Here’s a quick summary some of the recent updates to the various browser tools that are available to Lensmasters.
- Firstly, Squidoo HQ have just introduced a new pop-up module editor, with WYSIWYG controls on the Introduction module. You’ll see improvements to the Traffic tab of your lens stats too.
- Recent changes by Squidoo have stopped the Workshop Addon from working. If you have this installed on Firefox, you’ll need to upgrade to the latest version.
- Speaking of the Workshop Addon, it is available for Google Chrome too. Visit the the lens for how to install it.
- The Squidoo Toolbar has also had a few updates over the last few months. While your browser will usually update the toolbar automatically, if you’re experiencing any problems you should install the latest version.
- For Lensmasters with Firefox 3.5, Magicality has released an updated version of the Dashboard Extension that will work with this version.
For more neat stuff for Squidoo, visit Lensmaster Tools…
2 years ago
Now that the new themes are live on Squidoo, many Lensmasters are busily updating their lenses to take advantage of them. Figuring out which of the 9 themes works best of a particular lens can be tricky.
Recently, the Squidoo Toolbar has been updated to allow quick switching between themes! *
Under the ‘Lens Workshop’ menu on the toolbar is a new sub-menu titled ‘Switch Theme’. Navigate to any lens, and select one of these themes from the sub-menu, and voilà! Instant and magical transformation of the lens to use the theme of your choice. You can keep doing this as much as you like, until you’ve found a theme you like.
However, when you choose a theme this way it will not stick. To make it permanent, you still have to edit the lens, pick the theme and apply it. This is still a great way to test out different themes if you can’t decide which one you like the best.
Note: Some types of lenses, such as Ever.com, SquidZipper, TwttrList, etc, cannot be changed to permanently use a different theme, as the styles of these lenses are fixed. The same is true for lenses that are in The Answer Deck.
* This new functionality should automatically appear on your toolbar - there’s no need to reinstall it.
2 years ago
Recently added to the browser toolbar, under the ‘Lens Workshop’, there’s a new sub-menu: ‘Add Modules’. Here you will find 3 new modules in this list, which you can add directly to one of your lenses.
Love This Lens?
Get more star ratings, favorites and lensrolls with this easy to install module. Squidoo members will be able to rate the lens, as well as email, favorite and lensroll it. Non-members will not see the stars or lensroll, and the favorite link will become a generic bookmark link.
Bookmark Button
This module appears a single button that supports almost all of the social networks. Stick this on your lens (e.g. under the Guestbook), and your visitors will be able to easily bookmark it, and this will bring more visitors.
ClickBank Ads
This module will display paying ads for digital products that match the topic of your lens. When a visitor clicks on one of these links and buys something from ClickBank, you get a share of the commission (up to 75% of the sale).
There’s no need to resinstall the toolbar - it will update automatically. Keep an eye on this menu for other extra modules appearing soon…
Please Note: These are not official modules, and therefore it is not supported by Squidoo. If you have any problems or questions about them, then please contact me.
2 years ago
Many people do not like big toolbars that take up a lot of ‘real estate’ on their browser, as it reduces the amount of space left for reading web pages. This toolbar, however, can be made to take up much less space, like this:
All you need to do is click on the left-most drop-down menu (between SU logo and the search box) and click on ‘Shrink Toolbar’. This removes all of the text from the toolbar, leaving just the button icons. If you don’t like it, then you can go back to the menu and ‘Unshrink Toolbar’.
Depending on which browser you have, you might even be able to re-arrange your toolbars so that they sit on the same row, leaving you with even more space for your webpages.
2 years ago
This is the first of a series of tips I’ll be posting to help you get the most out of your toolbar. Keep an eye on the SquidNews menu for future tips.
Some of the menus have links that can detect which page you are viewing, and take you automatically to what you really need. Here is how they work:
Love This Lens - all of the links in this menu are designed to be used while viewing a lens, and probably won’t work if you’re on another website. The exceptions to this are the bookmarking links in the middle: Add to My Lens, Bookmark Page and Twitter - these should work on any web page.
Lens Workshop - you can make a new lens anywhere, but the other functions will only work while you’re editing a lens in the Workshop. If you try to use the Ping or Backlink features while you’re on another page, it will prompt you for a URL. If you’re in the Workshop when you click on these, you’ll be taken directly to the results page.
SquidUtils - the first 3 menu items (Homepage, Advanced Dashboard and Lensmaster Feeds) will pick up your Lensmaster name, and log you in automatically to SquidUtils.com. This works from either any lens, or from your Dashboard.
Also, the ‘Create Amazon Link’ will extract the ASIN from any Amazon product page that you happen to be viewing, and generate the link code for your instantly. The ‘Get Amazon RSS Feed’ item works in a similar way when viewing a category on Amazon (your mileage will vary). Just remember to put in your Associate tag…
So, now you know. Remember how these smart links work, and you’ll discover how much more this toolbar can do for you.
thefluffanutta
PS: If you have any ideas of stuff that could be added to this toolbar, then please send them to me.
2 years ago
Thank you for installing this browser toolbar for Squidoo.
This toolbar gives you quick access to all your lenses and groups, keeps you up-to-date with the latest news from HQ, makes it easier to manage multiple accounts and provides all the social functions in one menu.
Your toolbar will be automatically updated as new features get added to it, continually growing and improving. News about the toolbar will be posted here, as well as some tips on how to use it. If you have any problems or questions, then send me a note via the ‘Contact’ form.
For more information, please visit the SquidUtils Toolbar lens.
2 years ago
