Top 10 ways to make money on Squidoo
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An overview from Squidoo's Editor in Chief
Read testimonials from some of our favorite lensmasters and find out what they're doing with their monthly Squidoo earnings!
If you're reading this, it probably means you want to make the most of your Squidoo lenses. You're interested in creating great, unique, useful pages and you probably hope a lot of people will read them. And you want to earn some money from them!Squidoo is a platform full of opportunity for people who want to get paid for good creative work online. Here's a short lens to recap the top 10 moneymaking opportunities (plus some occasional bonuses) that we've set up for you here.
Here's the secret: You're in control. It's up to you to choose which lenses you want to monetize, which you don't, and where you want to send your money (to you or to charity). It's also up to you to get the word out about your works of art. The more you share your lenses with people who want to read them, the better your chances of earning money from them.
Squidoo is a very rewarding plaform, and very lucrative, in direct proportion to the amount of effort, originality and authenticity you put in.
So take a read and decide which tools you want to take advantage of, and then go do it in a way that makes the world better (and you a little richer).
Megan Casey
Editor in Chief
Updated July 2011
It's up to you
Squidoo is a very rewarding plaform, in direct proportion to the amount of effort and authenticity you put in.
The 10 best ways to make money on Squidoo
feel free to skip around
#1 The Amazon module
Why is this the best bet? You add the module, you write the content, you match the content to the products you like, you benefit directly from every sale.
The most profitable lenses make personal, human, authentic recommendations about ideas or products. If you loved the LOST TV series, you can talk about it on a lens and point to the DVDs via the Amazon module. Someone buys a set from your lens, you get a cut of the sale. (Example below. This module you're reading now is the Amazon module!) You tweet your lens a lot, share it on Facebook, send it to people who are in to shows like LOST, and you up your own likelihood of making a sale.
One more thing: Most individual small Amazon affiliates, people who open their own personal accounts, start in the 4% sales tier on Amazon. With a little work and a lot of sales, you can earn your way into Amazon's 6% tier. This has zilch to do with Squidoo, you can do it on your own with work. Some people like this option because they don't share the revenue to help Squidoo keep the site running, and they don't have to share with charity. But think about this: Squidoo is a top Amazon affiliate, and we're in the 8.5% tier. If you're using the official Amazon module, we halve that with you, which means your cut is already higher than the straight 4% you'd get if you were starting out on your own with Amazon.
And the Amazon module was designed with a user interface that makes it loud and clear to visitors that they can purchase something from your lens. Our official Amazon modules convert very well when surrounded by contextual information, reader reviews, personal recommendation and relevant news.
Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5
Amazon Price: $144.00 (as of 05/27/2012)
Seasons 1 through 5 of LOST, all right here. What a gift!
#2 Google AdSense: Text Ads
looks like this
Google's AdSense program matches up your lens content with the best contextual ads they have to offer. These ads always show right under the titlebar of your lenses. The Adsense text ads also show at the very bottom of lenses.
50% of the revenue from these ads goes into the big ad pool for lensmasters.
It's best to think of the ad royalties as a bonus cut of the pie. Where the real money can come in for you is using Amazon and eBay and your own strategies to monetize your lens, without waiting for a handout from the ad pool.
AdSense ads are at the core of our business model and make it possible to run this site for you for free, give money to charity, and pay our lensmasters. There is no way to opt out of these ads on any lenses.
Read testimonials from some of our favorite lensmasters and find out what they're doing with their monthly Squidoo earnings!
#3 Display ads
These are graphical ads, not text-based ads. They show in your sidebar or as a banner across the top of your lens. Sometimes we use Glam Media to deliver these ads, sometimes SAY media, sometimes display ads from Google, and sometimes we even run house ads for charity or to promote lensmaking on Squidoo.50% of the revenue from these ads goes into the big ad pool for lensmasters.
At right is an example of a display ad.
You can opt out of SOME display ads by setting your lens royalties 100% to charity and then clicking the "Opt out of banner ads" checkbox in the Workshop of that lens.
#4 In-Text Ads
what they look like and how they work
Above is an example on an 'in-text link ad' running on my own lens.
"Text links ads" or "In-text ads" present themselves a few different ways. We've worked with InfoLinks and Vibrant Media to serve these ads. When these ads are turned on for your lenses, their systems match a handful of hot keywords on your lens with related ads. The keyword will be automatically underlined in green, communicating that this is an ad and not editorial from you. We believe that with relevance, low link density (meaning only a few per lens) and a clear design for the ad box that shows when your readers click on the ad link, this could be a pleasant experience for people who land on your page.
