Squidoo

Do you Squidoo?

Squidoo is not your average community in fact it's more like an online mall. Let me explain why. When you signup with Squidoo you become a "lensmaster" (shopkeeper) and are able to create "lens" (storefronts).

A lens is one person's view on a topic that matters to her. It's an easy-to-build, single web page that can point to blogs, favorite links, RSS feeds, Flickr photos, Google maps, eBay auctions, CafePress designs, Amazon books or music, and thousands of products from hundreds of other trusted merchants. You can pick whatever content you want to put in your lens to bring context to your topic. Then, when someone is looking for recommended information, fast, your lens gets his started and sends him off in the right direction...

Read more at the Squidoo FAQ page.

Creating a lens is easy to do and simple to setup. When you start a lens your are asked to create a unique url (ie "http://www.squidoo.com/addictivesearchjunkie") give it a title, add some topic tags, select user friendly or adult content. Write a short bio for your visitors to relate to, select how you want to get paid. Which by the way you can donate to a charity or straight cash or a combination. Then you are asked what type of lens are you creating, All-Purpose, All About You, $$, Blogger, How-to, News of the Wierd, Newshound, and Custom. Once you've selected the lens type your page is automatically setup via a template, but don't threat you can add or delete what you want or don't want.

The modules you can add to your lens vary from Cafepress, Digg, eBay, Technorati to Amazon, Flickr, and RSS Feeds give lensmasters greater abilities to market. You can build link lists to your favorites, sell your products, promote your blog or company or even yourself. You can make money buy selling products from eBay, Cafepress, Amazon all from your lens. Squidoo is a third-party player where it takes a share from the sells it generates from your lens. Squidoo pay out through PayPal so will need to have a paypal account to get paid.

The Review

This gives its members great opportunities to make a buck, promote their products, services, and share information. Best of all its free to use. Some of the Modules are are a little tricky to grasp for beginners. You made need to setup accounts with modules such as eBay and Cafepress to effectively make sales. Luckly SquidU the Squidoo University gives its masters a place to learn the trade secrets of Squidoo. Overall this site is great for anyone looking to startup a storefront.