by 34 people |
The Wow Factor
There are millions of blogs and Lens out there, and many have decent content, an abundance of style etc. So how do you make your Lens stand out from the crowd?
It's not simple, but with a little tweaking here and there, and some cool 'gadgets' you'll be able to stand out a little. These may not give you the 'wow' factor - but hopefully many Lensmasters will go 'Cool widget'
This Lens will rely on your input. While I will continue to add 'ideas' for widgets I have, the more ideas that come from the community the better - so please add ideas in the guestbook.
If you use any of the methods below on your Lens, please let me know if you'd like it to be featured on this Lens as an example.
You may note that this Lens loads fairly slowly - therefore if you are going to use Clearspring, I'd only use one or two of the methods below, otherwise viewers will not wait for your Lens to load.
Here are some cool widgets that will help:
Create a Widget with Clearspring.
***NOTE: THIS METHOD CAN BE USED ON OTHER SITES OTHER THAN SQUIDOO - JUST CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE SITE WHEN PUBLISHING WIDGET***
You must be logged into Squidoo for this to work.
Step 1 - create a Clearspring account
Step 2 - click on 'add widget'.
Step 3 - click on 'Go' beneath the 'On My Webpage' section.
Step 4 - name the widget - for example 'Squidoo scrolling text widget'
Step 5 - Click on 'What do you want to share'
Step 6 - click on the box below the 'Insert Code Here' - and paste the HTML as required (see below for example HTML).
Step 7 - click Save.
Step 8 - click 'Publish Widget'.
Step 9 - click 'Widget Home Page settings'
Step 10 - click on the hyper link next to 'Link' -this will open another browser.
Step 11 - if you see a 'squidoo' icon, click it - otherwise click on 'all' and scroll down to find 'squidoo'.
Step 12 - click on 'add to account' and select the Lens to receive the 'widget'.
Step 13 - click on 'Continue' - this will add the 'widget' to the bottom of the Lens chosen - move the widget and publish your Lens.">
For a more detailed explanation of how to use Clearspring please go to How to Add Amazon Widgets to Your Lens by Squidster
Lens Statistics
New Text module
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section. (Amend the URL and description)
STEP 2 - click on Javascript / HTML widgets.
STEP 3 - under the 'all in one' heading click 'Get it Now'
STEP 4 - in the dialogue box, click on 'reveal advance options'
STEP 5 - amend options as appropriate, and change Site URL to manual - type in the Lens URL.
STEP 6 - click Get Widget and copy the Widget Code - this is what you will use as the HTML in the Clearspring widget.
Floating Flickr Pictures
Floating Flickr Picture Code
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section. (Amend the URL and description)
STEP 2 - follow instructions to get rss feed information for Flickr Photostream.
STEP 3 - enter this information into the 'Feed URL' box.
STEP 4 - amend width, height and color as appropriate.
STEP 5 - click 'Generate Code Snipper'
STEP 6 - copy the Widget Code - this is what you will use as the HTML in the Clearspring widget.
Embed Quizzes
Embed Quiz Code
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
Step 2 - click on 'create a new quiz' on tabs.
Step 3 - select type of quiz and amend questions etc as appropriate.
Step 4 - copy the code in the embed code' box and use this in the Clearspring method above.
Featured Lens using the Quiz
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The 1970s
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How many people can you get into a telephone booth? Why would you want to? And what IS a telephone booth? Remember the phrase, "You sound like a broken record"? Remember Disco Dancing, the Rubik's cube, platform shoes, pet rocks..... How much do y...
Clickable Button
Clickable Button HTML
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section. (Amend the URL and description)
<form action="http://www.yoururl.com" method="get">
<input style="background-color: #8b008b; color: #ffff00; font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt;" type="submit" value="Your description">
</form>
Timeline
Timeline Code
Step 1 - create an account at TimeRime.comStep 2 - click on 'create a new timeline' under options.
Step 3 - name the Timeline and select a category.
Step 4 - click save.
Step 5 - create some events! (Click Save and New to keep on adding events - they appear immediately in the Timeline).
Step 6 - on top of the Timeline - click . - choose the size you want.
Step 7 - click Generate code and copy the code provided - use this in the Clearspring method above.
Brolmo Calendar - Click on the 'yellow' days...
How to get HTML for the Bromlo calendar
I've found a free calendar that is pretty cool. It allows you to setup events on the source website, but you can add the calender to your lense.The procedure below will create the HTML to be added in Step 4 of 'How to Add Amazon Widgets to your Lens' procedure.
STEP 1 - create a free account at Brolmo
STEP 2 - log in and click on the MY ACCOUNT button.
STEP 3 - click on MY CALENDERS
STEP 4 - click on CREATE A CALENDER
STEP 5 - enter a name for your calender.
STEP 6 - next to the new calender click on the HTML Code button. Copy this code - this is what you will use as the HTML in the Clearspring widget.
NOTE: You maintain the events on the Bromlo site, but these are visible on the lens. Try it out below on my example:
Example of a Lens using this calendar.
This is a great Lens that uses the calendar very effectively - it really showcases what can be done with this simple calendar.-
Scottish Highland Games
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As told by my husband. The highland games of Scotland have been around for about 1000 years. Some Kings used forms of this type of competition to improve their military back in the late 1050's. Kings used similar types of this competition to choose...
Textured Backgrounds
Add a Hyperlink
It's pretty easy to add text and hyperlinks - and still add a pretty cool background
Textured Backgrounds HTML
Does not use the Clearspring method - simply add HTML in your Text module.
