Squidoo 101

Squidoo is arguably the most important social networking and marketing site on the Internet right now. What started out a few years ago as a way to share information has become a colossal venue for information sharing, networking and even making money. But everyone needs a little Squidoo 101 course to master it all.

Created by entrepreneur and marketing guru Seth Godin, Squidoo allows users to create one page websites, called lenses, that offers viewers the full gamut of topics and media. You can find Squidoo lenses about cupcakes, complete with how-to videos.

You can find lenses about Internet marketing, porcelain painting, personality types, skiing, and everything else. Many of these lenses are there simply for the purpose of sharing information or entertainment. Others are there to promote products. Either way is acceptable.

Getting started with Squidoo is not difficult. You need only to create an account to become a lensmaster - that's a person who creates Squidoo lenses. Being a lensmaster is fun and it's a great way of making connections with people who share your interests.

Learning how to build a Squidoo lens is easy, and when you know what you're doing, it can be a wonderfully creative and fruitful experience. Create enough great lenses, and you might find yourself a Giant Squid!

Good lenses get recognition within the Squidoo ranking system, but Google also loves Squidoo, so it's common to find good lenses indexed on Google. For really awesome lenses, Squidoo might bestow the Lens of the Day honor, which brings lots of attention your way.

Whether you're thinking about making Squidoo lenses for fun, or to bring more attention to your business and your products, either is fine. Take a Squidoo 101 lesson as well, and you'll find that the experience is fun and that it will expand your horizons.