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Squidoo is probably the most versatile and user friendly Web 2.0 hosting site on the Internet, bar none. Its versatility allows the writer, blogger or website creator to write lengthy pieces of text, separated in to sections known as modules, as well as add link modules to their creations elsewhere on the Web and sell numerous different types of products for commission.

The first step for the writer looking to promote him- or herself on Squidoo is to create their first mini site, called a lens. The most important factor when creating a lens is that we be extremely specific as to our subject and pick both the title and the URL accordingly. This is something which we have to do as part of the lens creation process and it should be carefully noted that although the title of the lens can be changed as often as we desire, the URL is the one thing on Squidoo which can never be changed, for what are perhaps obvious reasons.

I presently have over a hundred lenses on Squidoo on an incredibly wide variety of topics but for the purposes of this article we are looking at promoting ourselves as a writer and as a human being. We would therefore wish the title and URL of the lens to be our name. It is of course possible that someone else with the same name as you already has built such a lens on Squidoo, but it is unlikely. Should this be the case, you will have to adapt your URL accordingly, perhaps by including the word "writer" or similar.

When we have completed the initial stages of creating our lens, we have to get our outward bound links in place. Use all the tools available to you. If you write on a lot of different subjects, add a link module for each subject and split up your material accordingly. Remember, however, that no one wants to find any form of website which merely contains links or is overly rich with same. Include text modules about yourself, your life and your work. Add photographs of yourself in the space provided in each text module. You are promoting a person, not external websites.

Monetise your Squidoo lens with the variety of different modules which allow you to do so. In this instance, we should certainly be adding an Amazon module, selling perhaps books that are of interest and potentially of use to the aspiring writer. Ebay is another good prospect. You will earn up to five percent of the value of every sale made in this way, so it is not something which should be ignored.

We then have to let the big wide world know about our lens. Blog about it, add a link to it on your "About Me" page on Helium. Start a Hub Page on a related subject and link to it from there. Submit it to the bookmarking sites such as Digg, Reddit and Stumbleupon. Tell all your friends by e-mailing them a link and talking about your lens on the social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. There are a never ending number of ways in which we can promote ourselves like this - just remember never to spam!

Equally importantly, we have to remember to keep our lens fresh. Add new content frequently, remove anything that you have grown to dislike or be unsure about. Explore Squidoo in depth and comment on other people's lenses - they may well reciprocate. From your home page, click on the SquidU link and join the advice forum. Read the plethora of lenses available on the general subject of "How to Squidoo." You will pick up lots of great tips and advice in this way.

Finally, have fun and enjoy the act of telling the world about yourself - and you may soon become the addict that I am.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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