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21/08/2013

Moving Squidoo Lenses | Part 2

Here we go for more information on how and where moving our locked/deleted/no traffic/no sales/not performing Squidoo lenses. So now that we have chosen a webhost (as said earlier, I recommend HostMonster as it's the greatest webhost I've ever subscribed to) and a domain name, we can go further on our new online endeavours. 

Next stop is choosing the platform or the type of website that we're going to put our content on. There are many different options - although I haven't tried all of them - some are easy, some are less easy, some are for developers or Internet savvy only. It all depends on your own knowledge.

Moving Squidoo Lenses, What To Do Now?

So, once your webhost and domain names are OK, think about the type of site you're going to build.

Here are some options for you to choose from:
  • Hand coded old fashioned site using Notepad ++ or Dreamweaver if you wish
  • CMS such as WordPress and Joomla, the easiest of all being WordPress
  • Drag and drop website builders such as Weebly
  • Concrete 5 which uses modules like Squidoo lenses
  • and more
Hand coded sites are time cosuming and a hassle... Depending on your skills, you might find yourself choosing another way for building a website.

WordPress is the easiest blogging platform out there. It comes with a one-click install that's provided by Simple Scripts (offered for free with HostMonster's package). You can have full control of everything from Simple Scripts account. It's free, no need to sign up, it's full part of HostMonster's services.

Then there's Joomla which I personally find quite hard to understand and make work properly. Once you're familiar with it, you have a first class website or blog or website and attached blog. But if you plan on working fast for getting the lost traffic on your moved lenses you'd rather opt for WordPress.

Then there are drag and drop website builders that are also offered with HostMonster's package. I think Weebly has a paying version otherwise you'll have to support their ads but there's another similar site builder that comes with your host and that one is entirely free. However, I don't think they're ideal platforms for building the type of pages we built on Squidoo althought they're perfect for small sites or sales pages.

Concrete 5 is also an option. It's .php driven platform, particularly safe, once Concrete 5's links removed, nobody could even think it's a CMS and nobody would even think about hacking it. Building a site or blog or both on Concrete 5 is easy: all you need to do is choose a template and then build your page just like you would build a Squidoo lens. Replace the word "module" with "add-on" and you'll quickly understand what I mean.

I just love Concrete 5 although I use WordPress too. In addition most blog and site templates are suitable for Concrete 5 as long as you add a "typography.css" sheet to your files. How to tutorials are available on Concrete5.org.

No matter the type of platform you choose, make sure it is made for you and won't require more work than moving articles, desinging your pages, finding products to feature, driving traffic, promoting your new pages, etc. 

See you for another how to move Squidoo lenses post later.


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