Where Sellers Help Sellers

From time to time, I will be posting Squidoo hints and tips here in this thread.

Have a question about Squidoo ?
Check the Squidoo forum threads and if you cannot find an answer either there or here, then ask me and I'll see if I can help.

I may not be here every day, but I will answer as fast as possible.

What is a "Lensroll" ?

This is where you can add a link from another lens to one (or more) of your own lenses.

This is a great tool because it allows you to very easily add relevant content to your own lens (lenses).
The more relevant information and links that you have on your own lenses/websites/store pages... - the more your readers and the bots/spiders will like your pages and come back often to see what else is new.

If you noticed, I used the word relevant twice up above.

This is important, but somewhat flexible too.
Most of my lenses/pages... are about Natural Living/Organic gardening/My All natural products... so I want most of my content and lensrolls to be about something complementary to these topics.
For instance, I lensrolled several health and herb lenses onto my lenses because they were relevant to my content.

I want to try avoid adding lenses and content about say "car eating robots..." as this likely has nothing to do with my topics.

But, it would be okay to add a lensroll or a little content about the new laws that are proposed about handmade kids items because although my lenses are not about laws, THIS law would have an effect on some of the items that I may someday wish to make for my business.

So, did you find another Squidoo lens and want to add the link to yours ?
Look on the right side side of the lens you are on and usually about halfway down you will see a group of Bookmarking links.
Click on "lensroll" (the one with the yellow smiley) you will find it in the same area as "favorite it" "print" "RSS" "Email" and the symbols for Twitter-Delicious-Stumble it-Digg-Facebook-MySpace-Reddit.

After you click on it, a screen will pop up and ask you where you want to lensroll this to and give you a list of your lenses.
Put a checkmark next to each of lenses that you want to add this new link to.
I believe a box comes up and asks you is you are sure or to continue... click yes/okay and now you should have the new link on your site under "so-and-so" (you) recommends - with a list of what you lensrolled.

I hope I explained this well enough, but not so much that I confused anyone. I can get too wordy sometimes -all those years at Penn State I guess

What was that you said - you are strapped for time ?

Well, how about just setting aside 5 or 10 minutes a week if you are really short on time and pick one of these ways (commenting/lensrolling/favoriting/giving stars/becoming a fan) of helping each other climb in the rankings.

Maybe go through the list and leave a brief comment for the first 5 on the list.
Then, next week do the same for the next 5, and so on.

When you are through the list, start going through again, but this time - spend your 5-10 minutes a week by lensrolling some of the lenses onto one of yours where they would best fit. Not all of our lenses will fit onto one of yours. Please read my last hint/tip to see how best to lensroll.

After you have lensrolled whichever lenses were appropriate, now go through and favorite the first 5 lenses, and the next week do 5 more... .

After you have spent a few weeks doing that, next do your next catagory and so on.

We have enough lenses listed that we could keep each others lenses fresh and the ratings higher by just spending 5-10 minutes a week.

After you are finished going through all of the categories (commenting/lensrolling...), then please go back and start the list of lenses again and I'm sure there be be even more lenses and people joining in to help.

Remember, all of us who listed their lenses are supposed to be doing the same for the rest of us too.
This can only help us.

If you want to add your lenses too - go to the Add your Squidoo lenses thread and list them. i will then put them in with everyone elses.

Hey Wes,
I found a few that you might like to lensroll :

http://www.squidoo.com/authenticsportsmemorabilia

http://www.squidoo.com/hobbycardstorage

http://www.squidoo.com/vintage-hockey-cards

http://www.squidoo.com/sportsmemorabiliahobby

The first two are a great find for you I think they a a must to get lensrolled to your lens.

I only scanned them so you will have to read them to make sure they meet your needs. It's up to you of course, but they seem to give really good info and I believe they will be of value to your customers.

I am out of time now, so I cannot look for any more for you.
To find these, I typed "sports collecting" in the search box on Squidoo.

If you need anything else Wes, let me know.

I need to learn this lensroll thing that you are talking about.

Next Tip :

The biggest hint I think I could give you now is to add a little something every week - even if it is just one sentence.

This will keep your lens fresh and keep your readers and the spiders coming back.

If you are on Twitter or Facebook you can also set them up to show your Squidoo updates too which brings you a whole other audience.
You do this by going on your Squidoo profile page and down toward the bottom you will see places to add your MySpace, Twitter, facebook... .
Add yours and then to the right of the facebook section of it, click on FaceBook Connect. this will send your updates directly to your facebook profile.

I am not sure about Twitter, BUT for this to work - you MUST be connected to SQUIDOO AND FACEBOOK at the same time.

Now, when you "Publish" any updates or changes... at the top left of your screen you will see a box that asks you if you want to update your facebook, send a Twitter update, or send a Squidcast to your fans.

Do all three everytime.

As always Debi, feel free to put this in the Newsletter if you like.

Does everyone know about the Squidoo lens that Bays put together where we can all list our own lenses ?

She has a TON of great information about websites and selling... on that lens and about halfway down - there is a place to add your own lens.

This is another good avenue to get exposure for your Squidoo lenses - take advantage of it.

Here it is : http://www.squidoo.com/SellingLounge