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Don't put too many product capsules in your hubs

Updated on July 8, 2015

Be Careful With The Product Capsules

Online publishing via HubPages presents challenges. Alert HubComputers analyze all quantifiable aspects of your work: if you mess up, it's curtains. The NOINDEX tag will be attached to your hard-won composition. HubPages algorithms and sentient humans team up to saddle your work with the Tag of Death. You can't delete it, but you can try to avoid it and possibly make it go away after the fact.

NOINDEX advises Google and the lesser search engines to ignore your article. To be overlooked by Google is to lose all hope of wealth and fame. Other Hubbers may stumble over your work, but the rest of cyberspace will have no clue you exist.

Several writing and formatting goof-ups may invite the NOINDEX tag. One of the easiest to avoid is the overuse of product capsules. As we know, HubPages tools for authors include customizable eBay and Amazon 'ads.' Should you find yourself composing an article about cats, you might drop in an Amazon capsule featuring cat-related accoutrement.

A cat. The Internet needs more cats and this cat is not trying to sell you anything.
A cat. The Internet needs more cats and this cat is not trying to sell you anything. | Source

There Is A Veritable Plethora of Capsule Options

You, as a HubPages author, have the responsibility to tamp down the number of product capsules embedded in your work. Tempting, it is, to fall prey to the siren-song of eBay commissions. Unknown nameless faceless sellers post their stuff on eBay: all you need do is link to it. eBay collects the money and processes the transaction. You reap a few pennies. It works. I think.

I have sold a few trinkets by carefully adapting Product Capsules to my writing. Eventually I hope to sell a house or a vintage Corvette and retire on my earnings. I also hope to be the starting Power Forward for the Boston Celtics, so perhaps my dreams overreach my doings.



What's The Difference Between Amazon and eBay?

Not much.

eBay, ostensibly, is auction-oriented. Amazon offers stuff for sale at fixed prices. Some overlap exists because eBay provides a "Buy It Now" feature that bypasses bidding. I think a HubPages eBay product capsule is pre-configured to display only items offered as Buy It Now. I also think the capsule operated differently in the past, but I have a real life and I am not actively involved in the daily machinations of HubPages product capsules. I probably won't even proofread this article before clicking publish.

You could sit on this porch and write your hubs that do not have too many product capsules.
You could sit on this porch and write your hubs that do not have too many product capsules. | Source

Beware of the 100-Word Requirement

Highly programmed HubPages web servers scan your articles for quantitative violations. One such no-no commonly committed by me is overlooking the 100-word limit. I often overlooked it because it wasn't a rule when I wrote many of my articles on this venerable site.

Now it's a rule. Now I get to revisit hundreds of hubs in order to add words.

You, dear reader, do not have to make the same mistake that I didn't make either, but am penalized for. Be sure to type in at least 100 words in your text capsules for each product capsule you thoughtfully include in your article.You risk the NOINDEX tag otherwise.

No published explanation is available to specifically enumerate how the text should be mapped. Perhaps HubPages likes 6 product capsules followed by 600 words of text in one single lonely text capsule. On the other hand, perhaps text must be carefully interspersed amongst product capsules. No one knows.

Avoid Spammy Elements

HubPages knows your email address and they also know how to use it. Should you be identified as a HubViolator, expect email to appear in your InBox. Be prepared to deal with your spammy elements.

We English-speaking sentient humans pride ourselves on having lots of words. The average dictionary contains well over 1000 words that you can use in your article to impress your friends. HubPages bosses added to this cornucopia. They created the phrase 'spammy elements' to incite confusion and advance the concept of vagueness. You won't know why your elements are spammy but you will lose sleep over that nasty NOINDEX tag dogging your work.

An artistic photo with depth and subtle meaning. You're welcome.
An artistic photo with depth and subtle meaning. You're welcome. | Source

Spammy Elements are

See results

I've not used a Callout Capsule.

This is my first Callout Capsule. I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

working

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