It isn't unusual for new lensmasters to worry about making "sales" lenses. I know because I was one of those people who just wasn't sure why anyone would want to listen to me telling them what's best to buy.
But I was looking at the subject the wrong way. When I turned it around and put myself in the position of the shopper rather than the seller, then I remembered how appreciative I am, when I'm shopping online, to find a legitimately good product review or gift guide.
When my outlook changed, then I became comfortable recommending products to people. While I've made my share of awful lenses with product after product (the type of lenses that don't deserve the trust of a shopper) I finally learned to be a product reviewer, a personal shopper, a gift guide author who provides great customer service - instead of a salesperson who really doesn't care.
So if you're worried about making a "sales" lens, make a gift guide lens instead. Research the products you present, anticipate and answer shoppers' questions, and provide a much-needed service. This year the number of online shoppers is projected to be even higher than last year's huge number. No doubt many of those folks will be looking for information so they can make good buying decisions. Be their personal shopper. Write your gift guides with real people in mind. Pretend you're shopping with your best friend, providing advice and expert information to help her choose the best gifts. Picture her smiling in the checkout line knowing that you, the Gift Guide, helped make her shopping - and buying - experience a good one.
Now, isn't that a great feeling?
For more information, read 5 Tips for Creating a Niche Gift Guide.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Totally In Love With Autumn
Fall has always been my favorite season and this year, following a long, hot, dry summer, I've fallen absolutely in love with autumn.
Squidoo loves autumn, too, and is celebrating with a new lens theme. It probably goes without saying that I love it! I've switched over some of my seasonal lenses to the new theme and they look so clear and crisp and fresh, just like I feel this time of year. I'm feeling so inspired, in fact, that today I made a new lens for the theme (and, I confess, to satisfy a Squidoo quest while I was at it).
The Razorbacks lost today, the truck repair came to a screeching halt when the part didn't fit, the new part for the riding mower didn't arrive, in fact in many ways this has been a bust of a weekend . . . but I don't even care.
Did I mention that I'm in love with autumn? I hope you love your autumn, too.
Squidoo loves autumn, too, and is celebrating with a new lens theme. It probably goes without saying that I love it! I've switched over some of my seasonal lenses to the new theme and they look so clear and crisp and fresh, just like I feel this time of year. I'm feeling so inspired, in fact, that today I made a new lens for the theme (and, I confess, to satisfy a Squidoo quest while I was at it).
The Razorbacks lost today, the truck repair came to a screeching halt when the part didn't fit, the new part for the riding mower didn't arrive, in fact in many ways this has been a bust of a weekend . . . but I don't even care.
Did I mention that I'm in love with autumn? I hope you love your autumn, too.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Who Uses Squidoo?
Ever wonder who's on Squidoo? Where they're from? How they got there? How much money they've made?
Lensmaster --Chazz wondered, too, so he made a lens about it, a page of polls that reveal these and other statistics about the users of Squidoo.
As you participate in these anonymous polls designed for anyone who writes on Squidoo (you don't have to be cephalopodic, but it helps), you'll also enjoy the very relevant humor and practical self-help devices in between. You'll participate in an example of excellent lenscrafting, too.
If you've ever been curious about the demographics of Squidoo, or if you just want your tentacles tickled, don't miss Squidoo Users Poll and Stats.
Lensmaster --Chazz wondered, too, so he made a lens about it, a page of polls that reveal these and other statistics about the users of Squidoo.
As you participate in these anonymous polls designed for anyone who writes on Squidoo (you don't have to be cephalopodic, but it helps), you'll also enjoy the very relevant humor and practical self-help devices in between. You'll participate in an example of excellent lenscrafting, too.
If you've ever been curious about the demographics of Squidoo, or if you just want your tentacles tickled, don't miss Squidoo Users Poll and Stats.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Squidoo Quick Tip of the Day - Save Your Changes!
Tip of the Day: When you're in workshop mode, creating or editing a lens, make sure to "apply" or "save" once you've made changes. This particularly applies to editing the workshop tools on the right sidebar, everything from the lens theme to your bio, to "How to you want to get paid?" and Dashboard Labels and tags.
If you edit a module in the body of the lens, you have to save or cancel to continue editing. There's no warning if you make a change in one of the categories on the right. It's very easy to make those changes and forget to save them. Always save and then publish the lens so your changes will take effect.
I don't have to tell you how I know. :) Hope your short-term memory is better than mine!
If you edit a module in the body of the lens, you have to save or cancel to continue editing. There's no warning if you make a change in one of the categories on the right. It's very easy to make those changes and forget to save them. Always save and then publish the lens so your changes will take effect.
I don't have to tell you how I know. :) Hope your short-term memory is better than mine!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Megan Says Goodbye to Squidoo - Listen to the Words Wednesday
Thanks for everything, Megan, and best of success in your new venture!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Have You Discovered Your Dashboard?
