Do you Squidoo? Artist Resources!
The site is comprised of making lenses - - which are basically small articles on topics that you pick. You can build the exact way you want the page to look, this is called building your own lens. This sounds complicated but only takes only a small bit of knowledge to learn how the squids talk. Each lens (or page) is built by adding modules that you choose. A module may be a photo, a box of text, or your Etsy shop! You can build your page by adding modules for all sorts of things, from music, to a photo gallery, to Amazon items, Ebay items, and links to your favorite websites. Basically, you can build your little article exactly the way you want adding or subtracting as many modules as you want to put your things exactly where you want them. It's actually fun to do and you have the option of updating your lens or page at any time.
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| Squidoo is one of my faves! Read them all here. |
So, how can this help your art, wares, or website? Since you can link your art, wares, or website to each and every Squidoo page you do (plus your main profile page) you can pretty much get some new visitors to your site. Having only written a few articles on Squidoo, it is directly responsible for driving anywhere from 40-60 customers to my Etsy shop PER MONTH. It is also driving 30-50 visitors to my blogs and websites, which I link in there too. So I try to do one Squidoo article every other month, and hope to increase these numbers significantly by writing on new topics that may interest others.
What if you are not a big writer? No problem, there's plenty things you can do. You can write small paragraphs but add a lot of photographs. If you aren't a big writer, stick to talking frankly about your specialty, wares, or a project. If you knit sweaters with old yarn, do an article on sweater yarn and the different types. Then insert links to your wares. Talk about the joys of knitting. If you make wooden toys, talk about wooden toys or how you love them so much. If you love to cook, use that as something to write about, but in the end plug in your handmade earrings by adding your Etsy shop!
Here is why you should Squidoo:
a) It's free to use. Since nothing is free in life, you really need to jump on the Squidoo bandwagon!
b) It allows you to build backlinks to your sites! Backlinks help you gain placement and build credibility!
c) You can earn money by adding certain modules like Amazon links to things you like etc. If people buy these things you get a small commission, or you can choose to donate it to a charity fund!
d) It's easy to use. (A bit fun, and somewhat addicting.)
e) After you create a lens and get it published, you can share it with your friends via twitter or facebook with built in share buttons on Squidoo! The more readers, the better.
So what are you waiting for? Read some of mine to see how I use them to drive traffic to my Etsy shop! See the way they are set up and how they have so much going on, each section is a module:
My Lens on How to Sell Vintage on Etsy
My Lens on Collecting Vintage Melmac Dinnerware
My Lens on Glove Molds
Here is also a good article on Making Money off of Squidoo.
Here is a real Squid Katie Colette talking about how they are making extra money off Squidoo, they update their earnings monthly!
