SquidU

Happy Friday, lensmasters!

Today’s article comes from your Groups Mentor turned Content Mentor, Barkely aka Linette. What is a Content Mentor? As you know, Squidoo thrives on rich, authentic content that you can’t find anywhere else. Part of writing great content includes managing the written language wisely, and Linette helps you do that.

Read on to learn 12 easy steps to creating better content on Squidoo. Enjoy!

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community and Charity Organizer

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12 Tips To Help You Write Great Lens Content

Writing great content for your lenses does not have to be difficult, it can actually be fun. If you’re having a hard time getting started here are a few tips to help you along.

1. Write about what you know. If you don’t know about something, and you’re interested in creating a lens on it, take the time to learn about it first. Readers can tell if you’re full of beans, and building trust is an important ongoing task. If you’re new to your chosen topic, use the opportunity to create a “learning lens.” Be honest, and readers will learn right along with you.
2. Share your passions. When someone is passionate about a topic it comes through in their writing. In most of my favorite Squidoo lenses I can tell the lensmaster was passionate about their subject. Passion is what gives writing a rich voice and keeps it from sounding like an instruction manual.
3. Spell Check is your friend! Make sure you spell check your content before tapping that publish button, and read it aloud to check for grammar errors spellcheck may not catch.
4. Edit your work, one way or another. If you have a difficult time editing your own work, have a friend take a look. I like to walk away from my writing, then come back and edit again later. If you don’t edit, your readers will do it for you!
5. Break content into small paragraphs, and plug in images or graphics to break up long sections of text. Online readers tend to have a short attention span, and most of us have learned to skim web text. Shorter paragraphs are easily digested by the eyes and keep readers entertained easily.
6. Lists and bullet points are a great way to break up your content. Speaking from experience, people love lists! They are intellectually and emotionally appealing, and help break up long sections of text.
7. You can also highlight and underline important points to catch the reader’s attention. Use these features sparingly; don’t get too crazy with the bold or underlining (and whatever you do, DON’T USE ALL CAPS!) Bold or highlighted text will draw the readers attention to your most important points.
8. Add headlines and sub headlines to make important points. It will also make the topic of your lens easier for Google to find and index (score!) and help skimmers pinpoint important info. Let the search engines know what your lens is about with solid, on-topic headers in your modules. (Avoid a top Squid-sin of keeping default module titles. Yuck!)
9. Be concise; don’t ramble. If you feel the need to post unrelated content on your lens, that’s a sign that your lens is too long or poorly focused. You’re better off with 2-3 shorter lenses than a rambling unfocused one.
10. Use an active voice to call the reader to action. If you want them to click on a link, tell them so. (Click here. Gotcha!) If you want them to support your favorite cause, let them know why.
11. Write in a conversational voice. Let your content flow like you’re talking to a friend. You’ll make your reader feel more at ease and less like they’re being lectured to. Just be sure to edit out the ums, uhs, and “you knows.”
12. Use positive language whenever possible. No one likes a Negative Nelly. Too much negativity can cause controversy. If that’s what you want, great! If you want your reader to have a good experience, or you’re hoping they’ll buy something from your lens, keep it positive.

Go ahead, tell your story! A warm, friendly tone will go a long way towards retaining your readers’ interest and bringing them back for more.

Find these tips and more at Barkely’s fun and informative lenses.

Thanks for reading!

PS - do you have a idea for a newsletter? Suggest future SquidU Review topics.

Hello lensmaster!

Since the birth of Squidoo, there have been sites like SquidUtils and Lensroll.com. But what exactly are they? What do they do for you? Can you trust them? Learn more about these third-party “support sites” with an interview from MysticMama.

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Q: MysticMama, you’re our new Support Sites Mentor! What are Squidoo support sites?
A: Squidoo Support Sites are sites, tools & utilities that have been specifically designed for Squidoo lenses &/or lensmaster. Since Squidoo is so popular & Squidoo lensmasters are so creative, there is a plethora of different types of support sites. Support sites include tools like SquidUtilities, Ning Groups like RocketMoms, blogging sites like Squidlog.net, Lens directories like Lensroll.com, & much more… from blog radio to the SquidU forum & SquidU Review.

Q: That’s a lot of lensmaster-driven love! Which support sites do you have listed on your lens?
A: I’m trying to get as many of the different types of support sites listed as possible, so lensmasters have one place where they can find whatever kind of support they need.

As I keep researching & finding quality & helpful sites, I will continue to add more sites & types of sites. I’m also working on companion lenses that will go into greater about the different types of sites, specific sites & some tutorials & links to tutorials.

I will also be checking the quality of the different support sites & removing any sites from my lists that encourage behavior that is against Squidoo’s terms of service. I want to be able to point lensmasters links to sites that are actually helpful & won’t jeopardize their Squidoo accounts.

Q: How can LMs use support sites to achieve greater success on Squidoo?
A: As long as creative lensmasters keep developing these great sites, the possibilities are endless. I think that some of the most amazing & helpful sites are the Ning Support groups like RocketMoms & a_willows Fresh Wonders. These groups offer everything from peer support & teamwork to lensmaking tips & weekly assignments to inspire creativity.

Q: What brought YOU to Squidoo?
A: I’ve had a Cafepress shop for my artwork & designs for around 5 years now. One day I received an e-mail telling me that Squidoo was a great way to promote my Cafepress store. I followed the link and it was love at first sight.

Q: We definitely love to hear that! What is the one thing you’re most proud of on Squidoo?
A: What makes Squidoo stand out from the crowd is it’s sense of community. When I first joined Squidoo, so many lensmasters reached out to me to make me feel welcomed & offered me help, support & encouragement. Now that I have been here for a while, the thing I’m most proud of is my ability & opportunity to reach out & welcome, help & support our newest members. To be able to give back to the community that has given me so much, truly is a blessing.

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Thank you to MysticMama for her time and all her work to bring you the best information on these wonderful third-party sites that we love so much. Visit her at Support Sites Mentor.

Enjoy the companion services!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer