Many thanks to the folks at Zazzle for spending some time recently on their blog talking about SEO and keyword information. The tips that apply to setting up Zazzle products for sale apply to your Squidoo lenses, too, and to just about anyplace else you write online.
Their recent 5 Keyword Tips to Boost Traffic post even includes a demonstration of how to use the new Google Adwords Keyword Planner. If you're still mourning the loss of the old keyword tool, get over it and learn to use the new one. It's actually not a bad tool at all and easy to use once you've been shown how.
If you're looking for an in-depth SEO course this isn't it, but the 5 keyword tips in the post linked above are good ones, easy to understand for beginners and excellent reminders for anyone.
Nice job, Elizabeth at Zazzle!
Showing posts with label Squidoo SEO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Squidoo SEO. Show all posts
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
How to Research Keywords - Learn How Live!
Finding the best keywords is a very hot topic on Squidoo and elsewhere around the web. You've probably read plenty of advice about how to research keywords, but you may still have questions. If so, tune in to Giant Squid Open Mike with Joan, Kate and friends as two of Squidoo's top lensmasters do a keyword research project live on the air. You'll be able to follow along on your own computer and ask questions in real-time.
The program will be broadcast live on Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern time. In case you miss it, the show will be recorded and available to listen to, free, in the podcast archives.
Before you make your next lens, select a new domain name, or write your next blog post or article, be sure to listen to this very special edition of Giant Squid Open Mike to learn everything you need to know about how to do keyword research. This 45-minute broadcast could change your keyword research method - and your bottom line - forever.
UPDATE: Here's a direct link to the archived program. Don't miss it!
The program will be broadcast live on Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern time. In case you miss it, the show will be recorded and available to listen to, free, in the podcast archives.
Before you make your next lens, select a new domain name, or write your next blog post or article, be sure to listen to this very special edition of Giant Squid Open Mike to learn everything you need to know about how to do keyword research. This 45-minute broadcast could change your keyword research method - and your bottom line - forever.
UPDATE: Here's a direct link to the archived program. Don't miss it!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Network Your Squidoo Lenses
Quick tip: Network your lenses.
Make several lenses (at least three) on the same or related topics. Don't duplicate; make each one unique but related to the main subject. Each lens must be a quality, stand-alone lens.
Lensroll the lenses to each other. Link them using the "Explore related pages" section of the intro module. Use text links and/or the featured lenses module to tie the lenses together. Use similar keywords on all the lenses.
You may have read this tip before, but have you tried it? If you haven't, don't put it off any longer. It really works.
Make several lenses (at least three) on the same or related topics. Don't duplicate; make each one unique but related to the main subject. Each lens must be a quality, stand-alone lens.
Lensroll the lenses to each other. Link them using the "Explore related pages" section of the intro module. Use text links and/or the featured lenses module to tie the lenses together. Use similar keywords on all the lenses.
You may have read this tip before, but have you tried it? If you haven't, don't put it off any longer. It really works.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Find Your Next Lens Topic in Your Stats
So you have a lens that's getting search engine traffic. Good for you!
Here's what to do next. Check your Squidoo stats for that lens. Look for a trend in search terms. Is there one, or a few related phrases that stand out? In other words, when people search for a topic and find your lens, what specifically are they looking for? If there's a term that rises to the top, use it to make another lens.
Case in point. My Who is Shirley Temple lens gets a good amount of search engine traffic. Recently, many of of the search terms have to do with Shirley Temple costumes. Voila! Here is the offshoot lens, which started getting Google hits the day after it was published and generated its first affiliate sale the following day.
Get it? Good. Go do it.
Here's what to do next. Check your Squidoo stats for that lens. Look for a trend in search terms. Is there one, or a few related phrases that stand out? In other words, when people search for a topic and find your lens, what specifically are they looking for? If there's a term that rises to the top, use it to make another lens.
Case in point. My Who is Shirley Temple lens gets a good amount of search engine traffic. Recently, many of of the search terms have to do with Shirley Temple costumes. Voila! Here is the offshoot lens, which started getting Google hits the day after it was published and generated its first affiliate sale the following day.
Get it? Good. Go do it.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Importance of the Primary Tag
The Primary Tag is the first tag you get to define when creating your new lens, and it is an often misunderstood and very under utilised by many Lensmasters. Admittedly, it doesn't seem do a whole lot, but there are some important points to note:
- In some lens formats (e.g. Ever.com and SquidWho) the primary tag appears at the very top of the page, next to "Explore more:".
- Most lenses (maxxed) have a box in the side bar titles "Explore more...", containing links to the Category and Primary Tag of the lens, plus all the groups it belongs too.
