Where Knowledge Rules

Zone Guidelines

Please look through these guidelines to make sure your Zone meets our requirements. Should your request for approval be rejected, kindly note that you can resubmit your request once your Zone has been fixed.

Since Zones are a relatively new concept to Helium, we've created a check list that members can look through before requesting approval for their first Zone. The list below is comprised of popular mistakes, omissions, and Zone "sins" we've noticed creators committing.

All Zone builders must have a photo on their Helium AboutMe.
Does your Zone's title match its content?
Is your Zone a quality and comprehensive informational site on the topic?
If you've included many of your own works, is your name or your company's name included in the title? All Zones which carry more than one piece of content by you must have your name or your company's name in the title.
Please make sure there is no gambling or adult content.
Your Zone must be finished before you ask for approval.

What we expect from Zone builders

Helium is based on high quality content. Each Zone should be an aesthetically pleasing information source. To create the best Zone possible, please remember to:

1. Clearly indicate the purpose of your Zone.

2. Amass the best content and resources available on the web.

3. Finish your Zone and check Zone Guidelines before requesting approval.

Do's and Don'ts

Do:

Create a comprehensive one-stop spot for information on your topic.
Take full advantage of all the different content blocks we offer.
Utilize our Feedback and Help forums dedicated to Betaville.
Check out other Zones for inspiration and guidance.
Review your Zone before requesting approval.
Update as needed.
Have fun.

Don't:

Forget to delete unused blocks.
Forget to change block titles.
Leave blocks without content on your Zone. (If you don't use it, lose it.)
Add content blocks simply to fill space. Make sure they match the content of the Zone.
Let your Zone content become stale.

Am I finished?

Finishing checklist:

Is my Zone unbiased?
Do I have at least six quality blocks?
Have I used more than four types of blocks?
Were my questions answered in Feedback and News, so I'm sure my Zone will perform?
Do my images support my Zone content?
Have I checked my spelling?
Is my Thumbnail a memorable and appropriate image?
Did I delete all of the empty blocks?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you are not ready to publish.

If you answered "yes" to all of the questions, publish your Zone with pride!

Example Zones

Need some inspiration before you jump in a Zone? Check out these Zones and see what you can do:

A Writer Portfolio is a great way to showcase all your work in one place. If you've been looking for a way to contribute a series to Helium or just want to be sure your articles get seen in a certain context, here's the place to do it. And you can include work from any site you have contributed to on the web. It's your Zone.
Passionate about a particular subject? The Grandparents Zone shows how a Zone can pull together all types of articles and content in one spot.
If you own a business, try a Company Zone to promote yourself on the web. Add product pictures, service descriptions and whatever else you think will draw customers.

More Examples:

Successful Interviewing

Pregnancy and Childbirth

First Aid: Life-saving emergency action

The Nashville Guide

Your Money: A Financial Survival Guide

French Toast Recipes

Soaring to Glory (Non-profit Zone)

Choosing Images

photo by Nizam Uddin

Images should match both the content in the box and the title of the Zone.

Example: Classic Cars

Acceptable photos or images would those taken by you or available in the public domain that are of classic cars, car shows, a car wash, mechanic's tools or objects used to maintain a classic car. Public domain clip art is also acceptable.

Unacceptable photos would be those commonly used in advertisements: bikini-clad women and bodybuilders posing beside cars.

Remember, every picture is worth a thousand words. Your photos should promote your Zone title!

Survey Says...

Add an interactive dimension to your Zone. Inserting a survey lets you get a feel for your readers.

You can tailor your Zone content to meet their needs.

A survey gives them a chance to participate without leaving a comment.

What's with those ads?

You may have already noticed that two ads appear in every Zone. "Why?" you ask.

Helium is allowing you to build your own content, establish or bolster your presence on the web and network with millions of people worldwide. Helium provides constant support, editorial and advisory staff, those brilliant tech guys who make it all happen, and a massive messaging system to help you find all the answers you need.

Helium does all of this without charging you a membership fee. "How?" you ask.

Those two little ads pay the bills at Helium.

Let's keep the lights on at Helium: Make sure the ads appear on your Zone without having to scroll down.

Where do I put my ads?

You can place your own ads from Google Adsense or Amazon.com on your Zones by adding a block in Edit Mode. Easy-to-follow instructions accompany each block. How do you get them to pay off for you?

Less is more.

Any screen should not show more than two ads. Use the Page Down key to see each screen separately. Zones need more content than ads.

Avoid "ad blocks."

Placing a row of ads across the screen or at the bottom of the page means less revenue. A reader looking for content will scroll right past the ads.

Mix it up.

The ad blocks offer lots of combinations and choices. Try a mixture of images and text ads. Add titles to your text ad blocks to draw attention to them.

Don't forget about Helium's ads.

Remember, Helium is bringing you Zones at no cost.

