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.

Link: Yes, I Love My Hybrid Car