Top 10 Reasons to Switch from Squidoo to HubPages (and 4 Bonus Reasons)

Top 10 Reasons for Switching to HubPages

1. Higher Google Search Ranking
   Before I learned why it was suicide to post duplicate content (Google penalizes it), I had two lenses and hubs each with virtually identical content. The lenses went up first. Plus, I promoted the lenses more heavily via comments on other blogs, lensrolls, etc. Regardless of this effort, the hubs were ranked higher on Google searches. Hubs make more money.
2. More Average Traffic Per Page
   Another lesson learned during my days of duplicate content was that my hubs got 7 to 8 times more traffic than my lenses. According to Quantcast (researched 9/12/08), Squidoo and HubPages both have monthly traffic of 19.2M page views. However, Squidoo has approximately 5 times as many pages so that means that the average page on HubPages gets about 5 times more traffic. Hubs make more money.
3. Traffic Boost Happens on HubPages
   One of the things that excited me about Squidoo in the beginning was the belief that my content would be more visible on a high traffic site like Squidoo than a personal domain. On my hubs, 40% of my traffic comes from HubPages. On my lenses, virtually no traffic comes from other Squidoo lenses. To get the traffic boost on Squidoo, you have to spend lots of time interacting with the Squidoo community. I'm a storyteller and would rather spend my time creating content. Hubs make more money.
4. More Affiliate Marketing Money Passed Through
   Squidoo keeps 50% while HubPages keeps 40%. Visit Revenue Sharing - How to Make Money With HubPages for more information. Hubs make more money.
5. Direct Accounts with Google, Amazon, eBay, and Kontera
   Rather than everything passing through Squidoo, hubbers have direct accounts with the affiliate programs. It's much easier to tell what is working and what isn't. This helps you make corrections and improve your marketing effectiveness. Hubs make more money.
6. Better Analytics
   The image below illustrates the details that are available to hubbers. Plus it's very easy to tie in Google Analytics. Better information yields better decisions on improving traffic. Hubs make more money.
   
   
7. Higher Standards for Hubs
   In April 2008 HubPages Marketing Manager Jason Menayan noted seven things they did to gain market share against Squidoo. The first five result in higher quality hubs which improves repeat traffic to HubPages. Hubs make more money.
8. Flat Percentage of Impressions
   Squidoo has a tiered payout structure. Although a lens with a #1 rank generates more traffic than a #1,000 rank, they receive an equal payment. The real bummer is if you have several lenses on the wrong side of the tier split. That can reduce your earnings by a factor of 6 for the split between tiers 1 and 2 or reduce them by a factor of 20 for the tier 2-3 split. HubPages earning are a flat percentage of impressions so you don't have to fret over making or missing the split.
9. Traffic Referral and Lifetime Referral Bonus
   If someone clicks on your link to a specific Hub, you are entitled to the traffic referral impressions (9-12%) for 120 minutes. If you refer new writers to HubPages and they sign up within 30 days, you receive 10% of their lifetime impressions. Read How HubPage Tracking Works for more information. The HubPages referral program can yield lifetime income.
10. Less Cumbersome Content Creation and Editing
    The variety of Squidoo modules come at a cost. In addition, HubPages has an HTML editor and requires less coding. It takes much longer to create and edit content on Squidoo. HubPages require less time.

Bonus Reasons

If that's not enough, here are four bonus reasons.

• No Star Ratings on HubPages
  The simple thumbs up or not of HubPages has less possibility of being used with malice. The Squidoo star system rewards cronyism.
• Just Say No to Seth Godin
  I've read most of Seth's books only because my boss does since I rarely get any actionable content from them. I was in the Copacabana when Seth announced the Squidoo beta in October 2005. I traveled across country to learn from Seth and felt like I was pitched instead of helped. But in the end, my biggest issue with Seth Godin is that he's a marketing genius who will always be way out of my league. I'll be creating content for a buck thirty-two a month and he'll be launching projects worth millions.
• Less Trickster Marketing
  Because of the higher standards for hubs (see #7 above) there is less Trickster Marketing. People who employ Trickster Marketing bug me and I don't want to hang out with them.
• Alexa Rankings
  There are a number of tools to compare site traffic including Alexa, Compete, Google Trends for Web Sites, and Quantcast. Everyone has their favorite and some people say that all have problems. Recent results lead me to believe that Squidoo has stumbled in the horse race with HubPages.