Created by Chadrew (contact me)
I didn't know all of Squidoo's projects until I stumbled upon a SquidBlog post about them. So I decided to create this lens, hopefully you will find i... (more...)
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What kinds of lenses can you create?
If you are new to Squidoo, or you have been creating only the "usual" lenses, you might not know yet that Squidoo actually has several breeds of them. They usually have a different layout and look, and choosing the right type should help you get more visitors. The greatest thing is that you can edit all of those different lenses using the same dashboard. You can read what kinds of lenses are there and their short descriptions below, as well as vote for your favorite Squidoo sister site!
The generic Squidoo lens
A page about anything you like.
This is the "bread and butter" of all Squidoo lensmasters. You can create a lens on almost any topic at all! You only need to enter a few things like title, URL and a few tags of the lens. You will also need to select the generic type of your lens (a voting list, a product page, etc.), but this will merely populate the lens with some modules. If you want to start fresh with no modules at all, select the last option ("I just want to do my own thing").Just don't forget that you will be better off using Squidoo sister sites for your specific lenses. For example, SquidFlix will work better for a movie review than a regular lens. It will be easier for other people to find, besides, the automatic lens builder will be much more helpful when you start creating your review, selecting the modules that are really useful and saving your time.
[Click here to create a new Squidoo lens...]
The SquidFlix lens
Your own movie review page.
The SquidFlix lenses are for movie reviews. You must enter the name of the movie, and your opinion of it: was it good, or was it bad? It's really important that you build your lens around this theme (either "best" movie, or "worst" movie), because in the SquidFlix HQ, all lenses are sorted into these two groups.After you choose the name of the movie you want to review, some magic happens, and you get a half-ready lens with plenty of modules that you'll need to tweak just a little. Squidoo will even find actors of said movie automatically! SquidFlix lenses usually have the Amazon spotlight, Duel, and several of Poll and Plexo (voting) modules by default, so your visitors can express their opinion on the movie, and perhaps even order it online (earning you some nice cash).
[Click here to create a new SquidFlix lens...]
The SquidLit lens
Your own book review page.
SquidLit is great for people who like reading, because it's Squidoo's very own book review site! The "magical" lens builder will help you a lot: after you enter the name of the book and the author, it will create Amazon links to it and to the related works of the same person; it will also get an excerpt from the Wikipedia on the author, if there is an article about him. In addition, the builder will create a poll where visitors will be able to rate the said book. Of course, you will still need to review the book, because no lens is complete without a few words of your own! Reviewing books never was easier, and your SquidLit lens will look really cool with the "typing machine" title fonts.[Click here to create a new SquidLit lens...]
The Ever lens
Best, worst, cutest, silliest, etc.
The Ever lenses are a bit different from other ones, because they have a separate domain and URL format (coolest.lens.ever.com, and such). You can choose the superlative (such as "coolest") from a long list, and enter your own keyword (such as "lens"). The highlight of such lenses is the "Top Five Reasons Pie is the Best Thing" (or whatever your lens is about), and links that prove your point. By default, there will also be several YouTube videos, a RSS feed from Yahoo! for the keyword you entered, and an Amazon module. You might need to tweak these, especially if your keyword isn't popular.[Click here to create a new "Ever" lens...]
The SquidWho lens
You know you're famous when you find yourself on SquidWho.
Like the name suggests, SquidWho lenses are about famous (or not so much) people. You can even create one about yourself! The lens builder is very useful here as well, populating your page automatically with an excerpt from Wikipedia, a poll, Yahoo! headlines and YouTube videos related to that person. You will still need to write some sort of introduction, and the "Three reasons to love" the person you're talking about. You can tell everything about their achievements, what they're doing, and add links to their official website. The header of your lens will have the phrase "Who is John Smith?" (or whoever your lens is about), so people will surely find it on Google![Click here to create a new SquidWho lens...]
The SquidBids lens
Your own eBay auction showcase.
A SquidBids lens will help you get more traffic to your eBay auctions (and make more money!). You are going to need an eBay Seller or Store name for the automatic lens builder to start creating your own auction showcase. You'll be asked to tell a little about yourself, what eBay category you usually sell in, and the top three reasons why people should buy from you, and not anyone else. After that, your lens will be magically built, complete with your auctions, descriptions, and polls; of course, you can tweak and improve it further.[Click here to create a new SquidBids lens...]
The SquidVids lens
Your own online TV channel.
A SquidVids lens is one of the easiest to build. It's a video showcase of your favorite topic, so all you need to do is type in what you want your lens to be about, and your own online TV channel will be created in front of your eyes using the magic of AJAX. Lenses of this type usually contain a lot of YouTube modules, as well as some related links and products. The YouTube videos are found automatically when you enter the topic, but you might have some better choices in mind. Also, don't forget to write a short introduction, so people will know what your video showcase is about.[Click here to create a new SquidVids lens...]
The Monkeybrain lens
Your own page for a heated debate.
The "Hey, Monkeybrain!" lenses are for starting discussions on hot topics everyone is passionate about. First, you have to type in a good argument (such as "Vynil is better than digital"), and then you will be asked to enter a bit more information, like your own opinion, and links that prove your point. The Duel module is made for this type of lens, so you will want to make good use of it: define the two sides of the argument clearly, and watch people fight on your page :-)[Click here to create a new MonkeyBrain lens...]
Favorite Squidoo sister site
Which one do you like best?
#2
The Ever Project
4 points
#4
MonkeyBrain
3 points
Reader Feedback
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LeslieBrenner
Thank you, this is very useful information. I'd been wondering about it for a while, and you explain it. 5 stars. Posted May 03, 2008 |
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AlexZuw
Thanks for the unravel. I wasn't aware of the variety of lenses available. Posted May 02, 2008 |
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gurneywagon
I found your lens thanks to SusanVillasLewis while in the "help, please" foroum. So, thanks to Susan AND a BIG thanks to your for sharing. 5*! Posted May 01, 2008 |
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carrieokier
Hey- great info! Thanks, and 5 stars... Posted April 30, 2008 |
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Dogs-B-Fit
Great help-thank you Posted April 27, 2008 |
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bloodberi
Now I'm inspired !!! :) This lens cleared this confused mind of a newbie like me... 5 stars for u! :) Posted April 18, 2008 |
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enslavedbyfaeries
Thank you! Posted April 13, 2008 |
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Chadrew
No, I'm afraid there's no easy way to transfer a regular lens to SquidWho. You would either have to ask the support (and possibly wait for a long time :) or re-make it by yourself. Posted April 13, 2008 |
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enslavedbyfaeries
Wow, thank you for sharing this information! I never knew this stuff existed. I do have a question, maybe you can help. Can I transfer an existing lens to SquidWho? If not, can I use the information from my existing lens to create a SquidWho lens or would that be wrong? (Yep, I'm a newbie and thanks in advance if you can help.) Posted April 12, 2008 |
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Chadrew
Glad you found it useful! Posted April 11, 2008 |
