(by 104 people)
Make your Lens even better!
There are many ways that you can add links to your Lens, improving the experience of your readers. How you add those links often depends on what those links are for. This Lens explains the different types of links, and the techniques available to you.
The Link List
The Link List module is the straight forward way of adding links to your Lens. Great if this is the look that you want, but if you want to do some thing a bit more sophisticated then look at the other techniques below.
- Squidoo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Squidoo is a website launched in October 2005. It is a platform designed to make it easy for anyone, for free, to set up a single page on a topic he or she knows or cares a lot about.
- Seth Godin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Seth Godin (born July 10, 1960) is an author of business books and speaker of the late 1990s to the present. His first book to achieve mainstream popularity was on the topic of permission marketing.
Creating links inside other modules
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.
Official URL Format for Squidoo Lenses
It is important that you are consistent with all of the links that you create to your lens. Here are the preferred formats that you should use:
- Lenses: http://www.squidoo.com/lens-name
- Groups: http://www.squidoo.com/groups/name
- Headquarters: http://www.squidoo.com/name/hq
Special Squidoo Links
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
Featured Lenses
If you want to link to other Lenses (your own or someone elses), then the "Featured Lens" module is ideal. Originally developed for Groups, this module neatly lists up to 5 lens each with it's thumbnail picture and description.
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I'm a Lensmaster! What now?
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This lens deals with the ins and outs and tricks and tips that will help you make your next (or first) Squidoo Lens. Other information you should read (if you haven't already)... All About Squidoo: What others have had to say about Squidoo, and it...
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Lensmaster Tools and Utilities
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SQUIDUtils.com Utilities and Tools for the Expert Lensmaster SquidUtils is the place to find complementry utilities and tools for your Lenses on Squidoo. Here you can see all of your lenses and groups, with shortcuts to some of the most vital fu...
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Lensrolling
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Lensrolling is a way to share the love and create your own personal lens network. List your friends' lenses, relevant lenses on your topic, or even link to other lenses by you!
Linking to Modules
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.
Reader Feedback
jfield wrote...
Fantastic information clearly presented. Thank you so much for the tips!
Posted October 16, 2008
Sadheeskumar wrote...
I have been searching this stuff. Thank you thefluffanutta.
Posted October 05, 2008
InspiredWritingResearch wrote...
Thanks for your help once again,5 stars,can we ask you questions here as well? Just in case we mess up,lol?
Posted September 21, 2008
vbright105 wrote...
Fantastic help! I've been wondering how people do these things!
Posted September 15, 2008
Pietschoice wrote...
Just finished my first lens. Thanks for the tips and suggestions
Posted September 03, 2008
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