SquidU

We asked you to send in your burning anonymous questions - what do you really want to know about Squidoo and how we run? We got some pretty interesting ones, and were able to track down all the members of our Squidoo team to get their input. Here’s what they had to say!

(Questions relating to modules, bugs, promotion, etc are answered through SquidU, email, and the Answer Deck.)

1. I know there are four programmers working on Squidoo - Gil, Corey, Josh, and Blake - but what do each of them REALLY do?
Josh: I design stuff and then code it (html, css, javascript) before handing it off to Blake and/or Gil for back end development.
Blake: I help turn ideas into reality at Squidoo. I work closely with Josh (he makes things look good) and Gil (he makes sure they work right and fast). I especially like building modules and features that help connect with other sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, iTunes, etc.
Gil: At Squidoo my focus is on keeping our servers running speedily and fighting the ever-present spammers and hackers. (We don’t call him GilToTheRescue for nothing!)
Corey: Well, not sure how I was pegged as a programmer… I’m not, but I really wish I was! What I really do? I maintain Squidoo’s development schedule; develop ideas for extending the Squidoo platform, spec them and discuss them with various Squids to decide what’s next; work with most of our partners (like eBay and Amazon, and all the ad partners), and handle operations stuff (the more boring stuff no one wants to know about).
Kimberly: After all that, I get to spread the word and teach lensmasters how to use it. Then I get to show off all the awesome things they’re doing with it!

2. When they’re not working on Squidoo, what kind of fun side projects are they working on?
Corey: As with work, I put a lot on my plate when it comes to play: Hanging out with my wife, daughters and dog (my favorite thing to do), driving (in warm weather) on the slow and scenic path in our ‘70 Karmann Ghia convertible (with my wife, daughter and/or dog), playing my bass, reading a ton, seeing live music as much as possible, and running a site for bass players called notreble.com
Blake: Some of my side projects and hobbies include a blog, some web sites where I experiment with latest tools and tech, reading (I love my Kindle) and playing the Lego games on the Wii with my kids.
Josh: I’m a musician (I play the bass trombone). I also design and maintain websites for musicians and music-related companies. I enjoy video games, reading, movies, food, griping about bad drivers, sarcasm, and above all, hanging out with my family and friends.
Gil: When I’m not at my desk, you can usually find me snowboarding, off-roading, hiking, climbing, and enjoying everything else the Rocky Mountains have to offer. I could talk all day about playing guitar, practicing martial arts, and traveling…but I’d rather do them!

3. How many times a year does Seth fly?
Seth flies every day. Telekenesis and astral projection…

4. How many cups of coffee a day DOES Megan drink?
Two fewer than Kimberly and Corey, but three more than Seth. (If a train leaves the station at 12:05…)

5. What cool features do you see Squidoo having in 5 years?
Gil: Telekinesis-powered module editing, automated first result placement in the major search engines (”just pick a keyword and hit Go”), and a short-circuit switch that fries the computers of Plexo spammers. Or not?
Kimberly: Ditto on the spam busters. Of course, Squidoo will be the online publishing format of choice and a household name, right up there with “I Facebooked you and I Tweeted about my weekend.” Plus we’ll have all sorts of great new learning and sharing tools, but by then they’ll be 4 1/2 years old!

6. Why lensmaster volunteers?
Even before we had official volunteers, we had volunteers. When you know a good thing, you can’t help but share it. Squidoo was built as a social site, and by having peers help spread the word, lensmasters are sharing a million more ideas than just our tiny team of 6 can come up with. Plus, your peers are helping set the rules and standards for Squidoo. It isn’t just us saying you can’t spam; community members’ expectations account for a chunk of our guidelines for greatness. And of course they account for our greatest lenses.

7. How does Seth come up with ideas for his blog?
Seth: The ideas for my blog came from the future. I have 200 left, then I have to stop.

8. How do you all work so well together even though you’re spread out over 6 states and 4 time zones?
Mostly we read each others minds, supplemented via email and IM.

Didn’t get a chance to ask your question that only the SquidTeam can answer? Send them to kimberly at squidoo.com. Have questions about using the site? Try SquidU Forum and The Answer Deck, our two volunteer driven resources that get you answers fast.

Make today super!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer

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

***

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.

***

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.

***

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

Hi Lensmasters,

Since the new transformation of groups, there have been a lot of questions about how new groups going forward will function. We asked for your top questions about groups, and have answered them here. If you are a former groupmaster, or wanted to start a group, or were a member of groups, here is the information that relates to you with groups going forward.

