Should Affiliate Marketers Leave Squidoo?


Is It Time To Take Our Content Somewhere Else?

Since the announcement of the impending policy changes at Squidoo.com, I have read a LOT of varying opinions and feedback.  I’ve also been “accused” of looking at these policy changes thru rose-colored glasses in an attempt to remain friends with Squidoo, or because I have some deep vested interest in others loving Squidoo, or something to that effect.  While this annoys me to some degree, I felt that in the spirit of transparency, I should talk about that.  I should also say straight out whether I think it’s time for affiliate marketers to leave Squidoo or not.  So, let’s talk…

Am I Protecting Myself?

Let me start this off with a little story…

Once upon a time, this unknown PotPie chick started looking at her computer as a way to bring some money into her household.  Problem was, she didn’t HAVE any money to get started.  This presented a real problem – or at least she thought it did.

After poking around and learning all she could, she found herself making free web pages on a site that welcomed people just like her.  In fact, they paid people to make their web pages there AND they allowed folks to make more money by having affiliate links on those pages.

She started to make some money.

She also spent a TON of time checking out other sites that were supposed to be similar and learning about SEO and getting online content FOUND.  She worked herself into a tizzy.  If her eyes were open, she was working and learning until she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer.

In her travels, she found lots of other free-to-use sites, but none compared to the site she used mainly.  That site was Squidoo.com.

She then spent a lot of time learning how to make her Squidoo pages even more effective…and it was really working for her.  Over some time, she managed to get enough money coming in to be able to get to the real heart of internet marketing – and she started making her own sites, and building her own lists, and creating her own products.

Without Squidoo, she wouldn’t be sitting here typing this story to you.

I can understand why some folks might doubt my intentions. Heck, I am a marketer, right?  So that means that my concerns must be all about ME?

Wrong.  Very, very wrong.

I know, as sure as I am sitting here, that there are many, many other folks who are right where I was back in February 2007 – lost, dazed, confused, broke….and wanting desperately to make a change in their lives.

I’m not talking to those that already have their own sites, and lists, and products… I’m talking mainly right now to those that do NOT have those things – but they really want to get there… somehow.

I understand that burning desire to find a way to make something out of nothing – and better yet, I know it is totally possible.

And yes, I still completely believe that Squidoo will still help others get there.

The Reality Of These Policy Changes

See, here’s the thing… I do not own Squidoo.  But if I did, I would totally be making some changes, too.  I’ve seen the stats, I’ve been all over the site and have seen the problem pages, and I know full-well how hard advertisers are to come by in this economy.

Why would any advertiser invest in a site that was so full of unwanted content?

Something has to be done – and I think this is a very good move by the Squidoo staff.

Do I Like It?

Let’s make this clear, too….   I have a BUNCH of content on Squidoo that has got to be moved cause it will get zapped.  Whether it’s content that Squidoo wants on its site or not, it IS content I have worked on and *I* want it.  So, no, I am so totally not excited about having to do this right now.

Who really wants to spend their time moving content from one place to another?  I know I sure don’t….lol!

I’ve got two client websites I need to be working on.  I finally got my help desk at AskPotPieGirl.com up and running and want to get Carissa (my daughter-in-law) fully trained on that.  I have an offline/online local business project I’ve been working on and I only have 25 of the 50+ sites done so far.

Above all, I have a ton of One Week Marketers that I want to help through these policy changes.

I don’t have time to complain about these policy changes.

Fair, not fair, right, wrong…whatever…it doesn’t matter.  It is THEIR site and they make the rules.  I either follow the new rules or lose my content.

What I Am DOING About The Policy Changes

I am protecting my content, that’s what I am doing.  I am checking all options that I can find that are quick and feasible to move my content to NOW in case it gets zapped later.  That way, if my lenses DO get locked, I can simply delete them because I will know my lens content is somewhere else.

Any solutions that I find that I will be using MYSELF, I will pass along to my One Week Marketers so they can use them, too.  Not everyone has their own websites – or is even ready to make their own sites.  But, if they are ready, I have 6StepNicheSites.com always available for free to help walk them thru the process.

I’ve already tried out 2 different free-to-use sites with my lens content that needs to be moved and so far, it’s been pretty easy to do.  I could just move my lens content to my own sites and be done with it, but how will that help others and offer them options for their lenses?  Yes, I would LOVE if all my readers all had their own sites, but that just isn’t the case – and I sure want to help them NOW and help them continue forward to where they DO have their own sites.

These policy changes are not the end of the world – unless you LET them be.

Should Affiliate Marketers Leave Squidoo?

No way.  Squidoo is an affiliate marketer.  Think about it – all those earnings modules (amazon, ebay, etc) are all embedded with Squidoo’s affiliate links.  While they split that revenue with the lensmaster, that revenue is very important to Squidoo.

So are affiliate marketers.  Yes, it’s really cool to have these awesome lenses on the site that are truly works of art.  At times, I am in total awe of the great stuff I randomly find on the site.

But that’s just it – I find it randomly – not thru Google.  Marketers know how to get their content found and Squidoo does need folks that know how to do that.  That is equally important to attracting advertisers, and Page Rank, and Alexa rank and alllllll those things that come into play.

Squidoo simply wants….no, they need the affiliate marketers to stop marketing on certain topics – not stop marketing all together.  They also need less “CLICK HERE” sales page type lenses, and more thoughtful content that Google loves and brings long-term organic traffic.

In short, Squidoo doesn’t want to be a billboard anymore – and they can’t continue to be used that way.

I don’t feel I am looking at these policy changes, or responding to these policy changes, thru rose-colored glasses at all.  If One Week Marketing was no longer effective, I can promise that I would yank it off the market in a heartbeat and give it a complete make-over.

But it IS still effective – and here’s the kicker – it’s not all about Squidoo, either.  The Action Plan works for all sites.  In fact, it is really teaching you the set-up for your OWN sites so when you get to that point, it will be second nature for you and will make total sense.

And in my humble little opinion, I think Squidoo will do well with folks that know how to get their lenses found via Google and make lenses that promote page views and depth within the site.  We just have to follow their rules and be careful of what topics we write about.

Eggs and Baskets

Yes, it’s been said all over the internet in relation to these Squidoo changes that people shouldn’t have all their eggs in one basket.  I agree – BUT, when you’re new and trying to get started, you are working your tail off to have your first basket so you can have more baskets to choose from down the line.

I get that!  Heck, I’ve BEEN there.

So if you voice your concerns online about these policy changes and someone responds/reprimands you about having all your eggs in one basket – just smile and let it go.  This is not the time to complain or worry.  This IS the time to protect the content you have that might be effected by these policy changes and put it in another basket.

And then… you WILL have another basket…and all your eggs won’t be in just one  😉

When you lack resources, you have to learn to be resourceFUL.

Are You a One Week Marketer?

As I said, I’ve been busy testing some other free-to-use sites to move my own lens content to in preparation for the impending policy changes.  I will be sharing the things I’m doing with my One Week Marketers.  I don’t know when I will send this out, tho.  I really wish I had more time to test things, but I know time is of the essence right now and I want the OWM’rs that have content that might be effected to have some options and hear how I am handling it.

I’ll try and get this out to y’all as soon as I can, but I imagine it will take me thru the weekend so please hang tight  =)

I apologize if any of this post was a little over the top compared to my usual stuff.  I just get aggravated when people think or imply that I am just another self-serving guru.

Thank you to everyone who left feedback in the comments area on the policy change post here at PotPieGirl.com – I really appreciate your thoughts!

Ok, back to work for me!

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