Comments on: Five Things I’ve Learned About Successful Squidoo Lensmasters

By: cchiovitti

cchiovitti — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:59:22 +0000

With certain topics, I do check first. One of my most popular ones had several already done, but honestly - none were very good. With others (I wanted to do one on Praying Mantises), if there already is an AMAZING one, I’m not going to try to steal their thunder, mostly out of respect for the other lensmaster (I’d rather promote them than make my own). Of course, I wouldn’t do a lyrics lens that’s been done before either, I think that would just clutter Squidoo up with too much duplicate content.

By: spirituality

spirituality — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:18:43 +0000

I personally do look at the competition - to see if I can do better / different. But that didn’t stop me from making a lens on css tricks when there were already a few highly popular ones on the subject out there. I did make sure mine was at least different though.

It’s now my second best ranking lens

By: victorianeely

victorianeely — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:50:42 +0000

Bigbluegirl - There are a few isolated cases where I might check up on the competition, but that’s with unusual topics. I’d probably look like a poser if I did a lens about unusual toilet seats, and I wouldn’t make a lyrics lens for a song if it’s already been done by someone else.

At the same time, I’d hate to think that my lenses would stop someone from writing about a topic they like. If someone wants to make their own lens about rubber ducks, Squidoo mistakes, or Sonic the Hedgehog, they shouldn’t let the fact that I’ve already covered these topics stop them. As long as they don’t rip off my content, of course.

By: mlineker

mlineker — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:32:43 +0000

Great post, I agree with all your points here. You have reminded me that I need to find time to make over some of my early creations that overdo the selling. Trouble is, it’s much more fun to create new lenses!

By: biggirlblue

biggirlblue — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:01:08 +0000

I agree with everything but the last one. I will look and if I think someone has done a reasonable to great job I move on to my next idea. I think it is just respectful.

If the lens is filled with nothing but a buttload of ads one after the other on totally none related stuff then I jump in and create my own lens.

By: Susan Villas Lewis

Susan Villas Lewis — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:04:21 +0000

What Victoria said. (Although I was going to use the word insane, but obsessed works too. It’s why I fit in so well.)

By: victorianeely

victorianeely — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:00:45 +0000

And they’re a wee bit obsessed, too. But there are certainly worse obsessions.

Great post!