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Types of Squidoo Lenses

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How'd They Do That? Learn How Lensmasters are Making Specialty Lenses

SquidWho and SquidLit and MonkeyBrain, oh my!

There are many different lens templates you can use when creating your lens. Some of the different lens types can conveniently be found at the very bottom of your dashboard screen. Others are well hidden.

Since joining Squidoo I've discovered many different kinds of lenses and how to create them. I've been having fun experimenting with the various specialty lenses.

Here's an overview of the lens types I've discovered so far.

How to Use this Lens

If you are just looking for a particular lens template or want to experiment with the various templates on your own, then you can go directly to any particular lens template headquarters via the Plexo Link List below.

If you want to learn more about the various lens types, continue reading. Further down the page I have described each lens template (they are in alphabetical order) and included a screen shot. Clicking on a screen shot will take you to that lens type's headquarters.

What Do You Mean Different Types of Lenses?

A Brief Explanation of the Squidoo Templates

If you're new to Squidoo, then maybe you have a lens or two under your belt. Then, one day while surfing through Squidoo lenses you stumble upon a People Who Matter lens or a SquidWho lens and wondered "how'd they do that?"

The original lens style has changed a bit over time. It's a nice and tidy page that appears in the standard Squidoo colors of blue and orange with black text on a white background. This lens is an example of an original Squidoo lens, so I won't take up space by adding a screen shot of a standard lens.

Specialty lens types have a different color scheme, header, or some other variation that makes them look a bit different. Some lensmasters call these different types of lenses templates and some call them co-brand or co-branding.

Make a Specialty Lens Today

Convenient Links to the Various Lens Type Headquarters

If you want to learn more about the different types of lenses, then continue reading. If you prefer to experiment on your own, here are links to the headquarters for the many different types of lenses.

As I discover more, I'll add them here. Which ones do you like most? Vote for your favorite lens type.

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Original Squidoo Lens

Go here to create the plain old original style len more...4 points

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SquidLit

Make a lens about your favorite book.3 points

3

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Hey MonkeyBrain

Start up your own debate lens. It can be a serious more...1 point

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The Ever Project

Create your very own Ever Project lens here.1 point

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SquidWho

Create a SquidWho lens about someone special, famo more...1 point

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SquidBoo!

Make a fun Halloween themed lens.1 point

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SquidVids

Make a lens of your favorite videos.1 point

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People Who Matter

Here's where to go to make a People Who Matter len more...0 points

9

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SquidFlix

Make a lens about a movie you just saw. Let us kno more...0 points

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SquidKnol

Are you an expert about something? Make a lens abo more...0 points

11

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SquidBids - just the good stuff

The place for trusted eBay sellers to strut their more...0 points

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Photo Phight

Create a lens with a Plexo Flicker module and star more...0 points

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Ink City Headquarters

Welcome to Ink City, Squidoo's Tattoo & Body A more...0 points

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Squid Zippers Headquarters

Make a lens about a particular zip code.0 points

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SquidSports Headquarters

Predicting the future of sports, everyday.0 points

The Ever Project

Create a Lens With an Easy to Remember URL

If you joined Squidoo to promote your business, website, or blog, then the Ever Project is for you! The Ever Project allows you to create a lens with a unique and easy to remember web address that doesn't have the "Squidoo" in front of it. For example, I have two Ever Project lenses (http://tastiest.coffee.ever.com/ and http://simplest.online-moneymaking-info.ever.com/). When you create an Ever Project lens, you first select an adjective from a drop down menu. There are many descriptive words to choose from such as best, yummiest, dumbest, etc.

Not having the Squidoo at the beginning on your web address, and starting it off with an adjective of your choice, gives you the opportunity to create sites with catchy and memorable addresses. If you have a pizzaria in your town, you could make a site at http://yummiest. pizza.ever.com/. If you have money making advice, you could make a lens at http://best.moneymakingadvice.ever.com/. You just choose the adjective, time in what comes after the dot and then it will have a dot ever dot com after it.

The Ever Project lens also looks a bit different than a standard Squidoo lens. It used to look like a newspaper, which I loved. But, now it has a different font and blue accents instead of black.

Here's a screen shot of an Ever Project lens:

Great Ever Projects

See Examples of Some Awesome Ever Projects

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Hey MonkeyBrain!

Make a Debate Lens

Hey MonkeyBrain! is the lens template that is designed for duel debates. You may choose to make a debate lens about a serious, political issue like "pro life or pro choice" or something fun "like do blondes have more fun?"

MonkeyBrain! lenses have an intense black and red header. The titles of each MonkeyBrain! module has a different font than any of the other lens templates. The MonkeyBrain template has a youthful, casual look.

