Joining, Developing, Growing and Promoting Groups
I have about 40 groups, some more successful and useful than others, but working with all of them I have learned a LOT about Squidoo, my fellow lensmasters, and the wide range of possibilities and potential for groups.
This concerns Group Masters (GM) AND lensmasters (LM)- if you have a group, if you want to join a group, and if you want to explore ideas about groups.
Please leave your comments and suggestions- the range at Squidoo is so great, that I'm sure you have something to say we all should know about!
What is the REASON for Groups? Should I even join one?
Neighborliness in Action
The first reason to consider joining a group is what we call the 'proximity effect.'The grouping of lenses that all have a similar theme gives us an opportunity to make better use of the traffic that comes in to Squidoo.
So, someone who is interested in ancient art, for example, Michelangelo's David, may also be interested in other pieces that have lenses created about them.
Someone looking to buy shoes may also be interested in looking at handbags, jackets or jammies.
One major purpose of a group is to create an opportunity for a visitor to one group lens to also visit some of the other pages in the group.
That way, we hope that rather than a visitor looking at one page alone, that they may decide to stick around Squidoo for a while and check out some other pages.
This increases the potential for sales and increased traffic, if the visitor has a good experience!
Most Groups have a FOCUS
A prism for visitors and lensmasters to look through
Whether it is Travel, Women Warriors, Movies, Pets or Tattoos, focusing on a specific area is very helpful for member lensmasters.With a focus, different lenses can be featured as a lure for visitors, and if the visitor likes what they see, they will very likely continue visiting lenses in that group.
Focused lenses can take advantage of natural opportunities too, for example holidays, seasons and events.
When GREAT lenses are featured on the group page, it benefits group members whose lenses may not be so spectacular. Visitors browse the list of all available pages and will click on the titles and topics that interest them.
However, great lenses aren't brought down by the not-so-great pages, since not every lens can be featured on the main page.
Basic Types of Groups
Of course, there are plenty more...
This is a basic thumbnail of different types of groups as I see it.
Teaching and Learning Groups
Want to teach or learn? Look for one of these grou more...2 points
Sharing Groups
Serving the purpose of sharing, like helping and s more...2 points
'Anyone Can Join' Groups
It is difficult to get featured in most of the 'an more...1 point
Charitable Promotion Groups
Some lensmasters are promoting a charity, and that more...1 point
Set Purpose Groups
Lens of the Day group, among other groups, are set more...1 point
Concept Groups
Some have a specific concept in mind, like SquidBo more...1 point
Directory Groups
If you are a member of ebay, or some other distinc more...0 points
Personal Groups
Many lensmasters, especially once they get a lot o more...0 points
Commerce Groups
Whether it is a shopping group or developing inter more...0 points
Interest Groups
Things like politics, economics, history, automobi more...0 points
How Do I Join?
There are two ways to join a group. In the image, you can see a pink button that says 'make a lens' and if you don't have a lens already, then click that button and make one!If you want to add a lens you have already made, you see the text line: add an existing lens. THIS is what you click to add your lens.
A box will pop up that has a list of all your lenses. Click the one(s) that you want to add to the group as a member. So far, you can add only one lens at a time, so once a lens is added, use the back button to get the pop-up box again. Continue until you have added all the lenses you intend to.
We've Got Giants!
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Giant Squids Headquarters
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Giant Squids A group for the Giant Squids. To highlight their lensography's, plexography's, and a favorite personal lens or two.
Found a Group! Should I Join? Do I FIT???
There are things you should know...
You can usually tell if you should join a group if you look at the group page. Unfortunately, right now, too much of the page is taken up with lensmaster information about the 'rules' or 'focus' of the group, but that information MUST be put somewhere!If the group is about travel, but your lens is about charcoal shoe pads or the latest marketing technique, it is best if you don't apply to the group.
Group masters usually have their dos and don't listed on the group page, or an instruction about where to find them (a lens, a blog, a forum comment, etc.)
It is important to find those instructions and read them BEFORE you join a group. Group masters don't like to boot or reject lenses any more than you like to be booted or rejected! Reading what the group master has posted about the group can avoid that.
We've Got Angels!
