Why you and I will never be wildly successful on the internet
70If you have been here before - "here" meaning this part of the Internet where my scribblings are found - there's a good chance that you will never be particularly successful as an Internet writer.
It distresses me greatly to have to impart that sad truth to you, it really does. However, I feel that I must be honest. They say that honesty is the best policy, you know.
Whoever said that was lying. What they actually meant is that honesty is the best policy for you to follow. They (whoever said it) likely have no intention at all of doing anything remotely approaching "honest".
If, however, this happens to be the first time that you have read anything that I typed out (one finger typing and quite time consuming, I will add), there is hope for you. Leave now and you may indeed have a chance of grabbing the Internet's brass ring.
What successful looks like
Go take a gander at "Completed Flagship Hubs". According to "Reaping the Benefits of a Truly Stellar Hub – Stats on Flagship Hubs", those hubs (a "hub" is an article here at HubPages) average 2,759 page views per month - each of them.
That's pretty decent. I know that because I have a few pages at my main website that get that kind of traffic, but as you can see by looking at a recent Analytics report, it's only a very few indeed.
Here at HubPages, the very best I have struggles to break 1,000 page views a month - and only a few dozen break 100. No "Stellar quality" here.
How do you achieve that luminosity? HubPages tells you how at another page. Let's break it down, shall we?
A minimum of 1,500 words
I do have a few hubs that meet that minimum. My best performing one is under 1,200 words, though and my biggest - a whopping 2,459 words - has only had 120 page views EVER, so I'm initially a bit unconvinced that word count is meaningful.
I also note that in forum discussions, at least one person opined that nobody wants to read 1,500 words. I understand totally: that's the equivalent of three whole pages from a book! Who has time for that?
My suspicion is that the truth actually has to do with the way people "read" web pages. We don't read - we scan, looking for something that attracts our attention. Therefore, the 1,500 words simply provide enough raw material that two or three sentences - likely more than enough for any modern non-reader - can be extracted and actually consumed.
HubPages says "The 1500 words you write cannot consist fluff, personal conjecture, or pointless rambling."
Apparently prepositions like the "of" left out of that sentence aren't needed. I kid you not.
I do tend to ramble..
But to press on: the rest of that section sounds like something out of the ancient Dragnet series: "All we want are the facts". Not that the facts will be read. They will be scanned and only read if they match the pattern being sought by the reader. Obviously rambling and babbling such as I am prone to won't match any patterns.
Five photos
Oh, boy. Five photos? I often have a hard time finding one.
Why do they want photos? My suspicion is that it has to do with two things. One is that people like pictures. However, I suspect that the deeper reason is that Google likes to see visitors spend some time "reading" (I can't honestly type that without quotes) your page. Enjoying the pretty pictures adds dwell time. Google likes that and gives you a SERP (Search Engine Results Position) boost.
I'm sorry, I know I am an idiot, but I see that as trickery and I just won't do it. If I have a reason for a picture, I'll use it. If I don't, I won't.
A Relevant Video (or more)
Yes, there are times when video makes sense. Some things are easier to explain with a video and I absolutely will use a video in those cases.
Again, though, I think a lot of this is just "time on page" again. I'm not going to go hunting for an excuse to throw in a video. This hub, for example, will NOT include a video.
One Map or Table Capsule
If I'm writing about a place, I might put in a map. If I've got a chart to show, sure, I'll use a table - who would not?
But that article seems to be saying these are necessary elements. My reaction to that is much the same as if you walked into my house and farted loudly. It astonishes and offends simultaneously. This is in pursuit of more dawdle time, I assume.
A Poll or Quiz
Sure, there are times when I am curious as to what people think and that a poll/quiz is easier than asking for comments. Those are rare, rare times. Otherwise, I find this sort of candy a bit disgusting, honestly.
Ten Relevant Tags
These "tags" group similar hubs here at HubPages. Most of my efforts have two or three tags at most.
Look at the tags from the "Cell Phone" Flagship Hub ->
I would have said "Cell phone" and "Buying a cell phone" and left it at that. Honestly, it would embarrass me to have all that junk on my page.
Actually, quite a few of those stellar hubs only have four or five tags, so maybe it isn't all that important. Or maybe other people share my feeling that it looks more than a little desperate to spray that many tags about.
By the way, I added one tag here as a joke. Obviously so, I hope.
At the end of the hub..
Given that I refuse to "review" (quotes again) products I have never used and will not engage in any other SERP trickery, or deploy the techniques suggested above, I obviously don't stand a chance.
Moreover, I'll be damned if I will waste my time writing an article like "A Beginners Guide for Cell Phones". I quote:
"A cell phone is a portable device that works just like a landline. It keeps you in constant contact with the world around you"
"It is vitally important you are ready to make the leap to cell phone service otherwise you may be stuck there for awhile."
