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…and Getting Your Lens BACK in the Google Index
It’s getting harder and harder at times to get our lenses indexed, isn’t it? I’ve gotten a few emails from folks who have been following the One Week Marketing “secret” steps to getting Google to index your lens…and Google still won’t do it! Darn Google! So what’s going on? Why are many lenses indexed within hours…and some sit there and wait…and wait… and wait. Worse yet, why do lenses jump into the Google index FAST and then drop back out just as fast? Is Google out to get you?
Google and Squidoo
Naturally, no one but the mystical Google algorithm knows for fact what exactly is happening with each individual lens. However, I have my theories and since I like to ramble endlessly, I thought I’d share my theories with you.
Squidoo is a BIG site. Reality is, Google most likely will not keep all pages focused on a certain topic within their index. Why would they? Think about it? Wouldn’t you keep the most relevant and have them on hand for those that search for those topics?
“Most relevant” – Now that is an interesting phrase. What IS “most relevant” to Google? Google scans your page and decides what it is about so it stops there, right? Oh no, Google relies on sites outside of Squidoo to tell them which web pages are “most relevant” and important to a certain search.
Google likes when other web pages “vote” for your lens =)
So, how does another web page “vote” for your lens in a way that makes Google feel your lens in “most relevant”?
Back links.
When another web page links to your lens using your focused keywords as the anchor text for that link (ie, the clickable words), Google sees that as a “vote” for your lens to be “most relevant” for that term.
Naturally, that is the short and condensed version of how all that works, but that is the gist of it.
So, even in the best case scenario that we get our lens indexed within hours, it could drop out of the index just as quickly because Google hasn’t found any ‘votes’ for it yet. Now, this doesn’t mean that you haven’t made any ‘votes’/back links… it just means that Google hasn’t found them and processed them yet.
After time, those votes will be found and your lens will come back IF your lens is MORE relevant than the other lenses on that topic/keyword search term. Build your links, be patient, and it will come back 95% of the time IF it is ‘most relevant’ to that search term.
So, What About The Lenses That Are Taking FOREVER To Get Indexed?
I’ve been keeping my eye on an odd little trend that is going on with Google and Squidoo lenses as of late. To “test” my little theory, I made two lenses. One was on a new “trendy” topic and the other was on a more established topic that Squidoo has quite a few lenses on already.
These lenses were made here in the last 3 days. One is in the Google index, one is not.
The lens that was on the more unique trendy topic got indexed and was showing in the index within 8 hours. To all you One Week Marketing followers – all I did was the first little easy part of getting a lens indexed, too! Google scooped it up. Why? They NEED web pages on this topic. It is a new and time-sensitive topic and they need all the info they can get.
The other lens…. yeah, well, it appears Google has said “No, thank you” to the first peek at it. Squidoo already has a good bit of lenses on this topic AND the url for the lens is very, very similar to the urls of OTHER Squidoo lenses.
I did all the steps within One Week Marketing to the letter…and to the extreme to get this lens indexed. I knew it was a bit of a saturated topic within Squidoo and also knew it would take more effort on my part – both to GET it indexed and to KEEP it indexed.
So, How Did I KNOW This?
How did I know that one lens would be harder than another? Simple, I asked Google!
For the sake of this post, I am going to share these lenses with you.
The “trendy” lens is about how to buy inauguration tickets. Pretty new and time sensitive topic isn’t it?
Look what is already in the Squidoo site for that term:
3 pages on Squidoo for that term. That is NOT competition…lol! As you can see, Google got my lens quickly (I made that lens yesterday). My lens is the first listing and as of this writing, it was indexed 22 HOURS ago – and kids, this is a NEW lens! Remember, I only used one little copy/paste technique that we use in One Week Marketing.
Now, my other lens is on a more “pressing” topic – loan modification.
Let’s ask Google what I am up against if I want this lens to do well.
Well, 161 lenses all focused on the exact phrase of “loan modification” within the Squidoo site ALREADY. Yikes!
Yes, that lens will take work – and I have done a LOT to get that lens indexed. So far, nothin’ honey. Also, the url that I chose for my lens is very, very similar to lenses that already are in the Google index.
It’s gonna take time for that lens. Time for Google to find the back links that are already out there, and time for it all to “simmer” together for Google to even begin to think my lens is “more relevant” than other lenses.
But, That’s Ok With Me
Yes, it’s ok with me. My lenses are made and I am moving forward. I can’t control Google. I did everything I need to do to get BOTH lenses indexed. Now, I wait on one, and for the other, well, I get to start seeing what that lens will do.
But I am not going to watch – I am going to keep working. Yesterday I also made two new websites … TWO… complete websites with blogs and landing pages for PPC… AND I set up the PPC campaigns, too. AND, I was using some techniques and tools in all steps that are new to me. (Just for the record, I had a BLAST doing it and can’t wait to share all that with you when I have some feedback and results).
Anyway, I know Google will probably find my lens eventually… I also know Google will probably drop either or both of them like a hot potato before long, too.
It is the nature of the Google organic listings business – the business many, many of us are in.