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SquidAngels Headquarters
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Welcome to SquidAngels Headquarters A place to meet Squidoo's team of angels.
wOOt!! It Looks Like I FIT IN!!! I've Joined!!! NOW WHAT???
The ball is in the group master's court
So you've added your lens. What does it mean?1. If the group master approves all lenses that join, your lens is in the approval list. It stays there until the group master opens the list and begins their process.
2. The group master will look at your lens and approve or deny its membership.
3. The group master may leave a comment and rate your lens. They may favorite the lens, join your fan club, and add your lens to the group page. They may email a welcome or explain the denial. Or they may not.
4. If the group master has set the group so that people can join without an approval, they may not see your lens for a while until they are prepared to take the time to update the group page.
5. If, when the group master is examining lenses to choose which to display on the group page, they discover your lens doesn't work for the group, they may 'boot' your lens. If they boot it, they may email an explanation or they might not. They may visit your lens, comment and rate it, favorite it, email it, join your fan club, or they may not.
Participating- Good Squidizenship!
The same thing you should be doing all over Squidoo Anyway!
GMs ESPECIALLY like LMs who participate! Do you VOTE on their plexos or polls? Do you leave comments on their group page? Do you visit the GM's lenses, the group lenses, and rate and leave comments? Have you favorited any? Joined any fan clubs?If a GM posts a challenge, it is very encouraging to see LMs participating. If nobody does, the GM may quit doing contests or challenges.
If the GM blogs about you or your lens, be sure to leave a comment on the blog! Participate in the 'extra-curricular' things the GM does to help promote you and the group. Promote the group as well as your lenses whenever you can.
FAQs Group Membership
Questions I hear often
How can I tell if a group has been recently updated?
Click on 'explore groups' and when the lists come more...2 points
I joined a while back and haven't heard a thing.
The group may not be maintained often. Or your len more...1 point
I can't join groups anymore! Why?
Spammers buried GMs in huge piles. Now, if three g more...1 point
I've been in a group a long time, but the page never changes
Groups are still in 'beta' and are very time consu more...1 point
Can I, Should I, Leave a Link in My Comment?
That's up to the GM. Just like your lens comment m more...1 point
I was in a group but got booted!
Like lenses, groups can change- change GMs, change more...0 points
I found a group, think I fit, but I can't join! Why?
Usually this problem has to do with the rating of more...0 points
My lens has never been featured!
Lenses featured on the group page are entirely up more...0 points
The ONLY lenses ever featured are the GM's!
I suggest you leave a group like that. You can lo more...0 points
What is the Most Active Groups List?
Some groups are very busy pages! These get traffic more...0 points
What is the Movers and Shakers Groups List?
These seem to be pages that have a good degree of more...0 points
How Big is Too Big For a Group?
Well, that depends on who you ask! Some are small more...0 points
I Want My Own Group! What Do I Do?
Click 'Start Group'!
When you click 'start group' remember that basically you are starting a new lens. This will not show up on your dashboard, it will show up under your 'my groups' tab. You do not get traffic or any other kind of stats about your group from Squidoo. However, Fluffanutta has created a site called SquidUtils which gives GMs the additional stats information about their groups, like traffic and lensrank information.When you create a group, decide if it is ONLY for your lenses, or if you'll be taking other people along with you!
Start with the ART!
If you can't do it yourself, here is a very helpful page!
Instructions for putting art on your group page, and help in getting free art from some very generous and talented lensmasters!-
Make your Group's Headquarters Interesting and Beautiful!
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You've created a group, and it's sure to be the next big thing. Now, what do you do with it? We all want our group pages to be a favorite landing spot of many visitors. THE place they'll want to visit again and again. I've studied the best groups...
Group Functions- Getting Serious!
Manage
On your group dashboard you see 4 functions. To get this going, you'll click 'manage' which takes you to the Group Administration page. To begin, click 'group settings' which brings up a new page. It shows your url, the Title you have selected for your group, and a description box.You have the option to upload a picture, and I strongly suggest you do so. I find that groups without a picture don't look good in listings, and so don't do as well with lensmasters or other opportunities to get featured.
