Making Great Holiday Lenses

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Content and connections lead to sales.

While I thought September 18th (the date on this photo) was a little early to be setting up Christmas trees in Kmart, there's no denying that the holidays are fast approaching. Even if you're not one to get in the holiday spirit so soon, millions of your potential visitors are, so now is the time to perfect those holiday lenses!

Holiday Lens Idea #2
More niche niche examples

more...

Be sure to use tags on ALL your holiday lenses!

Holiday Lens Idea #1

Pick a big-ticket item and promote the heck out of it.

Pick a big-ticket item and promote the heck out of it.

If you had a popular, interactive lens on the hottest selling $50, $100, or $300 toy of the season, what kind of sales would that add up to for you?

By promote the heck out of it, we don't mean just one lens, either. Any big ticket item can be promoted by using a variety of lenses.

For example, on HOT item this season is the Kindle, the popularity of which was brought to the forefront by Oprah. It retails for $369, which is a lot for something that is still small enough to lose in your purse. But there are tons of great products to go with it. Cases and extra parts could fill a dozen lenses. Download recommendations could fill a thousand lenses. And each one should point to your main lens.

Of course, there may already be dozens of great Kindle lenses, so feel free to pick another awesome big-ticket item to promote!

This HUGE gift could generate a mega commission! Photo used under Creative Commons from nttrbx.

What's selling for big bucks on Amazon?

Of course, you don't have to get this extreme, but people DO buy products like these every day, and Christmas time is no different.

Swarovski SLC Binocular 8x30

Who needs $1200 binoculars? Ask any hunter: they're simply the best.

Amazon Price: $899.00 (as of 07/13/2009)

Detroit Red Wings Recliner - Dreamseat Home Theater

What a perfect chair for the perfect home theater. Ready to spend $1000 a pop?

Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)

Razor Dune Buggy

This $400 go kart isn't out of reach for an 8-year-old's Christmas list.

Amazon Price: $365.99 (as of 07/13/2009)

Holiday Lens Idea #2

Create a gift list for a niche niche individual.

Create a gift list for a niche niche individual.

That's right, I said niche niche. Why? Because when you're talking gifts, two is better than one.

Instead of:

Gifts for boys

Try:

What your 3-year-old boy REALLY wants for Christmas!

Which one is more enticing? Which one screams "I have the answer for you!" in the title? The second title uses two niches to narrow down your gift lens focus. It's about gifts for boys who are three years old.

Who's looking specifically for gifts for boys who are three? Oh, you'd be surprised!

This three-year-old was one happy boy on Christmas! Photo used under Creative Commons from danielcraig.

More niche niche examples

Still unsure how to make your niche niche gift lens? Try these on for size:

Stationery your guy will really use.
The best digital cameras for tweens.
Make a nut-free gift basket. (Or egg-free, wheat-free, etc.)
Under $5 gifts for cubicle co-workers.
Large print books for seniors.

Lensroll your gift-giving lenses together, and use the Featured Lens module!

Holiday Lens Idea #3

Put a spin on current events.

Put a spin on current events.

If you've heard about recent lead-paint scares, there's no guessing why this lens is so hot right now.

But your lens doesn't have to be born out of fear, either. What about our recent presidential election? The go-green movement? Homesteading and stocking-up techniques?

Holiday Lens Idea #4

For non-gift lenses, think THREE niches and a holiday.

For non-gift lenses, think THREE niches and a holiday.

People can get really specific when they search for things online, because they've been through the drill of digging through stuff that really wasn't helpful. So when the readers get picky, the lensmasters get nichy!

* Free, Printer-Friendly, Gift Tags for Christmas
* Favorite Christmas Frosted Cutout Cookies
* Elegant Thanksgiving Centerpieces with Candles

Not only does the "three niche and a holiday" system help you create focused lenses, you can create a variety of focused lenses just by changing the niches:

* Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Centerpieces with Pumpkins
* Elegant Christmas Wreathes with Snowflakes
* Casual Christmas Table Settings with Candles

How many hundreds of combinations of awesome holiday lenses can you create with just this one idea??

