Rhyme Time with Rusty Quill
This week we are joined by Rusty-Quill, an artist, writer, and self taught web developer who "dabbles in the art of dabbling."
Squidoo: Welcome Rusty-Quill! What compelled you to try Squidoo in the first place?
Rusty-Quill: I first came across a reference to Squidoo back in August in an article from SEO News. I was looking for ways to help promote a couple of web sites I was helping a friend develop. The article stated that creating a Squidoo lens was a great way to get traffic and increase the number of authoritative links to your site, so I thought hey that sounds pretty spiffy I’ll give it a look see.
Squidoo: Your lenses cover many different topics yet are all very complete and thorough. How do you decide what to create lenses on?
Rusty-Quill: Although I came in with the intention of creating a lens about the two sites I was working on my procrastinatory nature kicked in right away – my first idea for a lens was going to be about my favorite pizza recipe, but alas the procrastination monster tickled my senses and I ended up making my first lens about the attempts to clone the extinct Tasmanian Tiger which was inspired by a recent article in Popular Science. My second lens was created after hearing an interview on National Public Radio about meteorite enthusiasts buying and selling meteorites on eBay. I found it fascinating (and a bit humorous) that people were actually selling meteorites of all things on eBay so Kapow! Lens number two. Basically I create lenses on topics that catch my attention, whatever inspires me at the time to research a topic further; I’ve always been a curious person.
Squidoo: Of the lenses you have, which of these are “spin offs” of previously existing websites? How has your traffic or income been positively affected on theses sites with the addition of Squidoo lenses?
Rusty-Quill:For sure two of my lenses fit that category – the two I finally got around to making about my friend’s sites – one about the Twin Cities, (Minnesota) music scene and the other a web site for his vintage Volkswagen restoration projects. Since music is a major category here on Squidoo the music lens has become lost amid the sea of other great music lenses so really hasn’t contributed to the site’s traffic. The VW lens is still pretty new and is relatively unique to Squidoo so it has resulted in a bit more traffic. As far as increased income if anyone is looking to buy a beautifully restored 1970 VW Karmann Ghia that might count as increased income. ;)
Squidoo: What’s your single favorite thing about Squidoo?
Rusty-Quill:The beauty of Squidoo is the eclectic blend of lenses, and the fact that so many people are donating portions of their lens income to some great charities. (That technically is my two favorite things about Squidoo but I thought I’d try to sneak them both in there). People are creating lenses for every conceivable reason from helping grow their business to sharing photos and information with family and friends around the world. You can’t help but love seeing what people come up with, what they are passionate enough about to spend the time to share with the rest of us. I also think a lot of people wish they could do more to help others in need – Squidoo gives them a chance to do that in a fun, creative and free manner. With no out of pocket expenses to lensmasters Squidoo has allowed them to give more than $11,000 to causes they believe in, and that number is growing faster every day as more lenses are created – you gotta love that too.
Squidoo: What one piece of advice would you give to prospective lensmasters?
Rusty-Quill: If you create lenses about topics you are passionate about it will show. The key to a good lens as in a web site is quality content. Squidoo’s module system makes that very easy for people to do, but it still takes a creative impetus to get started. If that push comes from something you are inspired by whether that’s genetic engineering or hand sewn sweaters for cats the passion you put into it will make it great.
Learn more about RustyQuill here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Rusty-Quill