Google is not out to get me. I know my lens is relevant to the topic I chose.
Wait, how do I KNOW my lens is relevant?
Again… simple, I asked Google.
Yes, ASK GOOGLE if they think your lens is about what YOU think it is about. Now, this that I am about to show is not a fool-proof guarantee, but it sure can tell you from the git-go if your are even on track with the content you have ON your lens.
So, let’s ask Google about my loan modification lens.
Go to the Google AdWords Keyword tool, and choose the “Website content” option… then enter the url for your lens and let Google scan it.
Well lookie there….looks like I am kinda on target. Lots of good foreclosure words (another focus of the lens), but not enough loan modification words. (Interesting… wouldn’t some of those keywords Google shows me that GOOGLE thinks my lens is about make some pretty nifty Squidoo tags? hint hint)
Perhaps I need to improve the keyword focus/density for my main word?
Hmmmm….body is 3.6%… that’s not too bad. (and before anyone asks me how I did that keyword density report… if you read One Week Marketing, I already told you….lol)
But…I think I will let this lens be for right now and see what happens.
And keep moving forward.
THAT is the “secret” to all this – KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Stop micro-managing your lenses and campaigns. Get them out there, do what you’re supposed to do…and move on and create MORE. I push everyone hard in One Week Marketing to keep working…keep creating…keep trying. Why? Sure seems like a lot of work – why not just make one campaign and work it to death?
You could do that….but what if that campaign is a bomb? You just spent all of your most precious commodity – your TIME – on that campaign and it’s not doing a lick of work for YOU. With MANY campaigns, you have MANY streams of potential income AND many web pages out collecting intelligence for you.
Why is that important? Because you may not believe it right now, but someday you will start to have money coming in and you will be ready to expand your online efforts. You’ll want to know WHAT markets to focus your expansion on…..and you will have a SLEW of campaigns to choose from that will show you exactly what you need to know. No starting from scratch – simply expand what is already working.
That sure takes a LOT of pressure off when you start paying for websites or PPC, trust me!
Get those campaigns out there. Make them quality, focused content….but they don’t have to be works of art. If those campaigns show you that they are worth your TIME, then you can ALWAYS go back and add more content or more lenses or more whatever….
Just stop wasting your precious time.
Each moment you spend staring at your stats… each moment you waste beating yourself up with statements like “I’m not good enough”, “I’m not smart enough”, “I’m not cut out for this”, etc etc etc is time wasted.
The most frustrating statement I hear is this –
“This doesn’t work for me”
Sadly, this usually comes from those that have made half a campaign and within a few days they haven’t seen results…so, it must not “work”.
No, THIS doesn’t work for YOU –
YOU work IT.
If your lens drops out of Google – don’t sweat it, it will come back with the right steps. Besides, if you are constantly moving forward, that one lens or web page out of Google temporarily won’t matter as much in the BIG picture because you have LOTS of web pages that are still working.
Very few things in this world work FOR you. Heck, even that neglected vacuum cleaner of mine doesn’t work FOR me – I still have to push the darn thing. But, when I DO push it, it does a pretty nice job (if I remember correctly). But staring at the vacuum cleaner won’t work….. thinking positive about the vacuum cleaner won’t work….and telling myself and others that I am just too stupid to make a vacuum cleaner work won’t cut it either.
I also can’t push the vacuum cleaner half way and expect a complete result.
If it gets clogged, I un-clog it and get back to vacuuming. If the belt breaks, I take the time to fix it….and get back to vacuuming.
Just keep pushing that internet marketing vacuum and suck up ALL the keyword marketplace that you can!
You can do this!
BUT, you don’t need anyone to TELL you that you can do this….
You’re too busy DOING IT!
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wow. this post is amazing. i was feeling really down because all my hard work into my 2nd lens was going to go in vain. now, at least i can actually find ways to predict or tweak what i have…
potpiegirl, thanks for sharing. you seem to really know what you are doing. i want to learn more from you.
You said it Jennifer!
Let me be the first to say your words ring 100% true. I’ve been a reader of your blog for almost a year now and I purchased your ebook on 9/30/08.
It took me about one full week to get out of read, read, read , over-analytical mode into actually doing, doing, doing!
My squidoo campaign was completed on 10-07-08 and I was 1 day shy of just giving up when I made my first sale on 11-6-07 followed by several more clickbank sales since that time.
I’ve seen with my own eyes how the Google dance works and I’ve come to the realization as you’ve so graciously mentioned to just move forward, create new lenses and stop wasting time checking stats too much.
Cheers!
Wambtm –
you’re most welcome! I really appreciate you being here reading!
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Sunshine –
WOOOHOOOOO! You rock! I am so proud of you!
This online marketing thing is fun, isn’t it?? 😉
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Hey Jennifer,
I still think this method is just unbelievable. Great thing is it works almost as well on hubs, wetpaints, anything I have tried.
For your OWM readers, when you go to get your lenses (works if you have multiples) indexed,and you are linking back to them, link back to multiple lenses in each post. That increases the total links you can get from each post and to each lens.
