SquidU

Goooood morning Squidooers!

It’s a brand new month, and to kick things off, how about a rejuvenated version of the SquidU Review? While in Wisconsin it’s still snowing (yes…crazy!) spring fever has attacked Squidoo, and lensmasters are furiously dusting off old topics and bringing them back to life. What’s more, they’re finding new ways to promote themselves and their lenses by participating in new, interactive promo opportunities through Squidoo! Keep reading to find out more about what I mean.

What else is going on at Squidoo?

1. Become a master of the new max layout
2. New month, new Angels!
3. Quick note on WIP
4. Oh, Zuzanna…interview of a lensmaster
5. Where are we, and what’s in it for you?

Our lensmasters aren’t just on Squidoo, they’re on MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, and a dozen other places. Read on to find out how you can benefit from spreading out on the internet.

Happy Squidooing!
~Kimberly
YOUR Community Organizer at Squidoo

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1. New Max Layout
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We’ve had a lot of great feedback about the new maxed layout. This new design incorporates our standard features and a few new ones into a sleek Web 2.0 friendly interface.

Feeling lost? Check out our new Maxed Lens Anatomy map.

And for finding tools on your dashboard, check out:
- The Anatomy of your Main Dashboard
- What’s on your My Profile Page?

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2. New Month, New Angels!
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You’ve probably seen our Angels fluttering around Squidoo, blessing deserving lenses and offering selfless advice to lensmasters. This month we have a new crew of Angels that are working hard to sort through the good and the great, and give those awesome lenses a little boost.

Welcome kab, bdkz, jeffwend, semperfidelis, thinkbig, webnh, KimGiancaterino, jaguarjulie, peoplelive, barkley, elee, loyalis, and DutchBlogger! These fine folks will be taking over the good work of SquidAngels by taking requests for blessings on the Angels Forum and keeping our top 100 lists sparkling clean.

These lensmasters are new to Angeling, but are by no means new to the lensmaster arena. In fact, almost all of them are Giants! (And the ones who aren’t are right at the top of the list.) As such, many of them have created lenses and guides on how to get the most out of Squidoo. Check them out, to see what new tricks you can pick up from these veterans.

* Fifty Ways to use SquidCasting, So, You Want to Make a Lensography, and Squidoo Tips from a Giant Angel by BDKZ.
* Confessions of a Squid Angel by KimGiancaterino
* Jaguar Julie SquidAngel and Jaguar Julie GiantSquid by Jaguar Julie
* SquidAngel by Semper Fidelis
* Getting the Best Results in the Squidoo Ebay Module and Guide to SquidWho by kab.

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3. Quick note on WIP
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Q: “Recently, a lens I hadn’t updated in a while became (-) instead of a (+) on my dashboard. Doesn’t that mean that people can’t view it?”

A: Keep in mind that ANY lens that has been published can be viewed by visiting it directly, whether it’s in WIP status or not. For more information on initial and re-WIPness, visit Glen and Kimberly’s Guide to WIP.

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4. Oh, Zuzanna! Interview from a Lensmaster
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“It all started with an email from Dr. Mani…” and the rest is Squidhistory! Find out how top ranking lensmaster Zuzanna generates traffic, employs simple HTML, and develops superb lenses based on her passion for history.
Oh, Zuzanna!

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5. Where is Squidoo?
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Never fear, Squidoo hasn’t disappeared. But now, you can find us in even more places!

Here are a few spots online where you can hook up for some Squidlovin’:
- MySpace
- Facebook (look for the group Squidoo News and Chat)
- Twitter
- and more!

Why does it pay to pay attention? We’re always surveying lensmasters for blurbs and links for articles, promos, and even Lens of the Day awards. Your contributions can get you mega exposure online!

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Until next time…thanks for being a Squidoo lensmaster!

Three random lens ideas:
1. How-to paint ____________
2. The best online newsletters for ______________
3. Books that got me through ______________ class