The Lensmaster Lounge
Where lensmasters know best. W00t.
You are not logged in.
Announcement
*The Forum Rules.
Yep, rules. Read 'em. Abide by 'em. Or your sea creature powers may be revoked. Temporarily, or for good.
1. New to the lounge? Get started here. Learn which category to post your note in, and create a forum signature.
2. Spam: just don't do it. Thou also shalt not fill the forums with multiple threads on the same topic, sockpuppet, or link to irrelevant and non-Squidoo sites (includes signatures).
3. Thou shalt not flame, harass, denigrate, spam, malign, or otherwise finger-point and name-call at ANYONE. This one's a biggy. This too can get you banned.
4. Squidstaff love interacting with smart front-line people, so they stop by the forums from time to time to hear your ideas and share updates. However, this isn't the place to post bugs or solicit admin action. Please send those requests through our feedback link.
5. The SquidU forum is a place for users to interact, to share ideas and inspiration (and yes, gripes... maybe another lensmaster can help) and have fun with their lenses. Try searching for an answer or visiting The Answer Deck.
#1 05/29/2008 10:19 pm
- Writertiff
- Full fledged kraken (500+ posts)
- From: Texas
- Registered: 03/14/2006
- Posts: 683
SquidUtils Still the Best
Anyone not using SquiUtils (ie: new Squidooers), you'll want to go and dabble in it - http://www.squidutils.com
I advise everyone I know that it's a staple and really ought to be part of Squidoo itself. All the crappy auto lens creation tools that came out were worthless (thank God), but this site has tools that help make your lens perform better and in my opinion, makes it more aesthetically pleasing in some instances.
So thanks for creating it Fluffanutta!
You keep making it better all the time and I really appreciate it.
Tiff 
Need help with a lens? Have Lewis and Tiffany build it for you! http://www.buildmylens.com OR, learn how to do it yourself by reading the eBook at http://www.socialmarketing101.com
Offline
#2 05/30/2008 8:21 am
- rms
- Giant Squid Community Organizer
- Registered: 05/08/2007
- Posts: 2192
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
I agree Writertiff! I even blogged about it at the The Giant Squid Community Showcase
Last edited by rms (05/30/2008 8:22 am)
~Robin~
Want to be a Giant Squid or join the ranks of 100 Club? Join us for ideas, help, and inspiration at : Get Cracking with Bonnie and Robin
Offline
#3 05/30/2008 11:44 am
- XP
- Swimming pretty (100+ posts!)
- From: Boondocks U.S.A.
- Registered: 12/31/1969
- Posts: 109
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
I visit once in a while, but I never spent the time there to discover what's really golden.
What's your FAVORITE feature/function?
Offline
#4 05/30/2008 11:47 am
- rms
- Giant Squid Community Organizer
- Registered: 05/08/2007
- Posts: 2192
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
I love being able to grab the rss feed that works on my lenses.
~Robin~
Want to be a Giant Squid or join the ranks of 100 Club? Join us for ideas, help, and inspiration at : Get Cracking with Bonnie and Robin
Offline
#5 05/30/2008 2:53 pm
- thefluffanutta
- Citizen Squid Alumni
- From: York, England SquidUtils.com
- Registered: 09/04/2006
- Posts: 7473
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
Thanks for the support, girls
Offline
#6 05/30/2008 3:24 pm
- WhippetTalk
- Full fledged kraken (500+ posts)
- From: Phoenix, AZ
- Registered: 02/12/2008
- Posts: 534
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
XP wrote:
I visit once in a while, but I never spent the time there to discover what's really golden.
What's your FAVORITE feature/function?
I am still in my discovery stage with all the things you do with Squidoo and must admit, I probably don't take advantage of SquidUtils as much as I should be. I have dabbled a bit over there and it does seem really cool. However, a list from veteran SquidUtil users about their favorite features and why is a great idea.
For example, what does a Ping do for new and updated lenses? I don't understand the concept? Should I be doing this every time I update a lens?
Offline
#7 05/30/2008 4:46 pm
- Waterwalker_Publishing
- Wow. Over 1000 posts.
