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RocketMoms is an invite only gathering of some of the smartest most creative women on the web. RocketMoms are committed to raising the bar. They are dedicated to creating top-notch, focused, remarkable, creative content online.  And along the way they learn, share, and teach other moms about Squidoo, Twitter, blogging and a whole lot more. Each session, the RocketMoms are challenged to create web pages (called lenses) on various topics. The RocketMoms then critique these lenses, lend support and help each other improve and promote their work. It's a challenge, a community, a classroom and a hobby. It's also an awful lot of fun!

From Oct. 19th to Oct. 24th, 2009 some dedicated new RocketMoms built some of their first lenses on Squidoo. During the week they participated in lessons and chat session designed to help them along. Here is what they learned. You are welcome to "Try" the RocketMoms lesson challenge on your own and then apply for RocketMoms by e-mailing me (Bonnie) at bonnie@squidoo.com.

RocketMoms "Try It" Week Graduates! 

Oct. 19th to Oct. 24th , 2009

RocketMoms "Try It" Week Lenses 

Stop by and see their lenses.

featured lens RocketMoms "Try It" Week Lenses

RocketMoms "Try It" week is a unique opportunity for a select group of moms to try RocketMoms and Squidoo. During this one week session we are helping whoever joins build and customize their first lens. From beginning to end we'll be ar...

Lesson 1 

Squidoo Registration & Setting up your profile page.

Squidoo can be daunting because there is so much to learn. But if you take in small chunks of information at a time you'll soon realize that it's pretty easy to understand. I am a hands on teacher and I don't like to reinvent the wheel. We have a huge library of excellent information on the Squidoo Answer Deck. Everyday I'll be pointing you to 3 or 4 helpful lenses that will get you up and running fast.

So let's get started with the basics.

If you need to sign up for Squidoo here is the Registrtaion Link.
At this point you're ready to set up your bio page, also call the Squdioo Profile Page.
It's pretty simple to edit the page, just go here.

The first thing you'll want to do is upload a nice picture or avatar. Then write a short little blurb about yourself. An empty profile page will turn visitors away.

Next you can customize your bio with "More About Me", here you can add links to your favorite lenses, blogs and Twitter account. Also, don't forget to add your PayPal address as you edit your profile so that you can get paid!

Lesson 1 Homework Lenses 

featured lens Why Build a Lens?

Squidoo is a website hosting hundreds of thousands of handbuilt webpages (just to be difficult, we call them "lenses"). Each lens is one person's look at something online. Your take on football or business or the best thai food in town. Lenses are f...

featured lens Making your First Lens Mentor

EVERYBODY can Squidoo! You can too! It might take you an afternoon to 'get the hang of it', but that afternoon can be LOTS of fun. You don't need to be an expert in anything 'internet-y' to be able to build a beautiful, useful and successful Squido...

featured lens Are You a Squidoo Nobody? How to Become a Squidoo Somebody in 6 Easy Lessons

Who is this little orange guy? That's what everyone wants to know! So, why are you leaving us in the dark? "This is my bio. I can edit it later." Well, little orange guy, later has arrived. The time is now! Come out from behind your orange anonymity...

Lesson 2 

Building your first lens.

I lesson 2 we are going to concentrate on lens building. Now I know that many of you have already started lenses and that's great. If you haven't that's fine too.

Here are 10 tips to get you started:

1) Pick a URL that matches your lens. If your lens is called "Handmade Toys for hamsters" use: handmade-toys-for-hamsters as your URL.

2) Don't go overboard on your intro. An intro is meant to be just a short paragraph or two.

3) A lot of people have been asking me about where to get photos. Stop by this lens by Squidoo Community Organizer Kimberly Using Creative Commons Images from Flickr for some great ideas.

4) Include a Guestbook on your lens.

5) Change generic headings. Get rid of "New Guestbook". Instead say something like..."I'd love to have you feedback" or "Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment" or get super creative and ask for a review of the product you just wrote about.

6) Think about what it means to write a quality lens.

7) Take an hour of your day and have fun exploring all the Modules on Squidoo. There are hundreds of them. PS - Tomorrow is going to be "Module" day so make a list of all your "Module" specific questions.

8) Make sure you include "Tags" on your lens. You can edit tags on the right hand side bar.

