Why is blogging about your Squidoo lenses such a great way to promote them?
- Readers love blogs because they have personality, so they're more likely to be read regularly.
- Hundreds of websites are dedicated to finding, organizing, and promoting blogs. This translates to hundreds of websites dedicated to doing the same for your lenses.
- Many of these systems can be set up to automatically notify and remind readers each time you post. It's relevant and in their face.
- Systems like Google Alerts allow users to be automatically notified of new links to news stories and blogs that match their keywords. Again, relevant.
- "If you build it they will come" doesn't apply to the internet. Talking about yourself will encourage others to talk about you, promote you, and help you get found.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Set up a blog
You can get a free blog through dozens of blogging service providers, a few of which are listed below. When you're feeling up to it, you can even get a domain name to point to your blog.I recommend: If you're totally new to blogging, test the waters with Blogger.com. If you're a blogging veteran, you may appreciate the advanced features WordPress has to offer.
Commit to posting regularly
The best blogs are those that are maintained over time. Even if you only post every few days, over time that adds up to a lot of information.I recommend: Post important events, such as publishing a new lens, and updates every other day inbetween.
Create a Squidoo lens
If you don't already have a lens, you can get started in just a few minutes at Squidoo.com. While starting a lens takes only a few minutes, properly polishing it is an ongoing process. Several learning links are listed below, but there's no better time to get started!I recommend: Use SquidWho.com to create your very first lens...on yourself!
Promote your blog using Squidoo lenses
Weren't we just talking about the opposite? Yes, and it goes both ways. Create a lens about your blog, and add text lists, link lists, and money-making modules such as Amazon and CafePress to promote your interests.I recommend: Johann the Dog has his own lens, which promotes many of his wares, including his blog. This is just one idea for expanding upon your blog to promote other things you're involved in. http://www.squidoo.com/johann
Get involved in Squidoo, learn more, create more
Once you get past basic lens design, there are a ton of great new things to learn about how Squidoo works and works for you.I recommend: Check the links below for several excellent resources for learning more about Squidoo.
Register your blog
There are hundreds of websites designed to track, tag, and promote your blog. Sign up for a few you think will be best for you based on what they offer and the time you have to maintain your listings.I recommend: This Squidoo group on blogging resources has some great lenses on promoting your blog: http://www.squidoo.com/groups/blogging/lenses
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Using blogs to promote other websites isn't new, but how you do it can greatly affect your success ratio. Posting only a link, known as a hit and run, is a poor way to promote your lenses. This method is synonymous with spam. Even if you have a very well made, quality lens, there is no incentive for a reader to click through. A short description of your lens, a story about your area of interest, or its relevance to a recent news event gives information to your readers and engages their interest before shipping them elsewhere.
- If you're just starting a blog, you can make it general or focused. A general blog might allow you to post about yourself, your work, your lenses, your dog, etc. A focused blog will be more about one topic. If you already know you'll have many lenses on one topic, a focused blog might work better for you. If your lens topics are random, a general blog can still be a fun way for people to find you.
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