Here's a screen shot of a Hey MonkeyBrain! lens:

Great MonkeyBrain! Lenses

See Examples of Awesome MonkeyBrain! Lenses

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Ink City Lenses

A Template for Tattoo Enthusiasts

Ink City is a Squidoo community that was created for tattoo and body art enthusiasts. The Ink City template has a unique black header with "Ink City" written in cursive. You can make an Ink City lens about tattoos, body painting, body piercing, and other forms of body art.

Here's a screen shot of an Ink City lens:

Great Ink City Lenses

See Examples of Awesome Ink City Lenses

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People Who Matter

My First Introduction to the Various Lens Types

The "People Who Matter" lens was the first specialty lens template that I discovered. I was surfing through Squidoo one day and going through Jaguar Julie's lenses and found her lensography and thought "woah, that looks different." I started really reading it and everything in its borders and saw it was called a "People Who Matter" lens. On the lens it has a button that says "Make a Page About Yourself." If you click this link, you will be taken to what looks like the original lens generator, but if you continue to create your lens here, when you hit publish it will become a People Who Matter lens.

The "People Who Matter" lens is simply a template that allows you to create a different looking lens and doesn't limit you to the "people" category at all. I really like the way the "People Who Matter" template looks. It's really neat and tidy with thin black lines dividing the columns and modules. I also really like the purple header. It's a nice change from the standard blue and orange Squidoo lens.

Here's a screen shot of a "People Who Matter" lens:

Great People Who Matter Lenses

See Examples of Awesome People Who Matter Lenses

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Photo Phights

Stage a Fun Competition Among Your Favorite Flickr Pics

I just discovered Photo Phights very recently. It's a fun template. In a Photo Phight lens, you must use a Plexo Flickr module and choose pictures that relate to a particular subject and let visitors vote for their favorite picture.

Photo Phight lenses have three columns and use the traditional Squidoo blue and orange, but have a different header than an ordinary lens. Photo Phight lenses also have thing black lines between its columns and modules, keeping it looking neat and put together.

There are rules to making a Photo Phight lens. To make one you must adhere to the following:

  • Lenses created for the PhotoPhights community should use Squidoo's Plexo-powered Flickr voting module. This means you're going to be pointing to thumbnails hosted on Flickr.

  • If you're not sure whether someone would appreciate you pointing to his or her pictures or not: ask.

  • Give credit where credit is due.

  • Use your own pictures on Flickr, and invite people to share their feedback and vote on their favorites. "Should I post THIS picture of me as my avatar, or THIS one?"

  • If you're pointing to someone's thumbnail and they ask you to take it down, play nice and do it.

  • If you really have a great idea for a PhotoPhight and want to get some pros on board, shoot them a note. See if they'll submit pictures to your Flickr Plexo.

  • Yes, you can create a PhotoPhight lens and monetize it by sticking modules around the Phight, but remember to keep the Phight central and on topic.

  • Oh yeah, and if you make a lens for the PhotoPhights community that does NOT stage a Phight and is otherwise irrelevant, your lens will get booted, and your Squidoo account could get deleted.

Here's a screen shot of a Photo Phight lens:

Great Photo Phight Lenses

See Examples of Awesome Photo Phight Lenses

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SquidBids

Get More Exposure for Your eBay Auctions

SquidBids is the template for you if you like to sell items on eBay. The SquidBids lens creator allows you to put in your eBay seller ID. You can spotlight your eBay store or particular items that you're selling on eBay or both. SquidBids is a great way to get more exposure for you eBay auctions.

Here's a screen shot of a SquidBids lens:

Great SquidBids Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidBids Lenses

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SquidBoo!

Make a Halloween Themed Lens

SquidBoo! lenses are, you guessed it, Halloween themed lenses. They have orange details and bright blue hyperlinks. The header features an image of a creepy house and the word "SquidBoo!" in a Halloweenish (if there were such a word) style font. You could make a SquidBoo! lens about spooky movies, creepy costumes, how to have an awesome Halloween party, etc.

Here's a screen shot of a SquidBoo! lens:

Great SquidBoo! Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidBoo! Lenses

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SquidFlix

Write a Movie Review

The SquidFlix template allows you to write a movie review. Review your favorite movie, review a terrible movie, review movies that are kid friendly and give your viewpoint as a concerned parent. The choice is yours. Get creative.

Even though SquidFlix is intended to be for movie reviews, don't forget that it is also a Squidoo lens. So, poll your visitors about their opinion of the movie. Set up a duel module to find out who liked the movie and who didn't. Sell the movie on DVD in an Amazon module. If the movie was based off of a book, sell the book too. You get the idea.

