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TshirtFrank
Forums Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 94
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#1 · Posted: 13 Mar 2009 13:32
Hi All,
I wanted to gather some opinions on articles, squidoo lenses and how they tend to rank in google. I have had good experience with articles that I have on ezine, ranking well with google however I have not had the same success with my squidoo lenses. I can write an article and I have a pretty good idea if ill get spots 1-5 based on the keywords and market saturation. The problem is that I can write an original squidoo lens using the same keywords and techniques as in the article, and get no google ranking. Anyone having a similar experience or can lend some advice?
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 873
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#2 · Posted: 13 Mar 2009 20:18
Hi TshirtFrank,
I'm new to Squidoo (only one lens published about a month ago) and here's what I have found so far.
When I do a Google search for my primary key phrase (without quotes) it returns articles I wrote - one on each of the first 3 pages. The articles appearing in the results on pages 1 and 2 point to the main website, while the 3rd-page article links to the Squidoo lens.
If I add quotation marks to the same key phrase, all 3 of the articles appear on page 1, with the one linking to the Squidoo lens getting the lowest ranking of the three. I have yet to see an SE listing pointing directly to my lens.
In all fairness to Squidoo, I've been promoting that particular main website since last year, while it has only been a few weeks since I started promoting the lens. That could have some bearing on the results.
In the meantime, I've been developing some new promotional strategies for my sites. When I've had some time to test, implement and measure the results, I'll do a similar comparison and share the results.
Hermas
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 2227
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#3 · Posted: 13 Mar 2009 21:11
Hi TSF,
It helps quite a bit to:
1. Get backlinks. Make it buzz-worthy for natural backlinks and create two or three of your own for each lens.
2. Research and out-do competition.
3. Get some interaction on your lenses (ratings, favoriting, commenting in the guestbook, etc...).
4. Drive traffic to it.
5. Wait 2-3 months to get some Page Rank.
Nice thing about Squidoo is that it is a PR8 and it is generous about sharing it's TLD PR juice.
Good luck and try to be patient. If you put in a respectable amount of effort, you'll likely get what you deserve.
~Newbie Shield~
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 873
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#4 · Posted: 13 Mar 2009 21:45 · Edited by: A8ch
Newbie Shield: If you put in a respectable amount of effort, you'll likely get what you deserve.
That's quite true!
When I apply that sentiment to life in general, I like to fine-tune it by stating it a slightly different way.
Like so: "You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate."
Essentially it means the same thing, except that the word negotiate conveys (to me) a feeling of being in control. It places the ball squarely in my court to bring about the desired result; whereas, deserve seems to imply someone else has a hand in doling out what they think I ought to get.
Hermas
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 2227
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#5 · Posted: 13 Mar 2009 21:59
Hi Hermas,
I like your more polished version better than mine and I'll have to think about adapting it!
What you say is quite a bit more valuable and apt than it seems at first blush. An internal locus of control is everything in life. I hope everyone understands the importance of this...public service announcement 
As the English say, "Jolly good show!"
~Newbie Shield~
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TshirtFrank
Forums Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 94
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#6 · Posted: 22 Mar 2009 11:51
You two are a huge benefit to this forum! Thanks for the great feedback!
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samueldarwin
Forums Member
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
Posts: 514
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#7 · Posted: 23 Mar 2009 08:42
TshirtFrank: You two are a huge benefit to this forum! Thanks for the great feedback!
Yes, I too feel the same. Regarding the question - Articles are better thatn squidoo. I have tested them seperately and found results. Ezine always has an edge over squidoo. This is my observation for my nitche, and it may vary for you. All I can say is experiment and you will learn a lot of things.
Sam
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newbiz02
Forums Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2008
Posts: 167
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#8 · Posted: 26 Mar 2009 17:45 · Edited by: newbiz02
yeah, squidoo isn't as "amazing" as some people told me it was.
Before i made a lens.
After almost 5 months im now ranking 14th for my keyword, after
some SEO tweaks.
I think my lens got sandboxed into obscurity for some reasons,
and was nowhere to be found for a long while.
Its not like i dont know what to do to get to first page, Its just too
time consuming to do. And i dont wanna outsource these tasks
either.
gonna keep at it 
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TshirtFrank
Forums Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 94
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#9 · Posted: 2 Jun 2009 18:44
Thanks for all of the imput here. I have finally gotten one of my lens to tip the scales and I am now getting a higher percentage of google hits vs hits by refferal.
thanks!
TSF
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robinincarolina
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 445
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#10 · Posted: 2 Jun 2009 21:44
Yall are all talking way above my head, my lens was on the 2nd page of google and it disappeared today. I think it was my competetion that knocked me down, but I am not sure. Am I correct that I need to keep the articles and backlinks going steady? My ezine article was on the first page in first place and it too disappeared today. Even when I swithched the key word around, I was sill on the second page. Now all gone.
Am I making any sense and if not can someone clarify this for me?
The competetion I am speaking of is the one who I am an affiliate for.
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robinincarolina
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 445
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#11 · Posted: 2 Jun 2009 21:46
And this may be a silly question, but is the one you are an affiliate for really your competetion?
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 2227
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#12 · Posted: 3 Jun 2009 10:00
Hi Robin,
When you create a lens or any single page, be cautious about "changing the keyword around". Though there is sometimes good cause to go back and change something on a page later on, it usually works against you.
You can get knocked way down in the SERPs, especially if you change the title.
Create your page well. Create two or three backlinks, and move onto a new page. Let things take their natural course.
Squidoo pages come out of the gate strong and then tend to drop both in regards to Page Rank and Lensrank. They come out strong because Squidoo has SE authority.
Squidoo passes PR juice to individual lenses but Google reassesses each lens over time and each lens has to pass the backlink and traffic test, thus the SERPs drop.
It's good to observe how things go with a single page when you are first learning, but it's not worth spending the time later on.
In either case, it's best to move on to creating a new page after you think you've set up your page well and have three or some self-made backlinks (perhaps a press release, article, forum sig, blog comments, or similar).
Squidoo is a good learning tool. You can make a little money from it. You can treat it like a directory for backlink purposes. But avoid stressing out on an individual lens. It isn't worth it.
Look up the "law of diminishing returns" and the "80/20" rule. You want to be efficient with your time. You want a reasonable return from whatever you spend your time on.
If your lens is something special, it'll take care of itself. You won't have to micro-manage it.
~Newbie Shield~
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robinincarolina
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 445
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#13 · Posted: 3 Jun 2009 10:32
Thank you, I guess what I meant by changing the keywords around was when I was searching google for my lens. I would switch the words from texting men to text messaging men of change guys to men etc... It was there every time no matter how I searched, then disappeared, but its back today.
And yes, its time to create some more. Thank you for your imput Newbie Shields.
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 873
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#14 · Posted: 3 Jun 2009 10:52
Newbie Shield: Look up the "law of diminishing returns" and the "80/20" rule. You want to be efficient with your time. You want a reasonable return from whatever you spend your time on.
That's very solid advice!
It's understandable that you'd feel some emotional attachment to things you create, and that's ok. But you ought not become so attached to these creations that your focus gets blurred. That could sabotage your efficiency, waste your time and drain your energy.
It takes a reasonably mature, secure and disciplined attitude to do your best on whatever you do, and then set it free (get out of its way altogether) so that it can do its job.
Newbie Shield: If your lens is something special, it'll take care of itself. You won't have to micro-manage it.
Right again! (You're on a roll, Shield!)
It's important to trust the system to work on your behalf, and usually it does. On those occasions when it does not, you simply go back to your creative source and make more!
Hermas
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robinincarolina
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 445
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#15 · Posted: 3 Jun 2009 11:06
Thank you both, so what you are saying is when I get my other 2 lens through Pot Pie girl's OWM, I just leave them alone and start on another one? Is this correct?
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 873
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#16 · Posted: 4 Jun 2009 10:43 · Edited by: A8ch
robinincarolina: ...so what you are saying is when I get my other 2 lens through Pot Pie girl's OWM, I just leave them alone and start on another one? Is this correct?
What I'm saying is you'll get more leverage out of a group of lenses than from a single lens. But you've got to be strategic in your grouping.
For example. If your product is cheese you could create a series of lenses that explore...
- how cheeses are made
- the health benefits of cheese
- cooking with cheese
- how to select cheeses
- the different types of cheeses
- cheese by country of origin
- cheese tasting etiquette
So, if one or two lenses are weak, it wouldn't matter that much because they'll be supported by the other lenses.
You would benefit from the diversity of cheese-related keywords scattered over many sub-niches. You'd have a sufficiently large footprint in the cheese world to get people's attention and drive traffic.
It's like spreading your risk. Plus, there is strength in numbers.
Hermas
P.S. The same concept can be applied to articles.
H
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