You'd have to beat me with a rubber hose for at least an hour before I'd put tripe like that in a paragraph. I'm serious: if that's what it takes, I'm not interested.
Yes, I recognize that the average Internet "reader" is a low IQ, under educated, immature near idiot. I recognize that successful writers will tailor their writing to fit their audience, but I simply cannot lower myself that far.
That, by the way, is why I said that you have no chance yourself. If you actually read all the way to here, you are plainly not one of the ubiquitous cretins who would lap up one of those eye candy filled hubs. It therefore follows that you'd have the same difficulties that I have, and are destined to fail miserably.
So, I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you a different story, I really do.
This page has less than thirteen hundred words, few facts, no dates, many prepositions, no video, only three pictures, no tables, two real tags, no maps, no polls and no quiz. In other words, it is worthless crap.
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Yes, unfortunately I have read some of your pages. I enjoyed them until I realized that they only had useful pictures and not enough polls. Then I noticed that you use WORDS. That sealed it for me. Obviously not "stellar".
Yes, I freely admit I have a problem with using WORDS, Tony. How do I stop this bad habit? I suppose I could make more videos, but I'm afraid I cannot appear in them acting like a silly schoolgirl as some staff members do so well! :(
Randy SSSSS
Sigh. Seriously, I have started adding videos even where I don't see the point and have been trying to get in pictures and stupid polls.. I HATE dumbing down!
(especially hate it as I had the bar pretty low anyway, I thought)
Flagship-type Hubs are not the ONLY way to be successful. I have plenty of successful Hubs around 500 words, without videos, maps, or tables. Jus' sayin'. ;)
I know, Maddie.. but there is still truth here..
Very seriously:
This was somewhat tongue in cheek. I write because I enjoy writing. I have enough money - I can always use more, but I don't need it so I won't do anything I don't like doing to make more (lousy sentence, but that's ok).
Some of that advice just struck me as, well, as something that needed a poke in the ribs. So I poked.
I guess that I, too, will fail miserably, as I read the entire hub. Or, maybe it's because I also refuse to "fluff"!
Regardless, you are very witty, and I enjoy your writing! That counts for something, right? ;)
I hope you do not fail.
I read it all, lol. I'm doing this as a way to bring in a few extra nickels to help my wife be a stay-at-home-mom for our lovely daughter as long as possible. I'm not even trying to be successful; I'm just striving for mediocrity.
Nickels to dollars, I guess.
Well, I just came to the sad realization that my stuff will never make money here. I asked a question about, "When does take-off happen," and the answer seems to be...write the stuff that I am not going to write.
Humor is what I'm doomed to write. I probably need to slink off and figure out how to write for The Onion or Cracked or something similar.
That sounds like work and research, though... That's the beauty of most humor, I just make it up and freely admit it.
The one "review" type thing I did of stuff that I haven't and wouldn't try made me feel dirty. The one comment was that it was a good review. The reality was, um, no, it sucked. Come the revolution, it'll be the first to go.
Great Hub.
I don't stand a chance. Not 2,000 page views since I began 3 months ago...Arguably I have only written about 13 Hubs, but between one thing another I haven't mastered the art of Hub Page "luminosity" at ALL!
Oh dear!
Thanks for your grand 'honesty'.
I'll keep dropping in and writing. chug a lug.
Voting up etc.
We're doomed. And yet, I read the whole thing. I enjoyed your writing and I might read another page sometime.
@Mark - You know what your doctor said - it's better if you do not.
@goodlady - Luminosity is darker than it seems.
@dougberry - I hate having morals..
My two most successful hubs that still get the most traffic couldn't be more different. One is about 1600 and has lots of pictures and videos. The other is around 400 words with one picture.
Yes, of course. Success is what it is - there is no formula.
I also read this hubs all the way through, and voted it up. I hate dumbing down too, but it seems in order to make money I am going to have to! Maybe I will start a new account with dumbed down stuff. I'd be embarrassed to have them on this account.
It's an awful choice, isn't it? While we do fine now, I'm afraid that inflation and Republican stupidity may make things hard on us later. I might need to compromise my principles. And then I think, sheesh, you should start now and that puts me ina sour mood!
I actually really enjoyed reading this, I understand that certain elements will make a hub more likely to succeed and I am in total agreement with you about using pointless video's. I do use them for some of the hard to explain and visualise topics such as quantum physics just because there are only so many analogies I can make before a reader gets lost.
I also agree that there is no magical formula. I have a hub about pregnancy which is around 800 words, I extended it recently from 500 and this is getting similar levels of hits to date it is 2,592 this rolling 30 day period. This has two pictures, no video and no table or map, yet it is still my most successful, why because it supplies and answer to the readers question.
Anyway thank you for sharing this, I enjoy your ramblings even if the Search engines don't.
