(by 12 people)
Squidoo 101 - The Step-by-step Guide to Learning Squidoo
The founder of Squidoo started the site on one basic premise -- everyone is an expert on something. Squidoo lets you share that expertise effortlessly without writing a single line of code.
Since the inception of Squidoo, it has been getting rave reviews around the internet. Just what is Squidoo? With there being tons of information going around in the internet, what impact does Squidoo have on our cyberspace lives? Well, this lens takes you through the basics of Squidoo and how to build squid lenses (more about this later!)
Contents at a Glance
- Step #1: What is Squidoo ?
- Step #2: Read about Squidoo on Wikipedia
- Step #3: Read about Seth Godin - the founder of Squidoo
"Our Google Pagerank is now 3/10 ! Thanks to all our readers."
Step #1: What is Squidoo ?
You really need to get to know Squidoo because its cool
- A Wikipedia Definition
- Squidoo is a commercial website launched in October 2005. It is a platform designed to make it easy for anyone to teach others about topics they care about.
- Squidoo About Squidoo
- Here's the official introduction of Squidoo by Squidoo.
- The Official Lens on Squidoo
- This is the official Squidoo lens on Squidoo by the Squidoo team.
- Who started Squidoo?
- Seth Godin (born July 10, 1960) is an author of business books and speaker of the late 1990s to the present. His first big book was about permission marketing.
- The people behind Squidoo
- Want to know about the rest of the Squidoo crew?
Step #2: Read about Squidoo on Wikipedia
Squidoo is a website designed to make it easy for anyone, for free, to set up a single page on a topic he or she knows or cares a lot about. Advertising revenue is shared with these content creators, and some of it is given to charity. Squidoo was launched in October 2005 by Squidoo.com, LLC based in Irvington, New York; the site came out of beta testing in March 2006.
Squidoo is a network of user-generated lenses --single pages that highlight one person's point of view, recommendations, or expertise. Lenses can be about anything, such as ideas, people or places, hobbies and sports, pets or products, philosophy, and politics. Lenses aren't primarily intended to hold content; more emphasis is placed on recommending and then pointing to content on the web. Annotation and organization and personalization delivers context and meaning.
Users who create lenses are called lensmasters. A lensmaster uses the tools available online to provide links, feeds, abstracts, and lists to users who are trying to make sense of a topic. For example, a single lens could point to Flickr photos, Google maps, blogs, eBay auctions, YouTube videos, and other links. Lensmasters are encouraged to promote personal agendas, expertise, causes, products, and opinions.
Squidoo splits its revenue with its "co-op" of lensmasters. 5% goes straight to charity, first. Then 50% goes to the lensmasters. 45% goes to Squidoo. The site is estimating that nearly half of all the lensmasters on the site are donating their royalties to any of 65 featured charities, ranging from NPR and the American Heart Association to smaller organizations like Chimp Haven and Planet Gumbo.
Squidoo was founded by author, speaker, and notable blogger Seth Godin. On Godin's founding team was his book editor Megan Casey, former Fast Company employee Heath Row, Corey Brown, and Gil Hildebrand, Jr.
Step #3: Read about Seth Godin - the founder of Squidoo
Read about the man on Wikipedia
This is an article about the man who conceptualised and created Squidoo.
Seth Godin (born July 10, 1960) is an American author of business books and a popular speaker with appearances at Google, TED and a number of charities. His blog is one of the most popular blogs in the world. Godin popularized the topic of permission marketing.
Step #4 (Optional): Read Seth Godin's Best Book Ever on Viral Marketing
Viral Marketing
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/25/2008)
Step #5: Watch this video explain the basics of Squidoo
Here's the low down on Squidoo
Step #6: Learn the truth about harvesting knowledge
Using lenses to focus knowledge
Today, data and information abound in the internet. In fact, there's so much information out there that it creates an information overload problem. Anyone who has done a Google search can testify to that !Data when collected and organised becomes information. Information when categorised, organised and distilled becomes knowledge. The careful and prudent use of knowledge becomes wisdom.
Squidoo faciliates the focusing of information into knowledge. A Squidoo lens is a:
1. single page built by a lensmaster
2. set of handpicked, organized content about a single topic
3. collection of modules pointing to content on a single topic
4. single page that highlights one person's personal view of the web -- not the whole web, just one tiny part of it
Hence, lenses are really bundles of knowledge that are pretty much focused on specific topics. These lenses are not machine generated, you do not get lines upon lines of search results that are typical of search engines. Instead, they are carefully and lovingly handcrafted by experts called lensmasters.
Step #7: Learn to find things in Squidoo
Searching for information among the lenses in Squidoo
- 1. Use the topics list
- The topics list in Squidoo is similar to those in Yahoo. You may browse through all the various topics, from there you may drill down to sub-topics, till you arrive at the list of lenses that are closest to what you want.
- 2. Use the Explore page
- This page shows the top lenses for the day. It also shows the tag cloud for all the popular lenses.
- 3. Use the Top 100 Lenses page
- This page shows the top 100 lenses according to various criteria.
- 4. Use the Find It ! Search Box
- One the top right corner of every Squidoo page is a search box with a Find It ! button. Type in your search keyword and Squidoo will locate the subject within its entire database of lenses.