Make sense. Two for the price of one so to speak.
Seems to help I think.
i hope i am not being annoying… i have been reading your previous posts on tags and was wondering can i have TOO MANY TAGS?
if not, i will probably go and add a hundred of them… hahahaha
Hi Daren!
Yes, it works for just about all web pages! In fact, I used it last night for my two new sites, and both are indexed today! Yipppeeee!
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Wambtm –
Not being annoying at all! Squidoo will only allow you to add 40 tags, so you can’t get “tag happy” =)
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Hi Jennifer
I’d like to add my 2 cents worth 😉
I have been reading/studying/doing this for just over a year now, and was slowly putting it all together but felt I had too many loose ends so to speak. I love OWM as I love a plan to work off.
I decided to see if I could get any more sales out of an existing campaign, so I upped the lenses, wrote more articles, am doing a hub now and yes I had a new sale last week. It’s taken me a month to do OWM as I work full time, and just do a bit each night after cooking/chores.
I’d love to spend more time on it, but I’m still very happy with my progress – got a clickbank chq last month, my 1st one! Oh and b/c I’m going a bit slower than the plan, I haven’t pannicked about my lenses being indexed asap, and they sure are all indexed now!
Almost ready to start 2nd campaign now!
Remember everyone – this is like eating an elephant – you have to take just one bite at a time!
The vaccuum analogy was brilliant!! Cheers
Great post Jennifer – when this happened to my first lenses I did feel like Google was out to get me (paranoid I know…). But you are right – you just have to forget about the stats & keep ploughing on, and they do normally come back eventually.
Hi Jennifer–I’m so glad I decided to purchase your OWM plan. I definitely like your philosophy of rinse and repeat. I have a bit of OCD so having the plan in front of me really helps to keep things in perspective so I can stay on track. Otherwise I’d be working the same campaign to death for months on end like you mentioned LOL
Anyway, I hate to be a pest but I can’t seem to find any information on the keyword density tool you mentioned. Is it referenced in the main guide or somewhere else?
Amanda –
It is a FireFox browser plug in =) Yes, at the back of the main guide.
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Aaah OK–I get it now!
Hello Jennifer
A great post……..a picker upper for stats watchers for sure….LOL
http://oyoy.eu/ is a great set of tools that shows keyword density as welll,,,,has lots of other neat tools as well…
Some of us have the knack to pick niches that are too much like “loan modification”….looking in the mirror here…. ;))
Thanks for all the help
Leo
My wife is just starting on IM in general and loves your OWM. She has got 3 lenses and is working on her forth already.
One really cool tool that someone should design is checking your keyword rank in google. Using your loan modification as an example…query a URL with your keyword and is says position 30.
I couldn’t find any tools out there on this.
Jenn…keep up the good work. My wife is having a good time with this as she awaits the arrival of our first. She’d love to do this full-time and out earn me…think that is possible?
sad sad sad…
i have 2 lenses.
– 1st one has been a week and still not indexed
– 2nd one was indexed yesterday!!! then… i updated the lens with more content, some backlinks and different rss
today, i checked again, the even the 2nd lens is no longer indexed… sigh, i am so frustrated.
Your posts are priceless (don’t know what I’d do without them) and I have to admire you for all the analyzing you do – not something I’ve been famous for – at least not in this area… 😉
I think that we should stop being google a** lickers..just my two cents. Google will eventually index our lens if it is really good and updated regulary..why?
Better lens >> higher lens rank >> better rankings >> more links from squidoo = indexed by Google
We should check Google like every week just for keeping track but getting obsessed by it is not really what I recommend..
I really appreciate your effort and this post has helped me a lot, Thanks for your Help 🙂
uk immigrations last blog post..Budget Plan for EEA Family Permit
Hello. Your sites on One Week Marketing don’t seem to work anymore as fast to indexing…although getting a backlinks from them is still a good thing.
Excellent article, thanks
I think the fact that Google doesn’t index some Squidoo lenses as fast as we would like is a good indication that we should either make better lenses than those already in that topic or start lenses with less competition. I think the latter would be the best choice.
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Jennifer,
I love your posts, I think they really make the difference for some of us (me) between saying “I can’t do this because I’m stupid” and continuing on!
I’m not stupid at all, 1 of 5 lenses are indexed, and I can’t actually find it in the listings, but I am moving along, and maybe the next set will take.
Thanks for sharing all of your ideas and theories, they really do make a difference!
hi there really enjoyed your post just in my first week of OWM published all my lenses on tuesday and its now friday and am not indexed dont know wether im being impatient but itis frustrating also I wondered when you say to make a blog i know from personal experience they can take a while indexing and are harder to build traffic so i wondered could i just write more articles instead or would you advise sticking with the blog was just thinking articles index fast and rank well quickly
Hi
Having just purchased your squidoo profit system i produced my first lens.The only thing im unsure about is the keyword search,Am i looking for terms that are not found in squidoo i.e search terms with less than 1000/month and if so will this rank me on the first page of google.I watched all your videos and still a bit confused,but love everthing you do and i am really keen to make a success of this.
Kevin