SquidFlix lenses have a similar look and color scheme to the SquidWho lenses. They have a white background with gray and orange details and bright blue hyperlinks.

Here's a screen shot of a SquidFlix lens:

Great SquidFlix Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidFlix Lenses

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SquidKnol

Are You An Expert at Something? Share Your Knowledge

The SquidKnol template is intended to be used to create a lens about something of which you have an expertise. For example, I'm a certified teacher so I might choose to make a Knol lens about how to study, how to have a great parent-teacher conferance, or how to write a great research paper.

The one thing that I don't get about the SquidKnol template (if you are familiar with it then please share with us in my guestbook) is that it looks just like a standard Squidoo lens. The SquidKnol creator page looks great, very studious, but when you create a SquidKnol lens it looks just like a regular lens. So, I'm a bit confused about the SquidKnol template.

Here's a screen shot of the SquidKnol creator page:

Arguably the Best SquidKnol Lens

Seea Great Example of a SquidKnoll Lens

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SquidLit

Read Any Good Books Lately?

The SquidLit template is for, you guessed it, literature. You can review any book you've read in a SquidLit lens. The header of a SquidLit lens and the headline for each of it's modules is highlighted in a bold black and the lettering appears in a typewriter style white font. It's a very eye catching lens type.

Here's a screen shot of a SquidLit lens:

Great SquidLit Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidLit Lenses

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Squid Sports

The Perfect Lens Type for the Sports Fanatic

If you're a sports fan, then Squid Sports is the lens template for you. With Squid Sports, you are supposed to make a lens around a sports prediction that you make and allow visitors to make their own predictions. It's a lot of fun for anyone interested in sports.

Here's a screen shot of a Squid Sports lens:

Great Squid Sports Lenses

See Examples of Awesome Squid Sports Lenses

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SquidVids

Spotlight Your Favorite Clips from Movies and TV

The SquidVids lens template allows you to showcase your favorite scene from anything related to movies, TV, or actors. I really like the way SquidVids look. They have a yellow background with black details. The header looks like a movie reel.

Some possible ideas for a SquidVids lens is spotlighting your favorite Seinfeld moments, Adam Sandler's funniest movie scenes, craziest commercials, and more. Have fun and get creative!

Here's a screen shot of a SquidVids lens:

Great SquidVids Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidVids Lenses

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SquidWho

Spotlight Anyone You Want

SquidWho lens templates allow you to spotlight anyone you want. You could do a SquidWho lens about your favorite actor, singing, musician, model, politician, cartoon character, etc. You aren't limited to spotlighting someone famous. You may choose to pay tribute to your favorite high school teacher, tell the world that why your dd is your hero, or even do an autobiography.

The SquidWho page has a gray and orange header. All of the links display as an intense light blue. I like the SquidWho template. I think it looks very modern.

Here's a screen shot of a SquidWho lens:

Great SquidWho Lenses

See Examples of Awesome SquidWho Lenses

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Squid Zipper

Make a Lens About a Particular Zip Code

Squid Zipper allows you to make a lens about a particular zip code. Spotlight restaurants, family attractions, dance club, museums...just about anything found in a given zip code. Make a lens about your home town, where you went to college, or your favorite vacation spot.

Here's a screen shot of a Squid Zipper lens:

Great Squid Zipper Lenses

See Examples of Awesome Squid Zipper Lenses

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Which Template Do You Like Best?

Do You Have a Favorite Lens Type?

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What Template Will Be Next

What Lens Type Would You Like to See Next?

Do you have a really neat idea for a new Squidoo template or do you have a strong hunch what lens type will be next? Tell me about it.

My prediction

I think a gaming lens template would be neat. We already have one for TV, one for movies, and one for books. Video and PC games are an even bigger industry than movies now. I think it'd be super cool to have an ultra modern/techy looking gaming template.

Reader predictions:

Loading Fetching predictions now... please stand by

resabi, at 8pm on September 6, 2010 predicts:

Love the idea of the video game template. I'm predicting that dedicated "green" and cause lens templates will make an appearance sooner or later. Regarding the cause lenses, it would be ideal to have a basic, neutral color scheme with customizable colors for the headers to key to the colors of different cause ribbons.

sarahjjac, at 6pm on May 19, 2009 predicts:

i think a video game template is a great idea!

kab, at 10am on January 6, 2009 predicts:

SquidSounds for music.

spirituality, at 9am on October 21, 2008 predicts:

I like the idea of a gaming lens template - but honestly I don't think they should do more templates. Instead some of the existing templates should be updated. Some of them don't look so good. Not very professional.

 
 
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thrivingmom

Thrivingmom is a 30-something former high school English teacher turned stay at home mom. She holds a B.S. in Sociology with an additional Teacher's Certificate... more »

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