We also know that it's bringing in a significant amount of money to the lenses that keep them on, especially lenses that are highly trafficked.
50% of the revenue from these ads goes into an ad pool reserved only for lensmasters who have these ads turned on.
If you're hoping to get the most money out of your lenses, try turning Text-Link Ads on.
You can opt out of text link ads, lens by lens, by turning them off in the sidebar of your Workshop. Or you can opt out globally in your My Settings.
Spotlight: An 'In-Text Links' Case Study
(as of March 15 2010)
Now start multiplying in your head by the number of lenses you have, and the number of months in a year, and so on... the point is, InfoLinks is a big earning source, and it's worth a shot.
The best news is that these lenses all still look great. Vibrant Media puts clearly marked green underlines on the few words per lens it monetizes for you. It's up to you and your personal taste, of course, but it's hard to argue that these lenses are visually degraded by the links -- and easy to see how much money they earn for the lensmasters as a result.
#5 The eBay module
example below
You can find anything on eBay! Add relevant eBay items you own or would love to own and match them to the topic of your lenses.
Here I chose a few reclaimed barn wood picture frames that I thought looked rustic and cool. Now, if someone buys one of these items because of my lens, I make money.
The more you curate eBay items for your lenses, the more money you can make. Up to you if you think the eBay module, or products from eBay, is a good fit for your lens.
#6 Chitika Ads (disabled)
#7 Fixed-position browser toolbar (at the bottom of lenses)
example below
We formerly worked with Meebo to run a fixed position browser toolbar on Squidoo. We're now working with SAY Media on an experiment for a different ad unit in that same space. You can read about this in our official blog post: http://hq.squidoo.com/squid-news/twig-unit-a-fixed-position-bottom-of-browser-ad-bar/
50% of the revenue we get from the toolbar will go into the lensmaster ad pool. You can see an example of an ad showing on SAY media ad bar, above.
The Twig unit will load as the last element on the page, meaning a reader will see the entire page loaded before the bar unit shows up.
The unit will not show at all to logged-in lensmasters. This is because we took note of most of you minimizing the Meebo Bar, and also believe that certain ads should only show to certain types of audiences - making the page more efficient based on the behaviors and intentions of the person visiting it.
The unit will show to non-logged in readers and visitors to the site, and it will look just like the example above. The example is of a Magazine lens, but this unit will be on classic lenses as well.
The ad doesn't do any auto-expand, auto-play, auto-sing-at-you, nothing like that. If you hover over the ad for long enough, it will open. If you do see some kind of non-user-initiated popup ad happening on Squidoo, let us know, as that's not part of our agreement with any advertisers.
If a visitor doesn't want to see this ad unit, she can click the Close button on the ad and it won't appear for the rest of the session. Or even for 24 hours, I believe. Remember logged in lensmasters won't see it at all, ever.
Finally, the quality of the ad content we've seen from SAY has been very heartening. They've really got a great network of brands.
This toolbar does not show to logged in lensmasters at all.
3 best bets for making money
2. Turn on text link ads. There's a lot of money to be had there.
3. Keep all display ads on. The quality of graphical ads are getting better and better.
Oh yeah: And make great lenses. :) Sometimes it takes 10 or 50 or 200 lenses before you hit the jackpot, but focus on quality first.
Try it and see how it goes.
#8 The Zazzle module
not a moneymaker, but awesome!
But I'm listing it as a moneymaker because if you are a Zazzle shopkeeper, then making lenses to highlight your best stuff is a wonderful way to earn more customers and make sales over on Zazzle. Squidoo just helps. A lot.
Here's an example of this Zazzle module in action.
#9 The Etsy module
another non-moneymaker worth knowing about
As with the Zazzle module above, the Etsy module does not earn you royalties from Squidoo. It can, however, change your life as an Etsy seller :)
Make lenses to promote your stuff for sale on Etsy, to organize how-to lenses about your craft, to showcase pictures of every step of your handmade creation, and lots more. Great lead gen for your stores.
Here is the Etsy module showcasing some stuff from one of my favorite shopkeepers on Etsy, who always makes really cool woodwork items for the house.
Primitive Shaker Peg Shelf / Color Choice | Price: $0
A Must - Have for your Primitive Space!
This Shaker Peg Shelf could be used in almost any room and allows for a great display of your collectibles... (full description)
Farmhouse Primitive Rolling Pin Bowl Rack / Handmade / Custom Colors Available | Price: $0
ā A Sawdusty Original from the Olde Woodshop ā
This Rolling Pin Bowl Keep was designed by me,
painted Farmhouse Tan, aged and antiqued.... (full description)
Wood Crate Caddy Tote / Primitive Office Storage / Lamp Black / Color Choice / Handmade Antique Reproduction | Price: $35
Handmade right here at the Cabin,
Iām offering this Wooden Caddy Tote.