<p style="background-image: url(http://www3.baylor.edu/textures/gray_fabric.gif); padding: 10px; color: white;"><a href="http://www.papertank.com/" target="_blank">Add a Hyperlink</a><br /><br />It's pretty easy to add text and hyperlinks - and still add a pretty cool background</p>
How to embed music using ez-tracks.com
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
I used the HTML that the site e-z tracks gave me.
Step 1: go to the e-z tracks page
Step 2: Scroll down to find popular songs (and click Get Code) or use the search feature to find the song you want.
Step 3: Copy the HTML provided.
<a href="http://ringtones.ez-tracks.com/ringtone-31028.html"><img src="http://image.ez-tracks.com/MySpace_RingtoneButton.jpg" border="0" alt="Click here to get your free Lady ringtone!" /><br /></a><param name="movie" value="http://stream.ez-tracks.com/player2.swf?songid=31028&uid=0|581984300&t=1" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://stream.ez-tracks.com/player2.swf?songid=31028&uid=0|581984300&t=1" width="302" height="91"quality="high" wmode="transparent" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="FFFFFF"></embed><br />
<font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#FF6600"><strong>Click here to get </strong></font><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#FF6600"><strong> <a href="http://www.ez-tracks.com" style="text-decoration:none; font-style:italic;">Free Music</a> at EZ-Tracks.com</strong></font><br><br>
Click on the links below to hide or unhide some text:
Hide / Unhide HTML
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
<script>
function toggle(obj)
{
if (obj.style.display == "none")
{
obj.style.display = "";
}
else
{
obj.style.display = "none";
}
}
function setHand()
{
document.body.style.cursor = 'hand';
}
function setNormal()
{
document.body.style.cursor = 'default';
}
</script>
<span style='color: #003399'>
<A onClick="toggle(a1)" onMouseOver="setHand()" onMouseOut="setNormal()">
<B><b>Click me<BR></b></B></A></span>
<span id="a1" style="display: none">
You can enter your own text here. You can include any standard HTML, links, bold etc.<BR><BR>
</span>
<span style='color: #003399'>
<A onClick="toggle(a2)" onMouseOver="setHand()" onMouseOut="setNormal()"><B><b>Another Click Me<BR></b></B></A></span>
<span id="a2" style="display: none"
You are not limited to the number of hyperlink - the only limit is the characters allowed on Clearspring.<BR>
</span>
You are not limited to the number of hyperlinks - the only limit is the characters allowed on Clearspring. To increase the number, use chane the toggle(a2) and 'span id="a2" to the next number in the sequence (in this case a3)
Scrolling Text
Scrolling Text HTML
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
<div align="center"><FONT
color="#ffffff" size="+1"><MARQUEE bgcolor="#000080"
direction="right" loop="20" width="75%"><STRONG>Enter your scrolling text here!</STRONG></MARQUEE></FONT></DIV>
Text slide show - wait a few seconds for the text to change.
Text Slide Show HTML
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
<SCRIPT type="text/javascript">
var quotations = new Array()
quotations[0]= "Squidoo is an amazing place.<br/><b>Simon Cook</b>"
quotations[1]= "To be or not To be, that is totally illogical captain.<br/><b>Spock</b>"
quotations[2]= "Wait a second, this quote will change.<br/><b>M Mouse</b>"
quotations[3]= "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.<br/><b>Albert Einstein</b>"
quotations[4]= "Yet another meaningless quote<br><b>A B C</b>"
quotations[5]= "Who wants to be a Millionaire?.<br/><b>I do</b>"
function display()
{
a=Math.floor(Math.random()*quotations.length)
document.getElementById('quotation').innerHTML=quotations[a]
setTimeout("display()",5000)
}
</SCRIPT>
<div id="quotation">
<SCRIPT type="text/javascript">display()</SCRIPT>
</div>
Embed Games
Embed Games HTML
Add the HTML below in Step 6 of the 'Create a Widget with Clearspring' section.
<embed src="http://www.addictinggames.com/D78AQSAKQLQWI9/5582.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="550"></embed><br><a href="http://www.addictinggames.com" target="_blank" title="Play Games">Play Games at AddictingGames</a>
What features would you like to see?
I am no expert, but please feel free to add some ideas - if feasible, I'll add 'widgets' based on your requests.
-
Reply
- The_Health_Lady The_Health_Lady Aug 31, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
- You've got some pretty cool widgets going on here and I'll have to try a few.
Thanks for your hard work in figuring it all our for us.
-
Reply
- ChapelHillFiddler ChapelHillFiddler Aug 24, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
- I just learned how to use clearspring today, it's cool! And I figured out how to get my own music into it! Too bad you can't put it in a box? Since it's invisible? How odd.
I'm looking for a player.swf that's not as big and clunky as the one at Playlist.com. Found a wordpress plugin player.swf but it's too small. I own Wimpy, which is very customizable, but haven't figured out yet how to make it work with clearspring.
Thanks for all your work!I
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Reply
- GabrielGadfly GabrielGadfly May 27, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
- I don't know that I'll use many of these, but the timeline thing in particular piques my interest.
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Reply
- Sojourn Sojourn May 19, 2009 @ 9:16 pm
- SimeyC, found this lens through the forum and it's just what I was after. Great tips. Thanks for sharing!
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Reply
- CherylK CherylK May 13, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
- This is wonderful, Simey. I'm favoriting it so I can keep up with the updates and also use it as a reference. Thanks!
- Load More
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