Recently I undertook a project to examine all the information I could find on my Squidoo dashboard. Actually, I just wanted to check out every link on there to see what information I didn't know existed and, by golly, I found some.
So, I wrote a series of posts about the dashboard and its hidden treasures this week for SquidooHQ.
The most useful information I found that I didn't know existed was the payout settings manager. I didn't realize there was one place where I could see my cash and charity settings for each individual lens. Or maybe I knew in the past but had forgotten (that happens to me a lot these days).
My favorite part of the dashboard, though, is the "sales" tab, or maybe it's just the lens list where I can see loads of statistics about all of my lenses all on one page, sorted in a variety of ways.
What's your favorite tool on the Squidoo dashboard? I'd love to know how you use all the great information that's provided there.
So, I wrote a series of posts about the dashboard and its hidden treasures this week for SquidooHQ.
The most useful information I found that I didn't know existed was the payout settings manager. I didn't realize there was one place where I could see my cash and charity settings for each individual lens. Or maybe I knew in the past but had forgotten (that happens to me a lot these days).
My favorite part of the dashboard, though, is the "sales" tab, or maybe it's just the lens list where I can see loads of statistics about all of my lenses all on one page, sorted in a variety of ways.
What's your favorite tool on the Squidoo dashboard? I'd love to know how you use all the great information that's provided there.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
People Are Kind
I deal with lots of people online on a daily basis, mostly "newbie" lensmasters on Squidoo.
Just wanted to say here, for the record if anyone's keeping track, that there are so many very, very kind people out there. I am touched daily by the appreciative emails that I receive and the lovely comments I get on my profile page.
It takes time to seek out that profile page then compose an email or type a comment. It's very, very humbling to be on the receiving end of such a generous gesture, usually multiple times a day.
I guess that's it, except just to say "thank you." You make my day.
Just wanted to say here, for the record if anyone's keeping track, that there are so many very, very kind people out there. I am touched daily by the appreciative emails that I receive and the lovely comments I get on my profile page.
It takes time to seek out that profile page then compose an email or type a comment. It's very, very humbling to be on the receiving end of such a generous gesture, usually multiple times a day.
I guess that's it, except just to say "thank you." You make my day.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Summer Fun on Squidoo - With Prizes!
First prize this week is an iPad so if you've always wanted one, hey, today could be your lucky day!
Visit the official SquidWoot announcement at SquidooHQ for information and rules.
Ready, set . . . hey, where did everyone go?
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Lens Promotion: How To Get Your Lens Noticed
Have you been following the How to Promote Your Lens series on the SquidooHQ blog?
Subjects of the three posts (or steps) on lens promotion include how to make your lens promotion-worthy, promoting within the Squidoo community, and promoting a lens in other places outside of Squidoo.
It's always a good idea to start with the basics of creating a page with unique content and useful information, and many of those who commented on step 1 agreed. It was also nice to see in the comments on step 2 the number of people who confirmed that promoting within Squidoo is a worthwhile effort, one that pays off both short-term and long-term. One early comment on step 3 reinforces that "you have to take the time to make it work." In this instant gratification day and age, that's a difficult lesson to learn.
My personal philosophy is that promotion has its place, and it's an important place, but when topics and keywords are properly researched before the lens is written, then the search engines will do their job and promote the lens to the top of the SERPs for you. Watch for a tip with that theme, coming in the near future.
I'd love to read your comments on the series. Do you have any advice to add for those looking for tips on Squidoo lens promotion?
Subjects of the three posts (or steps) on lens promotion include how to make your lens promotion-worthy, promoting within the Squidoo community, and promoting a lens in other places outside of Squidoo.
It's always a good idea to start with the basics of creating a page with unique content and useful information, and many of those who commented on step 1 agreed. It was also nice to see in the comments on step 2 the number of people who confirmed that promoting within Squidoo is a worthwhile effort, one that pays off both short-term and long-term. One early comment on step 3 reinforces that "you have to take the time to make it work." In this instant gratification day and age, that's a difficult lesson to learn.
My personal philosophy is that promotion has its place, and it's an important place, but when topics and keywords are properly researched before the lens is written, then the search engines will do their job and promote the lens to the top of the SERPs for you. Watch for a tip with that theme, coming in the near future.
I'd love to read your comments on the series. Do you have any advice to add for those looking for tips on Squidoo lens promotion?
Monday, June 18, 2012
"Liking" Our Neighbors on Squidoo
That's a lot of lenses, but when I compare my numbers to those of Tipi (35,466) or Jaguar Julie (24,826) or KimGiancaterino (15,842) or OhMe (12,919), my number seems like small potatoes and my efforts over the years pale in comparison to lensmasters like these (and certainly there are others) who give so much back to the Squidoo community. I really appreciate their setting the bar nice and high!
