Created by Greekgeek (contact me)
Part-time Latin tutor, art history instructor, artist and writer puttering away at a PhD in mythology and dept... (more...)
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Getting Your Lens on the Map
So, you want to learn how to build good Squidoo lenses (or any kind of webpage) and attract lots of visitors! Here's ten quick steps to help bring web traffic your way.
Credentials: I came here with zero web marketing experience, but my first lens was selected as Lens of the Day a week and a half after launch, voted 5th best among all 2007 lenses. It's been among the Top 100 Lenses for over six months, and four of my other lenses have spent time on that list. More importantly, it was on the front page of Google for some related searches within a month, and many of my lenses are on the first and second pages for related searches.
In short, I'm no web guru, but these steps should help you build a page that's attractive to both human readers and web search engines. Nearly all of these suggestions will work for other kinds of web pages.
P.S. Experienced Squids, please help make this page more informative by voting in the Squidoo Performance Polls on your best lensrank, days on the Top 100 list, and typical traffic!
Logo based on photo by: Binary Koala - Some Rights Reserved
Ten Steps to Build an Appealing Lens
Here's what I did...
1. Write your profile. Include an interesting photo and bio that quickly tells people who you are, what you're about on Squidoo, and steers them towards some of your lenses.2. Name your lens something appealing and informative. The title needs to: a) sound catchy rather than generic, to pique curiosity b) make it clear what the page is about and c) include terms that people might search for when looking for your sort of webpage.
For example, Yes, I Love My Hybrid Car! has a lot more pep than "hybrid car review," but it still tells search engines it's about hybrid cars.
3. Tag your lens. Don't go crazy, but brainstorm phrases people might search for when looking for your topic. See Mr. LewisSmile's informative Tagging Tricks Lens for suggestions.
4. Write a good introduction, using text that's informative and appealing to the human reader, and that contains keywords/search terms for Google. Notice how I folded the purpose of the lens and some relevant keywords into the first line, which is often what shows when someone's looking at a page of search results.
5. Write good content. Who's going to read your page if they're not entertained and don't get good information? Give people what they want. Pick a subject you know something about, share your enthusiasm and knowledge, and be brief so they don't wander off! Include related search terms/keywords in a subtle way, to help search engines figure out what your page is about.
6. Include links to related content. Google notices not only who's linking to you, but what you're linking to, and especially the words and phrases you use as the link. For example, if you're writing about potatoes, say "For more info, check out this website on Potatoes and Tubers" not "Click here for a website about potatoes and tubers." Amazon and other modules using keywords can help, as can your lensroll.
7. Proofread. Grammar and spelling still matter, even if people don't consciously realize why some pages seem sloppy. At least run your text through a spellchecker.
8. Make pretty graphics. I added title graphics and dividers like this to my Greece page:
Tip: If you need graphics, search Creative Commons for photos and images people have posted on the web which you can legally reuse with a link and proper credit. Always look for the "Some Rights Reserved" link to find out whether you may alter the graphic or use it for commercial purposes, if that's what you need.
9. Vary your content. Huge blocks of text lose your reader's attention; so do masses of ads, icons or images.
10. Be interactive. Guestbooks and polls invite people to participate and come back. Also, updated or changing content gives your page a few brownie points in search engine rankings, and reader input is like a free update!
#1 Tip: CONTENT MATTERS.
The web is huge. Ask yourself: would you read your webpage if you ran across it elsewhere? Your readers will leave if they don't find your page worth reading. Remember: be informative, entertaining, and brief.
Ten Steps to Help People Find Your Lens
Here's what I did...
Now it's networking time! If people get to know you online, they're more likely to check out your lens.I've listed these tips from easiest to most complex or time-consuming, but some of the later ones are the best traffic boosters.
1. Stop by the community forum and add your link to your signature. Squidoo's forums are SquidU, and there's a link to it from your dashboard. "Join the discussion" to reach the forums, click the Profile tab and set your signature under "Personality." Then introduce yourself and invite people to check out your lens in the "Critique" forum!