(This is almost like being back in grammar school and picking out sentence parts, isn't it?)

These three trees are courtesy of a photo used through Creative Commons from infomatique.

Use your lenses with free info to direct readers to related holiday sales lenses.

Holiday Lens Idea #5

Monetize your tip lenses.

Monetize your tip lenses.

If your lens is all about free information or how to do something great for the holidays, there's no reason why you can't monetize it while keeping the focus on the freebies.

* On your "how-to display teeny tiny ornaments" lens, monetize with mini trees and display cases.
* On a "how to safely hang Christmas lights" lens, monetize with hooks and clips. (The 3M removable hooks are hot!)
* On your tip lens about "keeping the peace between your family members," monetize with serious and humorous books on negotiating and dealing with difficult people.

The idea here is to be ready when your reader decides they want to make a purchase. When they're ready to say, "this is too hard, give me the easy stuff!" you can easily ship them from your "handmade Hanukkah cards" to purchased ones that you'll get the sales credit for.

A few holiday lenses we luuuuuv!

There are a ton of great ones. Here are a special few.

Christmas Clip Art

Here's all you need to know to find the best good quality Christmas clip art and New Year graphics. You'll find hundreds of sources for Christmas craft graphics and holiday clip art borders in this Christmas Clip Art and New Year Graphics lens. You...

Countdown to Christmas

This lens is all about getting ready for Christmas. Not about what gifts to buy your relatives, or how to host a perfect holiday party, but the special, meaningful things that families may do together during the season of Advent. I've found some beau...

Christmas Yard and Lawn Decorations | Christmas Lighting 2008

Want your yard to light up this Christmas 2008? Check out these fabulous outdoor Christmas decorations. Here you will find my personal recommendations for lighted Christmas displays and outdoor decorations at discounted prices and many with free ship...

Christmas Crafts - Decorations, Gifts, Giftwrap and More

This lens is filled with free holiday crafts projects, decorating tips and crafty freebies for you to make Christmas gifts, ornaments, decorations, greeting cards, stickers and gift wrap on a budget. Crafty Christmas gifts and ornaments come straight...

Crazy Cute Christmas Cupcakes

An abundance of crazy cute Christmas cupcake ideas and Christmas cupcake recipe links is waiting for you right here, along with make-it-yourself cupcake decoration ideas, cute Christmas shaped cupcake pans, candy christmas cu...

When in doubt, go with what you know. Everyone knows SOMETHING about the holidays!

Ho ho ho...tell Santa what YOU want this Christmas!

Lensmaster

easyforyouebooks wrote...

Great lens - good ideas

Posted January 18, 2009

Lensmaster

2Eklectik wrote...

Thanks for the great information!! There are some really great ideas in your lens!!

Posted January 05, 2009

Lensmaster

jdpugsle wrote...

Great lens mate! Your lens is full of good tips that we beginners can use to become proficient in our planning stage. Thank you mate, for the hot tips.
I really enjoyed your article well done. Congradulations on the LOD that is an award winning achievement!

Goodday mate!

Posted December 27, 2008

Lensmaster

dannystaple wrote...

I love Christmas, and already written a couple of holiday lenses. Still - I think I can write plenty more given the time... Thanks for the inspiration - going to be adding this one into my todo list (ThinkingRock) to come back for more inspiration I think.

Posted December 21, 2008

Lensmaster

calicoskies wrote...

This was SO helpful! Thanks Kimberly :)

Posted December 18, 2008

Lensmaster

packman57 wrote...

Great LOTD, Congrat's! Thanks for sharing some very solid ideas for all. 5 *****

Posted December 13, 2008

Lensmaster

anton55 wrote...

Very helpful tips, thank you for sharing.

Posted December 13, 2008

Lensmaster

debsgreatfinds wrote...

Santa I want to remodel my kitchen and bathroom this coming spring :) great lens lots of tips thanks!