9) Pick a Theme. I am sure that many of you have seen the different lens themes we have like the "Purple People Eater" one and "Gone Camping". You can change your lens theme by clicking on "Themes" at the very top of the right side bar.

10) In order for everyone to see your lens you must publish it!

Lesson 2 Homework Lenses 

featured lens 6 ways to improve your lens, right now!

You've already done the hard part. You've had a big idea, something you want to talk about or share on your lens, and you got started. Way to go. So, this lens is about what comes next. It's a quick, 30 second overview of just a handful of easy thin...

featured lens How to Squidoo -- A Step-by-Step Primer

This step-by-step primer gives you plenty of how-to information on how to get started building your Squidoo lens. Get some useful tips about how to build that lens with plenty of helpful pictures of the various templates you can use. You'll see plent...

featured lens Three Ways to Create Lenses

Now there are three options for creating "regular" Squidoo lenses, depending on your level of expertise and preferences. Each of them uses different tips to help you create awesome lenses, and you can always go back and make changes. Keep reading to...

Lesson 3 

Modules

Today we are going to talk about Modules. Modules make up the content of your lens and there are hundreds of Modules on Squidoo. So in order to simplify the list I wanted to point out some of the more popular ones.

1) Amazon Spotlight Module - Spotlights one product on Amazon with a nice large photo. Example.

2) Amazon Module - Add up to 5 products in a vertical or horizontal format. Example.

3) Text Module & Text with BIG Picture - Both allow you to add textual content to your lenses. I really like the BIG Picture feature.

4) Links Voting (Plexo) - You can have people vote for your lenses.

5) RSS: Add your blog - This is a neat way to pull the feed from a blog. Example.

6) Featured Lenses & Featured Lensmasters - Feature your favorite lenses and lensmasters. Great for lensographies!

7) Countdown Module -Countdown to an important event. Example.

8) Zazzle - Add a Zazzle Gallery to your lens. Example.

9) Blackbox - Feature some text in a Black, red, blue, green, orange box. Example

10) Guestbook - For people to leave feedback on your lens. Example.

Lesson 3 Homework Lenses 

featured lens Amazon Module Basics

Squidoo's Amazon module can be used in a lot of ways.  It can, obviously, feature books, toys, games, etc.  You can also modify the look with html, hyperlinks, and graphics.  Read on to see what features are available with examples.&nb...

featured lens Money Making Modules

You probably knew you could make money on Squidoo, but did you know which modules will earn you the most? Take a quick tour of our moneymaking modules and find out how to boost your earnings and donations power. Image courtesy of thefuturistics and...

featured lens The Module Mentor

What makes Squidoo different than other help-you-build-it websites? One feature is modules. Modules are sections of a lens that you add depending on what kind of content you want to add. Want to create a list of links? Add a link module. Want to wr...

Lesson 4 

Getting Paid

Today I thought I would talk a little bit about payday. Which I know everyone loves. One of the coolest things about Squidoo is that you can paid Royalties from your lenses. Now the #1 question I get asked of course is "How much?". And that's a great question. Like anything , getting paid on Squidoo takes time. It's not a get rich quick method but if you work steadily and smart on your lenses you should see steady increases in Royalties. When I started on Squidoo my first payment was about $ .49. Now I average about $350 per month. So don't give up! So as long as you're enjoying the ride, the pay will start coming.

I also wanted to give you some FAQ's to read about getting paid. Be sure and read: Your Lenses, Your Money .

Lesson 4 Homework Lenses 

featured lens FAQ: Donating to Charity

Squidoo is a great way to earn money for charity. This lens will answer our most frequently asked questions about how you can send money to charity. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find...

featured lens Squidoo Payday Questions & Answers

It never fails, every month on payday the same questions are being asked in the SquidU forum. Most of them by new lensmasters, but surprisingly, there's also quite a bit of confusion among some who have been around for a while. Figuring out how the...

featured lens FAQ: Payment Settings and Commissions

Are you confused about commissions? Experiencing donation snafus? Here are the most frequently asked questions about money and earnings on Squidoo. If you were directed here by Tisha, our awesome bug sorter outer, and you still weren't able to find...

Lesson 5 

Getting traffic to your lens.

Squidoo editor-in-cheif Megan Casey wrote a really neat article for the RocketMoms and I'd like to share it with you:

3 Tips for Rocketing to the Top by Megan Casey

What's the number one question I get asked by lensmasters?