"I enjoy your ramblings even if the Search engines don't."
You'd be amazed at how often I have heard that sentiment over the decades.. :)
You ARE successful! It's all so relative, man. Compared to me, you are a raving success. And I get hubber scores up in the 90s consistently. But as for money and lots of views - nnnaaaaa. It ain't gonna happen, but then, I'm not gonna have a multi-million dollar IRA to draw on in retirement, either. I will be lucky if I can just build a tiny house somewhere someday. And, you know? that's ok with me. Success sometimes really sucks - I tell myself. Anyway, I think you're great and helpful, too, in your own way!
@mega1 I don't have that multi-million IRA either :)
But you have long been one of my favorites too.
This may not be an eye candy filled hub, but it surely proved that it was worth my time reading it.
Anyway, I do not expect success in the internet but only to have some extra helpful income.
I believe, in no time, people will read this hub.
Honesty is the best policy.
You misplaced a word. Allow me to edit your sentence properly:
"I believe, in time, no people will read this hub."
There, that's fixed.
Why so negative P? Maybe you need a break from your computer and just let the money roll in all by itself.
:)
Not negative. See my earlier comments.
In journalism school we are taught that the average newspaper reader does so at the 8th grade level. That is what we shoot for anyway. But I like when my Flesch-Kincade reading score is about the 7th grade level or even lower. It just helps people read faster. (The ones that actually do read.)
Word counts are read by computers, so I just don't worry about that except to increase my relativity score.
Key words are probably the most important. They must be what people actually search for! That is how your hubs are 'found'. Build it and they will come...
I detest keyword research.. seriously!
I'm not saying you are not absolutely right. I'm just saying that I won't do it.
I've got one over five thousand words, and at least two more well over four thousand words.
Needless to say....I'm not much into spending the time to create such monsters again ...for obvious reasons.
I thought about you this weekend. I was visiting a friend who is forever doing something or another online for dollars. He's bought some hosting package that included a huge number of domains, automatic backlinking, and included (I'm not kidding) 300,000 niche specific and totally unique adsense optimized spun articles.
I don't know what kind of money he makes from that....I'm interested in writing, and he's interested in making money online....mutually exclusive deals those two.
Oh, my..
Sad. Really, really sad.
I wonder how many of those articles have been ripped off from others?
And how many came from HubPages..
Well I doubt that any of them were stolen. "Spun" in this sense means "computer generated"...not stolen or copied or "slightly changed."
In other words - it's the newest version of the "Stealth Machine." It's got settings, and you choose how many words you want...or at least the general range.
I encourage folks to use such things, and that's all fine with me because I'm interested in "becoming a brand." I want my stuff to ...be personal.
Software can't yet immitate a Pcunix, or a wts, or anyone.
This goes to show that an interesting title does influence page view. Having a controversial topic also is important. Its ironic, but with your attitude, I can see you becoming successful.
I would like you to challenge me to make at least $1000 for the months of February and March. If I win, i get bragging rights. If I lose, I'll transfer the money I made under $1000 to you and delete my account at hubpages.
If you agree, Say yes and we'll work out proofing, evidence and such.
If you don't agree, say no. I'll walk away and keep reading your hubs for good ideas.
Tony, didn't you mention some time back that you make about $1,000 per month from Hubpages? Or is my memory playing tricks on me?
@leah: Absolutely not. Maybe $100 here. I *used* to make $1,000 and moe from my other site, but that's all over after Panda.
@rasta: I don't see the point. Why would anyone care that I challenge you??
@wts: but you can steal someone else's page and spin it..
Pc - really? I guess that would be possible with something like that.
I've never had one or played with one. I don't doubt you that that kind of software exists.
I try to throw a few "zingers" into everything - stuff that probably nobody else would say with their name attached to it...as a commercial bit of writing.
I hate all the proposed internet regulation bits of Barr association crap that I keep hearing about, but if someone made the kind of program that you are referring to illegal...then that's fine with me!
My most successful hub is just over 1000 words, has 2 photos, no video, no poll, no map and 'muesli' in the title. It has had over 5,500 views ... Seem likely ... no? I don't understand it either.
The rule is ... there are no rules. Just enjoy writing ... oh, and don't write too long a hub ... can't be bothered to read long tracts so if you ramble on I'm outta there. And this from an avid reader who gets through real books - about two a week.
Loved this hub ...
@rasta: You want a challenge?
Start a new domain here at hub pages. Write original content, and use only the purest white hat SEO - no fake backlinks, no enlisting your buddies, no Google games...
@leah: And this month is low. Looks like about $88 will be all of it - HPads, Adsense and Amazon..
Holy smokes, Tony--looks like I'd better not count on this site for any income! Thanks for responding.
