Squidlog.net

By now I hope you have polished off the last remnants of your holiday leftovers. If not, I strongly urge you to dispose of them safely before they turn into a bio hazard.

With the last slices of honeybaked ham out of the way I would like to direct your attention to a few happenings here at SquidLog.

The Squidoo Lens Directory Project

That’s right, another opportunity to submit your lenses and brag all you want about them. The Squidoo Lens Directory is still somewhat a work in progress as you will quickly see, but if you’re eager to grab a few backlinks it is now open to all self-respecting lensmasters. It is called a project because I was hoping to drum up some support from the SquidLog community for setting up a deep category structure, and also to review lens submissions for minimum standard compliance and then approve the goodies. So far the response has been, um, underwhelming, but okay, it was a busy time of year.

We all know what happens if anyone can submit anything to a link directory, so yes, every submission needs to be briefly reviewed and manually approved. Otherwise it won’t be of any value for any of us. If there are no takers for the position of co-editor it may take me as long as dmoz to actually publish those links to the directory.

Find A Link – Share A Link

We’re trying out a new way to share your groovy web finds with the rest of the SquidLog community through the new Link feature in your member profile. You can link to web pages, documents and even embed videos. Your shares will appear in the activity stream and will remain accessible through your profile, but there’s a lot more cool stuff to those links-on-steroids. For example…

• You can add an image and a description to each link.
• You decide who gets to see it: everybody, just your friends, or only you.
• We can all vote on that sucker (shared links only). If it gets too many thumbs down we might just vote it off the stage altogether.
• The link gets its own profile page where we can comment on it, send it fan mail, whatever. You get to keep the admin key for that link profile page.
• Links can be categorized and sorted by all kinds of criteria on the common link page. (No, this is different from the Squidoo Lens Directory mentioned above. This one is part of the main SquidLog site.)

The latest additions also get featured in a widget on the front page. Please do take that split second to give them a quick thumbs up or down. Won’t be much fun otherwise. If y’all like it we might move the link stream onto the main column on the left.

I thought that’s all pretty neat, at least in theory. We’ll see how it goes…

More Perks For Authors

In an effort to give more recognition to the awesome authors who continue to contribute to the main SquidLog blog we are trying out a simple revenue sharing model. Advertisements which we display on the individual post page will include the author’s affiliate ID 80% of the time, should the author choose to participate. We also now display an info box (again) about the author on every one of their posts. If you are an author, you can customize your bio in the dashboard of the main blog, under Users > Your Profile.

If you are not yet a member of the elite “SquidLog Authors Guild” but would like to be one then please come forward. Good authors are hard to come by these days, what with all the blogs and lenses we have to write and other business ventures we need to pursue. Fame and Fortune await those who care and dare to share! (results not typical – your mileage may vary)

Assisted Hosting Services

Last, and very least, I am pleased to announce that yours truly is now offering Assisted Blog Hosting to those who have been on the fence about getting their own website. If one of your New Year’s resolutions include “get my own domain and host my own blog” but are not quite sure how to go about it, help is near. For about the same cost of a hosting plan from “the big guys” you will also get my personal attention and assistance in setting everything up and ready for action. Contact me if you’d like to discuss this, or learn more at SEO Praxis. </shameless plug>

We know you have *many* choices for engaging in online distractions, and we thank your for investing some of your precious time so wisely here.

TS5R9AFV7QW9

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Quoting d-artist: This is the TRUE short story of how it all happened…that I’m featured on the SunMaid Raisin Box since 1970.

When people learn about me and this image, they say, “wow you are famous!” and I say, no I’m not famous, the image is world renowned, however I’m not known as the first SunMaid raisin girl 1915, I’m the updated version in 1970.

It’s just something that came into my path many years ago, but no matter what, I can proudly say, “yes, that is me” on the box now! —ME…the last SunMaid Raisin Girl

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Everyone and their (blogging) brother is going to Las Vegas this October 15 to 17. Why, you ask? Well, it’s only the single most important expo and convention in the (Blog)World, it appears.

Ok, we admit, we’ve never been to the BlogWorld Expo before, so we can’t really talk from experience. We DO know that some big names of the blogosphere will be there, and there’s been some considerable buzz lately throughout the industry. But here’s what we learned from the official website:

 

BlogWorld & New Media Expo is a trade show and conference for the industry of blogging and new media, the only one of it’s kind to date. It will give participants the strategies, tools and technologies they need to stake their claim in the blogosphere.

So, it’s our TRADE SHOW

The BlogWorld exhibit floor will provide an extensive selection of products and services for the experienced and first-time blogger alike. Companies will include publishing platforms, design companies, web/blog/podcast hosting companies, aggregators, add-on services, plug-ins, widgets, computer hardware & software, wireless services, podcasting products, wireless & high speed ISPs, VOIP companies, on-line advertising networks, news readers, RSS/syndication services, search engines, consulting companies, affiliate program partners, new media products and services … and many more.

• Sounds like the type of stuff we deal with on a daily basis.

They have the CONFERENCES (if you have the $$)

Experts in all fields of the blogging and new media industries will be on hand to share knowledge, techniques and advice. Industry gurus will be sharing their experiences as well as networking with participants in seminars and moderated panels. Topics will range from high-end experienced blogger, podcaster, broadcaster and social media themes to novice “start-up” topics.

Then there will be The Social Media Business Summit(TM). This is an exclusive pre-show conference focused on corporate blogging, podcasting, social media and use of new media technology in business environments. Offerings will enlighten experienced corporate bloggers and new media executives as well as individuals who aren’t really sure what blogs, podcasts, vidcasts and social media can do for their company.

WHY YOU HAVE TO BE THERE

If you blog, dabble in new media, are a full time digital communications junkie … or just dream of getting your feet wet in this phenomenon with a 6,000% growth rate … you have to be at BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas, October 15-17, 2009.

Yes we know, unfortunately it costs money. If your interest in blogging and social media is more than a hobby, if it is your business model of choice and you are serious about growing your business, then it is a solid investment into your future.

There you have it. Can you afford to not go?

Incidentally, Chef Keem and I were wondering if enough Squidoo fans would be there to warrant the first ever Squidoo Meetup? Looks like a good question for another…

SquidLog Reader Poll

[poll id="3"]

We are aware that it might pose a considerable expense for our marketing budgets. But if enough Squidooers are willing and able to commit we would consider organizing some sort of package deal.

Please vote in the poll above and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

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