Squidoo Guide: Linking Tips

It is often desirable to embed links within the body of the text on your lens. It keeps the links in context with the text, and is also good from an SEO point of view.

To add links inside other modules, you need to use some simple HTML code. Here is an example:
<A HREF="http://www.squidoo.com/linking-tips">Linking Tips</A>

Which will look like this: Linking Tips.

You can also add additional parameters like TITLE="Do You Squidoo?" (which appears as a tooltip) or TARGET="_blank" (which opens the link in a new window).

For more information, look at the lens on Basic HTML.

There are a number of special links that you can use within Squidoo.

Other Lenses
To quickly link to another Lens, simply use the form "/lens-name" (i.e. without the "http://www.squidoo.com" bit). As your Lens is already on the Squidoo domain, you only need to put a local URL to another Lens.

Note: when creating links in the Introduction module, it is best to use the complete URL, prefixed with http://www.squidoo.com/.

The "Featured Lenses" module is also great for linking to other lenses...

Add To Favourites
If you look in the side-bar on the right hand side of your Lens, one of the things you may (or may not) see is "Add To Favourites". You might like to explicitly invite people to use this feature in the Introduction of your Lens (or elsewhere). Here the URL you need to use, substituting in the name of your own lens:

• /member/add_favorite/Your-Lens-Name

Join My Fanclub
Invite people to join your fanclub with this URL, substituting in the name of your own lens. Fans will soon begin appearing on your Bio page:

• /member/join_fan_club/Your-Lensmaster-Name

Lensroll
Encouraging other Lensmasters to add your Lens to their Lensroll is a great way to get more exposure. Like with "Add to Favourites" above, you can duplicate the "Lensroll" link elsewhere in your Lens (and even in emails). Here's what you need:

• /lensmaster/lensroll/Your-Lens-Name

Contact Lensmaster
Make is easier for readers to get it touch with you, with a "Contact Me" link.

• /utility/contact_lensmaster/Your-Lens-Name

Email Lens
Get your visitors to email your lens to their friends with the "Email Lens" feature.

• /utility/email_page?Your-Lens-Name

The Introduction module now has an integrated 'Contents at a Glance' feature - to turn it on, edit your Introduction and click on the 'Table of Contents' tab.

Alternatively, you can add a 'Table of Contents' module - you will need to module search to find it, or look under 'T' in the 'A-Z'.

Once you have either of these on your lens, and published it, you'll be able to get links to any of your modules. Right-click on any link and select "Copy Shortcut". You can then paste it to where ever you need a link.

If you have Firefox and install the Lens Workshop Addon, linking to other modules is made much easier. Above each of the modules in the workshop includes a direct link that you can copy and use elsewhere