Using Squidoo to Teach Others
Happy Friday! This week we’re taking a look at how to share your knowledge with others (and make a little extra cash in the process!)
1. Designing a how-to lens
2. Making money by teaching others
3. Fun SquidBits of the week
4. Lensmaster interview
Once you’ve created a lens using these tips, show it off at http://www.squidoo.com/squidureview. You might see it featured in a future edition, to 25,000 of your fellow lensmasters!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells, Editor of the SquidU Review
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1. Designing a How-To Lens
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Spring cleaning regularly leads to projects around the house and tinkering in the garage. Maybe you’re into building exotic birdhouses, scrapbooking your kids’ activities, or cooking up cool treats for summer. Whatever your passion, you can become an instant expert by sharing your genius with others. Here are some tips for designing a masterful how-to lens.
1. What are we doing?
You might know exactly what it means to get organized (http://www.squidoo.com/homemaking) but newbies might not understand what all is involved. What will you actually be creating? What are some of the steps? Will you be using power tools or getting messy? How long will it take? Give readers an overview to prepare them for what is ahead.
2. What do I need?
Before your virtual apprentices get started, they need to know what tools to gather. This is especially important for cooking and crafting, because you want to make sure you have all your ingredients before you start playing with the oven (or glue gun!) Here you’ll find a great example of a supply list: http://www.squidoo.com/fairywings
3. What are the steps?
Instructions are very important since your students can’t get instant feedback or see you in action in real life. The “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3″ standby works great for explaining the order of putting parts together, gluing and painting, etc.
4. How should it look?
Flickr is a great place to search for project photos to give your readers and idea of what their finished projects should look like. You can even use Flickr to display your own photos. If you have the equipment, direct your own mini-video for YouTube. Your audience will love you for it.
5. Where can I learn more?
You taught me how to make origami mobiles, and now I’m really interested! Where can I learn more? Link lists and blog feeds are great for directing your newly addicted students to additional sites where they can find patterns, tips, and techniques for partaking in their newfound hobby. TIP: Try the MAKE blog module!
When one teaches, two learn, and putting together your how-to lens can help you learn more about the art or science of your hobbies, making you an even more educated enthusiast.
For more great examples, visit some of my favorite how-to lenses:
http://www.squidoo.com/warcraftgold - this lens bursts with suggestions and descriptions
http://www.squidoo.com/jodiesjeans - the right/wrong photos make this lens a winner
http://www.squidoo.com/coolpics - your lens doesn’t have to be long to be effective
http://www.squidoo.com/carsoncoots - your lens can be about serious business…
http://www.squidoo.com/chopsticks - …or about the little things that plague us daily
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2. Making money by teaching others
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Did you know you can make money by teaching others how to enjoy the same activities that you are so passionate about? Find out how the modules on Squidoo can turn your mini-instruction manual into some extra cash.
1. The basic supplies
Nearly every project will require some supplies, so why not offer them for sale on your lens? Try the specialty money-making modules, such as Cooking.com, Better Homes and Gardens, and Camera World.
2. Parts is parts
If your project requires parts, such as mini mirrors, scrap wood, or drawer pulls, direct your users to eBay where they can buy supplies on the cheap. eBay is also great for project kits, such as for scrapbooking, clock making, needlepoint, and beading.
3. Learning on the page
How-to books that you personally recommend can be one of the greatest resources for learning about sports, crafts, and hobbies. Keep your recommendations to five or less, or split them into categories by topic or difficulty. If you have one to three must reads, spotlight each individually in an Amazon module with a brief summary of what makes the book so great.
4. Media-enhanced education
Besides books, you can use DVDs and CDs to learn gardening, cooking, yoga, German, and more. Try the Amazon and eBay modules for finding multi-media tools.
5. Pride in your hobby
What do woodworkers do? We wear shirts about how much we love woodworking, that’s what we do! For every passion there is a shirt. Check the CafePress module for shirts and gifts for every hobby imaginable.
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3. Fun SquidBits of the Week
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1. Have you started a PhotoPhight yet? http://www.squidoo.com/photophights/hq
2. Who will win Lens of the Year? Voting ends today! http://www.squidoo.com/thelensoftheyear
3. There are some important new improvements to the platform today.
* Squidoo now has a G, R and X-rating system for lenses. Find out more about it here: http://www.squidoo.com/pages/faq#ratingpolicy
* O Groupmasters suffering from Groupspammers, here’s some headache medicine for you. Lenses that spam 2 or more Groups will not be allowed to join more Groups. You can now also “report” groupspammers. And change your Group settings to be a little more selective. Plus a few more improvements to makeyour Groupmastering go more smoothly. Keep an eye out at SquidU for more details.
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4. Lensmaster Profile
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Savvy lensmaster extraordinare John Couke has the good tips for creating niche lenses that run their own SEO show. Read the whole interview here:
http://www.squidu.com/Profiles/getting-to-know-john-couke