Comments (1 to 9 of 9)

John Shaggy

Jun 30, 09 at 03:12 AM

Back to the drawing board.

Tony Payne

Jun 03, 09 at 08:28 PM

This is a very clear and helpful set of guidelines.

Debs Greasley

May 14, 09 at 11:57 AM

Hi I have regular documents on my local hard drives that cannot be linked to a website using the Link options in most of the blocks and I would like to be able to put a block into my zone that allows me to list these, so people can open and download them typically in PDF format. Is there a way to do this? Any help gratefully received. Thank you

Kerry Michael Wood

Apr 27, 09 at 04:38 AM

I don't consider my zone a fait accompli. I need help and suggestions about importing photos and graphics. Don't have any experience with that. I'm content with what I have as a writer's portfolio. It's a far cry visually from others I have looked at.

Chavie Cyn

Apr 16, 09 at 07:49 PM

HI Sarah, I need your help. I wish to delete one zone. How do I do this?

Ethel Smith

Apr 14, 09 at 06:56 PM

Hi Sarah Wish I had read this before I started on the zones. However some of the advice about deleting blocks is nigh on impossible when those pesky beat bugs are misbehaving :)

Kerry Michael Wood

Apr 08, 09 at 12:34 AM

I STILL can't find out how to build a zone. I'd like to establish a Writer's Portfolio, or 2, or 3. I'd like to begin by amalgamating my poetry analyses, then my analyses of short stories and drama, then collect my original poetry, and I could go on and on about humor/satire and blop-de-blah. BUT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET STARTED. All I get is red lines telling me that the word "analyses" doesn't exist in Helium's dictionary. Should I try "analysises"? Is the "anal" blocking my passage by being vulgar and too "adult" for our 13 year old membership? Somebody help me!

Ronnie Dauber

Apr 01, 09 at 12:58 PM

This zone is very friendly and helpful. Thanks for the advice.

Nan Keltie

Jan 23, 09 at 03:40 PM

Thanks so much -- this is a helpful overview of Zone Guidelines. I've printed it out for further review.

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Journalist: Sarah Bedrick
Company: Helium
Title: Social Media Community...
Education: University of Florida Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Helium member since Sep 09, 08
Number of Zones: 100

Contact Writer

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What are Zones?

Find out here.

Help Zones

Introduction to Zones and Social Networking

Information on Zones

Building a Zone

Zones Content Blocks

"Edit" Options for Zones

Zones Logisitcs

Helium Groups

Helium Messaging

What is a Thumbnail?

A Zone's Thumbnail is the first impression a Zone makes in the directory. They're also important because they're key to getting your Zone on the Zone Hompage. The perfect thumbnail should effectively convey the title of your Zone.

P's & Q's

Helium is a teen-friendly site which boasts a large number of underage members. In compliance with the Helium User Agreement, a "P" will get you a "Q."

These P's aren't allowed:

Plagiarism
Pornography
Profanity
Pernicious content

These Q's will result:

Quashing of your Zone.
Questioning of all your Helium content.
Quick end to your Helium activity.

Mind your P's & Q's!

Does this match?

The quick test to ensure all your Zone content matches and supports your title is this question:

If this block was the only one on the Zone, would my viewers understand the title?

Do you need more content?

Consider adding a Link List block to your Zone calling for writers to help you produce your Zone.

Using Title Finder, gather a list of empty or non-competitive titles (with fewer than three articles). Either choose "Empty Only" or sort by "Number of articles - lowest to highest."

Add the URL of the title, the title and a short abstract explaining exactly what content the title is seeking.

Example Title: "Is earning money the only way to become successful?"

Your abstract would be written one way if your Zone is about measuring corporate success, but quite another if the subject were "Stay-At-Home Moms." Keep in mind your audience and the channel to which the title belongs.

Your Zone hasn't been approved? Here's why.

We might seem a little heavy handed when it comes to approving Zones, but its because we aspire to build a consistent and quality Zone community. Here are some reasons your Zone may not have been approved:

1. The title of your Zone doesn't match its content. For example, a Zone entitled "Poetry" that is actually a user Zone filled with personal philosophy, YouTube videos, or user-focused articles. The more specific your title to your Zone's content, the better.

2. There isn't enough content. Make sure your Zone is ready for the world to see before you hit the "Publish" button. Incomplete Zones can be a let-down and a waste of time for visitors, reflecting poorly on you and Helium. Grab readers' attention with great content and keep them coming back by updating your Zone often.

3. Self-promoting bias. Please keep self-promotion to a minimum (unless your Zone carries your name or your company's name, of course). The content of non-personal and non-company Zones should be unbiased, interesting, and informative. For example, a Zone entitled "Miami" that promotes you or your Miami-based company would be rejected.

How to discover the perfect title for your Zone

by John McDevitt

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 id...More>
Write Now Write

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