- From: Australia
- Registered: 12/31/1969
- Posts: 1296
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
SquidUtils is brilliant 
Offline
#8 05/30/2008 5:43 pm
- Writertiff
- Full fledged kraken (500+ posts)
- From: Texas
- Registered: 03/14/2006
- Posts: 683
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
Ideally, yes - everytime you update, you should ping. That IS an update, letting everyone know you've updated.
My favorite feature is/always will be (unless I'm pleasantly surprised by something else), the ability to create image-based Amazon product boxes. I love it when I have a lengthy text module and I want to add something left-aligned to break up the monotony of the content - this feature comes in handy for that AND helps me make sales
A toast to the fluff!
Need help with a lens? Have Lewis and Tiffany build it for you! http://www.buildmylens.com OR, learn how to do it yourself by reading the eBook at http://www.socialmarketing101.com
Offline
#9 05/30/2008 11:34 pm
- nimsy
- Positively aquatic
- From: London
- Registered: 04/04/2007
- Posts: 217
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
Thanks for the tip.
I've been wondering how to add amazon product links to my lens.
I'll have to spend some time finding my way round it to realy appreciate Squidutils.
Nimsy
Offline
#10 05/31/2008 3:02 am
- thefluffanutta
- Citizen Squid Alumni
- From: York, England SquidUtils.com
- Registered: 09/04/2006
- Posts: 7473
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
It's really hard to prove if the ping feature really works, though it seems to be most effective when you create a new lens, or if you've made major changes to it. I think it might be best to do once the lens in out of WIP. Squidoo does automatically notify the major search engines for you, but there's no harm in pinging too.
I also really like the Amazon Links feature, just as Tiff described.
I should really get my finger out and announce my newest tool, but it's not quite ready yet - feel free to have play with it though...
Last edited by thefluffanutta (05/31/2008 3:02 am)
Offline
#11 05/31/2008 5:05 am
- bcarter
- Swimming pretty (100+ posts!)
- Registered: 11/26/2006
- Posts: 193
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
That new tool rocks as it is right now. I can't wait to see what it does once you're done.
I have to agree that Squidutils is a definite bookmark and site to visit if you are a serious or even not so serious lensmaster.
Read all about me at My Squidoo Bio
Protect your DS System with a Nintendo DS Skin
Feature your pet at One Million Pet Pics and get a backlink to your lens
My journey through Affiliate Marketing
Offline
#12 05/31/2008 12:55 pm
- triathlontraining
- Indubitably tentacular
- From: Minnesota
- Registered: 06/27/2007
- Posts: 2897
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
Squidutils get's my vote for having the most useful tools and goodies for the lowly Squidooer.
Squidoo Tools and Resources - Lens ping and other tools, lens addons, linkbuilding, guides
Free Images - How to add and enhance your images!
Keyword Research and Tools
Top 100 Movies Newest Lens!
Offline
#13 06/01/2008 10:20 am
- Writertiff
- Full fledged kraken (500+ posts)
- From: Texas
- Registered: 03/14/2006
- Posts: 683
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
My wish list is to have some way to tag lenses with he same 40 tags. So if I'm building more than 1 lens on the same topic, perhaps with a slightly different slant, I can import the same 40 tags and alter from there if necessary.
Fluff, if you ever create this beast, I'll elect you President of the United States...or dictator of Squidland...or ruler of the universe or something.
Need help with a lens? Have Lewis and Tiffany build it for you! http://www.buildmylens.com OR, learn how to do it yourself by reading the eBook at http://www.socialmarketing101.com
Offline
#14 06/01/2008 12:05 pm
- JaguarJulie
- Indubitably tentacular
- From: Jacksonville, FL
- Registered: 03/21/2006
- Posts: 3745
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
Fluff -- your talents are truly amazing! I am in awe of SquidUtils ... with regards to the pinging ... is there a capability to add a master PING for the recently added/updated lenses rather than singularly?
Oh ... BTW, I love your RSS feeds too.
Offline
#15 06/03/2008 3:16 am
- thefluffanutta
- Citizen Squid Alumni
- From: York, England SquidUtils.com
- Registered: 09/04/2006
- Posts: 7473
Re: SquidUtils Still the Best
For anyone wanting to support SquidUtils directly, look out for the orange button in the bottom left corner...
Offline