Next decide if you want to have LMs receive approval to join, or if they can join right away, and whether or not you want an email notice for that.
Choose your category, your payout options, and your primary tag.
There is a 'special bonus' option, where you can add some html. However, this is ONLY for lenses that were created directly from your group. I've never seen my 'special bonus' show up anywhere, so don't expect much from it.
Time for the Headquarters Page!
very much the same as building a lens.
You get 11 modules and that is ALL.You can feature lenses, lensmasters, have a feed of new or 'fluffed up' lenses, have a feed of new lensmasters. You can take polls, add plexos- the range of what you can do is mostly determined by the modules available.
The artwork is an important feature of successful groups- so don't skimp on that.
On the right sidebar, you can see whether the photo you uploaded before has made it to your group page or not. Usually it doesn't. So, upload it again and it will appear in the header spot on the left.
If you don't have this, then you won't likely be featured in places like Squid City, because the orange placeholder is so ugly!
Be aware, however, that the banner you put on your page will be UNDERNEATH that photo, so your text and descriptions will probably look best NEXT to that photo, on top of your banner.
Janusz is so talented that he is able to make the banner in such a way that the upper small photo looks like part of the banner! What a guy!
Finish the Business End First!
Right Sidebar Issues
Right sidebar functions still need to be dealt with, and this is where you will do the tags, double check your payout, your rating and your description.I suggest you publish at this point to ensure these things 'took.' If those aren't right, it will come back to bite you!
Now, BUILD Your Group!
The rubber meets the road here!
For a newbie group master, this might pose a challenge! Nobody has joined your group yet, so what do you put in it?If you have only one lens, add it! Use a 'featured lens' module. Add the 'fresh new lenses' feed; add the 'fresh new lensmasters' feed, and you'll have three modules with content.
Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, this is where you decide whether to add a poll module, a plexo, an Amazon module or whatever. If you have a blog or bookmark account, you can add the feeds (at least temporarily). Each of these can create enough content for you to lose the wip status at the next lensrank update.
Now for: Da Rules!
Who can join your group?
If you don't create a module that explains to lensmasters what you are looking for, who can join with what lenses, then you have nobody to blame but yourself if you get buried in irrelevant lenses!Not that people will read it- but at least you have somewhere to send them if those you don't approve or boot complain.
If you want recipe lenses and not gadget lenses, put it here. If you want Hillary Clinton lenses but NOT Barak Obama lenses, put that information here.
If you want every lens to have a introduction module photo or you don't want to feature it, put that information here.
Anything that will help lensmasters decide if they belong in your group or if they don't is important to include in this module.
But, BE NICE ABOUT IT! You want people to like you!
Developing Your Group
Now you've planted the seeds of a great group....
Time to take action! You can post your announcement of a new group in SquidU in the groups section. You may get members that way, but to be honest, most lensmasters don't visit SquidU no matter how badly we want them to!Other options to begin getting lenses is to invite people. I haven't had much luck using the 'invite' function on my group management pages, for a couple of reasons. One is that you need to know the email address of your invitee. Second is that few people respond to the emails sent through their squidoo lenses- who knows why?
What worked for me? Browsing lenses in related topics. When I find a lens I'd like to have in the group, I look to see if the 'contact me' function is enabled and I may send them an invitation. If not, it is a terrific thing to do to leave a comment asking them to submit to your group and leave the link to the group page (if you can!)
Be sure your comment is really nice, and do leave a rating for the lensmaster, and it is even nice to tell them how many stars you gave. Lensmasters LOVE to be supported that way, you've left the link to your lensmaster's page, and you're on your way to building an excellent group!
Creating Interest in your Group
Some are much more work than others.
Some ideas I've seen.
Nominate Lenses to be Featured
This one has had a pretty good run, especially if more...2 points
Group Lens of the Week or Month
Unless you want to do it all yourself, I've found more...1 point
Create a New Lens Contest
This can be difficult to promote. Newbies probably more...1 point
Visit Each Other's Lens Day/Week/Month
This one is hard to follow up on. How do you know more...1 point
Best Lens in the Group Plexo
Things like this are much easier with the plexo. more...1 point
Item of the Week or Month
Book, Pet, Author, Hero of the week or month, thin more...1 point
Group Logo Contest
This one turned up some really awesome logos that more...0 points
Who ARE You Trying to Attract?
