Step 2: Evaluate the Appeal of Your Topic

Thanks, now if I could only post regularly without an error I would give it a try.

It would be nice to be able to comment consistantly also.  I know quite a few members that have had nothing but problems waiting for the applet to open so that they can comment since the last upgrade.  Many get booted after leaving a comment and have to start all over again.   

Ever since the point change I haven't been able to post only maybe one post a day.  As of today I can't even do the one post.

Hi Renee,

I'm so sorry to hear you're having problems posting.  We have your cases in our Support queue and will be intouch with you via email asap.

Thank you I just sent not long ago a updated help ticket with all the problems I am having so that you can see if maybe there is a link to one another.

I read your article.

I skimmed your article.

Gather was my place to relax and discover new and interesting things.  The points that I earn here are not compensation enough for me to do all the research and extra work to assist me in developing a post that is going to draw in a wider audience.  I was never hear for the points.  I appreciate the articles explaining how to increase our points but truthfully if I am going to do that much work I might as well go out and find a real job.  That is not to say I am not going to post.  I am just not sure I am going to  change what I post about to items that will create a larger readership.   Maybe I am content with just my friends viewing my stuff.

I would have to agree with you Linda......this is my fun time! This is not a job and I don't want it to be one.  I'm thinking I will spend much less time here and will only check in periodically to check on friends I've made. That is, if they are still here!

maybe this is gathers plan to get all us off who dont write good?? I am here for my new gather friends that is it!!

I'm with you Linda, I read and sometimes I post an article, but it's not anything that will draw a crowd.  Don't care.  I like gather and reading what other gather members are posting.  We've got some really talented authors on this site.  I read a story yesterday that was so good it made me mad that it ended.  LOl

"Gather was my place to relax and discover new and interesting things"

Changing the point system changes this how?

"I was never hear for the points."

Then why complain when they are changed?

it wasnt the points that has keep me here all this time it was the socializing I ONLY Stay for my Friends.....My friends know i will help them i always have even when i didnt know what to do....

Heather I never said that the point system changed the fact that this was my place to relax.  Actually it has changed considerably since the point change but Tom was not asking that question in his post.  My comment was in response to Tom's information.  He provided information and I was making a statement about why I more than likely was not going to use it.  I don't feel that my comment was a complaint but even if it was I have the right to speak my mind.

Thanks for sharing that, Linda.  A lot of members don't come here for the points and that's great!  Our points system isn't meant to be the primary reason people are here (we hope the great people they meet will be that reason).  We wanted to be sure to share our success with the people who invest a lot of their time creating it, however, and hope the points system will do that. I'm glad you have found other, more important reasons for being here.

"was" is past tense, showing that it no longer is.    You made it seem as if it no longer was the place you relax and such.

That you do, but I asked a legitimate question based on that comment to the post :)

I agree, Linda. I was here for socialization AS WELL AS the rewards. But if I have to spend time to research topics and try to market my posts outside of my friends list, well...it isn't going to happen. I'll be better off to put the hours into marketing my book instead.

Thanks Tom this is very helpful

I joined and thanks for the info:) Im not interesting Im just me.. So I either get points or I dont. I am here to help people the best I can:) have a great day

Charity, you've posted some very helpful stuff.  Just keep being you!

I totally agree with Renita, Charity.  You post some great things and I love being your friend on gather.

Thanks Charity!  We know many members don't focus on Gather points.  I am writing a short series for those members that do focus on them since we have had a lot of people interested in the topic.  I will return to my normally scheduled programming soon. :-)

Somehow, the connection between SEO and "find something you love to do" seems a bit weak.  I understand that many people want to reach the largest possible audience, but I'm not sure that basing your creative endeavors on the current state of popular taste is the most emotionally satisfying way to do it.  One of my favorite urban legends is about Edgar A. Guest, the popular early 20th century writer of sentimental verse published in newspapers.  Guest, the story goes, was a heavy drinker and would arrive at work well lubricated, fall into his chair, and say "What'll we do for mother today?"  He made a lot of money at it though.

Guest's most popular quote was probably "It takes a heap o' livin' to make a house a home."

You just sparked my interest.  I had to go look up Edgar A. Guest.  Thank you.

You sparked my interest too, Nippy and so I had to google Guest.

When you're up against a trouble,

So I guess we need to lift our chins, set our shoulders, plant our feet, and take a brace and do a "search" on Google Trends.  Actually, I kind of find this all fascinating how "to get more views"....the topic, not that I will carry it out.