What was done with groups?
Groups as we know them are no more. This means the old format of a formal group with members, and a HQ page, and an admin structure no longer exists. But don’t worry! We haven’t dumped your old groups info. If you had groups set up you’ll now find them as a regular lens with a populated Plexo, and we have dozens of great lens tools to help you keep up the “groups” tradition if you so choose. In fact, creating lenses about lenses can be a very effective tool to promoting the best of what Squidoo has to offer.

Questions related to the new format

Where is the list of members/lenses? I have to have it in order to pick and choose what will be featured.

It’s preserved right on your group lens — there’s a top 100 list of lenses in the group, and if you group had more than that, then there’s a “see all the lenses” link list featuring the rest. You can edit and pick and choose from there.

It looks like I have to show every lens in every group. Is this necessary? I’d much prefer to at least group them, sort them, highlight them, recommend them. This is really problematic for larger groups.

We automatically put those big lists of every lens, on your group lens, in order to provide you with your membership list. But you can curate however you want. Featured Lenses modules are great for spotlighting standout lenses in your group.

Did I hear something about tabs for the lenses so they won’t be 20 miles long? If the lens takes too long to load, no visitor will stay long enough to really look.

We’re working with select Giants on something called a MultiPageLayout (MPL). This test is using a tabbed approach to help lensmasters break down their really long lenses and organize them into clear headers. We’re seeing some decent results from it so far, but we don’t have enough data yet for us to confidently say for sure whether we’ll release this feature as something permanent and available to everyone. In the meantime, agreed– insanely long lenses and long load times are no good for visitors. As with every lens, it’s up to you to make decisions on how best to present modules and data on your group lenses. Make choices, stay specific, and give visitors a roadmap for what they can expect on the lens.

Something to distinguish my groups on my dashboard would be helpful, and i used to check my groups tab fairly often. I enjoyed looking at groups to see how they were doing, how many members, and also knowing which groups my lenses belonged to. Is that info available to me anymore, anywhere?

Good questions, but the features requested here are still thinking of Groups with a capital G. For all intensive purposes, we have rolled back “SquidooGroups” and deactivated them. That means membership features and special Group stats and tools are gone too. We’re focused right now on the concept of “groups” with a lowercase g, meaning, people grouping up around topics and conversations and ideas, doing so naturally and right on existing lenses, using the regular lens tools at their disposal to do so. Instead of overengineering solutions for Groups proper, we’re scientifically watching the ways that people and lenses group together on their own, so that we can eventually offer you all a toolset for making those predispositions easier and more successful.

is it necessary for me to have the ‘top 100′ plexo or can I do something different- I really don’t like that, it is ugly and takes forever to load. I also would prefer to pick and choose which lenses are put into the link list. The lens will do much better with pictures, and so I preferred to use the featured lens/ featured lensmaster modules.

You can edit out anything you want, but please be sure to save (even just copy and paste and save on your own computer) the list of lenses in your group lens. That’s the only place we offer your complete roster of participating group lenses right now. And yes, you’re right, lenses with pictures and handpicked featured lenses and lensmasters will be great!

Is this the last major design/orientation change in group pages or will there be more? Can we get a special header like other categories do?

Never say never. But as above, we’re really not planning to “save” or redesign Groups as they were. Instead, we’re moving onward, taking what we learned from how people used the old version of Groups, and creating something entirely new. It might not be one big product that we’ll launch with bells and whistles, but rather, small features that all support the concept of people grouping up and following each other and running conversations and sharing traffic and helping each other’s lenses. That’s what groups do, even if SquidooGroups™ didn’t successfully achieve it.

Are groups able to be found as groups like before and if not, will there be any special way squidoo will promote them, or do I have to find a way to do that myself?

Nope. A Group is now just a lens. No special tricks or tools or sections of the site for it. Up to you to embrace whatever spirit of grouping you want, and make it happen on the lens, with the host of tools you have at your disposal already. Imagine if someone started a Best Business Books of 2010 ‘group’ lens. You could have a Plexo for submission of book review lenses. You can set whatever rules and criteria for inclusion you want. You could add a Guestbook for people to chat and reply (and ask them to follow comments by email so they come back whenever someone makes a new post). You could set up a specific Twitter profile just for that lens and tweet updates and news and highlight lenses that you accept into the lensgroup. You could set up a Facebook fanpage for that lens. You could then promote both the twitter feed and the facebook page right on the lens. Use the featured lenses module to spotlight 5 great lenses every week. Run your own Business Book Lens of the Day on a blog. And on and on and on. The tools don’t need to be proprietary to Squidoo — the web at large has provided an awful lot of smart, easy, social tools you can use to host groups, so to speak, and Squidoo is a great place to integrate them all together.

