Backlinks #2: Don’t forget the Google-smashing Groups
The #2 source of backlinks for your lenses are Squidoo Groups.
Squidoo groups have really begun to prove themselves in Google. In almost all cases they outrank lenses, get a higher PageRank, and get more backlinks naturally than lenses.
That’s right. Groups are outranking lenses in Google.
This means is would be incredibly wise for you to add Squidoo groups to your list of Google Ranking Weapons.
For Example: If you just made a lens about The Little Shop of Horrors, make a group for it too. You can target a slightly different keyword/phrase, add your lens to the group and feature it on the group homepage, and your lens sidebar will automatically link to the group.
Squidoo Groups have been partially hidden by Squidoo HQ because they haven’t had the time to devote to making them better as they have with lenses.
This means your groups don’t show on your lensmaster page, and the Workshop Edit mode tools are still very old compared to the fancy new workshop mode we have for making lenses.
But they are still extremely powerful in Google. I have been looking lately at which Squidoo pages are ranking well in Google, and Groups always come up top. Above lenses with more content, even.
So start making companion groups to go with the lenses you want to get traffic to!
This is something I have not done enough of and am really going to start putting a lot of energy into.
Have you had good results with groups yet?
Lewis 
Hello, my name is Lewis :)
I never knew I could make money from squidoo. However, It has earned me a few bucks that I am ...
Hey there thanks for the info. I was looking all over the place for a squidoo group and could not ...
Its sad in one respect - that the backlinks to lenses and groups was great for ranking.
On the flip side ...
Hope I am not too late to join in this discussion which was in October. I have only recently ...
Pingoat is having issues again. It's now pingoat.net 
Wow, Lewis. This is good. Glad you made this post. Part of the reason why I leaned toward one over ...
Comment by Art Haule on 18 January 2009:
“Squidoo groups have really begun to prove themselves in Google. In almost all cases they outrank lenses, get a higher PageRank, and get more backlinks naturally than lenses.”
Okay, that means Squidoo Groups are good.
“This means is would be incredibly wise for you to add Google groups to your list of Google Ranking Weapons.”
So I need to be in Google Groups. Did you mean Squidoo Groups in the second quote, Google Groups in the first quote, or both in both quotes?
Comment by gia combs-ramirez on 18 January 2009:
Yes, I’ve had amazing results and almost immediately. I created a group that featured all of my “products” and titled it after myself. I waited a day and googled my name. My squidoo group came up 2nd in the search out 1330 entries associated with my name. I was impressed! (I just checked again and it was 5th).
Comment by Paul Barton on 19 January 2009:
hi lewis another great post – and the idea works – all you have to do is study what the giants do and it then becomes obvious.
Comment by Pamela on 20 January 2009:
I am new to blogging and there is so much to learn. I love your blog, chock full of wonderful lessons and information. Thanks
Comment by MrLewisSmile on 20 January 2009:
@Art – thanks for noticing! I just fixed it. I didn’t mean to write Google groups.
Comment by MrLewisSmile on 20 January 2009:
@Pamela – why thank you Pamela!
Comment by MrLewisSmile on 20 January 2009:
@Gia – It’s really amazing how fast Squidoo works sometimes!
@Paul – I am considering making more groups than lenses because of this!
Comment by JOOLOO on 24 January 2009:
So much to learn. Thanks for all this. I better get to work.
Comment by David C Ballard on 14 March 2009:
Your post on tags and their current impotence (thanks for the explanation) and now groups are virile and receive more attention from Google, I understand. However, why were groups created in the first place, and what is the intended purpose and function of a group? And best use?
Thanks
Comment by Tiddledeewinks on 3 July 2009:
I haven’t made any of my own groups, but do add my lenses to groups that others have made. Does that help, too?
Comment by Brett Jarvi on 27 September 2009:
I have always wondered about squidoo groups. I need to get on with it.