A Squidoo lens is designed to be a highly focused window to other directly related resources - blog posts, websites, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, web-based articles or e-books. Hence a lens is not an end in itself but a means to an end - a window on other information about a topic, issue, problem, product or service of interest to the reader. Each Squidoo lens you create has a unique URL.
There is no limit to the number of free Squidoo lenses you can create. At the time of writing this article, I have in excess of 50 Squidoo lenses which are catalogued in my "lensography".
Each lens has AdSense ads and other ads that generate revenue for Squidoo, charities supported by Squidoo and the lensmaster (lens creator). The lensmaster can choose to give all or some of their share of this direct revenue to charity.
Squidoo lenses can be used for endless applications, for example, to promote a cause, support a charity, educate, showcase an artist or photographer or generate affiliate income.
Each Squidoo lens is made up of modules and widgets (like WordPress blogs) that can be accessed by a unique point-and-click technology. You don't even have to know HTML to create and market your Squidoo lenses. There are even lenses on basic HTML and advanced HTML if you want to be creative. The design of each lens is limited only by your imagination.
In a very real sense a Squidoo lens can integrate many elements of Web 2.0 technology - blogging, Flickr, FaceBook, YouTube, RSS feeds and Twitter. Fundamental to Squidoo is the connections it creates - between people, between lenses, between resources and between social networks.
Squidoo enables you to contribute to Squidoo charities as a by-product of lens creation. You can also promote a charity of your choice, a location and community, a local artist or a local business.
You can recruit people to your favorite hobby such as scrapbooking, model trains, electronic toys, photography, model planes or stamp collecting.
You can even create a Squidoo Group, or join an existing group, to link to people who share your interests and passions.
What also appeals to me personally is the opportunity to be creative and extend my "learning edge" or "push the envelope". The numerous Squidoo lens templates, modules and widgets provide endless opportunities to be creative and to develop different lenses for different purposes. For example, I have created a photographic exhibition, a simulated tropical rainforest walk and my e-portfolio.
Squidoo can tap your creativity, build your income, grow your connections and enhance your Internet presence. You learn Squidoo by building lenses - but beware, Squidoo is addictive!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Learning the Squidoo from basic
Have you been looking for a simple start-up guide on how to Squidoo in a few easy steps? Here’s a good blueprint for creating lenses that have the potential to help you position yourself as the go-to expert for your niche:
First, register for a free Squidoo account if you have not already done so. This just requires you to enter your name and email address, and then pick a username and password before you agree to the terms of service for the site. You will have to create a lens to begin with, but don’t concern yourself about getting this to a stage to publish, perhaps youcan use it later as a lensography where you can showcase all your squidoo content or just a simple bio. So when selecting your url and title, use your username here.
Then you’ll get to learn how to Squidoo by building your first lens! You can use the new Squidoo Quick Builder page to help you do this where you have one screen to register your new lens rather than four separate screens.
It’s located at squidoo.com/build/quick, where you’ll enter your lens title, choose a URL, pick a category, let others know how it should be rated (G, R, or X), and add a tag or more. A good tip on how to Squidoo properly is to not use Quickpick to choose some modules from this screen because then you have to go in and reorder them anyway, so save that step for later. Enter your captcha code and click the Done button!
Try to get the keyword(s) into your URL and the title and make sure your tags are all relevant to your niche topic. Because of Squidoo’s new nofollow rule on tag pages, you don’t need to enter all 40 tags now - just use as many as you want in your content and it will serve you better in your quest to rank high in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
The next step in learning how to Squidoo is to build the layout of your lens! Start by clicking on Add Modules at the top. Here are some important modules that work well on lenses (and remember that all modules will have a built in introduction Text module):
1.) Text/Write - for all of the valuable content you plan on providing. You can hyperlink to your domain and add code to insert a banner ad here.
2.) Amazon and eBay - for those who want to sell tangibles from their lens. The description area can be hyperlinked to your domain, too)
3.) Guestbook - A very important part of the web 2.0 experience, a guestbook allows others to let you know how you’re doing as well as what they need from you in the way of more information. This is another module where you can hyperlink in the description area.
4.) Poll - Ask a question and post several answer choices for your audience. You can hyperlink these choices so that before or after their participation in your poll, they can link out to one of your sites.
5.) RSS Feed - If you have a blog on your domain, insert a feed for more traffic to it! It will post excerpts of your latest entries and update on a regular basis.
6.) YouTube Videos - if you’re employing video marketing techniques, then you’ll want to showcase your videos right on your lens using the one video per module rule so that visitors never have to click out and leave your lens to view it!
7.) Twitter - a Twitter module is perfect for marketing involved in social networking whose Tweets are followed by many people.
8.) Blackbox, StickyNote, Talk Bubble, or The Most Important Thing - all modules that allow you to make one link or message stand out on your lens.
After you add the modules that you want, click the preview lens layout button and order them any way you want, with the guestbook at the bottom so they can sign it after seeing all of your hard work.
Then click the Save button and it will take you back to your lens, where you can begin editing each module. After you edit it, make sure you save it and publish the lens after you’re done.
Free Stock Image
Free Stock Image
If you want to learn how to Squidoo and make a really good lens, you’ll also want to add images! You can find a free stock photo site or use iStockPhoto and buy the smallest versions available that relate to your niche. Personally I prefer 123rf.com for supplying images, the ones on this post are from their constantly updated Free collection, and are of an excellent quality for sprucing up your lenses. You’ll need one for your introduction and ideally one for each text module you include on your lens.