1. Put links to your lens in your email signature and on any webpages or blogs you have.
2. Add your lens to Squidoo groups that fit your topic. Click the "My Groups" tab on your dashboard and "Join a group" to start searching, or search for other lenses on your topic and check out the groups they belong to (listed in the sidebar). NOTE: Due to abuses by a few twits, Squidoo holds your lens as "Work in Progress" for a day or two until it's had time to check that you have at least 3 real content modules besides the intro and guestbook. Once your lens has a green checkmark in your dashboard, you can add it to groups.
3. Submit your lens to Lensroll, a free lens-rating site by the ever-helpful N376.
4. Browse SquidU's Tricks of the Trade forum for suggestions by Squidoo members. You can lean a ton of stuff there, particularly from the "Crash Course in Squidoo" thread at the top of the forum.
5. Check out winning lenses on Lens of the Day for ideas and submit yours once you've made one of similar quality.
6. Leave comments or reviews on other people's lenses, and they're more likely to follow the comment back to your profile! But be genuine, and take the time to respond to their work...
...Never Do This!
"Hi! Great site! Visit my lens!
We all hate ads. And we REALLY hate people pretending to leave feedback simply as an excuse to promote their own stuff.
Also, it looks bad. Would YOU hire the lawyer who taped handwritten ads on bright green paper to every telephone pole?
8. Update your lenses! Webpages with regular updates and new content attract search engine -- and reader! -- attention. And now you can send out Squidcasts from your Dashboard letting your fans when you've made significant changes.
9. Build a presence on social networking sites like MySpace, Qassia, Gather, Youtube and Hubpages. Fill out your profiles, including a link to your lens. Post interesting content there that's liable to draw viewers here. For instance, I put a slideshow of my best photos of Greece on YouTube; I put some photos on Flickr with links back to my lens in the description of each photo; I wrote a few articles on Gather and Hubpage with links back to my lens; and I added my photos/articles to related groups on those sites.
10. Join and add your lens to de.licio.us, StumbleUpon ,** Digg, and other social bookmarking sites (slightly different from networking -- bookmarking sites are for recommending good websites rather than socializing online.)
**Note: ONLY Stumble a few of your best lenses.. If you Stumble too many pages from the same domain -- like, say, your Squidoo lenses -- you'll be blocked from Stumbling any pages from that domain. LEARN from my mistake! No, they haven't revealed how many is too many, just that excessive self-promotion is a violation of their TOS. Instead, they encourage you to use StumbleUpon Ads.
However, there's another way to use StumbleUpon to self-promote:
1) Recommend quality websites related to your topic. People who like your recommendations are likely to check out your profile.
2) Use the blog in your StumbleUpon Profile to talk about and link to your web projects, including your lenses. This way you're not Stumbling them, but your StumbleUpon friends might!
#1 Tip: You Scratch My Back, I'll Scratch Yours
Make genuine efforts to be friendly and helpful to people on the net (or anywhere), and they're more likely to check out your stuff. Welcome newbies, leave feedback and give links, ratings, and recommendations to people's work. What goes around comes around.
Featured Lenses: Tips for Squidoo Lensmasters
Here's some great Squidoo lenses to help beginning lensmasters learn How To Squidoo!-
Advanced HTML for Squidoo
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The techniques shown here aren't much more advanced then what's in the Basic HTML tutorial. The code being used isn't any more special. But the results and presentation can appear to be more sophisticated. Hence it being the Advanced HTML tutorial. F...
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Basic HTML for Squidoo
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You can use basic HTML in a few of the lens modules. Mostly used to create hyperlinks (they are the "live links" to other sites). Though there are also other uses for HTML. If you find yourself in need of quick tutorial on how to do it, her...
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Squidconomy - The Economics of Squidoo
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Historical Adsense Payouts, Buying and Selling lenses, Affiliate payouts and more make up the mountain of ways you can make a few bucks using squidoo. Here is the history of these things and how they evolve through the life of Squidoo.
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I'm a Lensmaster! What now?
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This lens deals with the ins and outs and tricks and tips that will help you make your next (or first) Squidoo Lens. Other information you should read (if you haven't already)... All About Squidoo: What others have had to say about Squidoo, and it...
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Squidoo Tagging Tricks: (how to get more visitors and a better search engine ranking using only tags)
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Adding tags to your lens is a great way to get found by more people. Through Google, through Squidoo Search, and through lensmasters clicking on their own tags links. Basically, tagging is very very good. But only if you know what you're doing. So...