It helps for promotion purposes.
As an example, lets' use Megan's Lens of the Day group. (I hope you don't mind!) Lens of the Day serves, really, two important purposes or it can serve them.First, it encourages lensmasters to make some fabulous pages, which is what we ALL want. Its a powerful promotion. All that has to happen for a lens to get on the top 100 list is to be selected for Lens of the Day! Whether it remains there for long is almost beside the point. It really does mean something to all of us.
The second purpose is to have someplace to send outsiders to see Squidoo's favorite lenses. Those member lenses cover an incredible range of topics and most or all would be very useful to promote to outsiders as examples of the great stuff that is occurring at Squidoo. With all the competition out there for free content, Squidoo can show off those great pages and show up as good or better than anyone else.
So, the group page needs to always reflect both of the purposes of the group- to the outside world and inside the world of Squidoo.
A Few Things to Consider
- Are you mostly going to try to get OUTSIDE traffic? If so, will the things you put on your group page be appealing to outside visitors, or will it confuse or put them off?
- Is it a playground group for lensmasters? If so, don't worry about how the page appears to outsiders- just make it fun! Outside visitors will see how much fun you're having and perhaps want to join in.
- Is it a directory? Perhaps creating pages with listings of the various members will make each of them easier to find for visitors.
- Is it a discussion/debate group? Members can add content if you give them the option to do so, with plexos, comment and discussion modules.
- Is it a promotional page? What are you promoting- members' expertise, new developments, small businesses?
- Is this a gathering type group? Myspace members, facebook members, Dogster members? These don't need to be updated very often, except to add new lenses, until the page gets a mile long.
Now You've Done it! And There are TWO Sides to Group Mastering!
Promoting your group, and dealing with your group!
Marketing, Mastering- what shall we talk about here? One is much different than the other.Most of my groups have a different focus, one from another, and so I market them differently. Some I haven't done much marketing for, as yet.
There are so many ways to do this that I think I'll cop out a little and add a bunch of good pages to the lensroll that will help you.
In the meantime, I've had some good luck with these things:
Blogging. Because the Mall on Squidoo group is PRIMARILY a landing place for visitors to Squidoo, I try to make the group page attractive. Therefore, to discuss lenses, techniques, my own idea of lensmastering, issues and grunt work stuff, I have an off-site blog. This accomplishes a lot for me. For example, Mall members can just subscribe to the rss feed so that I don't have to email everyone- what a time saver! It also allows me to review different lenses, getting an external link for those lensmasters and their pages. I can examine ideas that I've thought about, or the clever ideas on lensmaster's pages, and in a way it is a record of the progress of the group.
I have also started a The Mall on Squidoo Facebook Group, where members can add their squidoo lenses. I heard tell that deep links in facebook are good for Google juice, so I've decided to increase my participation factor at facebook enough to justify having a group.
Facebook has also started a 'pages' deal, which has the option to use as advertising. I've started one but haven't explored the possibilities there much, as yet.
It is much easier to promote ONE group page than it is to try to promote MANY pages.
Group Members! Tell us what you like about the groups you're in!
What are your favorites? What does your favorite GM do?
Everybody has groups they love. Tell us about the ones you belong to that you like.
PattB wrote...
Thanks for the info Margaret. I didn't realize a group was like a lens. 5 stars and a favorite! Pat
Posted November 17, 2008
leemlz wrote...
Just everything here an aspiring group owner needs! It was very helpful in setting up my own groups.
We have group owners sending their members to us. Everybody wants a great deal, and what's better than getting ongoing advertising for your lenses FREE? Check us out: The Great Squidoo Tour!
Thanks for this fabulous lens!
Posted October 07, 2008
Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...
This was great. I am in several groups, and get the concept, but never really understood how to use them. This is going in to my squidoo library lens.
Thanks
Posted October 07, 2008
CapeMan wrote...
Thanks for a most informative lens! Very helpful as I've just started a new group. 5 *'s & favorited!
Posted September 29, 2008