Hi Nippy-  Good point. I am not suggesting people start writing solely what the masses demand. That would be neither edifying nor interesting for most of us. That's why "Step 1" was "Pick something you enjoy or care about."

This article is intended for people who about earning points, however.  And for them, I wanted to point out that if they write about a topic that appeals to a very small audience, their earnings will be smaller.  That's not to suggest everyone should run out and write about the hot topic of the day.  But rather that people who care about earnings ought to focus on topics that interest a reasonable sized audience.

Sometimes that is very hard to do....for example, I get all sorts of free stuff....I got a free $1,000 HP laptop computer recently, a $500 Kitchen Aid mixer for free, a $300 flat screen digital t.v. for free....free, free, free, but still I do not draw a huge audience when I try to "teach" people how to get so much stuff for free........it just isn't working for the "average" person......I think people are going to get terribly frustrated and just fade into the background or leave.

hey......i want in on the free stuff, nora!!!  sorry i've missed any of your posts!  would you be interested in re-posting (or is that not allowed) or should i search for your past posts?  let me know!!!  :)

Yes Nora let me know also. I saw the one you posted today but that one was not for me. Any others?

I like my flower beds.  Can I write about them?   Oops, I already do.  Do I draw a crowd?  No.  But do I care?  No.

I like gather.  I'll hang around for a while.

I am glad, Lee.  And your flower beds are a great topic to share here, mass appeal or not.  I was just writing with tips for folks that wanted to grow points earnings on Gather (a relative minority, it appears, tonight).

This has been a very, very bad day on here today, I've had my major rants on here for the evening....people have just grown disgusted, Tom.......they're tired, they're angry, they're fed up with all the changes you've made........

I'll just be taking in all this info before I decide how to proceed on the site amidst all the changes.

Hi Tom~I am just here to spin and write and laugh and think and give thought~I never give mind to what it is 'in' or whatever~I love my crowd of friends and readers and that's all that matters to me~

But good info for everyone to know~ =)

Have a good one~

That's so interesting!  I never thought of doing that before.  When one of the Gather upgrades included page views as some of the information we receive about our postings, I was quite surprised about which of my photoessays were the most viewed.  Some of them were on somewhat unusual places - I guess there wasn't much competition from other writers on those quirky travel locations.

It seems to me that writing and posting only based on keywords and popularity will end up changing the Gather community dynamic. Is making the site a  more popular and trendy site, and somehow remove yourself from the community sense one of Gather's goals?

While I do write a few reviews and hot topic posts once in a while, this is not why I love the site, and I will be very sad to see the dynamic of the site change.

Tom, I have a question.

There are a lot of groups on Gather that are dedicated to viewing and commenting to increase member point totals.  I have participated in a few and have slowly dropped out to search for articles of interest to me and by people on my friends list.

How is this point change going to affect these groups?  It seems that viewing and commenting only earns about 2 points per hour now.  So why would anyone want to view and comment in mass anymore if they aren't going to be rewarded for this which is the idea behind the group.

Will they just fall by the wayside? 

We can only hope. PIF!

Please God make it so.

I third it.

Stopping by from __________!  (Fill in the blank!)

Tom, thanks for the tip.

I agree if we post a hot topic it will get more views.  There is no question, if I put up a post about some hot actresses, then I 'll get more views, but it certainly won't be of any interest to me.

I agree with Nippy the two articles really seem to not go together.  I would rather do the first one, as a boring article isn't for me.  I have a job, so the Gather earnings aren't everything for me.  If I lose my job, then I might have to consider posting useless articles.

Thanks for the info, Tom!  I'm going to check out the Google Trends on topics I post about in the future!

Sue M, your icon/photo is gorgeous!!  My favorite colors and a combo of subjects (sunrise and trees) captured for our viewing pleasure.

never did cash out,I'm so hoping is not going to turn scam........lol

I am so confused. I thought this was Gather. A place to post articles, videos and pictures. A place to correspond with friends and keep in touch with them. A place to encourage people with their writings and photographs. A place to have fun and earn points as a bonus. I didn't know it was a place to just focus on how much money the site could make. Are we trying to be in competition with google? I see a boomertown coming again.

Ditto what Carol said.

This is driving me crazy today.   People are complaining  they're not making a lot of points. . . and so Gather is gonna die.  So Gather (Tom) shows people how to make points with the new system and People are complaining  that Gather is focusing on points. . . . and Gather is gonna die.

The sky is falling take cover!

