by John McDevitt

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: February 21, 2009

The title you choose for your Zone makes a promise to your readers. A good title advertises, explains, teases and helps people find your Zone easily. A good title gives prospective visitors a clear idea of what your Zone is all about and tempts them to come visit and explore.

People search the Internet with purpose. They're looking for specific information, information that, when found, will benefit them. Deliver on the promise you make in your title and visitors to your Zone will stick with you. Fail to deliver and you'll lose them with the click of a mouse. Deliver on the promise of your title and your Zone will likely find it's way into your visitors bookmarks. Get them excited with a great title. Sustain that excitement with good content. Visitors will pass your Zone URL along to friends, spreading your Zone, along with your reputation, like a benign virus.

Your title is a headline. A good title must stand on it's own. It combines SEO search terms with keyword modifiers that help people (not just the Google bots) find your Zone on the search pages. And when your title is clear, searchers will be more likely to click that link to visit your Zone.

Designing your Zone is a voyage of discovery. Crafting a good Zone is no different than writing an article or any other creative activity. Your initial ideas will probably be general, but enough to get you started and give you direction. Don't worry about a perfect title in the beginning. Your first title idea(s) can serve as a place marker while you learn more and more about your purpose. As you drill deeper into your Zone, new ideas will emerge as you mold your creation to your liking. Capture each idea without judging as it occurs to you.

Discover the perfect title by brainstorming along the way. Ask yourself questions. What is the essence of my Zone? Who is it for? How will it benefit them? The focus on benefits is critical. Remember, people are tuned in to station WIIFM (What's In It For Me). Keep a list. As you move through your questions, jot down your answers. As you refine your Zone, record your impressions. No need for formal titles yet, you'll come back later. Just keep moving and discovering.

Use your list as a catalyst. Your odyssey of discovery will reveal the Zen of your Zone and the perfect title will emerge alongside your clarity of purpose. Once you understand exactly what your Zone is all about, your title will jump out at you. You'll be surprised how easily when you relax, allow your ideas to emerge naturally, and discover the perfect title for your Zone.

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