After publishing, join some groups on Squidoo so your new lens gets exposure! Then visit Squidoo and ask for a SquidAngel to visit your lens to bless it, though only do this if youthink it worthy of a blessing as angels can ding your lenses too! If you’ve done a good job, the blessing will help your lens rise in the ranks!
Learning how to Squidoo can be intimidating even for the best writers or most prolific website designers. If you’d rather hire professionals to build your lens for you I would highly recommend Lewis and Tiffany at http://www.BuildMyLens.com Their lens design service is excellent and their finished lenses do extremely well conveying the professionalism that you want to be known for in your niche!
Lastly, have fun and leave a comment with a link to your lenses!
First, register for a free Squidoo account if you have not already done so. This just requires you to enter your name and email address, and then pick a username and password before you agree to the terms of service for the site. You will have to create a lens to begin with, but don’t concern yourself about getting this to a stage to publish, perhaps youcan use it later as a lensography where you can showcase all your squidoo content or just a simple bio. So when selecting your url and title, use your username here.
Then you’ll get to learn how to Squidoo by building your first lens! You can use the new Squidoo Quick Builder page to help you do this where you have one screen to register your new lens rather than four separate screens.
It’s located at squidoo.com/build/quick, where you’ll enter your lens title, choose a URL, pick a category, let others know how it should be rated (G, R, or X), and add a tag or more. A good tip on how to Squidoo properly is to not use Quickpick to choose some modules from this screen because then you have to go in and reorder them anyway, so save that step for later. Enter your captcha code and click the Done button!
Try to get the keyword(s) into your URL and the title and make sure your tags are all relevant to your niche topic. Because of Squidoo’s new nofollow rule on tag pages, you don’t need to enter all 40 tags now - just use as many as you want in your content and it will serve you better in your quest to rank high in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
The next step in learning how to Squidoo is to build the layout of your lens! Start by clicking on Add Modules at the top. Here are some important modules that work well on lenses (and remember that all modules will have a built in introduction Text module):
1.) Text/Write - for all of the valuable content you plan on providing. You can hyperlink to your domain and add code to insert a banner ad here.
2.) Amazon and eBay - for those who want to sell tangibles from their lens. The description area can be hyperlinked to your domain, too)
3.) Guestbook - A very important part of the web 2.0 experience, a guestbook allows others to let you know how you’re doing as well as what they need from you in the way of more information. This is another module where you can hyperlink in the description area.
4.) Poll - Ask a question and post several answer choices for your audience. You can hyperlink these choices so that before or after their participation in your poll, they can link out to one of your sites.
5.) RSS Feed - If you have a blog on your domain, insert a feed for more traffic to it! It will post excerpts of your latest entries and update on a regular basis.
6.) YouTube Videos - if you’re employing video marketing techniques, then you’ll want to showcase your videos right on your lens using the one video per module rule so that visitors never have to click out and leave your lens to view it!
7.) Twitter - a Twitter module is perfect for marketing involved in social networking whose Tweets are followed by many people.
8.) Blackbox, StickyNote, Talk Bubble, or The Most Important Thing - all modules that allow you to make one link or message stand out on your lens.
After you add the modules that you want, click the preview lens layout button and order them any way you want, with the guestbook at the bottom so they can sign it after seeing all of your hard work.
Then click the Save button and it will take you back to your lens, where you can begin editing each module. After you edit it, make sure you save it and publish the lens after you’re done.
Free Stock Image
Free Stock Image
If you want to learn how to Squidoo and make a really good lens, you’ll also want to add images! You can find a free stock photo site or use iStockPhoto and buy the smallest versions available that relate to your niche. Personally I prefer 123rf.com for supplying images, the ones on this post are from their constantly updated Free collection, and are of an excellent quality for sprucing up your lenses. You’ll need one for your introduction and ideally one for each text module you include on your lens.
After publishing, join some groups on Squidoo so your new lens gets exposure! Then visit Squidoo and ask for a SquidAngel to visit your lens to bless it, though only do this if youthink it worthy of a blessing as angels can ding your lenses too! If you’ve done a good job, the blessing will help your lens rise in the ranks!
Learning how to Squidoo can be intimidating even for the best writers or most prolific website designers. If you’d rather hire professionals to build your lens for you I would highly recommend Lewis and Tiffany at http://www.BuildMyLens.com Their lens design service is excellent and their finished lenses do extremely well conveying the professionalism that you want to be known for in your niche!
Lastly, have fun and leave a comment with a link to your lenses!
Benefit On Squidoo
On Squidoo, you can promote:
• Yourself
• Your website
• Your blog
• Your hobby
• Your service
• Your offline business
• Your online business
• Your products
• Your eBay store
• Your eBooks
• Your affiliate program (yes, affiliate links are OK! No cloaking, no hiding!)
Squidoo gives you free web space and you can promote virtually anything... and you can make as many of these web pages as you want! These focused pages on Squidoo are called "lenses".
• Yourself
• Your website
• Your blog
• Your hobby
• Your service
• Your offline business
• Your online business
• Your products
• Your eBay store
• Your eBooks
• Your affiliate program (yes, affiliate links are OK! No cloaking, no hiding!)
Squidoo gives you free web space and you can promote virtually anything... and you can make as many of these web pages as you want! These focused pages on Squidoo are called "lenses".
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