My Recommended Links for Squidoo Lensmasters
- 101 ways to get more traffic
- N376's wonderful guide. This is the main source I used.
- stumbleupon, del.icio.us, rollyo, YouTube, Flickr, etc.
- Pradco's tips for attracting traffic.
- N376's Squidoo Lenses
- Nearly every lens N376 writes has valuable tips and techniques for Lensmasters.
- SEO Theory: Real Advice From Bad SEOS
- Michael Martinez, a professional in SEO, blasts well-meaning forum lurkers and would-be SEO gurus -- like me! -- for spreading myths.
Wait... What Is SEO, Anyway?
Search Engine Optimization -- the fine art of tweaking your webpage so that it shows up on the first few pages of Google when people search for key words and phrases related to your topic. Because no matter how good your page is, people won't read it if they don't know it exists!
YOUR Recommended Links for Lensmasters
Know any good lenses, websites or links to pages on how to attract web traffic? Please post them here! Include a brief description so we know why you think it's useful.
The Free Squidoo Guide
I put this lens together to make better sense of all the free information I've found for how to use Squidoo and how to build better lenses.5 points
How to Make a Living on Squidoo
How to Make a Living on Squidoo - Editor's note: extremely good lens by 1SquidAddict1!3 points
Add Your Profile
This lens lets you add a link to your profile on your favorite social sites. It let's people find you and you've a whole list of instant friends and c...2 points
Squidoo Tools, Resources, and News
This is a collection of Squidoo tools, guides, and other resources to help you build and market your Squidoo Lenses.2 points
SEO Tools - Search Engine Optimization Tools
Good set of free online tools for optimizing and/or testing the effectiveness of your keywords and links.1 point
5 tips in making attractive Squidoo lens
Pulling out your hair in making your Squidoo lens look attractive? here%u2019s the check list for your lens%u2019s cool factor. you%u2019ll soon reali...1 point
100+ Untapped Link Building Strategies
Really excellent tips on getting backlinks, many of which I haven't seen elsewhere.1 point
How to supercharge your lens
Getting inbound links from outside Squidoo is an important part of promoting your lens. Use this strategy to leverage the efforts of the squidoo commu...1 point
10 Simple Steps To Create Traffic for your Lens using a Personal Social Network
Personal Social Networking it's the key to success in 2008 and future years. This little guide will teach you how to use social networks to bring load...1 point
Custom T Design - and More....
Custom T Design Lens: Put your logo and URL on a T-shirt or other clothing and advertise it to the world!0 points
Articles-Heaven: Read and Post articles for free at Articles-Heaven.com
Articles-Heaven provides free articles, free article submissions, article directory services, ezine articles. Here you can submit articles for massive...0 points
Free Home based Business
I believe one can earn money on the internet with home based business - free of charge! All you need are - a computer, an internet connection and true...0 points
Free Advertising/Marketing Tips
Lists several free but effective techniques to attract targeted visitors to any website.0 points
Recommended Book: Web Traffic Conversion
Getting Visitors to Stick Around
Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions
Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 05/17/2008)
There's a lot of books on SEO, Google, and attracting web traffic. This one goes a step further: it's all well and good to get visitors, but how can you make them stay and buy your products, click on your links, or read what you want them to read?
Ash's book has only just been released (March 2008) -- in fact I saw it before it was released, and stayed up far too late taking notes and pondering how to steal it from my uncle, who was writing a review of it. It takes into account the lightning-fast changes in the web we call Web 2.0, and where the web is headed. It teaches you both general strategy and specific techniques. I recommend it to anyone serious about having a presence (or making a living) online.
Squidoo Wisdom from SquidooCool.com
Excellent free blog by a good Squidoo lensmaster, MrLewisSmile, sharing his tips and expertise on how to make Squidoo work for you! Includes Amazon, eBay, selecting tags and keywords, and much more.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byYOUR Squidoo Suggestions and Tips
Got any other tips or suggestions for how to attract visitors to your lens or improve it in some way? Add them here, then vote on them!
Join HubPages For Great Traffic!
Hubpages are a great source to generate traffic to your lens. <a href=http://hubpages.com/hub/Free-Online-Business>Learn More.....</a>1 point
Put It on a Coffee Mug!