Posted December 13, 2008

Lensmaster

StephenC wrote...

hey Santa, I want to be debt-free!

Posted December 09, 2008

Lensmaster

jennrose wrote...

This lens helped me out when I was writing my own Holiday lens. Very inspiring! 5*

Posted December 09, 2008

Lensmaster

simplewish wrote...

great Christmas lens...thanks for the ideas!

Posted December 08, 2008

Lensmaster

HomeTowne_Market wrote...

Very helpful and informative! Made me want to go shopping though. LOL Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

Posted December 07, 2008

Lensmaster

kemengr wrote...

I have always been an admirer of your lenses. This one is a great tip for making just any lens.

Posted December 06, 2008

Lensmaster

Deborah wrote...

Great ideas! Wish I had time to make some more lenses right now!

Posted December 06, 2008

Lensmaster

PattB wrote...

Great ideas, Kimberly 5 stars*****Favorited, and Thanks! Pat

Posted December 05, 2008

Lensmaster

DJ_Heckes wrote...

Great lens! I love Christmas!

Posted December 05, 2008

Lensmaster

K_Linda wrote...

Excellent lens with timely advice. 5*'s.

Posted December 05, 2008

Lensmaster

debsgreatfinds wrote...

thanks for the tips :)

Posted December 05, 2008

Lensmaster

Celticozarkian wrote...

Great ideas, thanks for the "food for thought"!

Posted December 04, 2008

Lensmaster

AnotherBob

Very cool lens. 5 stars. Thanks.

Posted November 29, 2008

Lensmaster

Lakota429 wrote...

Great lens!!!! Would love for you to stop by and visit my Christmas Tree and Snowman Earrings lens! 5 stars and a lensroll!!! Happy Holidays! Annie~

Posted November 29, 2008

Lensmaster

heehaw wrote...

Santa, please raise my grandma from her grave! Nice squidoo lense Kimberly! we love it!

Posted November 26, 2008

Lensmaster

kathyrclark wrote...

Thank you for sharing all these great ideas. Lensrolled this lens and favored it. Great job.
Kathy

Posted November 25, 2008

Lensmaster

seashell2 wrote...

Hi, this is a great lens! Good Information! Please come check out my Decorating lens and see what you think!
http://www.squidoo.com/Christmas-Ornaments-in-Glass-Bowls

Thanks!

Posted November 25, 2008

Lensmaster

DebiJones wrote...

Great Lens Kimberly! Lots of ideas! Ok....I do not watch Oprah often.....WHAT is a Kindle? Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Posted November 22, 2008

Lensmaster

WendyKrick wrote...

Thanks for the tips

Posted November 21, 2008

Lensmaster

Christie327 wrote...

Great tips!! Thanks for posting this lens :)

Posted November 21, 2008

Lensmaster

lisadh wrote...

Excellent tips, Kimberly! Thanks!

Posted November 17, 2008

Lensmaster

kiwisoutback wrote...

Thanks for the ideas! Great point about searchers getting very specific, I know I do when I search. Lensrolling to my "48 squidoo lens ideas" lens.

Posted November 17, 2008

Lensmaster

Mickie_G wrote...

Thanks for the ideas!

I have become so addicted to Squidoo, I am finding ideas everywhere I look! My mind is exploding so I guess I had best get writing!

Posted November 17, 2008

1 of 2 pages

Add your ONE most favoritest holiday lens.

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Making Great Holiday Lenses

Content and connections lead to sales.

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

Holiday Lens Idea #1

Pick a big-ticket item and promote the heck out of it.

What's selling for big bucks on Amazon?

Holiday Lens Idea #2

Create a gift list for a niche niche individual.

More niche niche examples

Holiday Lens Idea #3

Put a spin on current events.

Holiday Lens Idea #4

For non-gift lenses, think THREE niches and a holiday.

Holiday Lens Idea #5

Monetize your tip lenses.

A few holiday lenses we luuuuuv!

Ho ho ho...tell Santa what YOU want this Christmas!

Add your ONE most favoritest holiday lens.

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