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Squidoo Opt-In Forms are Back
By Todd | December 20, 2008
List building on squidoo.com is back! Based on a new method that does NOT require html frames, which were banned by squidoo some time back, it’s now possible to add opt-in forms directly to your squidoo lens again.
In the early days of squidoo it was possible to list build with opt-in forms by making use of html frames but squidoo dropped frames due to abuse and in effect left the list builders having to resort to ugly images that take you off to a separately hosted landing page..
Thanks to some clever work by a fellow named Lewis Smile over at Squidoo Tricks it seems opt-in forms are back for squidoo, provided you follow the right procedures.
The method requires you to build a custom squidoo module using Spring Widgets that you then import into your lens. Now if you’re not a developer then no worries because the procedure is dead simple and can be performed by anyone who can work a mouse. It takes about 25 minutes to work through the first time and then after that you’ll be able to add opt-in forms to your lenses in about 1 minute. Seriously, it’s that easy.
The guide, guide which you can pick up over at Squidoo Tricks is very simple to follow and will only run you $7.
One of the cool things about the guide is that it will open the door for you on how to create simply custom modules for squidoo, and many other social sites that use the spring modules. It’s a virtual idea generator.
Should you add an opt-in to your Squidoo lens?
That’s a good question. It sounds like a great idea, and in many situations it might make sense, but I think from a marketing perspective squidoo lenses are a double edged sword. They’re great for generating traffic, but here are a few drawbacks that need serious consideration before you drop an opt-in box on the lens
- Their is way too much going on on a lens to really focus the readers attention to the same level as an optimized squeeze page. All the advertising, the many links in the sidebar and all the other interactive stuff you need to rank well with your lens creates way too many links the reader can click that do not get you paid in the end
- More importantly, in my mind, is the lack of ability to split test the page. It doesn’t matter how much you think you know, the only true way to optimize a page is through A/B split testing and this isn’t possible with a squidoo lens. The ability to use free tools like Google Website Optimizer is one of the best way to increase conversions and sacrificing this ability to test in order to use a squidoo lens for your landing page is in my mind a mistake
These two huge disadvantages are not meant to imply that an opt-in box on a squidoo lens is a bad thing, just that it’s not optimal to use a lens as a opt-in landing page if you have the option of using a regular web hosted squeeze page.
If the traffic is already on your lens then by all means add an opt-in box using the Squidoo Tricks method, but if the traffic is elsewhere and you have the choice of sending them to a lens or a squeeze page to gather opt-ins then the better choice is still your own hosted squeeze page.
So what do you do after you get them on your list? Find out how I convert my list using product specific bonuses in my free affiliate marketing course.
Topics: Social Marketing, Squidoo, list building |
Yeah I agree that having a separate landing page makes more sense, but a good part of my traffic comes from within squidoo itself so because they’re already there I might as well give them the chance to sign up.
Hey rob.
It’s just too bad you can’t test on squidoo. One thing I’ve picked up from Jeff Johnson is that he seems to prefer placing an image/add op ages like this squidoo or blog sidebars etc … so that he can get them over to his squeeze page anyway. he feels it’s not only easier to test, but easier to build the case for them to opt-in.
I can understand this for a blog sidebar, but I’m not sure with a squidoo page because although you do have the a lot of distractions you also have more space than a blog sidebar to build you case for opt-ing in.
Hard to know for sure since you can’t easily test on squidoo. I’m going to give testing the idea a try by running with the opt-in form on the lens for a couple weeks and the without for a couple weeks and see what happens. It’s not the same as a true AB split test but it’s the best I can do with swuidoo.
Hi Todd,
Please let your readers know that you can also get this Squidoo Tip for free at http://squidoo.com/clearspringtutorial. In fact you can create a Clearspring widget for almost any unsupported widget on Squidoo. Very cool stuff.
Cheers!
@Harmony -
Hey thanks for dropping by Harmony and thanks for the tip. I’m sure everyone here would love to save $7 bucks. More importantly see how to create some cool widgets of their own.
cheers,
todd
Hey Todd,
The method at the /clearspringtutorial lens Harmony linked to above don’t work for opt in forms anymore.
The squidootricks.com guide I wrote still works though. I updated it recently to account for the drastic change clearspring and squidoo made, blocking all javascript widgets.
My guide still gets your opt in forms up
Lewis
Hey Lewis,
Thanks for the update on this. I’m sure this will help a lot of people out who are still struggling to get opt-in without a website.
Cheers,
Todd