SquidU

Hello lensmasters!

There have never been more resources on Squidoo for getting help where you need it. Whether you’re a new lensmaster working on your very first lens or a veteran lensmaster just trying to master some advanced CSS, there’s someone to help.

Our Mentor Matches
The Mentor Matches lens is a free-for-all help offered and wanted board where interested mentors can leave a note about what they’re able to help with, and lensmasters in need of a nudge can find someone to share advice.

Our Citizen Squid Mentors
We currently have six fabulous lensmasters serving as mentors for important areas of Squidoo.

Groups Mentor: Barkely
Groups are collections of lenses on Squidoo, and Barkely has oodles of ideas for making them pretty, attracting quality members, and organizing lenses for readers.

Lens Promotion Mentor: jeffwend
A lens without traffic is like a fisherman without a rod (or spear, or bow, work with me). To do well, lenses need eyeballs, and jeffwend is your man for helping you get it.

Module Mentor: Ener-G
Energy is certainly what you’ll get with our Module Mentor! She is an expert at using modules to their full potential and teaching you how to find the hidden ones.

HTML & CSS Mentor: Trekkiemelissa
You don’t have to know a scrap of code to make your lens fancy with colors, borders, and cool coding effects. Melissa makes it easy to copy, paste, and edit code.

Giant Squid Mentor: RMS
Robin is a lady who has her hands full, but she always has time to offer advice to wanna-be Giant Squids. Learn more about the Giants program and find out how you can join this elite group.

Image & Video Mentor: LindaJM
If you’re not great at writing, you know what they say: a picture says a thousand words. (And a video even more!) Learn how to let visual aids do the talking with tips for using the photo and video modules available through Squidoo.

First Lens Mentor: lakeerieartists
Paula is our shiny new First Lens Mentor, helping new lensmasters get through that important first lens. (Many thanks to Margaret_Schaut for her fabulous set-up work!)

Be sure to visit them all and say hi! You can also catch a glimpse of their great work and keep track of “help wanted” and new additions at the Citizen Squid Mentors HQ.

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Lenses and forums and feedback
When you can’t talk to a live person in the moment, the instructional lenses they’ve prepared can be just as awesome. Our best lensmasters have spent hours putting together helpful how-tos so you can learn their top tricks on your own time.

The Answer Deck
The Answer Deck is a collection of Squidoo Tips lenses built by Giant Squids or approved by HQ, so you know you’re getting the best advice out there. Plus, our SquidStaff has added a large showing of lenses to answer official policy questions in an easy-to-read format.

The SquidU Forum
Whether you need a lens critique, help fixing a glitch, or want to dish on something cool you found, the SquidU Forum is our community-driven discussion board.

Need help from HQ?
Our official point of contact for bug reports and feedback from a SquidStaffer is our feedback page. Be sure to enter your details completely (including your email address!) so we can look into it promptly and get you an answer quickly.

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When you’re a lensmaster on Squidoo, you’re never alone. Thousands of peers with all levels of knowledge and backgrounds of expertise are available to give a helping hand. Awww…it’s one of the traits we’re so proud of!

Happy learning!
~Kimberly
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer

PS - have you been getting hot tips from our Mentors on the Charity Blog?

PC World recently posted an article on Nine Twitter Tips for Businesses. For many of you, Squidoo is your business, so it makes sense that you can apply these tips to using Twitter to promote your lenses. In fact, we loved these tips so much that we adapted them for Squidoo. Based on Tips for Businesses, here are our Nine Twitter Tips for Squidoo.

1. Don’t automate it
Squidoo comes with an embedded Twitter tool that helps you tweet updates when you publish lenses, and this should be used sparingly. If you update lenses every other day and post 47 tweets as such, it can be a huge turnoff to followers. Use it when you post updates of value, or add a personalized tweet through your favorite Twitter client to describe what new content can be found on the lens.

1.5. Automate it
To maintain a consistent posting of tweets about your lenses, even when you’re not around, try TweetLater.com to queue up authentic, conversation-style posts about your lenses.

2. Be Conversational
Friends choose whether or not to follow you on Twitter, so if all they get to read is that you published another lens, off the list you’ll go. Use Twitter as a two-way communication tool. Ask and answer questions, chat about why you created a lens, share stories and experiences and even bloopers. Show readers there’s someone with a unique voice behind your Twitter account.

3. Follow people who are relevant
Following other lensmasters isn’t about spying on the competition, it’s about creating synergy and building a stronger brand. The same goes with people relevant to the topics of your lenses. Follow them and engage them in conversation. Use their content for your lenses, and tell everyone about it. Don’t feel obligated to follow anyone who follows you, but actively seek out the right people to team up with.

4. Make sure your people are on Twitter, and refer to them
If you’re a one-person operation this can be a challenge, but we’ve all got some form of “people.” When you’re doing business with someone, there’s no greater compliment than to share public praise about a colleague. It makes you both look good.

5. Answer your mentions
Part of being conversational includes replying when another Twitterer replies to or mentions you. When you’re an authority figure, it’s that much more important to maintain your reputation. Plus, followers LOVE to be acknowledged. It’s a quick thing that means so much.

6. Search for your name
Thousands of Twitterers have mentioned being contacted or followed by a company they recently tweeted about. It’s exciting to know people are out there, paying attention beyond the confines of their follow list. If your name isn’t yet a big deal, search for your niche topics. Comment on relevant tweets and follow relevant tweeters. This is another quick and easy way to attract attention and followers.

7. Consider creating sub-accounts for sections of your business or customer base
This may not be relevant to casual Squidooers, but if your lenses focus on two or three hardcore niches, creating separate accounts for each of these will help you organize information and better brand your businesses. There are dozens of Twitter applications that can help you organize this process. (My favorite is TwitterFox for FireFox.)

8. Use Twitter to ask your customers questions…and get good answers
We all know how challenging it can be to get feedback. Eighty-eight views and no guestbook comments? Ugh! But asking a question is the simplest way to invite casual feedback. After they’ve answered, invite them to post it on your lens. This opens the door for guestbooks, polls, and Plexos.

9. Be a good Twitter citizen
If you wouldn’t want someone doing it to you, don’t do it to others - it’s the Golden Rule of Twitter. The biggest issues here are generating inflated traffic or spamming your followers. Stay away from bots and referral programs, and focus on the tips above for finding authentic readers who have interested and relevant eyeballs for your work.

If you’re not already using Twitter, it takes only seconds to get started. Building a deserving reputation happens over time, but with consistent efforts and honest intentions, you too can become a famous Squidooer on Twitter.

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer
Visit US on Twitter @squidoonews!