Groups where I was a co admin (esp because they were virtually abandoned) are completely lost to me?

Since groups are now regular lenses, they don’t have a co-admin function.  But you can always set up accounts for more than one person to have access to, so you can still maintain large group-style lenses.

Restrictions about monetizing the groups have been lifted because they are now lenses, is that correct?

I don’t know that there ever were restrictions against monetizing Groups. We saw a lot of lensmasters do it poorly and a few do it well. But yes, now you can monetize your lens however you want. Beware that if you want to run a lens like a group, as a central watering hole for people to participate and talk and share their related lenses, grossly monetizing it with affiliate links will probably be at cross-purposes. Up to you.

Will we get a function whereby we can contact all members of the group with an email, or is that still out?

Nope, just a lens now.

Is it true that every lens that wants to be part of the group must be approved, and I can’t have any group that people can just join?

You can run a group on your lens however you want. You can set your own submission and approval rules. Make people submit and apply for inclusion by sending you an email. Make them do it by posting a link in a Guestbook. Make them do it by adding a lens to a Plexo. You’re in control.

Would we be able to change our Bio’s at the group level? That could be handy, as we group together our lenses and want to use a certain bio format.

Since a group is just a regular lens now, for the most part, yes. You can edit any lens’s bio to be unique to that lens.

***

Whew!  That’s a lot of great questions.  To see more organized information about the old groups structure, visit the Groups Mentor lens. We’ve added these tips and more to the lens, to help you choose how to manage your group-style lenses going forward.

Think your new group-style lens is really something special? Share it with us.

Keep on keeping on!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer
Enjoy morning coffee with me.

Hi lensmaster!

Do you have what it takes to be a Citizen Squid Mentor? Our Mentors are expert lensmasters who volunteer their time to help you succeed in specific areas of Squidoo. Lakeerieartists is our First Lens Mentor, and can help you perfect your very first lens. Trekkiemelissa is your HTML & CSS Mentor. She can help you add nifty code to your lenses. LindaJM is your Image & Video Mentor. She’ll help you add photos and videos to your lens. And there are more!

Are you interested in becoming a Citizen Squid Mentor? Here’s what we’re looking in Mentors.

1. A commitment of 4-months plus.
It’s nice to have our Citizen Mentors available to work with the community for a bit longer, so lensmasters know who they can go to for questions and answers. If it works out, you might even be able to join us for longer!

2. An hour or two a week.
Once your mentor lens has been created, it’s mostly a job of managing incoming questions. Most mentors report only a few new questions a week, since new questions get added to your how-to lens. Occasionally, you’ll be given the chance to write articles to appear in newsletters and on our blog.

3. Must work well with others.
Not only will you be working with lensmasters to answer questions, you’ll have to work with me. Ha! And the rest of our large community. We’re looking for volunteers with a soothing customer service voice and patience in helping new lensmasters.

4. Leaders wanted.
We’re looking for people who aren’t afraid to get out there and make things happen. Many assignments involve meeting new people, creating something brand new, and stepping outside your comfort zone. Are you ready?

How can you help?

Every once in a while we add a new Mentor to our mix, to even further help lensmasters with specific niche areas of lensmastery and promotion.

We’re currently seeking three new mentors to add to our list of professionals. Could you be next?

SEO Mentor: help lensmasters promote their lenses by selecting the right tags, generating authentic backlinks, and participating in directories, forums, user groups, etc. The right person will work with our Social Promotion Mentor, jeffwend to compliment the total marketing and promotions process. As the SEO Mentor, you’ll be familiar with all the policies we have regarding what are and aren’t kosher promotion techniques.

Tools Mentor: help lensmasters master the basic tools of Squidoo, such as lens ratings, lensrolling, groups, the forum, and lens exports. This mentor will be able to help users read their traffic and payment statistics, edit their workshop settings, find front doors, and access all our helpful resources.

