What is Squidoo?
Squidoo is a huge website like Myspace or Wikipedia that lets you self-publish webpages, called lenses, that focus on a particular topic, interest of yours, passion, hobby, or subject -- including your own online business!
Make money on Squidoo!
Lenses generate money through Google Adsense earnings and sales of products on Amazon, eBay, or other online merchants that you select. You pick products that fit the topic of your lens, and if anyone buys a product through your links, you get a royalty commission from that merchant. If you are an eBay merchant, Cafepress shop owner, or owner of another online business, you can promote your own products.
Squidoo Donates to Charity
Squidoo donates 5% of its revenue -- not profits, but revenue -- to charities which were picked out by the Squidoo team and users during the early stages. Users can suggest new non-profits and charities. And on your own lenses, you can choose to have all or part of your lens earnings go to a charity you select!
Squidoo Is Easy to Use!
Squidoo requires no knowledge of HTML. Instead, it has building blocks called modules that you can pick and customize to display your content.
Modules include straight blocks of text (if you know HTML, you can spruce them up with italics, links, extra images), Amazon links, eBay links, and dozens of widgets such as Google news searches, weather, Orbitz, iTunes and Netflix recommendations, Cafepress listings, and more. There are modules that let you create "Top Ten" lists or recommended website lists. There are modules for polls, debates, or fun modules like Talk Bubbles that make your text look cool.
There's lots of free help and tips on Squidoo!
Squidoo members like to help each other. There's a great Lensmaster Lounge -- forums where you can ask for help or critique, or share tips and suggestions. A lot of lensmasters have written help lenses for getting started on Squidoo. I've written two: Greekgeek's Squidoo Tips on how to get started and get more traffic to your lenses, and Squidoo Lensmaster Lounge Help for newbie users who have never used bulletin boards and/or don't know bbcodes.
Some of My Example Lenses
Lenses can be long or short. I tend to go long, but here's a random selection of some of mine to show you what's possible:
Volcanoes Are Hot Stuff: All about volcanoes, with videos, links on current and historical eruptions, a glossary of volcano and lava types, and more
Funny Signs: Bizarre billboards, funny street signs, and banners that make you go, "eh?"
Yes, I Love My Hybrid Car: My review of my 2004 Toyota Prius, plus gifts for hybrid owners.
The Care and Feeding of Apostrophes: They're or their? It's or its? Jones, Joneses, or Jones'? This tongue-in-cheek guide helps you figure it out once and for all!
Jackie Robinson: American Hero: My biography of Jackie Robinson, with proceeds donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation
Samhain the Cat: A shrine to my cat, with cute pictures and video.
Great! How Do I Get Started?
Just like Qassia, you join Squidoo through referrals. Once you make $15, then whoever referred you gets $5 (separately, not out of your profits). We're talking REAL cash, paid through Paypal.
Click "Make Your Own Page" on any of my lenses, or click the link below to get started.
