Lensrank does not depend on the backlinks directly (I think), but if backlinks increase your search engine rankings, and that gives you more visitors, then they might affect your lensrank in this way.

If ten attributes have weight - it is likely that traffic has the most.

I don't think backlinks have direct weight for lensrank although they (imo) have to have indirect weight by affecting the factors squidoo take into account. I would suggest the main factors go hand in hand with each other, traffic which (hopefully) creates clickouts (and possibly backlinks) which creates sales. The interacting visitor creates fresh content (by commenting which I believe is picked up for seo) or rating or lensrolling (another backlink I think) so really traffic is the main player but for indirect reasons I think. As for the weight of each attribute -  probably only HQ know and there is probably lots of attributes

ok4444 wrote:

so, is it that back-links play no role at all? and should i conclude from this that the no. of visitors are the most important factor for a good squidoo ranking?

Backlinks help create traffic. Therefore, if you get good backlinks, you'll get more traffic. If you get a lot of backlinks from sites that don't get much traffic themselves, then they might not drive much traffic, so it isn't just the raw number of backlinks that count, it's the quality of the backlinks.

Quality could be defined as being relevant to your lens and also how much traffic is generated. A website that gets only 100 visitors a day might be of better quality than one that gets 1,000 visitors if the site with the lower number of visitors is more closely related to your lens' topic and as a result drives more traffic to your lens.

Backlinks don't seem to have a direct effect in Squidoo LR.
Namely, the number of backlinks don't factor into the LR algorithm.
The referral traffic, that those backlinks bring to the lens, IS what it seem to count the most.

Re: weight of other factors.
- The most dramatic effect seems to come from Freshness.
- Internal Squidoo traffic seems to count more than SE traffic.
- Time spent on lens (see lens below) or interaction has a strong weight as well.
- Squidcasting is the new kid on the block.

Here's an interesting tidbit to ponder.

I was checking traffic sources for one of my lenses, and stumbled across this link:

http://www.squidoo.com/browse/top_lenses/traffic

It's exactly the same list as the Top 100 Lenses, but instead of saying /lensrank at the end it says /traffic.

I guess that confirms what one of the most significant factors is!

Although it's still not THE factor, because I know of lensmasters who get weekly traffic in the thousands, whereas my best are in the hundreds. (Although I just hit 978 on one... c'mon, c'mon, you can do it! -- which, incidentally, ranks less well than my lenses getting 100-500 visitors.)

Last edited by Greekgeek (03/28/2009 10:58 pm)

Ah, the days of the most profitable list -- the one I made a lens about after doing research on the list.

One of the funny things is that on that lens, where I show the techniques of the most profitable -- one of the lenses was Attila the Hun -- so I suggested that someone make a lens on Al Capone -- and guess what -- the person who did and the lens that is Al Capone is one of the continuing high rankers around here.

Of course I had imitation lenses for each of the top 10 most profitable --- all this findable thru my Lensmaster name.

kiwisoutback wrote:

Traffic definitely matters the most, but those clickouts have to play an important role.  I have some lower traffic lenses that get high clickouts that outperform some of my much higher traffic lenses on a regular basis.

Kiwi, you just actually said with your example that Clickouts matter more than traffic.
Which I agree somehow.
Engaging events (interactions), not just clickouts, is what matter the most.

Chadrew wrote:

Lensrank does not depend on the backlinks directly (I think), but if backlinks increase your search engine rankings, and that gives you more visitors, then they might affect your lensrank in this way.

Well have to agree a bit here.  Some things I have noticed.

Backlinks help with lens rank but traffic seems to be the deciding factor.

PR is determined by backlinks.  PR does not determine lensrank both systems use different criteria.

Lensrank has little effect on SERPS

That being said it is best to get backlinks for traffic and PR will most likely help in the SERPS.

Greekgeek wrote:

I was checking traffic sources for one of my lenses, and stumbled across this link:

http://www.squidoo.com/browse/top_lenses/traffic

It's exactly the same list as the Top 100 Lenses, but instead of saying /lensrank at the end it says /traffic.

The Top 100 Lenses by Traffic doesn't actually exist. You are seeing the Top 100 by Lensrank instead. Many of the other lists that Jeffry, for example Most Profitable, also don't exist.

Greekgeek wrote:

I guess that confirms what one of the most significant factors is!

No, it confirms nothing, though Traffic is an important factor, next to rating, faves, blessings, revenue and clickouts. Meanwhile, Backlinks and Guestbook comments are not part of the Lensrank algorithm.

Oops. Didn't realize that "Top 100 by Traffic" list was no longer actually measuring traffic.

You know what, Fluff? I know you're right, because you actually look at the code, and besides, my own observations have corroborated it. But check out the Squidoo FAQ on lensrank:

"We look at community ratings, lensmaster reputation, clickthrough rates, frequency of updates, inbound and outbound links, revenue generated, and lots of other factors and give the lens a number."

What do they mean by "inbound links"? I don't believe it means backlinks... there's no good way to measure them. I'm guessing they mean how many different links have sent people to the lens. So for example, traffic sent from 12 different sources is counted as more significant than traffic from the same source (e.g. one's SquidU sig).  But ok4444 could argue, "See, I told you so!" based on that ambiguous statement!

Personally I think Squidoo is very straightforward about what factors it counts towards lensrank. They're all on  your main lens stats and traffic tab. I can't prove it, but I betcha that's most of the list. (commissions, traffic sources (ones that sent actual visitors, not just backlinks which might), clickthroughs, favorites, how many different parts of the web pie are sending you traffic, star ratings, visitors, how many times lenses have been emailed -- an oft-forgotten stat -- and most recent update.) The only question is which factors are weighted most.

And rather than weighing that question too much, I say, get back to woik and make some nice lenses!

ok4444 wrote:

Hi guys,
                      I have only one lens at squidoo (in my signature below), It ranks No. 29 in SEO category. Now, I noticed that my lens started shooting up in the ranking when the No. of back-links to it were increasing. Although I have received 5star ranking from many people, got almost 2 dozen comments and 13 fans from a single lens (in just 2 weeks). I feel that the lens rank is most Dependant on back-links, much more than all these factors. Do you agree?

take care

Errrr.......Didn't we just have a very similair conversation very recently - One Lesson That Sky Rocketed my Lens - In 2 Days. Must Read!


I'd say the biggest factor therefore is surely including a signature link in forum posts hinting you have the secret to success and are willing to share it, double whammy if you also hint at this in a topic title you start!!  Especially if it happens to be a squidoo related forum, thereby getting lensmasters to come view and comment on your lens by making controversial posts in forums !!