Squidoo Lensrank Experiment

Explaining Squidoo Lensrank Experiment

Squidoo is one of the most exciting ways to earn money online, but if you really want to be a successful Squidoo lensmaster (or lensmistress), there are a few things that must be done.

Although some claim that Squidoo is easy and a lens can be together in 5 minutes, others brag about how much money they've made on Squidoo and give out some helpful lensmastering techniques, but I have just had a better idea:

How about following my Squidoo Lensrank Experiment in which I will apply the tips I have learned in my time on Squidoo, but the difference being that I will explain everything I do on this lens to increase its lensrank and bring more traffic to it?

I have applied some of the Squidoo tips I know of in my other 8 lenses but since I never wrote down what I was doing, I might have skipped a few. This will not be the case here and even though this experiment might fail miserably, if you see it one day in the top 100 lenses, you will know that I am on to something good and I will have provided you with a step-by-step guide on how to create a popular Squidoo lens.

If you find this lens helpful, don't forget to rate it or submit to your favourite bookmarking sites!

Squidoo Lensrank Experiment Step 1: Creating a New Lens

Topic, content, tagging and keywords

Pick a popular topic
For this lens I have picked a topic that should be popular with other Squidoo lensmasters as it deals with something all lensmasters want to achieve: getting a good Squidoo Lensrank.
My ultimate goal for this lens is for it to become a reference for many Squidoo Lensmasters so I will try to make it as helpful as possible.

Tagging
If you would like to know everything there is to know about tagging a lens, I recommend heading over to Squidoo Tagging Tricks (but only after reading and rating this lens).
I have changed my primary tag from Squidoo Lensrank Experiment to Squidoo Lensrank as the advice on Squidutils is not to use the same phrases for both. You can see the rest of my tags on the right column of my lens (check my related topics).

Keywords
I am using my main tags as keywords; I don't have any scientific advice on which keywords to use but one thing I am doing from time to time is going to my lensmaster dashboard and checking my stats where i can find which keywords were used by Google searchers to find my lens. I make mure to add these in my tags and I try to use them a bit more but only if they are relevant. I also use bold characters to emphasize some of my keywords (kind of like giving Google a shout).

Squidoo Lensrank Experiment Step 2: Adding Modules

Squidoo Modules for my Lensrank Experiment

This is an important step as Squidoo modules are the foundations of lenses; this is where I include my content but also where I try to add a bit of colour and variety to my lens.

1-Introduction Module
This was already there when I created my brand new lens; I am using it to explain what the Squidoo Lensrank Experiment is all about. I have including some of my tags/keywords (some of them in bold characters) and include a picture. To make this particular picture I visited Squidoo: Buttons and Banners, picked an icon I liked and edited it with Microsoft Office Paint. I used one of my lens' keywords to save it on my computer to make this webpage slightly more SEO (Search Engine Optimization) friendly.

2- Text/Write Modules
This is where I like to include the bulk of my content; I am tring to keep separate text modules for each new idea and whenever I can, I add a touch of colour with a photo or clipart, which I also save on my computer using a related keyword before uploading it to my lens.

3- Affiliate Modules
Rumor has is on Squidoo that lenses containing affiliate modules do better in lensrank; I don't know if this is true (maybe it it once people satrt buying from your affiliate modules) but I'll give it a try. So far I have added the following affiliate modules containing products related to Squidoo:
- a CafePress module (I don't have a CafePress account but I can still promote some Squidoo products);
- two Amazon modules;
- one Amazon Spotlight module which I am rather proud of as I found a really cool Seth Godin Marketing Guru action figure.

4- The Most Important Thing module
That big orange box adds a bit of colour to my lens and contains my most important advice.

5- Sticky Notes
I like these as they are a bit brighter than the rest and I like to use them to stress a few points that I have already mentioned (for those of you who haven't been paying attention to what I've been saying!).

6- Blackbox module
I already used one most important module; there's nothing to stop me adding another one but I thought I'd try out a new one for a change.

7- Google Blog Search
I am using Squidoo as my keyword to find blog posts related to Squidoo to display in this module. This should be updated everyday and make my lens look fresh to Google, while at the same time use some of my lens' keywords.

8- Guestbook
How will I know who visits my lens and what my visitors think about it without it? I always include guestbooks in all my lenses and I try and find time everyday to pay a visit to anyone who leaves me a comment (hint, hint!).

9- Poll
Another way to make my visitors participate to my lens; I have decided to create a poll to estimate how much you like (or dislike) this lens, and also inculded a little reminder to rate, favorite, lensroll and bookmark my lens (another hint!).

10- Links Voting Plexo
I still have to update this one, but when I am done it will contain all the links I have find useful for creating and promoting a Squidoo lens.

11- Text Voting Plexo
I guess you could compare this one as a "to do" list. Print it each time you are making a lens and cross the items as you perform the corresponding actions. A good one to stick on the wall beside your computer.

Note 1:
There are lots of other modules to choose from; if you don't have time to go and try them all out, I recommend Cute Modules to Spice up Your Lens; this is where I have discovered new modules I wouldn't have bothered trying out otherwise.

Note 2:
If you don't know where to get images for your lenses, visit Free Images and How to Use Them.

Squidoo Stuff on CafePress

Come out of the Squidoo closet (or giant shell) and show your support by using and wearing Squidoo merchandise.

(Tip: why not get someone to take a photo of you wearing a Squidoo T-shirt and upload it to your Squidoo lens?

Captain Squid Infant/Toddler T-Shirt

Even the little ones admire the Captain; you'll have your kids explaining Squidoo to the whole schoolyard with this!