Display your Favorite Collectibles or keep your Country Space organized... (full description)
#10! Or do your own thing
It's truly up to you if you want to monetize your lenses using the tools and options we provide you or if you'd rather do custom work elsewhere, and use lenses to support and leverage that.
We do permit linking out to affiliate programs you participate in, but our standards and quality expectations for those lenses are very high. There are a lot of low quality affiliate programs, or very junky lenses created for other affiliate programs, that we simply cannot support. So when you publish a lens, ask yourself if it's bringing anything authentic, and anything other than commercial linkbuilding value.
And hey, if you're not here for the money at all, try swapping your royalty settings over to charity. Charity is a big part of why we started Squidoo.
Testimonials: See what your fellow lensmasters have to say!
Wow. Just wow.
I'm putting my Squidoo earnings towards a trip to Belgium later this summer! -- CDT
Plain and simple, it pays my utilities. And it's been great to do so without punching a time clock or having to get our of my jammies if I don't want to. --relache
I've used Squidoo earnings to purchase and donate flip video cameras to my daughters' classes. --Comfortdoc
My Squidoo earnings usually go towards fun family things like our yearly Disney vacation. :)
-- Christene
In the last year I've used my earnings to buy art supplies, new digital camera, new laptop, and recently, since I moved out on my own, to pay part of my rent. -- Sheryl
I use mine for special family treats and taking care of the 8 pet rescues I having living in my home. All of that just from writing about things I love!! -- The_Party_Animal
My Squidoo earnings are a nice part of my total online income so I can work full time from home. :-) -- Barkely
Thanks to Squidoo, I get pampered at a spa every month! That's after my 10% minimum donation to charity. Win Win Win! --hlkljgk
What do I use my Squidoo royalties for? A wedding, riding lawnmower gift, grandchildren presents, parts for my truck, roofing materials. -- Flowergardener
Last year I saved my Squidoo earnings to pay for the family vacation. It was great, plus it really motivated me to keep my lenses nice and
fresh! -- Azareal
Squidoo helped me turn my dream of making a living as a writer into a reality. -- RMS
Right now I'm buying art supplies! This month I ordered an easel and some expensive professional watercolors. -- LindaJM
I'm living on my Squidoo income; it pays the bills, I loan to friends & family, give donations, and even save money each month... and I have extra money just to spend on me. --Tipi
My Squidoo royalties cover web hosting, domain names and tools that make my IM life a breeze! --Sojourn
100% used to go to Save The Children. These days, mostly college tuition. --SemperFidelis
My Squidoo earnings are my indulgences. I buy funky jewelry, an original animation cell of Brainey Smurf eating cereal - whatever strikes my fancy. --Kab
I try to save up my earnings to use them for big purchases or emergencies. I also keep an online shopping reserve at Paypal if I find something special on eBay or Etsy. -- BigGirlBlue
Without Squidoo, I wouldn't have been able to sustain my business for long enough to make a go of it. In short, I LOVE Squidoo! -- WorldVisionary
I use my Squidoo earnings to buy my freedom to stay at home with my kids, be my own boss and do what I love. -- enslavedbyfaeries
In 2009 my earnings paid for minor surgery. I'm planning to spend it on something more fun than that in 2010! -- Mulberry
Squidoo has been really good to me for the last two years! I use my Squidoo payout to pay for my car payment! -- ThomasC
Charity, SquidKiva loans, donations to individuals, my retirement nest egg, gifts for my grandkids, art supplies ... and a bit of entertainment. -- Pastiche
The earnings from Squidoo have allowed me to pay BILLS, shop for clothes, pay for extras around the house and still give 10% to
charity! -- CosmeticMom
I like to do something nice for my wife and I that we otherwise would not have been able to do. -- jeffwend
Last Christmas, if it weren't for Squidoo, I don't know how my children would have gotten any gifts! -- eclecticeducation
I love how my monthly squidoo payout helps to chip away at my mortgage. -- smallfry
I spend my squidoo royalties on rent, electricity, water etc., wordpress plugins and hosting. -- Spirituality
Squidoo earnings cover ClassyGals high car payment, keep my cat Bozwell pampered quite well, and allow me some fun money! -- ClassyGals
Over the last few years Squidoo has been not only an inspiring community but a growing source of a steady income that I set aside to pay for my groceries every month. -- Monarch13
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