How Do I Keep My Lens Fresh?
Ranked #285 in Squidoo Tips, #34,009 overall | Donates to Soldiers Angels
Nothing's Better than Fresh Squid!
It's very important to keep your Squidoo lenses updated in order to keep both your lensrank and your search engine rank rising, but just how does a lensmaster accomplish that and keep on building lenses?
Based on a previous blog post, below are six quick ways to update a Squidoo lens. Try to do one or more of these updates daily, if you have time, or at least weekly. Keep your lenses fresh to keep that lensrank rising.
Not enough information? Still have questions? Ask away in our Q&A module below!
1. Product descriptions and testimonials.
Your readers want personal recommendations!
Add descriptions to your Amazon module items. A personal testimonial or review is most meaningful, but make sure you include at least a short product description rather than just the item name.Already have descriptions and reviews? Maybe it's time to rotate some old items out and some new ones in.
2. Get your visitors involved
People like to give opinions!
Second suggestion, add a new poll module. If you already have a poll that continues to be relavent and active it's fine to leave it, but often an additional poll can really enhance your lens. Political lenses, especially, come to mind. What's your candidate been up to lately? Poll your visitors and see if they agree or disagree with his or her latest campaign tactic.(Photo from John Morton)
POLL: Do you use polls on your lenses?
Get involved!
3. Check the calendar.
Revise accordingly.
Do you have a module that pertains to a holiday? The 4th of July is over. Replace your patriotic module with a Christmas or New Year's module.Stay one step ahead of the calendar. Keep reminders on your own calendar to jog your memory about lenses that will need updating.
4. Check the weather!
Dress your squid for the correct season.
Point number three, above, pertains to seasons as well. Change the products on your Cafepress module from short-sleeve t-shirts to sweatshirts in the wintertime, or vice versa. 
How about this fresh, boilded squid!
5. Do some gardening.
Pruning leads to new growth!
Prune the dead links. Periodically check to be sure all links on your lenses are active. Oftentimes YouTube videos or Flickr pics are no longer available. Replace those with fresh, active links. Check Amazon or Cafepress modules to be sure those items are available as well. 6. Tags and Keywords.
People are looking for your lens. Can they find it?
Review and update your tags/keywords. You're allowed 40 tags per lens. Make sure the ones you choose are the best ones. You don't have to use all 40 and, in fact, sometimes less is more.Squidoo provides us with awesome statistics. Be sure to check your stats regularly to see how people are finding your lenses. Use the best search terms as tags or, better yet, make sure you incorporate those search terms in your module titles and lens content. Use the words and phrases in a way that sounds natural, and don't overdo it by using the same keywords over and over and over again.
More Ways to Freshen Your Squidoo Lenses
Enter the Valley of the Giants.
For more ideas, check out The Pause That Refreshes on the Valley of the Giants blog.
While you're at it, browse the blog for other great ideas, tips, and information about how to Squidoo, brought to you by a group of current Giant Squids, sharing their lensmaking secrets with you.
Time for a little Q&A
There you have it, six quick suggestions to keep your lens squid-dewy fresh!
What did you think of those suggestions? Did they make sense? Do you need to know more?
Post your questions below, and I'll do my best to answer them for you here. Or leave a comment to let us know how these suggestions worked for you!
jennifer2 wrote...
Great way to catch our attention ....a great source of information and fun. Thanks!
Posted June 02, 2009
DongMei wrote...
Great advice to follow. I think I need to work on my tags. Nice lens.
Posted April 26, 2009
karen550 wrote...
Thanks, Susan...looks like I need to follow you. You definitely have some great ideas.
Karen
Posted April 14, 2009
gurlgonewired wrote...
Thank you so much for some tips that are sure to help out the new girl!
Posted April 09, 2009
CoolFoto wrote...
You have a delightful way of presenting this info. Thanks. 5*
Posted April 05, 2009
JaguarJulie wrote...
Keeping lenses fresh is important -- sometimes it gets a wee bit challenging for me -- with over 400 lenses. ;)
Posted March 22, 2009
Laniann wrote...
After reading your lens I put a poll on my lens. I'm still new... but two out of two voted in my poll. Good advise and easy to put in effect. 5 Stars to you and I favorite it!
Posted March 08, 2009
Tipi wrote...
Very good advice Susan. Thanks for sharing these tips! :) - Susie
Posted March 05, 2009
Laniann wrote...
Thank you for the tips. I was wondering how you keep a lens fresh after it has been around for a bit. This is very helpful and I am going to put your tips to work for me
Posted March 03, 2009
WhitePineLane wrote...
Great tips! I do find, though, that the more lenses I have, the harder it is to keep them all fresh. (But I try!)
