to hub titles. I, too, did the same thing - tried to create extraordinarily interesting titles-but really nobody wanted to read my hubs because the titles were so long and wacky, lol. I'm glad we are slowly figuring things out, better later than never!!! Great hub like always.
Big Serious--so true! I think those titles in capsules make such a difference in making a hub look better and easier to read.
I get so confused. One Hub I just read today giving advice: get at least 2,000 followers! Some advise getting a lot, some like you advise against that. As far as photos are concerned: I see Hubbers with high scores (even a Hub of the Day) that do not attribute their photos. These are NOT the photos taken by the Hubber, but from other sources. Some photos are watermarked which I understand is a no-no.
Great advice. Haven't been writing for a while and this is a good refresher. Voted up.
emilybee--I've heard that you might change your titles to something more clever later...after you've entered the basic title and that's the URL. I don't know how that works though. I do start out with a fairly basic title, but I do tweak and revise titles as time goes on. Anyway, there's always a lot of figure out. Thanks for the input. Hope you're doing well!
mary615--I think getting lots of followers is great; that means more people are reading your articles and liking what you write. I'm saying that you shouldn't follow people just to GET them to follow you. You should have all the followers you want, but you can't control that so much. You CAN control who you follow. Following a whole bunch of people isn't going to help you if you don't enjoy their writing, and it could make your hubscore drop. I know what you mean about the photos. I think some people learn later than others the proper way to attribute photos. That's all I can figure. Thanks for your comments.
Smireles--Get to writing. Glad this was a refresher for you! Thanks for the vote. :-)
"Of course, you have to create your subgroups first under your account."
Hello Victoria, I have found out you can create a new group in the same time when you are creating the new hub. Go to the groups menu and select "new". An input field will appear and you can use it to create a new group.
moneytoplist--I don't think I've ever noticed that. I'll have to check it out. Thanks so much for mentioning that! We're always learning, aren't we? :-)
just what i needed. good thing i found your hubs Victoria. I'm new here and i have so much to learn especially in writing.
Jhudah--Read all you can. The learning hubs and learning center can help so much! Welcome to HubPages!
great info easy to understand thank you
Thank you for sharing these tips ! I'm so lucky to find this hub of yours- I am really a newbie, less than 48 hours. I am working on a couple of hubs now, I do find titles affect the score. I wonder if it is possible to have a score over 80 before publish ? Since it usually starts from 50 and it keeps rising over the time while you revise it. Or a low score hub when publishing will gain more score after being read many times by readers? Thank you.
Good, Chris, I'm glad I got these written in a way that's easy to understand. Hope they help!
Burgeon--I have had unpublish hubs rise to near 80 before publishing, but usually not that high. And yes, a low hub score should rise the more it is read. Some hubs that aren't even read a lot will rise if they are really good hubs that google seems to like! I've noticed that, too. Welcome to HubPages. I wish you the best. It's a great place to write!
Sunshine625 Level 8 Commenter 4 months ago
Good tips Vicki!!! Use spellcheck is a tip I'd like to add:)