Amazon is a Cool Platform - Cool Modules

Amazon is a Cool Platform - And Makes for Some Cool Modules. One of the coolest Squidoo modules for generating a little sale or two; i.e., royalties, is the Amazon module. A module is a building block that you add to your lens when you create it. I've loved the Amazon module when there was ONLY one of these. As of the writing of this blog, there are now 6 different Amazon modules to select from.

• Amazon -- In this standard module, you can only feature up to 5 products per Amazon module. If you want to feature more products, you will need to add more of these modules.
• Amazon Recommendations -- You can select a category and enter the link or Amazon ASIN and feature up to 5 products in this plexo style module.
• Amazon Spotlight -- Perhaps my favorite Amazon module in which you select one item to promote that makes sense for your lens!
• Amazon MP3 -- I like this module because your visitor can listen to music selections during their visit to your lens and debut music prior to purchasing -- how cool.
• Amazon Search -- I love this Amazon module and will include it to allow my visitors the ability to search Amazon for the products related to my lens topic. You can present search results as 3, 6, or 9 results. Your reader can also use their own search terms to find items on Amazon.
• Amazon Voting (Plexo) -- Feature items from Amazon that your readers can vote up, or vote down if allowed, to show popularity of products. You may want to monitor the links that your readers add to this module!

I'm still studying the effectiveness of these various Amazon modules to identify the better performing module of those offered. Some of the interesting Amazon sales resulting from the use of these modules include the product widgets.

P.S. I was writing this blog post JUST as the payout of royalties on Squidoo was occurring for the month of January 2009. Now that is topical indeed!