Heather, you just made me laugh.  This is the very reason I like gather.

Geez Heather, I don't see where Carol is complaining about the points. And to me this new way of earning points is just another way to  "PW". I will stick to what I enjoy doing and thats socializing with my friends.

Thanks Brenda, I wouldn't even waste my time responding to her. I will stick with socializing with good friends also. I have met so many nice people here and that is what makes it a good place. Unfortunatly that may not be for long.

Carol,

I believe that Gather remains a place to socialize and make friends. However, you are no longer rewarded/compensated in the same way for activities which support this aspect of the community.

Instead, you are now simply being rewarded more for attracting new potential friends or subscribers through the content you share in the community (as just one way of looking at it).

I am not so sure of that Kevin. If people stop commenting than you lose touch with them. We might as well email each other to keep in touch as opposed to commenting and replying to comments for all to see. I am still trying to better my posts and pictures by trying to put better tags on them and changing some of the titles. But the socializing is the best here and that is getting lost in the shuffle. All this check google, link to yahoo , do this site and that site, is crazy. I am not a writer and I don't blog as some people do, I am not a computer wiz, I don't even understand some of the technical words involved, so for me all that is a waste of time.

Hmmm.  My "thing" on Gather is art and literature review/critique, all of which show slow downward trends according to Google.  I think there's a niche for this on Gather, though.

What do you think, Tom?

Ann, you will always have a readership on Gather.  Look at your connections...most have been around since 2006.  Surreal Circus is a excellent writer's group.  Look at your last competition.  Of course there's a niche for you.

Ann, I know you know this, but I'll pretend it actually needs to be said:

Art and literature work differently from the "hot topic du jour" kind of posts. They don't respond well to graph-watching and search-engine optimization. Just ignore the Google trends, and keep collecting people who follow you around. :-)

Thank you, Elizabeth and Aniko. 

Long ago, Will tried to explain this all to me.  At the time, I had no interest. Although I probably will still Gather the way I have in the past, this does interest me from a theoretical point of view.  Just like in education, there are theories about how children learn based on hard research and much has been written lately on "Best Practices" to teach reading, etc.

There are really two audiences to consider when assessing the potential popularity of content. Each can contribute to earnings on Gather.

The first are (typically) disembodied page views coming from Google or other online search tools which Tom addresses in this post. The second are topics which have appeal within the community, and generate significant discussion, but would not be highly ranked (or even evident) within search trends.

Unfortunately, the tools available to members for identifying the latter are not very workable or accurate.

For members that share an occasional post, photo or video around a specific topic, analyzing search trends can be beneficial to you on Gather. However, for members that desire to profit materially from the regular publication of content surrounding a topic (like the Apple iPhone in Tom's example), you will be better served by writing elsewhere (Blogger, WordPress, Squidoo, etc.).

There are also caveats to using keywords/trends that members should be aware of, and hopefully these will be addressed in future installments of this series (as they weren't the first time around).

I agree with you.  There are a lot of sites where you can talk about trendy things.  Gather is unique because of the community.

Tom what about those like me who just got their GED's...we arent  that great with spelling let alone with writing things...we are the ones who view the ones writing..or looking at photos for the others....with us gone who will be the ones commenting and viewing....i have learned things here from others and would like to continue to learn..but why should i sit here from 530am to 430pm ...even when i uploaded 6 videos and 2 posts....not make hardly anything..I am ONLY staying for MY FRIENDS...

Thank you for listening to me.........

We definitely need viewers here, and I'm hoping that soon Gather will realize that without viewers, nothing we post has any value. Hopefully the compensation for viewers will increase, at least somewhat. I understand the idea of compensating those who post original content, but people like Fancy are needed to make the formula work.

Boy, this is just far too analytic a process for a "social" place that's supposed to be "fun." 

Not sure what members were begging for this kind of incentive model, but I guarantee you it wasn't me or too many folks I am connected with. Is this the "gather has decided it can't compete with facebook so now we'll try to be associated content model?"  What a waste of the investors capital.

I agree with Marianne!

*yawns*

Google trends???? Outside audiences? Ha... whatever.... not my thing.

Marianne is right it would seem.

Are we to be molded in our behavior for a new tack on Gather's part? I think that will work for a few, but most people in here I know just want to have fun through interaction. Making points doing that was part of that fun. I probably don't fit the demographic anymore for what gather wants as members? I dunno'...

