Archive for June, 2009
Charities Joining Us in June
June 30th, 2009
In June, Squidoo welcomed seven new charities that successfully completed the application process and have made a promise to work hard to promote themselves on Squidoo!
BuckHawk Center Animal Rescue
The BuckHawk Center is a nonprofit organization providing rescue, rehabilitation and adoption where possible for animals in need, located in Southern Missouri.
Paws Animal Kingdom
Giving a voice to animals all over the world.
Michael’s Way
Michael’s Way is to help the families of children with cancer to cope with the extraordinary non-medical expenses that come about as a direct result of the child’s illness.
Share Our Strength
Share Our Strength is the leading national organization working to end childhood hunger in America. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch every at-risk child and make sure no kid in America grows up hungry.
CAER Food Shelf
Community Aid Elk River (CAER) is a non-profit, community-based Christian organization, whose mission is to provide emergency food, clothing, furniture/household items, and limited financial assistance to needy families in and around Elk River, MN.
Athletes for a Cure
Athletes for a Cure is the sports fundraising initiative of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. We provide athletes in all sports a fundraising platform for any event they choose, anytime, anywhere.
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Empowering people to achieve success since 1985, REC helps a diversity of present and potential small business owners in the Bay Area through business training, consulting, incubator services, support, network-building and more.
Starting right away, you can set your lenses to donate their earnings to one of these worthwhile causes, or create a new lens to show your support for them! In a month or so, check the Donations Module to help them earn even more.
Congratulations, and welcome!
~Kimberly
YOUR Charity Organizer on Squidoo
PS – not yet a sponsored charity? Learn about our criteria and apply here.
Posted in 
Have you visited Charity Central lately?
June 30th, 2009
Charity Central is your one-stop-shop for all of Squidoo’s best resources for charities.
Stop by to find:
- links to helpful lenses
- tips on building a better lens
- short stories and photos from our charities
- a complete list of the charities we sponsor
- notes and news about upcoming events on Squidoo
If you have a short story or photo to share, we’d love to spotlight you on Charity Central. Just send your image and blurb to charity(at)squidoo.com. You could be our next famous charity!
PS – knowing how to make lenses can come in handy. SUPER handy. Spend just 15 minutes every day getting to know how Squidoo works. Soon you’ll be a lens building expert. Trust us, this is a skill you want to have!
Calling all Giant Squid hopefuls
June 30th, 2009
There’s never been a more exciting time to become a Giant Squid.
Giant Squid Summer School is in full swing. Purple stars, those elusive magical marks of greatness–they are for Giants only. Giants get perks and chats and sneak peeks and seminars aplenty. Not to mention that much-coveted Giant Squid badges for their lenses.
Yeah. It’s good to be the king.
If you’ve got your 50 amazing lenses lined up and ready, remember to apply before end of day on June 30th! Here’s how.
Have you weighed in on G and R lens ratings?
June 30th, 2009
There’s been a lot of debate lately about lens ratings and some upset feelings about lenses that are great – seriously great – having to be rated R because of their content.
We know where we’ve stood in the past regarding lens ratings. If something’s ok for a 6-year-old to view and repeat, it can be rated G. If it gets into swears, violence, or grown-up topics, it needs to be rated R.
Nonetheless, we’re always interested in what lensmasters think about what should be rated what, so we’ve put together a survey:
http://www.squidoo.com/lens-rating-survey
While we don’t have plans to change ratings right at this moment, other than do away with the X category, we’d like to see what you think.
Thanks for playing!
Q: So when are you going to make me a Giant Squid?
June 30th, 2009
Well there is officially 1 whole day to get your application in
for Giant Squid! YEAH! Here are some quick Q & A’s, tips and a few words
of advice!
When do I need to get my application in?
It’s Monday night so you still have
tonight, and all day Tuesday to get in your application
for Giant Squid status. Just send us an e-mail at giants@squidoo.com by
Tuesday June 3oth at midnight EST with your Squidoo Bio page so we
know who you are. Apply, Apply, Apply You
MUST apply to be a Giant Squid. No exception here. Even if you are
nominated by someone you still need to apply yourself. Hint to all of
the people who did nominate someone…let them know that they need to
apply! Again, just send an e-mail to giants@squidoo.com with your
Squidoo bio page.
Can I still make Giant Squid?