- Another feature of the sidebar (which is not always present) is the tag list, which is usually headed by the Primary Tag (on un-maxxed lenses), and then the first 5 regular tags (in alphabetical order). The remaining tags are hidden, and search engines may ignore these ones.
- Every appearance of the Primary Tag on your lens adds weight to that key phrase on your lens.
In addition, I am working on a new project that will make these Primary Tags even more important! So, you need to make sure that your these tags are as optimal as possible.
Here are some tips:
1. Your Primary Tag wants to be the most important key phrase that you can think of. For example, if your lens is about a person or a product, stick to just their name.
2. Keep your tag to just 2 or 3 words, where possible. One word is not always specific enough (unless the subject is a strong brand like Pepsi), and more than 3 words can sometimes be too specific. Of course, it does depend on your subject matter.
3. Don't simply repeat your Lens title again (even though this is the default when building a lens). Your title should include as many keywords as you can sensibly fit (no keyword stuffing!), while your Primary Tag is about your key phrase.
4. Format your Primary Tag nicely - keep it Capitalised, spelt correctly (!) and don't include any special characters or quotes ("). Use spaces between words, not dashes or underscores.
5. Make sure you repeat your Primary Tag as a regular tag too. The tags appear as the Meta Keywords at the top of the page, and you don't want your key phrase to be missing from it.
6. Pick a Primary Tag which is popular, i.e. people will be likely to be searching for it and other lenses are might also have the same Primary Tag.
Here are some examples: Doctor Who :: Discworld :: Digital Camera Accessories :: Smart Phones
Bad examples: The Whole Lens Title Again :: Kee Frase Spelt Wong :: lowercasewithnospaces :: "Phrase in Quotes"
I hope that people remember these tips - I need to go and change a lot of my own Primary Tags having just looked at a few of them. And remember - I'm developing a project that'll bring these tags in to their own...
(This post was written by thefluffanutta, lensmaker extraordinaire and all-around great guy, and was originally published on SquidU.com, Squidoo's forum and lensmaster lounge. It's great advice, typical of thefluffanutta who is more than generous in sharing great advice as well as his creation, SQUIDUtils.com, Advanced Tools and Utilities for Expert Lensmasters, with the masses. Thank you, thefluffanutta, for permission to republish.)
- In some lens formats (e.g. Ever.com and SquidWho) the primary tag appears at the very top of the page, next to "Explore more:".
- Most lenses (maxxed) have a box in the side bar titles "Explore more...", containing links to the Category and Primary Tag of the lens, plus all the groups it belongs too.
- Another feature of the sidebar (which is not always present) is the tag list, which is usually headed by the Primary Tag (on un-maxxed lenses), and then the first 5 regular tags (in alphabetical order). The remaining tags are hidden, and search engines may ignore these ones.
- Every appearance of the Primary Tag on your lens adds weight to that key phrase on your lens.
In addition, I am working on a new project that will make these Primary Tags even more important! So, you need to make sure that your these tags are as optimal as possible.
Here are some tips:
1. Your Primary Tag wants to be the most important key phrase that you can think of. For example, if your lens is about a person or a product, stick to just their name.
2. Keep your tag to just 2 or 3 words, where possible. One word is not always specific enough (unless the subject is a strong brand like Pepsi), and more than 3 words can sometimes be too specific. Of course, it does depend on your subject matter.
3. Don't simply repeat your Lens title again (even though this is the default when building a lens). Your title should include as many keywords as you can sensibly fit (no keyword stuffing!), while your Primary Tag is about your key phrase.
4. Format your Primary Tag nicely - keep it Capitalised, spelt correctly (!) and don't include any special characters or quotes ("). Use spaces between words, not dashes or underscores.
5. Make sure you repeat your Primary Tag as a regular tag too. The tags appear as the Meta Keywords at the top of the page, and you don't want your key phrase to be missing from it.
6. Pick a Primary Tag which is popular, i.e. people will be likely to be searching for it and other lenses are might also have the same Primary Tag.
Here are some examples: Doctor Who :: Discworld :: Digital Camera Accessories :: Smart Phones
Bad examples: The Whole Lens Title Again :: Kee Frase Spelt Wong :: lowercasewithnospaces :: "Phrase in Quotes"
I hope that people remember these tips - I need to go and change a lot of my own Primary Tags having just looked at a few of them. And remember - I'm developing a project that'll bring these tags in to their own...
(This post was written by thefluffanutta, lensmaker extraordinaire and all-around great guy, and was originally published on SquidU.com, Squidoo's forum and lensmaster lounge. It's great advice, typical of thefluffanutta who is more than generous in sharing great advice as well as his creation, SQUIDUtils.com, Advanced Tools and Utilities for Expert Lensmasters, with the masses. Thank you, thefluffanutta, for permission to republish.)
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