MoneyMaker Mentor: help lensmasters get the most out of the moneymaker modules, such as eBay, Cafepress, and Amazon. The right person for this job is a master at using the modules, and understands the best practices for selecting items to display, using the modules on a lens, and keeping them relevant to the lens topic.

Charity Mentors! help our charities master the finer points of Squidoo and answer questions from charities to help them make lenses that are complete and ready for publication. Volunteers spend about 30 minutes to 1 hour a week answering questions and pointing users to the right direction.

ALL applicants:
* Must be knowledgeable about getting started with and using Squidoo
* Must be able to communicate kindly with lensmasters
* Must be able and willing to answer questions one-on-one with users
* Should be able to write short articles and how-tos from time to time
* Should be an active lensmaster and active on forums
* Should be willing to do self-promotion as a Mentor

Once selected, most new Mentors will take over the lens of a previous mentor, or create a new one from scratch, so they can showcase info and answer questions. There are a lot of great resources out there already, so chances are you won’t even have to develop your own stuff from scratch - just use the featured lenses and links modules to point to all the great resources. But you should be able to answer questions and look up info if a lensmaster asks you directly. Of course, I (Kimberly, your Community Organizer) am always available as a resource.

Ok, I want to apply!
To apply visit the Citizen Squid Mentors lens and leave a note in the guestbook at the bottom. Include your contact information, the position you’re applying for, and tell us what makes you the best person for the job.

Our most successful lensmasters know that by helping others, they learn twice as much. By helping others be better, they enjoy extra exposure for their own lenses. If you’re looking for a chance to help others learn about Squidoo and create amazing lenses, this is a great place to start.

See you as a mentor!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer
PS - want to know who your current Citizen Squid Mentors are?

Along with a group of new Giant Squids, a group of Giants recently met the criteria and joined the Giant Squid 100 Club! To new lensmasters, the idea of creating 100 lenses, much less 100 really really GREAT lenses, can be daunting. We asked these new 100 Clubbers for their advice on finding great new lens ideas and using tools on Squidoo. Here’s what they said!

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Mickie_G - Giant since April 2009
I got most of my great lens ideas by revisit WIPs, joining groups like RocketMoms, and participating in challenges.

trekkiemelissa - Giant since January 2009
We all like movies or music or have a hobby. You can write about all of those if that is what interests you. You can even write product reviews of items you have previously bought or write about items you really like to have. This is a great way to do some research on something you really want.

mysticmama - Giant since July 2009
Being involved in the Squidoo community is key to success. The best advice I can give potential Giants is to get involved in the Giant Squid Challenge. Being involved with activities like RocketMoms, Senior Squids, Factor Y and Giant Squid School is also a great way to get ideas for lenses that you might not have even thought of trying on your own.

missbat - Giant since July 2008
Make lenses on what you’re passionate about: your hobbies, life experiences, tips/how-to’s and local places you love to visit. What you know about is a great way to think up future lenses. I’m addicted to the Text module. I try to write all the copy on my lenses, as I love to write. Talking about something in your own words draws in visitors!

hlkljgk - Giant since July 2009
Well, my inspiration seems to come from everyday experiences, so I suggest always having a notebook handy to ensure you remember those ideas while out and about.

BevsPaper - Giant since July 2009
There are a couple of niches that inspire my lensmaking. I also love Challenge lenses from groups I belong to.

Sojourn - Giant since July 2009
I find lots of ideas by browsing through merchant online stores in my affiliate programs. There’s some really cool stuff out there!

sandyspider - Giant since July 2009
I would not have made the 100 club if it were not for joining the Challenge group and RocketMoms. These motivated me to move forward.

NanLT - Giant since July 2009
Think about what you know and what you are interested in, and expand on it.

Dkprincess6 - Giant since April 2009
I can only repeat what’s been said over and over, write what you know and have fun.

***

100 Club isn’t that far away. You can do it, one lens at a time.

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer

As you know, September 30th marked the end of the third quarter, and a deadline for new Giant Squid nominations! Every quarter, a new round of really great lensmasters meet the criteria and are awarded Giant Squid status.

We asked our newest Giants three questions:
1.when did you learn about the Giant program and decide it was for you?
2.what are your favorite topics to write lenses about?
3.what’s next for you on Squidoo?

Here’s what they had to say!

