10 Ideas for Great Squidoo Lenses

1REVIEWS: Look around your home. Grab your favorite book, movie, video game, piece of sports equipment, product, or something that solves a problem. Review it, showcasing it with an Amazon spotlight. Use "Review" in the lens title, since people often search for "[X] review". (Example: a review of my cat's carrier, a good Amazon earner.)

2 PHOTOS: Here's an asset you have that no one else does: your own photos! People search the web for images. Make a lens on something you've photographed. Research and give unique information about it. Use specific filenames like "bald-eagle.jpg" to target searches. See How to Upload Images on Squidoo for help. (Example: My Sea Hare lens gets 40-50 weekly visitors.)

3ANSWERS: Go to Yahoo Answers and browse a category you know and love. Look for commonly-asked or interesting questions that you can answer. Make a lens about it! If possible, use your own photos, or even make and embed a YouTube video with a link to your lens in its description! (Example: Why Do Things Float?)

4 CONTROVERSY: Take a stand on a topic that people argue over: the Designated Hitter, the Tea Party, famous hoaxes, conspiracy theories, Twilight vs. Harry Potter. Scan forums and news sites for debates, especially ones where people tend to drop links that "prove" they're right! Create a lens on it and include a Duel Module. Set comments to Moderate in case you get flamed. (Example: Photos of Moon Landing Sites from Space)

5NOT YET FAMOUS: Look for contestants on upcoming talent/reality shows, new actors, or rookies starting their pro sports career. We have no idea who will be successful. But you'll get a surge of traffic when they start, and if they turn out to be a star, yours will be the FIRST big webpage on them, so you'll get traffic! (Example: Russell Martin, LA Dodgers)

6EXPERTISE: What do you know? Pick one aspect of it and explain it clearly. Make a tutorial, an FAQ, or a lesson! Include printables; clickouts can boost lensrank. Test them with a mini-quiz. (Example: Ancient Greece FAQ for Students.)

7 BREAKING NEWS: Did you just hear of something on the news? Is there a meme? Has a new buzzword or quote suddenly come into vogue? Google loves to pick up new webpages on topical subjects. Watch Twitter's "Trending Topics" in the sidebar for the latest buzz. (Example: Funniest Horse Race Ever.)

8TRADITION: Traditions can be anything from holidays to ethnic dishes, to regional events and customs. They could even be quirky family traditions, office in-jokes, or superstitions of some profession (never say "Macbeth" or "no-hitter"). This way, when National Bubble Wrap Day comes around, your lens will be all ready to help people celebrate! (Example: A Day Without Cats)

9 FANDOM: From Harry Potter to Volkswagen Bugs to Pez dispensers, there are lots of people geeking about it, collecting it, and debating it. Many fandoms have controversies that get people talking! It's better to be specific (Severus Snape) rather than broad (fantasy and science fiction). (Example: Fan-Made Star Trek Movie)

10Homemade/DIY: People like making things. Parents, especially homeschoolers, look for kids' activities and crafts. Kids have to make things for school projects. So teach how to do or make something. Printables are again a good way to get clicks, and Amazon Spotlights of hard-to-find materials may earn sales. (Example: Make an Egyptian Paper Pyramid)