I've done a few Google searches and have actually found that my traditional subject matters have fairly reasonable interest.  However, the photos and articles that I have gotten some of the best responses, other than rants or about money-making sites, are about my artwork.  I think in my case, it's more getting my name out there that will make more of a difference.

But, I think this is a great tool for those who are looking for something to write and earn points/money from.

I am printing this out now to read later.  Will go to your first post to get that one.  Thanks

I don't get any of this.  But it sounds like Gather has gone from Writer's site to Social Network to something I'm not sure what.

 Well, as a person who signed on and got "candy"  ((points))  for awhile for doing what I like to do, which is bring a smile to folks, I am just going to go on a diet and not CRAVE any more "candy". I have met so many interesting people here, read some fantastic stories, laughed and cried with others over realtime events.... it won't be too hard to just continue "as is", for I do get rewards in great friendships. Gather made that possible............... thanks, Gather!

Shut up, study hard, and get busy. We all work for Gather now.

LOL

lol..getting right on that....RB

I don't have time for this kind of stuff. Seriously, I'm not trying to make a career out of posting online articles. I'll stick around Gather for the fun and enjoyment of sharing information on a variety of topics with other people. But not if it becomes too business-like.

Hey, I've got a great idea.....my family and I are going to start travelling....maybe we should take say, 2, 3, or even 4 cruises a year and I could start a group about cheap, discount travelling all over the world.......LOL!!!!  Our son has already been to Italy for two weeks in May and took around 850 photos (they are breathtaking, absolutely magnificent).  (I'm being a bit sarcastic here, as well!)

Tom, just remember, it is dangerous to give the people what they want. I have to laugh at some of the comments. While I think it's obvious that most Gather folks will continue to write and interact the way they always have, they don't like having to work harder for points. When you help them out by writing an article that expains how to earn more points, they get mad and  bite the hand that feeds them. You can't win. People don't like change, but they adjust.

Tom, this post is fantastic.  You explain a lot of words and phrases that I hadn't fully understood before.  I think you've given great tools to those who want to profit from Gather in a material way.

To others, just keep doing business as usual and I don't think much will change.  I started a group last September about something that I find compelling.  To me, Mindful Poetry is a successful group.  I have many members.  My monthly column is read and garners a response.  Then we have fun all month working with the ideas put forth in my column.  I've no idea how point-generating it is; I don't care.  My goal was to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for structured poetry.

At the same time, I *do* want more members, more responses, more traffic.  But not only for the points, I am evangelistic about poetry--just as my Toastmasters' Club where I recently gave a speech about poetry. 

as=ask

Mindful Poetry is an awesome group!

Thanks for the information, Tom.

Tom -

Tom, just remember, it is dangerous to give the people what they want. I have to laugh at some of the comments. While I think it's obvious that most Gather folks will continue to write and interact the way they always have, they don't like having to work harder for points. When you help them out by writing an article that expains how to earn more points, they get mad and  bite the hand that feeds them. You can't win. People don't like change, but they adjust.

I agree with Christine and because it bears saying again - I did something I never do - I copied and pasted her reply:)

From my observation, there will be two factions on gather - those who are already friends and really do reading enjoy each others posts or viewing their pictures, that is not changing.

There will be a faction of those who will take the next step with gather, because they see the potential for earnings or want to give it a shot.

... and some of us will do both, why not, one doesn't exclude the other. I like both the points and my friends.

Sorry, my first comment is not clear - the first paragraph is a copy of Christine Ziba's comment. My own comment is everything below that paragraph.

Tom - BTW - thank you for the information, I will have a look and see what I can apply to my future posts.

I wanted to draw your attention to last weeks New Yorker profile on Nora Roberts; an extremely prolific novelist with her pulse on the market.

Lauren Collins, Profiles, “Real Romance,” The New Yorker, June 22, 2009, p. 60

This is true, but sometimes I post to gather simply to post and not to get a tremendous number of points from it.

Tom - I think it is really nice you are writing these articles to help out the people who are focused on points - thank you

Thank you very much I will start writing more on things that I really like to do myself.

Probably my biggest reason for continuing to browse gather.com every day is to read about and discuss books. And I know gather has a lot of readers interested in the same thing.

Therefore, when I read a book, I review it on gather. This takes time, and I don't get as many comments as I expect. So the few points I earn as a result aren't much compensation. I could work harder at writing other types of posts or starting a group, I suppose. But if I'm going to work harder, I want at least $30 an hour.

So I guess I'll keep writing my book reviews and comments to earn the occasional $10 Borders gift card. If I get fewer points for this now, oh well.