***

wysiwigs
I decided to go for Giant to help our 501c3 (Epic Farms).  We were already a Squidoo charity, but I thought becoming a Giant might be a good idea.  Interestingly enough, right after I decided there was a blog post encouraging charities to go for Giant (so I knew I was on the right track :o)

I love making the horse lenses, although I have fun making the others too. I am thinking seriously about going for the whole 100, but in the vague and distant future, of course! :o)

OneFootPutt
I learned about Giants about a month after I joined.   I knew right away I wanted to be a Giant, but I also knew it would take me a while to get there.  After joining Factor Y in August, I knew I would apply in December, however, during one of my Squidu posts in September, Ener-G pointed out I was 3 away from 50, and so I made the push to apply in September.
My favorite topics to write about are Cub Scouts, Books for Children, Golf, PTA, Family Vacations. It may take another year, but, I think the 100 club is next.

Heather426
I had seen the Giant badges but had no clue how you got one until I joined Rocket Moms and Bonnie pointed out the page by Megan on becoming a Giant. I think I decided as soon as I had about 15 or 20 lenses since it seemed doable at that point…and besides, the addiction had set in…

I like to write about Angels, Astronomy, Travel, and Cooking, and I like to make niche gift lenses. Next I am going for Squid Angel, and Giant 100…and more interaction with all my new Squidoo friends!

Laniann
When a_willow was forming her WiWon Team. I knew then that this was a chance to be among and learn from the best lensmasters. I like to write about animals, saving our environment, and costumes. Next, I’ll apply what I’ve newly learned to my lenses and aim for the 100 Club.

_Joan_
Mimi (GrowWear) invited me to join her team for the Giant Squid Challenge, and I was crazy enough to give it a try!

My favorite topic to write lenses about is music (especially gospel choir, but other kinds, too) and plants (edible weeds). Next, I think I’ll try more music lenses! I still have stuff to say about gospel music, natural foods and natural health, pop culture stuff, and maybe other stuff.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

macs
Within a week of joining squidoo, I was approached by Michelle of the WiWon Giant Squid Challenge Team. I was hooked after that! My favorite topics to write lenses about are parenting special needs children, photo effects, and recipe lenses.

What’s next for me on Squidoo? Hopefully the 100 club!

kimmanleyort
At first I could not imagine creating 50 lenses since I spend quite a bit of time on them. But once I hit 30, which was late July I started to think it might be possible. After receiving an email from, I think, Robin, I calculated that if I made 3 lenses per week I could probably do it. That seemed doable to me.

I live by these lines - “I want to inspire and be inspired.” and “The meaning of life is to see.” My interests are photography and the environment so I love especially to write about people who have inspired me in these areas. I also like to present ideas or visuals that help people see things in new and different ways.

First of all, I want to represent the Giant Squids well by creating quality lenses and encouraging fellow Giant Squids and newbies. I am talking to others about a Book Club and I want to review my current lenses in light of all the great things I learned in Giant Squid School.

CherylK
I learned about the Giant program about a year ago.  My favorite topics to write about are cooking and travel.  What’s next? Hopefully, Giant 100 club. Would love to contribute more lenses 100% to charity, too.

Wir55
 I learned about the Giant Squid program almost as soon as I started out on Squidoo.  I decided I wanted to try it almost immediately.  My favorite lens topics are either tennis related, or Science related.

***

There you have it! Becoming a Giant Squid isn’t impossible, as you’ll see. If you have questions, learn more from RMS, your Giant Squid Organizer and Mentor. In fact, more and more Giants are doing even more, and becoming part of the Giant Squid 100 Club! Learn more about the 100 Club in our next SquidU Review.

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer

Companies used to promote their wares based on brand. Manufacturers were in charge of getting the word out about their products. But in the last few years, retailers have taken over.

Starting with Target, and recently WalMart, stores are taking the reins and controlling consumer perception by matching and promoting related products. Putting together a first aid kit? Target has Band-Aid brand bandages, a Hello Kitty brand ice pack, and Neosporin ointment. Making breakfast? WalMart has General Mills cereal, Eggo waffles, and Tropicana juice.

A one-stop store putting together your shopping list. What a [profitable] concept!

What does this mean for your lenses?

The obvious way to sell products is like with like. Dozens of sunglasses, 50 designer handbags, or all the best Wii games. But what if you mixed up your products a little and created an outfit instead of just a list of hats? Or a road trip fun kit instead of just a list of DS games?

