We are losing the value of our Squidoo Marketing community

[John Dilbeck]

I've been noticing this for the last few months, but I didn't say anything during the lead-up to the holidays.

This community has lost sight of what makes it valuable.

At one point, we discussed issues, talked about marketing and building businesses, and helped each other do a better job of marketing using Squidoo and other sites.

Now, the community has devolved into a link farm. More and more, the only activity is people popping in, linking to a lens and then leaving.

It's getting worse, because now we're seeing multiple links to the same lenses via Twitter, Google+ and others.

This has to change.

What are we going to do as a community? 

Sincerely,

John Dilbeck,

Owner and founder of this Squidoo Marketing community. 

[Virginia Allain]

Maybe post a new discussion topic each week related to marketing. I know there are backlink sites that I'd like to use like Amplify or Social Monkey, but struggle with the mechanics of it. Maybe we can help each other out to make better uses of those.

Perhaps the List a Lens a Day needs to require a paragraph to go with the link, not just insert link and leave.

[Sandy aka Momsbusy247]

That is a great idea Virginia

[Arawyn Wallace]

Greetings And Welcome, John!

       My wife and I are getting pretty upset with Squidoo. The ranking system is very flawed. It does reward those "link farmers" and does nothing, but disappoint good lensmasters, like my wife, Grannysage. She puts a lot of effort into creating quality lenses, both in the writing and in the visual aspect. At one time, Squidoo respected people like my wife. Now she's told that "clean, simple and boring is the "way to go". Really, look at the "Top One Hundred" from the recent contest. Take a look at this weekend's "Lens Of The Day". Papertowels??? AND, the points and levels; what a joke! We know of a person whose high level comes from poll-taking and commenting, didn't even bother to create a lens!

    Also, I truly believe that new lenes should NOT be included in the rankings, until they have been up and updated for a month or so. That keeps swarms of new seasonal lenses from dropping the ranking of established and well maintained lenses.

[Virginia Allain]

I have great respect for Grannysage's work.

Yes, getting into the top rankings at Squidoo is very competitive. It takes traffic, LIKES, comments, backlinks, keywords, interaction, frequent updates and other factors to keep a lens in tier one. I currently have 9 lenses there (and do little backlinking).

I hope you don't give up on Squidoo. There is much of value on the site.

[Diane Wallace]

Thanks Virginia, I have respect for your work too. :-)

grannysage

[Kab]

I do prefer clean and simple, but that's just me. 

And for new lenses not being in the rankings, they don't need to be excluded for a month.  For the first month, they don't get paid - they statistically cannot get into the paying tiers.  A brand new lens that is published on the first and jumps into tier one immediately (a rare feat), still won't get paid.  The top tier payout is not the lenses in the top 2000, but the top 2000 lenses in average ranking.  This means that while that new lens might "take up a spot" in the top 2000, it won't interfere with the payout of other lenses until, like you said, it is a month old.

[Mickie Goad]

I had a lens in the recent Community Top 100. Did not make it to the final 11, but that is ok by me. At first I was disappointed, but then I thought about what was good about the contest.  I was asked in a "Quest" to submit a lens to be considered for the Top 100 of 2011 and I followed the rules and submitted a lens that I thought was my best one created in 2011. It did not have a high rating or rank on Squidoo, but those were not a requirement. As a result, I looked at what I had created during 2011 and learned a lot about my style and my successes and failures. Some of the lenses in the top 100 were not up to the standards that I set for myself, so I understand your concern. But it was a contest to create "activity" on Squidoo. I did discover some new lensmasters that I had not read before. I also learned some interesting stuff, too. I also found out that I am not very good at lens promotion, either. HaHa. Guess that is why I did not place in the "top 11".

Lensmaster Levels have nothing to do with the payouts, I don't think. I am not really sure why we have those levels. Maybe it is to get people to "play a game" or set goals or something like that. If anyone knows, please let me know.

I do understand your concern about the quality of the lenses that are making it to the top tiers. Some are just written to make money by selling stuff, but there are still some wonderful lensmasters, like Grannysage, who do love to write and create. Those lensmasters will always be successful because they are doing what they love.

Have not been on this site in a long time. Sorry about that, but will make an effort in the future.

[Sandy aka Momsbusy247]

It is tough, I think you have to believe in yourself and keep making the best lenses you can and google and other search engines will bring you your rewards. (at least that is what I am hoping :)

[Ann Miller]

yes it is a worry and I think it is largely because so much importance is placed on backlinking these days.  I know I'm one of those who drop a link and runs mainly because it is so easy to do and I have so much else to do.

I agree with Virginia, maybe introduce  a weekly topic for discussion and insist folk include so many words with each link posting.  Is there some way  to make the link drop some sort of reward for taking part in the community? 

[Paul Duxbury]

An interesting discussion topic John and I will share my initial thoughts on reading.  Some of the comments may be a tad unpalatable but are meant to be constructive and I hope will be taken as such.

1. As we have Co-Sponsors here now who pay for the maintenance of the Group I would have thought that in the first instance this should have been a discussion for them
2. As Co-Sponsors we all have a stake in the group and perhaps amongst us we could agree to contributing discussion topics that would teach and engage.  In order to do that it might be worth polling the Group as a whole on areas that people would be interested in learning about.  Then a schedule could be created and people agree to add discussion topics in an area where they have expertise
3. My perception of the group over recent months is that it has indeed largely become a link sharing area.  This was excacerbated when yet another "Share Your Lens" Group was allowed to be created.  Having said that we all must take responsibility for the fact that we share a "Lens a Day."  
4. Each day I see emails in my inbox telling me that another link has been shared and with increasing regularity I am seeing the same people doing that and, I must be totally honest here, I delete the emails and don't visit the group.
5. There are so many places now that we interact with each other and the members here tend to be the same people we encounter on Facebook, Twitter et al.  There are only so many places that we can have the same conversations and there is currently nothing unique about this group to prompt different discussions than we have elsewhere.
6. I do reasonably well on Squidoo and elsewhere and when I enter into discussions I am looking for things that will help me to do even better.  Not to encounter people who want to tear one down. I am very conscious of "Tall Poppy Syndrome" and the sub-discussion of the initial discussion here almost steered me towards not responding at all if I am brutally honest.
6. Having said that I am looking for things that will help me do even better I am also looking to help others and to share my knowledge and experience.  I spend a lot of time doing things to help others, whether that be creating sites for them to promote their lense/pages etc or in other ways.  But I give a wide berth to those who want to dwell in negativity.

As I said at the outset some of the above may not make me popular.  But, as a Co-Sponsor I felt that rather than simply ignore your post I was duty bound to respond.

[John Dilbeck]

Paul, thanks for making some excellent points. I don't find them unpalatable.

I think this is a good time to take a clear look at what we're doing here and decide where we want to go. I think honest communication is the best way to sort it out, and I appreciate you and the time you took to express your views.

JD

[Cheryl Paton]

If the community is not going where you wanted it to go, then where is it that you want it to go?

As Virginia mentioned, you can start a new discussion topic each week, then people can talk about that.

As far as it being a link farm, well perhaps you can see it another way. Although I don't normally say much or comment on what others have posted, I do from time to time, visit lenses that have been posted there. If I feel inclined, then I rate their lens and may also comment directly on the lens. No, I don't come back to make an additional comment here. It is how I make the best use of my time.

However, this is your baby, so to speak, so where do you want it to go? Then guide it to go there. : )