Use CafePress or some other direct printing company to put a graphic and your lens' URL on the mug you use at your day job!0 points
NEW! My SEO Bag o' Tricks!
I've been collecting a list of my favorite free SEO tools, tutorials, and articles for almost a year. They're the ones I keep going back to. Check 'em out -- they're written by experts who know a lot more than I do!
Blog Feed: SEO Theory by Michael Martinez
Understand Web Traffic Building Better Than Most How-To Authors
Michael Martinez has studied and analyzed Search Engine Optimization in depth, and has seen the Google Slaps and the Google Boosts. I highly recommend his blog for a deeper understanding of what we're all trying to do: get web traffic. Also see his Papers summarizing Search Engine Optimization Theory.
Michael challenges the SEO "common wisdom" shared by folks on web forums and pages like the one you're reading now. How do we know forum signatures help? Is StumbleUpon really giving us traffic, or would we be getting the same amount anyway? I haven't kept detailed enough notes, nor do I have the expertise, to tell exactly what impact it has on my web traffic when I reword headlines, change tags, or submit my URL somewhere. How can I be promoting any techniques when I haven't measured their effectiveness, Michael would ask! He has a point.
One thing to keep in mind while reading Michael's blog: he is talking about search engine optimization. Searches on Google and other big-name search engines get the lion's share of traffic, but there are other ways to get visitors.
Google may not read your forum profile or notice the links in your forum signature, but a visitor might read your profile or good posts and decide to check out your work -- by a direct click. No search involved.
So social media, as Michael Martinez points out, aren't the holy grail to placing well on search engines, but they may still net some traffic.
Okay, enough of my blathering -- heeeeeere's Michael:
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySQUIDOO PERFORMANCE POLLS!
Lensrank and Web Traffic and Top 100 Lists, oh my!
Here's your chance to share your Squidoo experience with the Squidoo community -- anonymously!
BE HONEST. This will help all of us get some sense of where our lenses fall in the scheme of things.
Wait at least 3 months to vote. Wait until you've had at least 3 months of active lenses or 3 months of pay day-- that way you'll have some sense of what's typical for you. You can view poll results without voting by clicking the link below the VOTE button.
There are three Squidoo Polls below:
Disclaimer: this poll ain't scientific; it all depends on how many lensmasters vote. Please encourage fellow squids to vote!
Poll: Best Lensrank You've Achieved
Dance With the Squid Stars
Lensrank for each lens can be found on your dashboard. It is NOT the same as the number listed on the upper left of an individual lens you're viewing -- that's just its rank within a single category. Lensrank is among all Squidoo lenses instead of just in one category.
Poll: Days on the Squidoo Top 100 List
That's top 100 by lensrank, not all the other Top 100 lists!
"Days on the Top 100 List" is found by clicking "stats" in your Dashboard for each lens. It's listed under Lensrank near the top left of a lens' stats page. If you've had more than one lens on the Top 100 list, pick the one that's been there longest.
Poll: Seven-Day Lens Traffic
For your good lenses, not your superstar lenses
This question is subjective: which lens should you use to gauge your "typical" traffic? Usually you'll have one or two special lenses above the rest which are atypical overachievers. So go to the next level down, to your "bread and butter" lenses -- those five or so that never make a huge LOTD-style splash, but are a steady, reliable draw week after week.
I've overlapped poll options slightly to reflect the ranges I've seen.
Visitors Guestbook
Feel free to leave feedback, critique or observations to help fellow lensmasters!
Thank you for the tips. It makes life easier to learn from experts. This is a thumbs up for your lens.
Posted May 10, 2008
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LDWorld
Wow, you are not only expert in greek stuff!! Posted May 09, 2008 |
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Tony-Matos
Great lens!!!! Great tips!!!! Great everything thanks for being there. Posted May 09, 2008 |
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DIMC
Thanks for sharing & helping all us newbies. I have 3 lens' and I'm working on 4th. Needed some tips to generate more traffic and found the answers here Posted May 08, 2008 |
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DazzlingDesigns
Absolutely awesome 5-Star lens! I refer back to this often. Have a terrific life! Thanks, Donia Posted May 08, 2008 |