There are people making good money here. See http://hubpages.com/success
I read all the way through too, although I have to say, that scroll bar was making me nervous that you had actually written a 3,000 word hub. I sometimes skim, but mostly I just start reading, and stop when I realize I am bored. I prefer shorter articles, because I am done reading by the time I realize I am bored, and I know for sure I didn't miss anything important.
I don't agree with the 1,500 word rule either. I think that if Google's current algorithm really does include that, they will change it soon so it doesn't require that. The hub needs to be long enough to say what it needs to say and have enough supplemental visual / audio aids as required, and then be done.
See, even 1300 is long..
If you try black hat techniques, Google will shut you down. I just wanted to see if you really believed your title. If I start a new domain, it will take me four months to get $1000. Hubpages will also kill your account if you have too many back links.
I don't think you have the beginnings of a clue what this was about :) I'm not saying nobody can, I'm saying I can't.
If you can do that, go do it. You don't need me to "challenge" you.
By the way, rasta1 it seems very odd that some of your hubs are rife with bad spelling and poor English usage, and others have perfect English and spelling. I wonder how that happens?
I am very sorry to have misinterpreted you. "Why you and I" may have given me a false impression (sorry about that). No need to be defensive. Thanks for the page views. Unfortunately you have grammatical errors too. Most hubbers do.
I am already making money, but love a challenge. I like your articles and your style. I am learning from you.
Fabulous, funny, sad, accurate, realistic (and funny) rant about why some of us don't want to make money, not if it means writing to lower standards and for people with no attention span, and inserting all kinds of eye-candy crap just to slow them down.
When did having standards and aspiring to excellence and producing quality become bad things. Such a sad commentary on the time we live in.
In case I haven't made it clear, I loved what you wrote. I too write Hubs that are as long or as short as they need to be - I do go picture crazy, but I will never insert a table or graph or questionnaire or .....well, you know. I applaud your hub, your honesty, your standards, your sense of humor.
@rasta1 - In other words, the only thing you read was the title.
And no, there's something wrong in rastaville. Some of your hubs have very poor English and some have very good. Something very odd indeed.. please explain why?
@phdast7 - I read your "German Soldier" hubs and "Philosophy of teaching" and then clicked "Follow" :)
Pcunix,
I am going to label you Professor Pcunix. Oh, my goodness, this was not good, it was GREAT. You took an absolutely boring subject and made it come alive with real facts. I hate to burst your bubble but you did give real facts. I learned allot. I must go back and review my hubs for the magical 1500 words and five photos. Quiz capsules I do not use enough. I will try to include more when I update each hubs and do the inter linking which I haven't done as yet. Fascinating analysis complete with real traffic.
I get so frustrated with the traffic and then I read about others with 1000 hits per day on one article and I slump into writer's depression.
IF you were to do one thing and one thing only out of these three, which one would you put as the most important: number of words greater than 1500, inter links between your hubs, quiz.
I would say NONE OF THOSE.
Content is what matters. Period.
I debated whether to say more, but I think I should.
A_C: All that 1500 word stuff was HubPages recommendation. I think some of it is utter nonsense and I *thought* I made that plain enough above. Maybe you read this too quickly? I'm just really surprised that you got the impression that I was recommending that all of these things are needed.
Individually, each of those things can add value. Taken together as "you must do all these things" is silly. Here, I was just pointing that out.
Some subjects need a lot of words. Some can benefit from pictures or a video and so on.
But, finally, don't look to me for money making wisdom. I'm not that guy and (unlike many others) am not going to pretend to be.
Tony, thank you for the link to the hub on people who are making money here. I was getting discouraged, but that hub helped. Thanks for that and for this hub, which is very useful.
Yes, I refer people to that often. It shows that it can be done.
Hilarious! Likely true for many. Did I say hilarious? Seriously, I have read a million sites on the net that say, "make money online, it's easy."
To find a handful that tell you it's not that easy balances it just a bit. I figure the truth lies somewhere in the middle and is entirely dependent on the subject you write about as well as where you place your article and timeliness to trend.
i.e. new phone coming out next week, have the article a month or so ago. Then you might find the windfall you seek.
Thanks for the humor. I agree on most points, but I'm a dreamer and will continue to strive for amazing traffic and income here on HP. I'll do it my way though.
Now I'm off to see if all your articles are written like this because I love it! I bet you get quite a few views on this one. Good luck!
Yes, subject matter and timing are important, no doubt. So is good old fashioned luck.
Randy Godwin Level 6 Commenter 3 months ago
Wow, I must not have a chance at all of being a successful internet writer. I read the whole article! Besides that, I write long detailed articles with some using up to a dozen step-by-step how-to photos.
Of course, they used to bring in quite a bit of money and praise by those searching for the info. But then, Google apparently erased all of the organic backlinks when I changed to my sub domain and now I am screwed.
What to do? LOL!