Newbie Guide to Squidoo Lensmaking

Whenever I start to tell people about my wonderfully successful experiences here at Squidoo the first thing they always ask me is, "What's a lens?"

I get so excited whenever I start to talk about Squidoo, that I forget that the uninitiated really have no idea what I'm talking about when I refer to my lenses.

A lens is simply what they call a web page here at Squidoo.

I suppose the best way to explain what a lens is would be to have you think of a magnifying glass. When you look through the lens of a magnifying glass, everything you see within that lens is bigger, sharper, more defined. The best Squidoo lenses are a lot like that magnifying glass. The very best Squidoo lenses are about very defined topics and those topics are explored in full detail.

An excellent example of this concept can be seen by viewing Margaret Schaut's lens titled, Michelangelos David.

This lens is both beautiful to look at and educational while at the same time providing several well placed affiliate links to products that would be cherished by any Michelangelo's David admirers.

If you visit this lens you'll notice that the products don't scream "BUY ME". The careful and proper placement of the products within the lens gently lead a shopper to notice them and getting a shopper's attention is half the battle when it comes to affiliate sales, right?

Before you start your first lens, you should choose a topic.

I suggest you choose something you are passionate about, or something you know very well, inside and out, because when a lensmaker is passionate and knowledgeable about their topic, it shows through in their writing.

Before you start your first lens be prepared to fill at least 4 modules, (sections of the lens) not including the initial introduction, or your guest book module.

The way the Squidoo modules are set up, it will be very easy for you to accomplish filling four modules, or more, if you've chosen something you already know about.

After you've clicked on the build my own lens button and started your lens, the process is self-explanatory. Each step will be spelled out for you in easy to understand language.

The only thing that you need to be extremely careful about when starting a new lens is your url name. That is the only thing that can't ever be changed. So use caution when choosing it. Watch for typos, take your time, and choose your url name wisely and carefully.

If you make a mistake in any of the other places in the lens, don't worry, it can be fixed easily enough later on, through editing, but you will always be "stuck" with your first url address.

In addition to knowing what you want to write about, it would also be helpful for you to know what you plan on selling that ties in with your topic. (That is, if you are planning to sell anything.) Money earned from your lenses can either be paid to you in cash through paypal, or donated to your favorite charity.

The most popular way to sell things on Squidoo is through affiliate sales at Amazon.com and eBay. You might want to take a look at what they have to offer your customers before starting your lens so you don't end up being disappointed after starting your lens.

You don't even have to worry about getting your own affiliate account, Squidoo already has one for you to use.

I highly recommend that all newbie Squids visit SquidU and the Lensmasters Lounge.

The Lensmasters Lounge is a forum set up and run by the wonderful people who brought us Squidoo.

SquidU contains links to some really important informational lenses.

In the lounge you will have access to all previous postings by some very experienced Squidooers and you will also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn all you need to know to help you create better and more profitable lenses.

There are links to SquidU on every single lens at Squidoo and you'll even find a couple on your dashboard.

Everyone who has joined Squidoo already has access to use SquidU. So, don't be shy. Get on over there now. Introduce yourself and start getting all of your questions answered.

Trust me on this. You won't be sorry!

One of the most important things you need to do, and one of the easiest things to forget when making your first few lenses is to always fill in all of the blanks.

Give each of your modules a personalized title. Don't leave any blanks or automized titles.

Add personal comments to each and every one of your modules, including and especially in your guestbook and your Amazon, or eBay sections.

Add tags. Tags are how the search engines will find your lens. Your lenses won't leave home without them. You can choose up to 40 tags but be sure to use the most specific words that match your topic.

Add a personalized Bio to your main page. I see this mistake being made constantly. If you don't add your own bio, the page will simply say, "This is my bio. I can edit it later." This is very unprofessional looking.

Oh, and be sure to save all of your work. Each module will supply you with a save button. If you don't use them, you will lose all of your hard work.

If you don't have time to complete your lens in one sitting, you can hit the "Save as a Draft" button and come back to it later.

Although you really don't need to know basic html when first getting started making Squidoo lenses, basic html comes in handy if you want to spiff up, or add a little flair, or some links within your lenses.

The introduction module and your biography modules have a built in link maker but if you want to add links in any of the other modules you will need to know some basic html.

Lensmaster N376 has prepared this highly informative lens on basic html for Squidoo. His lens will give you basic easy-to-follow instruction on how to add links and photos to your lenses. I found this lens to be a lifesaver when I first started making my own lenses.

Oh who am I trying to kid? I still use it all the time!

Once you've set up a lens you will have a Statistics page, located on your dashboard, which will show you how many visitors have seen your lens, your lens rank, and how many sales you have made. You will also be able to see where your visitors are coming from; and learn who is referring people to your lenses. (In other words, where all of your backlinks are coming from.)

The following link to a lens by BoredofEducation should be helpful in teaching you how to make heads and tails out of the many stats you will find on your stats page.

There is a whole lot more to know about Squidoo but this should help you get started. Once you've made a lens or two you will feel like an old pro.

If you need more information quickly. Visit the Lensmasters forum at SquidU. You'll find a link to SquidU at the very top of this page.

I've only been here a few short months and I'm already a Giant Squid which means I've made over 50 quality lenses.

Did I mention that Squidoo is addictive?

A friend of mine sent me this and I thought it was a good thing to think about before posting anything online.

Self-restraint

One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgment
can ruin our relation with another person for a whole day,
or maybe a whole year.
Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.
We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and furious, power-driven argument.
The same goes for sulking or silent scorn.
These are emotional booby traps baited with pride and vengeance.
Our first job is to sidestep the traps.

Earn even more with your lenses by adding affiliate links.