Posted February 14, 2009
EuroSquid wrote...
Susan
Nice lens with great reminders! 5* Thank you for mentioning Valley of the Giants! I am so glad you are blogging with us.
Posted February 14, 2009
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
I update as often as I can...not often enough.
Thanks for the tips
Lizzy
Posted February 14, 2009
JeffKnight wrote...
I would like to put the books I talk about into a separate resource module but when I put the amazon book links with picture into the module they go diagonally not horizontal. What can I do.
Posted February 06, 2009
JeffKnight wrote...
I would like to put the books I talk about into a separate resource module but when I put the amazon book links with picture into the module they go diagonally not horizontal. What can I do.
Posted February 06, 2009
BobbyBOOMBOOMBickerson wrote...
Thanks for the great ideas. I rated your lens 5 star!
Hope you'll come to check out our lens, where Squidoo Angels can get a blessing from Bubblegum Heaven!
Posted February 03, 2009
EverythingMouse wrote...
It is great that you have tackled this common question. Keeping lenses fresh can sometimes be a challenge but I do always try and find the time. Blessings to you for some great ideas to help others.
Posted January 14, 2009
CJM1957 wrote...
Thanks for the wonderful ideas. Now to see if I can freshen up my lens. I'm learning.
Posted January 07, 2009
Susan52 wrote...
in reply to tandemonimom Great question! I don't have a system or a plan, really, to freshen my lenses regularly; though I probably should! I do freshen current topical lenses quite often, even daily, while some, I am sorry to say, remain as is for far too long. I need to practice what I preach a little better in that regard. Time is definitely a factor, and the fact that I need a lot of sleep - and a faster computer!
Posted December 29, 2008
tandemonimom wrote...
Great lens, very helpful! Thanks for putting this info together. But I'm curious - with 100 lenses you can't do each one each day; how often do you try to rotate through and freshen each lens? Once a week or every two weeks? 5**** and Featured on Squidoo How To.
Posted December 29, 2008
How do you freshen your squid?
Your Squidoo lens, that is.
Do you have a quick tip, an easy way that you use to freshen your Squidoo lenses? Add it to the list!
Add a Polaroid module!
Readers love great pictures, too. Add a new one t more...6 points
Add New Links
Whenever I come across an article or something tha more...6 points
Add an RSS feed.
When you have a lens that is similar in topic to a more...5 points
Add New Search Tags!
Google has a great keyword tool I can use to load more...5 points
Featured Lense module
When a lensroll isn't enough...you can put a fello more...2 points
Update and Change Selling Modules
I make sure that my Etsy modules are updated, and more...2 points
Google Blog Module.
A good tip for freshness, use the google blog modu more...2 points
Update the old YouTube modules with the new Video module.
The newer module is bigger and looks fantastic on more...2 points
Add borders and icons
I create borders and icons to dress up my lenses s more...1 point
Add Your Twitter Feed
I now add my Twitter Follow to the bottom of every more...0 points
More Helpful Lenses
Did you learn something from this lens? These might be helpful to you, too.
-
Are You a Squidoo Nobody? How to Become a Squidoo Somebody in 6 Easy Lessons
-
Who is this little orange guy? That's what everyone wants to know! So, why are you leaving us in the dark? "This is my bio. I can edit it later." Well, little orange guy, later has arrived. The time is now! Come out from behind your orange anonymity...
-
Why Not Turn a Blog Post into a Squidoo Lens!
-
I had a bit of a revelation today, one of those "duh" moments that make me feel really smart yet really dumb at the same time. I realized that I could take one of my blog posts, one I'm really proud of, and turn it into a Squidoo lens. Now, isn't th...
P.S. Still stuck?
Drop by our SquidU.com forum. Ask for help, don't be stingy, be sure to smile, and we're betting someone will come to the rescue. Fresh Squid, Kai Hendry via Flickr
Fresh Boiled Squid, ssour via Flickr
Return to the top to rate this lens.
by Susan52
Related Topics
Susan52 Recommends...
Favorited By
- JigsawForte
- GypsyOwl
- Joan4
- MusicMadness
- Susan52
- EelKat
- Kanga
- minordtails
- NicheReaper
- mrsnicolaray
- margaretcowles
- a_willow
- MerryM
- Squidster
- Betsi_Goutal
- ThomasC
- The_Homeopath
- annetteghallowell
- desertgrace
- LindaJM
- CharmaineZoe
- citrusemma
- dianemcneil
- Laniann
- Li-Li-ThePinkBookworm
- Marshell
- Jewelsofawe
- Norma_Budden
- BusyQueen
- chefkeem
- See all 37 people
