WIP: Exactly, what is the definition?

There is a LOT of debate in the lounge as to whether WIP lenses are 3 modules or less than three, not including the introduction or the guestbook. Headquarters, after their original posting, has not clarified this issue.

I don't think it needs more clarification, because the proof is in what shows up as wip and what doesn't.

Lenses with 3 modules or less have dropped off the list of the featured lenses, AND have dropped out of my visibility in any of my groups.

If all you have are the intro, three modules and the guestbook, then your lens is STILL undeveloped.

You will need to have a 4th module to be permitted to be featured, and without traffic of any kind your lens may still not be found in Squidoo search results.

The Mall groups have 5 modules as a requirement to be featured.

Once you have your 4 modules, and can become part of the featured lenses, then you will need to do some extra things to generate other links to your lens and hopefully some traffic.

I have several projects that will help you to do that. I will begin discussing those next.

Squidoo Featured Lens/WIP: What this Means

Squidoo has implemented the Featured lens function into its algorithm. All lenses at Squidoo are affected by this, including yours at the Mall.

This is not the same as the 'Featured Lens' on the Mall page or other group pages.

Group membership now cuts off at about 90,000 LR, automatically. Evidently no lens can apply to a group unless it has a higher lensrank than 90,000.

Lenses that WERE in the Mall group but are no longer were not booted by me, but by the new algorithm.

WIP lenses are 'works in progress' meaning that they have 3 modules or less, NOT including the intro and a guestbook.

If you have upgraded your lens so it has 4 modules or more, you still may not qualify to be in any group, until you have raised your lensranking to over 90,000.

How can your lens be upgraded to a LR high enough to be in a group?

There are several ways.

1. Traffic. If, by blogging or external linking, you can draw some traffic to your lens, it will do a LOT to increase its lensrank.
2. Email. Email your lens to as many people on your email list as possible.
3. SquidAngels. Ask the squid angels to visit, rate and bless your lens.
4. Sales. If you make a sale from your lens, it will help your lensrank.
5. Google ranking. A good google ranking automatically brings in traffic.
6. Visit lots of lenses and leave a nice comment and rating. Your lensmaster page is automatically linked when you do that, and all of your lenses benefit.
7. Get a reciprocal link by adding your new or upgraded lens to the plexo at Name the Squid. Lensroll the Name the Squid lens to your new lens, and your new lens will be lensrolled to Name the Squid.
8. Request that I blog or add your lens to upcoming featured Mall pages by adding it to the guestbook on the Mall on Squidoo headquarters guestbook. If I see you are participating in Squidoo by leaving comments on member's lenses, I will add you to the lists.

There are other means to improve your Squidoo lensranking to bring you into the 'featured lens' category. You might try writing an article that links. Build a hub page. Ask someone to blog your lens.

If you have been permanently featured on a Mall on Squidoo page, and your lens has dropped to wip status, you will still be featured on that Mall page.