Using Squidoo

[jshaffstall]

I haven't seen much discussion of using Squidoo to promote your blog, so I thought I'd start a thread.

I've been using Squidoo for some time, not for blog promotion, but just to create pages I thought were interesting, or to take advantage of Squidoo's built in SEO.

Then one of my lenses was picked as their lens of the day ( http://www.squidoo.com/kidsrpg/ ) and the traffic spiked. Traffic wasn't high to begin with, so the relative effect was huge.

I wasn't at all positioned to take advantage of this extra traffic, unfortunately.

My current blog post has an analysis of the traffic effects, and the next one will have tips for getting the most out of the traffic (e.g. all the things I should have done but didn't).

Jay

[solidghost]

I still don't understand much about Squidoo. Is it a social networking site based on page creation or is it like Digg? Or even facebook for that matter.

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by solidghost

I still don't understand much about Squidoo. Is it a social networking site based on page creation or is it like Digg? Or even facebook for that matter.

Squidoo is a website that provides you tools to easily build your own web pages on any topic you want. They include tools that let you link to product on Amazon.com, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, etc.

You could create the web page yourself, but Squidoo makes it a point and click affair (well, you have to type in the content). Plus, Squidoo pages are generally ranked highly in Google results compared to new domains. So a Squidoo page could be used as a feeder to another website.

There is a social aspect involved. You can put your pages into groups with similar pages by other people, and get visitors and feedback from them.

Hope that helps,
Jay

[LennyP]

I still don't understand the benefit of creating a Sqidoo page when you can simply create a site that you alone own. I dont see the benefit of their large user base outweighing the fact that you have to share your profits and not really owning your page.

[jshaffstall]

Originally Posted by LennyP

I still don't understand the benefit of creating a Sqidoo page when you can simply create a site that you alone own. I dont see the benefit of their large user base outweighing the fact that you have to share your profits and not really owning your page.

This is a common question with Squidoo, and quite a reasonable one.

I see Squidoo's main advantages being:

1) Automatic SEO page optimization for keywords (you still do keyword research and write keyword rich content, but you don't fiddle with HTML).

2) Google likes Squidoo pages, so they generally rank highly for search engine results in only a couple of days after being written.

3) You don't need to sign up for affiliate programs, just use the Squidoo modules.

The way most people are using Squidoo is as a feeder for other websites, to take advantage of Squidoo's Google juice. The amount of profit you make from the profit sharing aspect is quite small.

Now, if you hit on a popular topic that you can use affiliate sales for, you can make quite a bit more on Squidoo (haven't managed that myself yet).

So, if you have your own aged domain and are good at SEO, there's probably no advantage to using Squidoo.

On the other hand, having two points of entry to your web site in search results is not a bad thing. Your website and your Squidoo page could both be appearing in the top 10 Google search results.

Jay

[solidghost]

Won't Googlepages be even better in that case?
I mean, it's owned by Google, pretty sure they will rank better.

[jshaffstall]

The last time I used Google Pages, they didn't do automatic SEO and didn't have affiliate modules built in. But for "favoritism" from Google, yeah, I'd say Google Pages would be a good bet.

But I'm not sure when I last saw a Google Pages result in the top 10 for Google results...I'll have to do some research.

Jay

[Knotgypsy]

I set up a lens a few weeks ago, "Original Designs in Hand Crafted Beaded Micro Macrame and Beaded Crochet Jewelry", and had a lot of fun doing it. I plan to add more as time goes by.

I use it to promote my other sites (Etsy shop where I sell my hand made beaded jewelry, my blog, and my website). StatCounter tells me I have been getting increased traffic to my blog and website from Squidoo, so it is giving me some results.

As for Google Pages, I have not had nearly the same results.

[jshaffstall]

That's strange that GooglePages don't seem to rank as highly in Google search results. Squidoo's built-in SEO must be pretty good.

Great lens, too! I did a Google search on one of your keywords, "hand made beaded jewelry", and noticed that many pages used "handmade beaded jewelry". Might be good to add that version as a keyword to your lens.

Jay

[Betsyanne]

I have not done any Google Pages. I have been working on Squidoo though. I have several lenses and find that they do increase traffic to my blog, especially when I include my blog in my lens as part of what I am talking about. But mainly the pages are for traffic because you are NOT encouraged to post spammy lenses that are only for traffic to other sites or to make money with.

When you have 50 highly-ranked lenses on Squidoo, you can apply to be a Giant Squid, which gets you more perks and traffic. That is what I am working towards now. I have 17 lenses so far. It is also fun to "meet" other lensmakers there at Squidoo and get ideas for what works and gets traffic to your lenses.

My highest-traffic blog on Squidoo is called Free Clipart and Photo Sites.