(by 10 people)
Hi! I wanted to help my fellow Squidoodlers by creating a lens that outlines some other ways to show links and hype lenses besides just setting up a link list. Oh sure, link lists are easy, useful and have their place, and text modules are the workhorse of any lens, but sometimes you just want something a little fancier to emphasize a point or draw attention to a single link, photo or element.
I looked through the modules (there's so many, it's hard to master them all) and brought out my favorites to help make your cool lenses even cooler.
Table of Contents
Hey, look! Contents!
- Starting Off
- Fark.com RSS Feed
- Voila! A Squidoo Lens in an RSS Feed Module
- Using Featured Lenses to Spice Up Link Lists
- Ready to Place Another Cool Link? - Big Arrow Time! Place any link in the URL box.
- Use Featured Lensmasters to Promote Squidoodlers
- Got one defining picture for the site? Use the Polaroid Module.
- Blackboxes
- Like the Blackbox, you can put in a little note that looks like a Post-It Note
- The Most Important Thing
- Got Any Other Cool Link and Content Show and Tell Modules?
Starting Off
I'm starting off with a text moduleb-b-b-but!
I know, I'll get to the cool stuff in a minute, but first I wanted to go over how to find modules in the first place, and impart some tips.
If you're already comfortable with this stuff, skip ahead a bit.
Otherwise, to add any module to your lens, you will have to click the Add Module button at the top.
When you create a new lens, you'll start with a few modules already, but you may not want those.
To delete modules, I just go to Add Modules. Why? You can delete them faster from the list there, and then add new ones you want, all in one place. Saved you some time there.
There are tabs in the Add Module window to add what you want, and there is also an A-Z tab and a module search. Familiarize yourself with what modules there are, because I'm just showing the tip of the iceberg.
Note: When looking at modules A to Z, some start with The, such as The Most Important Thing. This means it will be under T for The and not M for Most. Get used to what is where.
Once you've added the modules you want, click the preview lens layout button at the bottom to see the module order from top to bottom. Move them around to your liking. There is no right or wrong order, just what you want, but you should look for a good flow. Click the save button to go back to the edit page. Don't worry, you can add/delete/reorder again later.
Note: I added a little picture to the text module. You can do this by browsing for an image on my computer, selecting it and clicking save.
ADD ALL TEXT FIRST, then save. THEN come back and add the picture. If you have not saved your text, when you save a picture it will not save the text. It's a two step process, folks.
If you know HTML well, you can do a lot more to a simple Text/Write Module. Here's a link to a cool lens that shows you how to do more with your text module.
In the meantime, what else can we do with content, links and pictures?
Fark.com RSS Feed
Make Your Own RSS Feed!
Instead of linking to a site, try creating an RSS feed from it.
Simply enter the url you want to pull content from, enter the number of headlines, whether you want an excerpt from the site (recommended) and how often to update. (Daily is probably a good idea).
I suggest putting the name of the website you are feeding from into the module title, as I have done here.
Note: You can't create an RSS feed from lenses, BUT you can use each lens' built in RSS feed to list it. Sound confusing? Check the next RSS feed module to see what I mean.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byVoila! A Squidoo Lens in an RSS Feed Module
For any one of your lenses, view it, and on the right side you will see the RSS feed icon.
Click it and you will go to the RSS feed for that lens.
Copy the URL at the top, go back to the RSS feed module you wanted to insert the lens into and paste it into the URL.
Set your other options like before and save.
Unfortunately, this doesn't do much more than give you a fancy link, but it CAN be done.
The RSS feed module is really better for non-Squidoo sites.
One last thing...
Because your Squidoo Lens has its own RSS feed, which you now know how to access, you can submit your lens to any site where you would submit blogs or RSS feeds. Brilliant!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by"I love the Talk Bubble! I can use it instead of a text module for quotes, highlights, anything!"
Using Featured Lenses to Spice Up Link Lists
You could link to other lenses using the link list, or you could add some visual *pow* by "featuring" them. They might be lenses with similar topics, your friends lenses, or more of your own lenses .-
The Text/Write Module for Anything!
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I love the Write module. It's really one of my very favorites... you can do anything with it. It is one of the easiest ways to make your lens stand out. It is the primary carrier of your best content, originally written information or stories, and it...
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How to Write an Article that Powerfully Drives Traffic To Your Website
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To People Who Want To Write - But Can’t Get Started Here is a process that is useful in creating articles that are designed to be of quality, high value and will have a higher rate of follow through by the reader. This process will easily...
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Article Link Directory | SEO Backlinks and Traffic | SEO Resource
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You've created your website, you've become an authority on whatever you are selling, promoting, blogging or simply enjoying. You've optimized your site, written plenty of great content...now what? Every article you write, every how-to guide, every s...
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Article Link Directory | Article Troll | SEO Backlinks Resource
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Ok, maybe you won't dominate the Internet, but you CAN leverage ArticleTroll.com's unique system to drive traffic to your website by submitting article and RSS feed sites and promoting your own sites all while giving the actual author's of original c...
Here's my favorite link:
Ready to Place Another Cool Link? - Big Arrow Time! Place any link in the URL box.
Use Featured Lensmasters to Promote Squidoodlers
You may want to promote a Squidoodler who is a great inspiration, who is a Giant or Angel or one who just has great lenses.You can also feature yourself, encouraging others to check out the rest of your lenses. (Yes, go see the rest of my lenses).
Got one defining picture for the site? Use the Polaroid Module.
Blackboxes
Not just for maintaining your flight records anymore, the black box is like the text module but big, beefy and well, black (with white text over the top).
I like to use it as a parting shot with a link. It really pops that way.
Squidoo Rocks!
Like the Blackbox, you can put in a little note that looks like a Post-It Note
This is good for a quick statement or a reminder and maybe a link like...
Squidoo Rocks!
The Most Important Thing
If there's one thing you REALLY want to emphasize, put it here.
Like the Blackbox, this makes for a great parting shot, too.
Big orange box, big text and a big link if you want to. I like doing it that way, but you can do anything you want.
Don't Forget - Squidoo Rocks!
Got Any Other Cool Link and Content Show and Tell Modules?
If you have questions, or more tips, or just want to say hi, please do!
If you enjoyed this lens, please rate it at the top, favorite it on the side and gimme 5 down-low!
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LarryBass
Well done JHFSEO on this fine Lens. Lots of the Squidoo mystery has been lifted for me, because of it. :-) Posted October 05, 2008 |
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yeimy
i want to put ads from my web pages how to do it? Posted September 05, 2008 |
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tdove
Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory! Posted August 26, 2008 |
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RobeD4love
Thanks for the tips, i just joined and created my first lens and this stuff is fairly easy to help get my lens going.. Posted August 25, 2008 |
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GreenRevolution
Nice lens! Thanks for all the tips and tricks. Great job! Posted July 17, 2008 |
