The latest SquidU Review is reprinted here.

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SquidU Review: Spring Cleaning for Lenses

Welcome to spring! For me, in northern Wisconsin (brrrr), this has been a long-anticipated event. To celebrate, I’m doing a little spring cleaning on my lenses.

When you first build a lens, everything is in its place. But over time things change: New facts are discovered, new modules become available, and current events and hot topics change the ebb and flow of your traffic. Keeping your lenses fresh makes search engines happy and makes visitors want to return!

What can you do to breathe some fresh air into your existing lenses?

1. Tidying up your lenses

2. Thinking ahead to summer and fall

3. Fun news of the weird, I mean, week

4. Lensmaster Interview

So, roll up your sleeves and have fun!

~Kimberly Dawn Wells, Editor of the SquidU Review

1. Tidying Up Your Lenses

Are you ready to get your lenses in shape? Join me in the Lens Tidy Workout to lose that squid flab and tone your lenses into works of web art. In just eight minutes or less!

Warmup – 1 minute per lens

1. The Blank Module Deleter Blank modules plague published lenses. Let’s clear the slate by deleting unused modules. If your lens is a work in progress, you can always add them back when you’re ready.

2. Generic Module Renamer Still working with titles such as “New Guestbook Module” and “New Link List?” Give your unnamed modules a quick facelift with catchy titles.

The Big Checker Workout – 5 minutes per lens

3. The Biggie View View your lens and check it for blatant errors, such as modules that aren’t working, Flickr pics and CafePress items that are obsolete, and anything else that looks funky. Make sure you view it as others will see it. There are some differences between what you see in the edit screen and the published version.

4. Long Text Shortener Are your text modules a manageable size? If your intro has gotten too long, try breaking it into smaller modules. Readers love short blocks of text and lists.

The Little Checker Workout – 5 minutes per lens

5. The Tagchecker Review your tags. Is it time to freshen them up? Add newer more relevant, more timely ones?

6. What’s missing? What’s missing from your lens that could make it better? You don’t have to add it all now. Make a list and plan a time to beef up your content later.

Cool Down – 2 minutes per lens

7. The Emailer Who do you know that would love to see your lens in action? Your boss? Your mom? Email your lens to friends and family using the email feature on Squidoo.

8. The Del.icio.us Stretch Help bookmarkers find your links by adding them to your del.icio.us profile. Bonus: if you have FireFox, get the del.icio.us extension.

9. Digg It Add your lenses to Digg so other diggers can see what’s hot.

Daily Mini Workout – 60 seconds per lens as needed

10. The Link Fixer If you have link lists, check them regularly for broken links and relevant content.

11. The Switcheroo Rotate your modules to make your content look fresh. Better yet, swap out old photos and products for newer ones. You know who does this like a pro? Kate, of laptop bag fame. No wonder she’s #1. http://www.squidoo.com/laptopbag

12. The Modernizer Many lenses, such as those big moneymakers, can be changed up to make them relevant for the season. Your XBox lens title can become “Give an XBox for Father’s Day” or “XBox Games for Road Trips.”

13. The Publisher Publishing your lenses frequently reminds you to check them for updates and keeps them fresh.

By doing the Lens Tidy Workout just once a month, with daily mini workouts scattered in between, you too can have firm, informative lenses that attract visitors and generate cash.

2. Thinking Ahead to Summer

It’s hard to think about beaching it while we’re still watching the snow melt, but all great marketers know you need to think ahead–and that’s just what you are as a lensmaster. You’re the #1 marketer of your own lenses. It takes a while for search engines and potential linking partners to realize, “Hey! Lensmaster Lucy82 created a new lens on hot summer vacation destinations.” If you get in too late, summer could be over before all those vactioners find your “20 Best Swimsuit Styles.”

Here are some ideas for thinking ahead:

** Upcoming holidays – think common and uncommon holidays – Gift giving guides for all ages, budgets, and situations – Cards to make; scrapbooking or journalling the holiday – How you celebrated – your personal story. – Food, crafts, decorations, clothing, games, books, music, movies, and entertaining for the holidays

** Vacation and recreation – Places to go, things to see, stuff to do, where to eat and stay, what to stay away from – Local interest guides for parades, carnivals, events, competitions, walks, concerts, etc. – Your trip journal, or how you spent your vacation – Budget-friendly travel ideas ranging to luxury getaways – Guides for singles, couples, kids, and families

** Summer weather – Beating the heat, cooling tips and appliances, skin care, health precautions – Summer clothes, shoes, swimsuits, hairdos, sunglasses, fashion – Landscaping, gardening, lawn care, building projects – Recommendations for kids: bikes, swimming and beach toys, outdoor recreation

** Fair weather activities – Stats, news, gifts, and apparel for summer and fall sports – Maps, accessories, and tips for biking, hiking, walking, rock climbing, star gazing, etc. – Tips and ideas for summer fundraisers, family reunions, sports tournaments

4. Fun News of the Week

** Last week we celebrated lots of big things, one of which was the SXSW Best Community Award. A few of you have written in to say: great, but WHAT did we win? Check it out: a shiney…glass…award…thingy. It’s the thought that counts. http://www.squidoo.com/blog/?p=131.

** Have you voted for The Lens of the Year yet? The winner will be announced on Friday March 30. So get in there and make your mark! http://www.squidoo.com/thelensoftheyear.

** Sneak Preview: There’s a hot new PhotoPhights community project in the works on Squidoo. Stage “phights” with your favorite Flickr pictures. It’s not officially launched yet, so check it out before the crowds descend! http://www.squidoo.com/photophights/hq.

5. Lensmaster Profile

Best known for her Procrastination Destination lens, Groovy Old Lady has a lot more going on than just how to put off cleaning the toilet. Read the whole interview here: http://www.squidu.com/Profiles/destination-groovy-old-lady

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About Squidoo

Squidoo: SKWID-OO, n. v., adj., addiction. 1) thousands of people creating a handbuilt catalog of the best stuff online 2) a free and fun way to make your own page and get traffic 3) a place to find what you’re looking for, fast.

*IMNewswatch would like to thank Squidoo for granting permission to reprint the latest SquidU Review.

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