There are lots of ways to be a good neighbor on Squidoo, and visiting and rating lenses with a simple click on the "like" button is akin to serving cake to your fellow lensmasters. Leaving a thoughtful, kind comment while you're at it is the icing on the cake and only takes a few seconds more. Not surprisingly, there's a trophy for that, too!
What's your number? Have you earned your Epic SquidLiking trophy yet? Is it a goal? If it wasn't before, I hope now that it is. It's good to be a good neighbor.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Irresistible Lens Titles on Squidoo
Squidoo's choice for Lens of the Day today has one of the most irresistible, "Must click NOW!" titles of any lens title I can remember, ever.
How to Design Your Really Weird Alien
That's the title. Isn't it awesome? Doesn't it make you say, "Huh?" and want to click and read the lens - immediately? Or is it just me who wants answers to all those questions the title generates in my puny brain? ("My alien?" "Why is it weird, even really weird? I need to design an alien? Did I miss an assignment somewhere?)
I recently wrote about choosing a title for your lens, the man and machine elements to consider. I'm not positive this title nailed the machine element; I'd have to do some keyword research to find out. I am positive, though, that it hit the human element smack dab on the head. At least it hit my head. In fact, it almost knocked me over.
Are you still reading this? If you want answers, too, then go right now and click on the title and check out the lens. I hope you're as curious as I was about what this really weird alien thing is all about. And I hope I can come up with a title as compelling and irresistible as this one for my next lens. Love it!
How to Design Your Really Weird Alien
That's the title. Isn't it awesome? Doesn't it make you say, "Huh?" and want to click and read the lens - immediately? Or is it just me who wants answers to all those questions the title generates in my puny brain? ("My alien?" "Why is it weird, even really weird? I need to design an alien? Did I miss an assignment somewhere?)
I recently wrote about choosing a title for your lens, the man and machine elements to consider. I'm not positive this title nailed the machine element; I'd have to do some keyword research to find out. I am positive, though, that it hit the human element smack dab on the head. At least it hit my head. In fact, it almost knocked me over.
Are you still reading this? If you want answers, too, then go right now and click on the title and check out the lens. I hope you're as curious as I was about what this really weird alien thing is all about. And I hope I can come up with a title as compelling and irresistible as this one for my next lens. Love it!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Man, Machine, and Better Squidoo Lens Titles
What do "man" and "machine" have to do with choosing titles for your Squidoo lenses?
You'll find the answer in The 2 Most Important Elements of a Great Lens Title, a post I wrote yesterday for the SquidooHQ blog.
I mentioned recently that SquidooHQ is the place to find great Squidoo tips, and this post is no exception. Pardon me if it appears that I'm tooting my own horn, but I'm basing this statement on the excellent feedback this man/machine post has received. So if you want to learn how to create a better title for your lenses and (most likely) get more traffic as a result, then just go read the post.
Then I'd love if you'd come back and leave a comment here to let me know your thoughts on the subject.
You'll find the answer in The 2 Most Important Elements of a Great Lens Title, a post I wrote yesterday for the SquidooHQ blog.
I mentioned recently that SquidooHQ is the place to find great Squidoo tips, and this post is no exception. Pardon me if it appears that I'm tooting my own horn, but I'm basing this statement on the excellent feedback this man/machine post has received. So if you want to learn how to create a better title for your lenses and (most likely) get more traffic as a result, then just go read the post.
Then I'd love if you'd come back and leave a comment here to let me know your thoughts on the subject.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Time to Clean House on Squidoo
It's housekeeping time on Squidoo.
There's a new quest on my dashboard today - maybe you have it, too - called "Clean Up a Lens Day." The point is to take a lens that is sitting down low on your dashboard and give it a nice freshening up. In fact, the quest lens includes a list of 10 ways to clean up an old lens. Fabulous tips!
If this quest doesn't apply to you, then bless you my friend. You're a better squid than I. As for me, I've actually been (slowly) working on freshening a few old lenses recently. I feel better for it and the lenses I've updated have shot up in lensrank like Howard Wolowitz's rocket.
Will you accept the challenge and complete the quest? Let me know, and feel free to leave a comment that includes the lensrank of your cleaned-up lens before and then after its freshening. (Woohoo in advance for that!)
There's a new quest on my dashboard today - maybe you have it, too - called "Clean Up a Lens Day." The point is to take a lens that is sitting down low on your dashboard and give it a nice freshening up. In fact, the quest lens includes a list of 10 ways to clean up an old lens. Fabulous tips!
If this quest doesn't apply to you, then bless you my friend. You're a better squid than I. As for me, I've actually been (slowly) working on freshening a few old lenses recently. I feel better for it and the lenses I've updated have shot up in lensrank like Howard Wolowitz's rocket.
Will you accept the challenge and complete the quest? Let me know, and feel free to leave a comment that includes the lensrank of your cleaned-up lens before and then after its freshening. (Woohoo in advance for that!)
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