Second(?) Lens: I Love My Prius!
OOPS! Now that I look, Yes, I Love My Hybrid Car may actually have been my first lens… I’d lost track! They were both started on May 4, 2007, but it looks like Greece Odyssey went “live” on May 5th.
This is not the most successful or fabulous lens, but I’ve decided that sharing less-successful lenses may help readers, too! It is third tier.
What This Lens is About
My ’04 Toyota Prius. I share details like honest-to-gosh mileage, how it feels to drive a hybrid car. (At the time, hybrid cars were still relatively rare.) I wrote a funny list: “You May Be a Hybrid Car Addict If…”
Excerpt
- Real honest-to-gosh mileage: About 40-42 mpg.
- Tank is about 10 gallons, and I usually go about 370-400 miles on it.
- Handling and pickup comparable to a well-maintained Corolla or Camry. Switch between electric and gas feels like changing gears in automatic transmission…
Why I Made This Lens
I think I started with this one to familiarize myself with Squidoo before launching my Squidoo magnum opus. Also, this is one of my few lenses that actually tries to sell something: a cute “Yes, I love my hybrid car” t-shirt / tote bag / bumper sticker design, and another one I added later, “My Hybrid Kicks Gas.”
Things I Learned Making This Lens
- How to use Squidoo
- How to add a Cafepress module
- To promote a shop, write an article on a related topic
- Adding funny lists holds reader interest
- Use a catchy title that also includes a keyword
- I promoted the lens by joining some hybrid car enthusiast boards and adding the link in my sig.
Things I DIDN’T Learn Making This Lens
- Introduction should be brief and target keywords.
- Include graphics of any design you’re selling!
- Stay focused on topic (I’ve had to tighten it up a lot)
- Use keyword research and SEO to pick a search phrase (I just guessed what people might search for)
- Use keywords in the URL as well as the page title.
Related Lenses
Convert Your Prius to a Plug-in Hybrid
Lens Stats and Milestones
As of today: Lensrank #16,168, 34 ratings, 13 favorites, 1556 lifetime visitors.
Best lensrank achieved: #290. Lifetime earnings: $41.59 + some sales of designs.