Squidblog

The most surprising thing I’m seeing during the Squidoo beta test is that people are extremely good at exceeding standards. That is, once they know what the standard is.

We’re currently overhauling our look and feel and adding a number of extremely powerful modules, but even with the basic modules we’ve got, the lenses that are being built are terrific.

And they got much, much better as soon as we exposed a few of the good ones to the beta testers.

Here are four examples of how a lens can shed light and make it easy for a surfer to find what she wants. These are just images… they don’t click yet… but hang in, we’ll be ready soon.

• Colorado Front Range Lawn Care
• Graphic Design
• Washington, DC
• Woodturning

I think the takeaway is that whenever you have user-generated content, you need to do a great job of showing the best to the rest.

The Red Cross and similar charities raise a lot of money when there’s an emergency. TV and the populace focus on something, and the money comes in because it’s urgent. The same thing happens on a smaller scale (and a sadder one) when someone in the family gets ill or dies from a disease.

The second technique is fundraising. That means grant proposals or pledge drives or walkathons. The problem is that those are expensive.

The third way, the secret way, the effective way, is with withholding. That’s how the United Way became one of the biggest charities in the world. It’s how many churches raise money–regular contributions.

One of the options that Squidoo is offering is the option of earmarking your royalties to either our charity pool or to the charity of your choice. (Of course, you’re absolutely welcome to keep your royalties!). That way, a few dollars a day automatically goes to your favorite cause. Painless.