What’s in a name?

This week we’re taking a look at how your lens and module titles can affect what first-time readers (and possible buyers!) think and feel about your lens. More often than not they make snap decisions whether to stay and read, or go elsewhere, just based on your title and intro.

1. Judging a lens by its cover
2. Three techniques for lens titles
3. Secrets of three magic lens titles

Take a look at your titles. Not as exciting as they could be? These articles will give you sweet ideas for jazzing them up. Proud of your lens title? Visit http://www.squidoo.com/squidureview to share it with us.

~Kimberly Dawn Wells
SquidU Review Newsletter Editor

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1. Judging a Lens by Its Cover
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Despite warnings not to, we all do it. We judge books, restaurant entrees, cars, and lenses by their titles and covers. It’s only human nature; pretty things appeal to us, and when we don’t get what we expected, we’re disappointed. This is why it’s so important to take your lens titles seriously.

One problem many lenses suffer is “misnomer syndrome.” Some titles create an expectation on the part of the reader, such as that they will find certain information or answers. When the lens doesn’t deliver, the reader is disappointed. But most lenses actually do just the opposite. Their dry titles don’t fit the exciting contents.

Take for example a biography lens that provides information about an author and her freelance rates, but is titled only, “Writing.” A browser might visit this lens expecting to find information on the craft of writing, but instead sees a biography and is disappointed. On the flip side, the lens author is disappointed that no one is sticking around her lens or contacting her for work.

A more appropriate title will generate the right type of interest for the lensmaster and give the reader a taste of what they’re getting. Want to know how you can accomplish that? Keep reading!

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2. Three techniques for lens titles
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With so many search results available for any given topic, many of us are conditioned to ignore the trite and seek out the unique. So how can you write a lens title that gets the right type of attention?

How-To Technique
When browsers are on a mission to learn how to do or find something, the “how-to technique” can be a great way to grab their attention. It says, “Yoo-hoo, over here. I’ve got the step-by-step goods. No need to feel like a clueless newbie after learning these awesome tips.

What are you offering that you can teach your readers?
- how to build/make/design something?
- how to spend less/make more money?
- how to lose more weight/quit smoking/be healthier?
- how to enjoy a new hobby/sport?
- how to enhance their career/build their business?

These lensmasters are teaching readers:
- How to make YouTube videos look better: http://www.squidoo.com/youtuberight/
- How to get a book published: http://www.squidoo.com/howtogetabookpublished/
- How to make those cute origami towel animals: http://www.squidoo.com/EasyTowelAnimals/

Not sure that your lens is truly a “how-to” lens? How about…

Cool-Thing-You-Want Technique
How-to titles don’t work for all lenses, even if the lenses do describe directions for newbies. A lens previous titled “How to Design the Perfect Workstation” wasn’t getting the attention it deserved. It featured great products and reviews, details from office ergonomics down to time management features, and was updated frequently. The problem is most people were only apt to visit if they were already planning to build or rearrange an office. A simple change to “Design your Dream Office” sparked new interest from browsers who thought, “Sure, I’d like to have that!”

What do your readers want to do? Do they want to:
- have more fun on road trips?
- be the hit of the office Halloween party?
- spend less time cleaning and more time with the kids?
- stress less over what’s for dinner?
- get that promotion at work?

These lensmasters are helping you with all sorts of things you didn’t know you needed!
- Finding premium leather iPhone cases: http://www.squidoo.com/LeatherIphoneCase/
- Finding that great temporary tattoo: http://www.squidoo.com/temporarytattoos/
- Finding not only a wedding dress, but a sexy one: http://www.squidoo.com/weddingdress/

If your lens is more on the informational side…

Become-the-Office-Smarty-Pants Technique
Some lenses have topics the average person might find dry, but hey, this is the Internet. We have tons of ways to make any topic exciting! If this describes your lens, you can convince prospective readers to take a peek by appealing to their thirst for knowledge and desire to show off.

What are some Smarty-Pants lens title examples?
- What your vet didn’t tell you about ringworm
- Time-management techniques that will shock your boss
- Little-known facts about wine making
- Secrets to great scrapbook layouts
- Easy landscaping techniques that will make your neighbors jealous

Smarty-pants lensmasters make great smarty-pants lenses!
- Don’t pay as much as your friends for your soccer jerseys: http://www.squidoo.com/jerseyman/
- Treat your pets to a bed like no other: http://www.squidoo.com/dogbeds/
- Get the perfect ring to dazzle your friends: http://www.squidoo.com/titaniumringsandweddingbands/

When first designing a lens, consider which marketing aspects you can add to your passion. This will give readers an incentive to visit and enjoy the topics you are psyched about.

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3. Secrets of Three Magic Lens Titles
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Three of our most savvy lensmasters are enjoying some megatraffic and cash because they’ve created attractive lens titles that grab your attention. Find out what they’ve done and why, here: http://www.squidu.com/profiles/magic-lens-titles

This entry was posted on Friday, July 13th, 2007 at 9:50 am and is filed under SquidU Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.