It's not: How can I give more value to my readers.
It's not: How can I engage someone in my lens.
It's not: Can you help me tell this story in a more powerful way?
It's not even: Wow, Megan, I love your hair, where do you get it done?

Nope.

It's this: How can I get more traffic to my lens?

I understand the question, of course. You can't change the world, add more value for your followers, spread your story, unless people are actually finding your lens, right?

Wrong. It's a bit of a chicken-before-the-egg debate, but I believe that a few things have to happen first. Three things, to be specific. Content, conversations, and connection.

1. First you have to pick up the hoe and plant some seeds and add some water. This is hard work but highly creative and ultimately rewarding. This means creating personalized, niche, interactive, high-quality content. Something your readers would be delighted to land on.

A few of the easiest things to try: Write an introduction to your lens to tell people what they can expect to learn from it, who you are and why you're creating this page. Then add thoughtful, useful, cheerful content to your lens. With context as well. I love seeing a combination of original (meaning, you wrote it) text modules along with smartly curated and annotated modules (meaning, you selected products or photos or links to highlight, and then told people WHY you picked them). Stay focused and specific and topical and tie everything into the same theme.

2. The next secret sauce element is this: Run stimulating, moderated conversations on your lens. Most of us have tried Guestbooks and Duels and Polls and Plexos on our lenses. Very soon we're releasing a Quiz module, plus more ways that your readers can follow the comments and activity happening on your lens. But it's not just about putting noise on your lens, or hosting a free-for-all comments thread. It's about asking questions. Taking feedback. Turning a Guestbook into a Q&A module. Featuring other lensmasters who contribute to your lens. Posting shoutouts to top commenters. Responding to them. Making sure spam doesn't get through. Reaching out and inviting people to participate and share their take on your topic, on your lens. When you act like the MC of an event, or the Editor in Chief of your topic, you become a leader in that space. And the lens format is turning into a better and better spot to help you do that.

The more you get people to care about your lens, because they have something at stake on your lens, the more they return to it and help spread it.

3. The third, and most often overlooked, secret to a successful lens? Connecting with just 10 people.

Take your useful and awesome and unique lens, and send it/ email it/ tweet it to just 10 handpicked people. Could be a friend or two. Or a coworker. Or someone who runs a blog on your topic. Or someone who tweeted about it recently. Or someone you just admire. 10 people who would probably be delighted to see your page and learn from it, or better yet -- contribute to it, comment on it, offer feedback.

Seth has a neat post about this where he says: "Find ten people. Ten people who trust you/respect you/need you/listen to you... Those ten people need what you have to sell, or want it. And if they love it, you win. If they love it, they'll each find you ten more people (or a hundred or a thousand or, perhaps, just three). Repeat."

At the end of the day, "traffic" really just means a jamup on the freeway that you want to avoid. What you want to aim for is a flow of interested and engaged people.

And you won't even be late to your next appointment.

-Megan Casey (Squidoo, Editor-in-Chief)

Lesson 5 Homework Lenses 

featured lens Squidoo Tips: Building Web Traffic

Welcome to Part II of Greekgeek's Squidoo Tips: How To Get Your Lens Found!  This tutorial focuses on building web traffic with social networking. I'll also recommend some simple tools to improve your lens, so that visitors stick around...

featured lens 50 Ways To Use Twitter

Twitter is an amazingly powerful tool for promoting your Squidoo Lens, Blog, Business and more. So check out these cool ways to educate, inform, enlighten and amuse people. Just remember, you've only got 140 Characters so stay on your topic!

featured lens The 9 Free Things Every Site (or Lens!) Should Do

Rule #1: If you have a site or Squidoo lens, you want more traffic. Rule #2: You don't have enough money to buy as much traffic as you need. Rule #3: You've already made your site/lens as compelling as you know how to. So, what now? Read on for the (...

Try RocketMoms

Do you want to "Try" RocketMoms e-mail me at bonnie@squidoo.com for an invitation.

Meet the RocketMoms 

Rocket Moms by bdkz

RocketMoms is an invite-only gathering of the smartest women on the web, working together to make Squidoo lenses and a whole lot more.
 

The RocketMoms Blog 

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by bdkz

Bonnie is a Giant Squid Organizer and the RocketMoms Organizer here on Squidoo. Interested in being a Giant Squid? Click Here to find out how!

She i... (more)

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