The Beginner's Guide to Squidoo!

MY FIRST LENS POSTING

I will be adding to this lens, as I learn more.

I just started doing Squidoo lenses this week. I am already discovering some great links and other lenses that are helping me make my pages better.

This lens is a guide to Squidoo that ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS can use (like me!) I am starting from almost the same place, so I will try to make this guide VERY easy to follow.

Also - - I am not a computer expert, so I will try to write this guide in easy-to-follow language. 

I will put the steps I take for THIS Squidoo lens, and put them here to make the entire process easier for beginners.

Before I do anything I pick my lens subject and title. Ideally, I would look up what I want to do a lens page on FIRST and see what others are out there. I will definitely do that next time. It's good to know what's out there, PLUS you can always link to similar lenses and really be a good guide. 

1. Write your Bio (at right) - Just hit "edit" below or to the side of each category. You can put a photo of yourself on your bio as well. Any time you want to add a link there, you just hit the image that looks like a piece of chain. This will prompt you to type out the "http" address of each link, and will let people click and go to your web page, a favorite page, or your blog.

2. Choose what category that your first lens, or page, will be listed under. This can be tricky. I have had a couple of lenses that I thought could go in two categories. Just pick the one that it most goes under.

3. Write out "tags" for your lens. Tags are simply search terms that other people are typing that will make it easier for them to find your lens. Sometimes you can use a tag that is longer than just a word. See my tags and copy them at first, if you want to. Another good place that explains about tags is  this lens about tagging.

4. Check your payment options. You can have payments for ads go to you. Squidoo only keeps 50% and gives the rest to you or your charity if you want.

5. I haven't tried the XML option yet. I may do that later, when I learn more.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6. Next, you do the Intro Title and Introduction Section to your first lens (first on this row.) You can do as much or as little as you want. I like to divide my writing up into paragraphs to make it easier to read.

7.  Post a photo in a square that will be your main lens photo. If you don't already have one you want to use, you can get one at Microsoft's free clipart area.

Next, you save all this  with the "Publish" button at the top. You can always come back and put more on your site.

The specialized modules that are below this description are all ones you can choose to use OR NOT. If you choose not to use them (for instance - you don't want to list with CafePress because you don't have an account there yet) then all you do is "X" out the module at the very right. The module will then erase and NOT be part of your site.

You may want to experiment with some of them to see if you like them. For instance, you can choose to have Ebay listings for things you talk about. This may interest some readers. Plus, you may also be making money by having them on your page.

When you have done all you can for the day (or, like me, are really tired and want to go to sleep and begin again the NEXT day...) then you simply save your final work and PUBLISH at the upper right of this page.

SEEING YOUR PAGE LIKE OTHERS SEE IT

You will also want to check out your page to see it like others see it. To do that, just click above the "Publish" button (after you have published your lens) and go there. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Squidoo will have put ads on the page that match your lens, and everything is balanced and will look very professional.

DOING MORE LATER

You can always add more on your lens later - like great links, more photos, and more text. Just sign in when you come back and put more on here. 

LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS PAGE, PLEASE

After you have done some on your page, please leave a comment at the bottom of this lens to let me know if you liked it and if this page was helpful to you. I appreciate that!