YES you can! If you still need 2, 4, 6 or even 8 lenses it’s entirely possible to make the deadline. Here’s a quick tip…try using a Squidoo Co-Brand
for your last 2 or 3 lenses. They come with neat templates and are not
quite as time consuming as traditional lenses! The bottom line is that
we want you to succeed. If you’ve worked your butt off and made 48
fantastic quality lenses we’ll know! Creating your last 2 lenses about
your favorites actor or author with the SquidWho Co-Brand is A-OK with
us. Believe me when I say they we can spot quality lensmasters a mile
away, having one or two shorter fun lenses won’t blow your rep.
So what’s next?
We want to notify everyone before the July 4th Holiday weekend. So here’s the plan.
We are hoping to notify the new Giant Squids and Top 100 Club on Thursday July, 2nd…BUT we might need an extra day if we get behind.
Everyone will be notified via e-mail…even if you didn’t make it this
time around.
So take a little breather…
relax
and make a lens or two. There’s no need to keep checking your mail box
every hour this week (I know I did when I was waiting to make Giant
Squid) because although we are working hard to get you set up as soon
as possible but it will not happen before Thursday, July 2nd.
Also remember that the next deadline for making Giant Squid
is Septemper 30th, 2009 so tell your friends, family,
mailman, BF, hairdresser and whoever else you think might be a fabulous
Giant Squid!
Oh and Congratulations for making it this far! *Clap*Clap*Clap*
Good Morning Potential Giants!
June 30th, 2009
Or afternoon depending when you see this. I just happen to be up early
this morning! Hope everyone got a good nights sleep. Are you excited? Only 2 Days Left to get your 50 Quality lenses in, but I know you can do it! Whoo! Hoo!
Speaking of Quality…are your lenses up to par? Check out these guidelines: Things that will give you a leg up to be sure you you have the right stuff!
In the mean time
keep building. I can’t wait see see what you’ve got. If you read this
post leave a comment with the total numbers of lenses you have so far
so that everyone can get a little motivation from your progress…Because you CAN be a GIANT!
PS – Be sure to e-mail us at giants@squidoo.com to apply!
Who Are You Making Lenses For?
June 29th, 2009
When you create a lens on Squidoo, what audience are you writing for? Do you stop to consider who you want to find and read the lens? Do you plan your opening module to capture the attention of your next customer or does what you write confuse readers and send them to the back button before they ever get to the “meat” of the lens?
For instance, what if the opening sentence of a lens reads something like this: “I’m making this lens for a RocketMoms assignment.” Or this: “There’s a week left before the deadline for Giant Squid and this is my 50th lens!” Or even: “I’ve been on Squidoo for six months now so I decided to make a lensography.”
If the sole purpose of the lens is to reach a particular audience within Squidoo, then those opening sentences might be just fine. However, if the eventual purpose of the lens is to provide information for a large audience of people from around the country and around the world and, especially, to convert those people to customers, then you might want to rethink your opening line.
Give each of your lenses an objective looking over. Make sure to address the main topic of the lens immediately so that you give your visitors a reason to read on. Don’t chase them away with extraneous information or “insider talk” that adds nothing to the subject of the lens. Give them a reason to stick around, to find what they’re looking for, to click through and purchase the item you were hoping they would buy. Make them feel like you wrote this lens just for them, your newest best customer and biggest fan.
If you want your lenses to succeed, to get traffic, to make sales, then write for your customers, not just for your friends on Squidoo.
Who Wants To Be A Giant?
June 27th, 2009
Got your 50 lenses? Send them on over to giants @ squidoo.com so that we can review them.
you know a spectacular lensmaster who will knock our socks off? Has
someone with Giant potential caught your eye? Do you know a someone who
should be a Giant? Let us know!
If you’d like to nominate someone for Giant Squid Status send us an e-mail at giantnomination @ squidoo.com by June 30th, 2009. We can’t wait to see who you’ve found!
Purple Stars Awarded Week Ending 6/26/2009
June 27th, 2009
Here are the amazing lenses that received Purple Stars during the week ending 6/26/2009.
Cherished Family Favorite Recipes
Amazing Star Wars Birthday Cakes
Handmade Build a Bear Workshop Clothes
Remembering to Bring the Reuseable Bags
The Journal of the Traveling Squid
The Passing Of Two Icons Today
June 26th, 2009