- 5. Search using the most popular tags
- You can also find things you need in Squidoo by taking a look at the most popular tags in the system.
Step #8: Start contributing knowledge to Squidoo
Become a lensmaster !
- 1. Register
- The first thing to do is to register yourself as a lensmaster. This is a simple and painless three-step process.
- 2. Create a lens
- The next step is to figure out just what kind of knowledge you would like to share with the world. This begins with the creation of a Squidoo lens.
a. At this stage, you will need to create a lens URL. Choose your URL carefully as this cannot be changed later.
b. Then give your lens a title.
c. Next is to pick a topic category for your lens.
d. Then, you add keyword tags to your lens. Be sure to figure out how people may be using keywords to search for your particular area of expertise.
e. You will then be presented with templates of several types of lenses. These come pre-built with lens modules laid out in a style suitable for a particular knowledge domain.
f. Finally, you get to enter information into each of the modules that make up the lens.
g. The last step is to publish the lens. You must do this to make the lens available to the general public. - 3. If you use Firefox, get this !
- Get the firefox browser extension that is specially designed to make your Squidooing experience even more enriching. It allows you to post a webspage's link directly into your lens, and much much more.
Step #9.1: Create your own lens
A step-by-step video showing you how to create a Squidoo lens
How to Set Up a Squidoo Lens
Tiffany Dow, author of Social Networking on Squidoo, shows you how to set up your first lens.
Runtime: 5:15
3804 views
8 Comments:
Step #9.2: Build up your own lens
Squidoo Lensbuilding 101 - Introduction Module
This is the 2nd part of a video series by captainsquid.com. It is a basic squidoo training series designed to get you started on your way to Squidoo Greatness!
Runtime: 5:53
147 views
0 Comments:
Step #9.3: Use the Squidoo Dashboard
Here's where you manage your lenses
Insider view of Squidoo.
This video has been made to give you a quick look inside at the Squidoo Dashboard that is used to build and edit Squidoo Lenses. It will show you how easy these lenses are built within Squidoo and hopefully put you on the path to building your own.
Runtime: 5:12
48 views
0 Comments:
Step #9.4: If you use Firefox as a brower, add the Squidoo extension
For all you Firefox users!
- The Official Squidoo Firefox Extension
- You get: a) Squidoo search in your Firefox toolbar b) Shortcuts to your lenses, Groups, to SquidU, and even to see Lens of the Day 3) A powerful bookmarklet button for quick lensbuilding on the go.
Step #10: Promote your lenses
Keep your content relevant and fresh !
- 1. Monitor your ranking
- After you have created your lenses, you may now monitor its popularity or ranking using the Squidoo dashboard. Here you can see all the lenses that you have created and their various rankings.
- 2. Improve your ranking
- How can I promote my lenses and bring up their ranking? This blog article gives clue as to what factors influence a lens ranking.
- 3. Promote and promote !
- In order to read this article in SquidU about lens promotion, you need to be a registered lensmaster. If you are not, now is the time to register and come back to this step later.
- 4. Regularly improve your lens
- Take a look at this anatomy of a lens in SquidU. This will help you understand just how to make your lens content more relevant and exciting.
- 5. Add buttons and banners to your websites
- Draw attention to your Squidoo lenses by adding buttons and banners that are pre-built for you into your websites.
Here's my favorite link:
Squidoo Your Way to the Top
How to promote your Squidoo lens using SEO
Squidoo Your Way to the Top
...of Google Search Engine Rankings. First Video in the six (6) video series, "Squidoo Your Way to the Top...of the Google Rankings". This video series outlines why & how to create powerful Squidoo lenses that will power your way to the top of the Squidoo rankings and Google SERP rankings for your targeted keywords. This first video explains why you need to Squidoo today and what to expect in the rest of the video series. Watch the entire series at http://www.squidootothetop.com
Runtime: 9:23
4422 views
8 Comments:
Step #11: Submit your lens to lensroll.com
This is the Digg for Squidoo lenses
Step #12: Read Books on Viral Marketing
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 07/25/2008)
The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/25/2008)
Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/25/2008)
Here's my favorite link:
Step #13: Read the Squid Blog
The Official Blog on Squidoo
THE Squid Blog. This is the official blog on Squidoo. A must read for all lensmasters.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #14: Read The Squidoo It Yourself Blog
An authoritative, though unofficial, blog in Squidoo
Squidoo is quickly turning into one of the most talked about communities on the web. SquidooItYourself is a collection of traffic-building tips, module tricks, ebooks and money making-strategies from Squidoo fans and leading lensmasters that will help you build a lens that stands out from the pack.
Contributor Squidoo Lenses:
* Dave Pye
* Richard Banfield
* Rajesh Setty
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #15 : Find out what my blog says about Squidoo
Excerpts from my Open Book Blog
Over the last few months, I have become quite addicted to Squidoo. There are some interesting things I have learnt about Squidoo and these I have put in my blog.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #16: Can I find out more about Squidoo and lenses?
Need more information on Squidoo and lenses, check these out !