The shopping list concept works because it helps buyers create a visual. First they see the components of a party. The chips and dip, the corn-on-the-cob grill rack, the cactus margarita glasses, and the fancy lawn chairs with the footstool. Then they see fun they’ll have with friends showing off their new patio furniture, kicking back with outdoor speakers, and enjoying a game of volleyball. Suddenly you’re no longer selling plastic flatware; you’re selling an event.

Squidoo lenses are the perfect places to sell events. Imagine a cross-country road trip where the kids are entertained with all the best educational toys. Imagine walking into a party wearing the perfect accessories for your little black dress. Imagine being the envy of anyone who’s ever hosted a Superbowl party. Now those are some events readers are willing to buy!

Everyone has an event in them. No matter how small of a deal you think it is, someone out there will benefit from your knowledge.

Happy brand-building!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer

Hello lensmasters and savvy non-profits!

Not only does Squidoo offer a selection of Citizen Squid Mentors to help you with everything from images and video to lens promotion, we also have a great group of volunteers ready and waiting to assist with all your charity partnership needs.

They are our Charity Mentors, to your rescue, and today we have a short interview with j_barnhart4 and SusannaDuffy to help you create better charity lenses.

Question 1: What is one important thing charities need to do on Squidoo in order to be successful?

j_barnhart4: I think the most important thing a charity can do is get their name out there. Join groups, add your two cents in the forums, be proactive but not overbearing. Present yourself as a caring group and not just somebody looking to make money.

SusannaDuffy: You need to show people why they should donate to you. So first make an interesting and useful lens, explain who you are and what you do. Why do you do it? How do you do it? Have your lens critiqued to ensure it’s the best that it can be.

Question 2: When you go to a charity lens, what details are you looking for?

SusannaDuffy: Details of your organisation. Are you genuine? Show me some photos of your organisation and photos of what you do. If I’ve come across you on the web, how do I know you’re sincere? Convince me.

j_barnhart4: I look for the soul of the charity. Who’s running it? What have they done with the donations they have collected? How is that charity really contributing? I love to pictures of the charity in action.

Question 3: If a charity were considering joining, but wasn’t sure, what encouragement would you give?

j_barnhart4: Give it a shot! Making lenses is easy and there is a ton of support. Someone is always willing to answer questions and the charity mentors are always available. Don’t be afraid to go that extra mile in the name of your charity.

SusannaDuffy: Jump in. There’s plenty of people to help if you need advice. Squidoo has a warm and encouraging community of lensmasters all happy to assist each other.

Bonus: Which is your favorite charity on Squidoo?

SusannaDuffy: Big Cat Rescue, a non profit educational sanctuary with clear and open information readily available about what they do.

j_barnhart4: I like to donate money from my lenses to the Diabetes Research Foundation. Diabetes run in my family and I hope that a cure is found soon. I also have to give a shout out to one of the more proactive charities on Squidoo, A Day of Hope. Christopher Scott is very outgoing and active on Squidoo. He is a genuine, caring person and I applaud the efforts that he is making for his charity.

Thanks ladies - these are all simple, helpful tips to turn any charity into a Squidoo superstar partner charity.

For more information on how the Charity Mentors can help you, or to apply to be a mentor, visit the Charity Mentors headquarters.

Make it a fulfilling day!
~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community and Charity Organizer

In 2003, Pendleton, South Carolina had a hockey team fewer than 3,000 people. Some high schools are larger! But one lensmaster is proving that your hometown doesn’t have to be big in order for you to have a big impact on it.

OhMe joined Squidoo in July 2008 and took no snail’s trail towards becoming a prolific lensmaster. Within a year she had achieved Giant Squid Status and become a sweetheart regular at the SquidU forum. One passion of hers is building lenses about her hometown, Pendleton. My momma always said, if you’re going to do something, do it well, and OhMe is the best.

She’s so great, in fact, that the Town of Pendleton proclaimed her the Queen of Squidoo.

I asked OhMe where she got ideas for lenses. As you can see from her lensography, she has created lenses to support businesses, events, historical periods, and tourism. I won’t share her secrets about the lenses she’s currently working on, but I will say that Pendleton is pretty darn lucky to have a lensmaster who cares so much about promoting their area.

Plus, we have to give props to her proud sis, Joan4 for organizing her proclamation lens and being an all-around prolific lensmaster and Angel herself.

Three cheers for Pendleton’s Queen of Squidoo!

What can YOU do for your hometown on Squidoo?

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
YOUR Community & Charity Organizer