Actually when I stand up on a hill, I find it is more satisfying to even shift one gear up right before getting out of the saddle to avoid this nasty "bottomless spinning" feeling - of course for those killer hills, the smallest gear and standig is in order but I am out of the saddle before that.

Also, you want to avoid riding "crossed over" i.e. on the big ring in front as well as the biggest in the back. It kills the cogs, and the chain, I've been told?

Switch to the middle (if you have it) in front while you are going up an easy hill - and then to the smaller when the going gets tough....