bdkz's Best Squidoo Tips

No this is not some deep philosophical journey! What this means is that you need to find out why you have decided to become a lensmaster. There's no wrong answer, but figuring out your purpose will help you set realistic goals and achieve them. What do you want? A Career? Extra income? A place to write? To raise money for charity? Showcase a hobby? Find your purpose and your passion!

My purpose is to earn an income. I am a SAHM who wants a career. I'm not looking for a get-rich-quick recipe. I want to invest myself in a company that I can grow with. I believe that Squidoo is that place.

Finding my purpose has taken a year. When I first started Squidoo in Feb. 2007 I had no clue as to what I was doing. My lenses had an amateur feel and I created my share of duds! However this did not discourage me. I knew that I had the skills to succeed I just needed to educate myself. When I want to learn something new I'm like a sponge, I read, research and drive people bananas asking question! This brings us to Tip #2. Knowledge Is Key!

Knowing what you're doing is a good thing! Would you attempt to install your own furnace? Heck No! You might blow yourself up. However if you wanted to make a career out of installing furnaces you would get HVAC Certification. Then not only would you have a career, you could also install your own furnace. Your career investment pays off because you invest time and energy into your venture.

Now what's funny about the internet is that people think that they can just create a website, or sell on ebay or create a lens and start making oodles of money. Wrong! People that are successful on Squidoo are knowledgeable. They know how to use Squidoo and they never stop learning.

I'm always inspired by people who persevere. I always root for the underdog. I think that people can succeed if given the right tools and encouragement. Here's where Tip #3 comes into play. Don't give up! Create a lens, wait a few days, read, learn, update your lens. Create another lens. You're 10th lens is going to be much better then your 1st lens. My philosophy is that a lens is never finished but a constant work in progress.

If you truly believe that you have a good lens keep going. I myself almost gave up back in April of 2007. I had made 30 lenses and about $5.00. I was getting discouraged. Then in May my Star Wars Fan Site lens got picked as "Lens of the Day". I was thrilled and got more inspired. I started improving my old lenses and making new ones. I found my niche (everything Pop Culture) and went full speed ahead. By August 2007 my payday was $97.80. I now average over $350 per month.

I have since grown my niche to include "How-to" lenses like Zazzle 101...How to Make a Profit on Zazzle, a lens which has been in the #1 spot and on the Top 100 list for over 600 days.

When I first started with Squidoo I never would have imagined getting where I am now, I never gave up!

Networking is a key part of becoming a successful business person. People who work in corporate American attend Rotary, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and network. Squidoo is no exception. The Lensmasters on the SquidU Forum are happy to answer questions and mentor newbies. So get involved!

There are also plenty of sites outside of Squidoo that will help you too. Join Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Digg, LinkedIn, etc. There are a ton of Lensmasters hanging out at these places with groups and networks to join.

I think that the most important tip I can give is that you have to be a realist to be a successful Lensmaster. The reality of Squidoo is that it's hard work...there's no such thing as a free lunch.

I have an interesting story. Years ago when I was selling on ebay all my friends and relatives were whining about how I was so lucky that I sold on ebay and made money. So I taught them how to sell. Well then they complained about how much work ebay was. The reality was that they didn't really want to do the work they just wanted the money. They thought ebay was a get-rich-quick miracle and that they would be rolling in dough. Most of them quit.

Squidoo is no different. You get out of Squidoo what you put into it. I work about 30+ hours per week updating lens, answering e-mails, reviewing lenses, reading, learning, blogging, etc. I treat this as my career and work really, really hard. That being said I do believe that it is possible to start making $1,000+ per month on Squidoo and that's my goal!

This brings us full circle back to Tip #1 Find Yourself. Then figure out what you want to accomplish, learn, network, work hard and be realistic!

Back in the 80's Spam was just a weird little tasty treat in a can. Today Spam takes on a whole new meaning. Defining Spam is not always easy. Spam is often in the eye of the beholder...One man's trash is another man's treasure!

Spam is not always about content but the way in which content is presented. Creating a lens about affiliate marketing, shopping, or working from home can spark a Spam label for some because these subjects are often times associated with spam. However don't be too quick to judge! I've seen some great lenses about working from home, it's all about presentation.

My advice is be true to yourself. Most of us know spam when we see it. If you think that you might be a little spammy ask a friend or fellow Lensmaster for advice.

Another aspect of Spam involves bugging the heck out of people to look at your lenses. Don't post 10 entries about the same lens in the Forum, don't compliment another Lensmaster in their guestbook then leave an HTML link to your own lens, don't e-mail other Lensmasters and beg for star ratings, Squid Angel Blessings or traffic.

Spam is never going to go away but you can stop it from rearing its ugly head by being aware of what it is!

Would you work for Microsoft without reading up on Bill Gates? Heck No! Know whose running the show. Squidoo HQ knows their stuff and you can learn a lot from their lenses.

Find out Who's Who on Squidoo and then check out some of the cool lenses the've built.

One of the core values of Squidoo is giving to charity. So I created: Over 50 Ways You Can "Change The World" Using Squidoo!

I'm not sure how many people know this but every lens generates 5% to charity. Here's how:

From Squidoo's Just the FAQ "We pay 50% to you, our lensmasters, or to the charities you select. We pay 5% to our charity fund and we keep 45% to cover our costs. We don't make any deductions or take any long-term reserves. In fact, we never have."

So go ahead, give a little! Learn more from Editor-in-Chief Megan Casey's lens Make A Lens, Make A Difference!

SquidooHQ has the latest news and updates including lensmaking tips, status updates and lensmaster spotlights.

Giant Squid are Lensmasters who have created 25 or more quality lens.

Giant Squids are chosen on a rolling basis and are rewarded with special privileges. If you would like to be a Giant Squid create at least 25 quality lenses.

For more information on becoming a Giant Squid Click Here.