- Just the FAQ
- This the official Squid FAQ. Read this first !
- SquidU
- This is THE resource for getting the most out of Squidoo. Remember, in order to access SquidU, you need to be a registered lensmaster. Here, you will learn to make money out of your lenses, how to improve the rankings of your lenses, and much much more !
- Working with Squidoo
- This lens describes three ways to work with Squidoo. By Seth Godin.
- Everyone's an expert
- Seth Godin's eBook which he authored to launch Squidoo in Oct 2005.
- Write Squidoo Lenses for Fun and Profit
- This lens by Ed Watts is quite a comprehensive treatise on Squidoo. Good read.
- A lens is not a blog !
- Here's an interesting blog posting in the official Squid Blog on why a Squidoo lens is not a blog.
- Tag Search on Squidoo
- Here are all the lenses that are tagged with the word Squidoo.
Here's my favorite link:
Step #17: See what people saying about Squidoo around the internet
From my del.icio.us bookmarks tagged "squidoo article"
Are there any other interesting articles or blogs which talk about Squidoo?
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #18: What are other Squidoo lenses saying about Squidoo?
From my del.icio.us bookmarks tagged "squidoo lens"
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #19: Learn from other cool lenses
Here's a list of interesting Squidoo lenses
There are lots of Squidoo lens around today, these are the ones I like. Learn from them and enjoy !
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStep #20: Create a "Hello I'm ....." Lenses
Let others know who you are
1. Now that you are on your way to creating some wonderful lenses on Squidoo, its time to create a lens on yourself.2. Usually, this is called a "Hello I'm ..." lens where you put your name in place of the ...
3. Use this lens to introduce yourself and your work to the world.
4. Your should include a module that showcases your blogs.
5. Have another module that showcases your other lenses in Squidoo.
6. Do have an interesting module whose content changes everyday, this is usually linked to your own blog. You many entitle it "Today's Features" or "What's Happening Today".
7. Have a module that showcases some of your favourite photos from Flickr. This will brighten up your lens a little.
8. Finally have a "About Me" module at the end which points others to other websites about you, e.g. your Yahoo 360 site, your own personal website, etc.
9. Drive traffic to this lens by putting its URL in your emails, blog posts, comments posts, etc.
Step #21 (Optional): Read these books by Seth Godin
Seth is the founder of Squidoo
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
Amazon Price: $10.15 (as of 07/25/2008)
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/25/2008)
Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/25/2008)
The Squidoo Team - A Photo Gallery
Curious who the Squidoo team are?
Megan and Gil
Seth and Squidoo Interns
Gil & Corey
Heathrow and Gil
How do I improve this lens?
Hey, I really appreciate your feedback
Hi there ! Thanks for dropping by. I do hope that you enjoy this lens. If you do, please give me your feedback. If you don't, I would really appreciate it if you could leave your comments so that I can work at improving this lens. Thanks a million !
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JTreiber
really awesome resource guide. Thanks! Posted August 02, 2007 |
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Roger Anderson
Can you add a link or section of links to the lens with the How-to about HTML, iFrames etc? Those are great. This is great too but it could be greater (those are not my lenses. I just use them.) Posted June 21, 2007 |
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fefe
Thanks, your lens is great! 5 stars Posted March 14, 2007 |
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KimberlyDawnWells
Hi Chris, great job! Thanks for creating such a helpful lens. Posted February 28, 2007 |
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chrisyeo
This new module is really cool. Its a great way to get feedback from the community. Thanks Squidoo team! Posted June 11, 2006 |
Please rate me in Squidoo!
Hi! Thanks for dropping by. For all of you who have supported my work here, thanks. And for all of you who really like what I presented here, please rate me using the stars at the top of this page ...... 5 stars hopefully ! What's Happening Today?
Where technology impacts ordinary lives
Ever felt that you can't keep up with the fast changing pace of technology? Suffering from information overload? Gadget obsolescence? The purpose of this blog is to examine how technology impacts our everyday lives. It chronicles the impact of technology on the life of an ordinary guy living in ordinary Singapore. So .... here we go, a blog called "Open Book"
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byMy Blogs
Chronicling how technology and spirituality impacts our everyday lives
What has technology got to do with spirituality? Well, a human race immersed in technology alone will not survive if it doesn't find its soul and spirit. Everyone has a heart shaped vacuum that yearns for a creator, regardless of the technology prevailing at the time.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byMy Lenses in Squidoo
Power under focus
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byHey, why don't we work together ?
Come on ! Let's network !
Hello there ! If you think that my work here interests you, then maybe we can work together and create a network of links. All you need to do is:1. Contact me using the "Contact the Lensmaster" link, that's the one located on the right side bar just beneath my profile
2. Tell me which blog or lens you want me to link to and feature in my blogs or lenses
3. If its a lens, I will go there and rate your lens
4. Please put a link to:
www.squidoo.com/squidoo-101/
in a module within your lens or a link in your blog
5. Please rate me
6. That's it !
About Me
Technoprenuer, Businessman, Engineer, Christian, Father of 2
Hiya, thanks for taking the time to read my lenses. If you want to know a little bit more about me, do take a look at my websites. Thanks and have a nice day.
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