Google has announced their competitor to Wikipedia and Squidoo.  A Knol, defined as a unit of knowledge, is an informational article written by an expert.  Mashable says that this is the way of Web 3.0. The articles are almost exactly like Wikipedia but come from a credible source and your name, link and picture are featured on the side.  See Google Knol=Wikipedia Killer? Duct Tape Marketing also does a great post

Why write a knol?

Get recognized for your expertise.  There are really only a few hundred Knol’s out there (I’ve written 5) this stuff is brand new.  Check it out here:  http://knol.google.com/

If you want to be known as an expert in your field, then go claim that real estate and write the first Knol on your subject.

Don’t know what to write about?

Neither did I.  I knew I wanted to claim my expertise on entrepreneurship, but first they make your write your bio.  Your brief biography becomes the Knol on you.  Examine the sentences in your Knol and you’ll probably see that the things mentioned in your bio about are the things you can easily write knols about.

Even better, inside your Knol, you can link to the Knol’s you’ve written.

For example:(my knol)

Bio

Matt Wilson writes ZaggedEdge.com a project/blog with the title: “WARNING: Entrepreneurship and Lifestyle Experiments can dramatically alter your life!“

Wilson is best known for leading the Bryant University Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization to the prestigious CEO Best Chapter Award.  In 2006, Wilson was recognized at the CEO National Conference in Chicago, IL as the National Student Leader of the Year.

Wilson now runs Hip Visions Lifestyle Marketing Group www.hipvisions.com

****I easily took the keywords in my bio and made them into Knols.  I started at the most niche: “CEO Best Chapter Award” and did that as trial run.  By then I had the Knol bug and continued to writing until I got to Bryant University.  (less niche)

Eventually, I’ll get to my industry and then the entire field of entrepreneurship.  Use this strategy for Knol success!

Please Digg or Stumble this article if you like, as there are no current articles on Knols in the system!

Happy Knoling!