QuippingQueen's Mental Floss
Quirky and colorful QuippingQueen shares insight about lensbuilding and having fun with Glen, SquidU's Guest Editor!Glen: How did you discover Squidoo?
QuippingQueen: As I recall, I believe I was babbling a bit over at Wordlab.com when someone announced the launching of “Squidoo.com” and suggested that we might all like to toddle over and take a peek. Since I do adore “peeking” plus “poking” around, I soon learned that I could do both on your platform. Needless to say, I got reeled in and have had a whale of a time ever since!
Glen: Do you start with an idea and then figure out how to monetize it, or start with a product and then figure out how to promote it?”
QuippingQueen: I always begin at the beginning, figuring out what tickles my “funnybone” rather than how much wampum I could make from a “wishbone”. After I’ve settled on a topic or theme, I then look for collateral content such as five-star books on Amazon.com or top-quality designs on products from Cafepress.com.
Glen: What success secret can you divulge (that is not currently being discussed in the forums)?
QuippingQueen: Trust your intuition (you know, those butterflies in the stomach feelings you get every now and then when you follow your sense of curiosity and creativity); learn from your flubs (to avoid repeating them), and welcome the unexpected, (it’s the spirit of serendipity calling with a special surprise for you!)
Glen: Do you have any tricks for encouraging your lens viewers’ participation through any of the interaction modules?
QuippingQueen: Well now, “tricks or treats” I usually reserve for Halloween. However, I have found your new “duel” interaction module to be a rather fine way to prompt views from vampy or vexed visitors on a variety of contentious conundrums. Without the help of this dandy debating device, my news lens, "God Made Toilet Paper To Roll Only One Way”, would not be such a hit among throne room experts!
Glen: Do you focus on a specific, narrowly-defined keyword or phrase, or do you get traffic from a variety of different phrases and keywords?”
QuippingQueen: On a narrow topic like the game of “tiddlywinks”, I might use variations in spelling of the word “tiddlywinks” as well as certain tiddlywink terms. On a general topic like “weird words”, I tend to use a variety of different phrases to capture the scope of language and funny meanings. In either case, I’ll verify my choices using Google’s adsense word suggestion tool and word-tracker.
Glen: What non-Squidoo book or other resource have you found that helps you with your lenses? (SEO resource, marketing book, Seth Godin post, whatever.)”
QuippingQueen: As a former business development consultant, I appreciate Seth Godin’s book, Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable. As he says, the key to success is to find a way to stand out—to be the purple cow in a field of monochrome Holsteins. In a world where Queens come and go, there’s a nice niche I own, “the one and only maven and monarch of mirth – H.R.H. Quipping Queen & Empress of Eccentricity!”
Glen: What mistakes have you corrected as you’ve built up your Squidoo expertise?
QuippingQueen: Listen to feedback from readers. Don’t cry over spilt milk; by that I mean, if you make a technical or content error, correct it as quickly as possible, and apologize if you’ve inadvertently hurt anyone’s feelings. Then blow your nose if you must, and get on with life because it’s the only one you’ve got, (unless of course you believe, as cats do, that you have nine lives -- in which case you can forget everything I've said).
Glen: What are your three favorite things about Squidoo?
QuippingQueen: It’s easy to use. Helpful hands and hints are available from other lensmasters as well as technical staff. And lastly, there is a fair revenue-sharing model for content creators.
Glen: What three words best describes your fondness for Squidoo?
QuippingQueen: “Marvellous Mental Floss!”
Glen: How did you get your username?
QuippingQueen: “QuippingQueen” is the name given to me by a male friend, who said he couldn’t think of a more fitting moniker of mirth for a maven called “Victoria Elizabeth” (with whom he had become reacquainted at a hoity-toity high-school reunion).
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