Squidoo Tip #27: Make Some Lyric Lenses
This is actually Glen’s tip, not mine. He came up with a simple formula to create basic yet consistent lenses for songs: Lyrics in the introduction module, YouTube music video, poll, Amazon album link, guestbook, and featured lenses.
People often do searches for song lyrics, so these can be potentially good traffic lures. What I like about this is that it’s an easy way to create supplemental lenses that complement one or two primary lenses. For example, I already had a lens about the movie Corpse Bride. Now I have multiple Corpse Bride lenses dedicated to some of the songs in the movie.
Visit How to Make a Lyrics Lens to learn more…
Edit/disclaimer: No, I’m pretty sure posting lyrics doesn’t fall under fair use. Even though you’d be giving free advertising to the music industry and encouraging people to buy music, you’re still taking a legal risk if you post lyrics. It comes down to them deciding if it’s worth their time and resources to make you cease and desist.
11 Comments »
flighty02 said :
June 19, 2008 at 8:16 am
Great idea, think I better give it a go!
mac33 said :
June 19, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Are there copyright concerns about publishing someone else’s song lyrics? Or does that fall under fair use?
victorianeely said :
June 19, 2008 at 2:40 pm
My personal opinion is that it *should* fall under fair use, since it’s positive advertising for the music industry. Free advertising and support is the reason why most businesses, authors, etc. choose not to smack down fan sites and fan fiction writers. However, I’m certain posting lyrics isn’t protected under the fair use umbrella. If on the offhand chance the music industry decided it was worth their time to sue Random Average Joe for posting lyrics, they would win.
Since this doesn’t involve giving away free (illegal) MP3s, and since a Squidoo lens would actually be encouraging people to buy songs and albums, I doubt it’s going to be an issue. But it’s still a risk, however small it is.
Susan Villas Lewis said :
June 19, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Hmm. Given the sheer number of lyrics sites out there, it’s easy enough to hide. Not that we want to.
I think I’m up to 20 or so now at least started/claimed. I opened another account to keep these separate and I’m such a dork. I totally didn’t even click my own referral link. Dang it!
These are totally addicting.
victorianeely said :
June 19, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Yes, they ARE rather addicting! I’ll probably be doing a lot of movie lyrics. Not yet sure if I’ll create a separate account for them or not… huh, I should probably be promoting DVDs in addition to CDs, come to think of it.
Susan Villas Lewis said :
June 19, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Ooo. So you’re doing like the movie theme song? Hmm. I guess TV theme songs would work too. I did the one from iCarly because I have a Miranda Cosgrove lens and she just released an album.
My new alter ego is Sing-Along. I have 21 in that account either done or in WIP and another 7 in my other account waiting to transfer. Going to get to 50 pretty quickly, actually.
The biggest drag right now is that the official video for many of the newer songs don’t allow embedding. So you’re stuck with the choice of either picking a live version or skipping the song. Sigh.
biggirlblue said :
June 19, 2008 at 11:19 pm
The group seems to have disappeared - http://www.squidoo.com/groups/lyrics
all I’m getting is a white page with a few words at the top.
Susan Villas Lewis said :
June 20, 2008 at 11:56 am
Yeah, there’s something wrong with the group page, so I haven’t been able to add to the group. Or check to make sure I’m not duplicating. Just assuming that I’m not as long as the URL is available. I believe Glen has them working on it.
victorianeely said :
June 20, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I hope somebody’s working on it. I wanted to add my lyrics lenses to the group, darn it…
Susan - yeah, I seem to be gravitating towards movie tunes. I have a lot of movie-related lenses (and no lenses about singers or bands), so it makes sense to build on that.
Ha, I love the goofy plushy elf you have as Sing-Along’s avatar.
Susan Villas Lewis said :
June 20, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Isn’t he cute? I found him at mourgefile.
I’m out of control now. I think I have about 100 songs in my list to make lenses on. Glen has unleashed a monster. On the plus side, I’m having a great time listening to songs I haven’t heard in ages or didn’t know about.
» Fun with Silly Symphonies Victoria Neely’s Squidoo Diary said :
August 14, 2008 at 8:12 pm
[...] dedicated to some of Disney’s Silly Symphony cartoons. They were partly inspired by the lyrics lens format… which is somewhat fitting, since music is a dominating force in many of the Silly Symphony [...]
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