by: Rob Carlton

Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya, one of the richest and most fiercely independent regions in Spain. Catalan people speak their own language and many do not believe themselves to be Spanish. The golden age of Catalunya was around the twelfth to fourteenth centuries, when Barcelona was the centre of the great seafaring empire of Aragon. In addition to Barcelona, Catalunya is made up of the cities of Lleida, Girona and Tarragona, and the long Costa Brava, stretching from the French border to Valencia.

Barcelona has become a real tourist trap for the fantastic mixture of activities on offer there. Its coastal location attracts sun worshipers who enjoy the beach front resorts along the coast, as well as the vibrant nightlife of the city centre. The cultural and historical delights of the town appeal to the sightseer, visiting for a long weekend, and the more active will love hiking in the nearby mountains, where skiing can be found in winter.

The most famous symbol of Barcelona and one sight that all holidaymakers want to visit is Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Even those that have not visited the city will be familiar with the dripping wax image of the main façade. The famous architect began work on this church in 1882, however the task took a long time as the building work relied on donations, and it had not been completed in 1926 when Gaudi was struck by a train and died. Work has since recommenced on the church and much has been added since Gaudi’s death, but there is speculation as to whether the building will ever be completely finished, or in fact whether it really should be.

You can pay to go up inside one of the towers, of which there are now eight, each one over one hundred meters high. The initial design was meant to incorporate eighteen towers, one for each of the twelve apostles, four for the Evangelists, and one each for Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Other piece of Gaudi’s work can be seen all over the city. You will want to pull the Park Guell, La Pedrera and the Mila house into your itinerary if you possibly can.

You can get detailed information about the sights of Barcelona before you go from your travel agent, the internet, or the tourist information office in Barcelona’s main square once you get there. Make sure you pick up a map showing all the main sights as well as the major stores, restaurants and hotels. Also consider going on a bus tour of the city. It is a great way to get your bearings in a very busy and crowded city, and give you an idea of the distance between places of interest. Talk to your guide, they may be able to give you local information about great eating places and temporary exhibitions that will not be marked on your map. You will never get bored in Barcelona; your only concern will be how to fit in everything you want to see.


About The Author
Focusing on latest news in Barcelona, Robert Carlton writes articles most often for http://www.barcelona-information.com/ . His work on Sagrada Familia are published on http://barcelona-information.com/sagrada-familia.html and also other websites.



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Labels: hotel, leisure, vacation, yellowpages

by: David Bell

They say "diamonds are a girl's best friend". Just like a flawless diamond in the making, a website demands significant attention to detail in order to stand up and deliver and captivate its target audience.

Ever wondered what components clearly define a website as "professionally" done? It should have a polished look! You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on web design, simply make sure it loads quickly and employs a simple navigation system. Your visitors must feel that the time spent at your site was time well spent! Pay extra close attention to your sales copy. If you have all kinds of questions popping in your head as you read your own sales material, so will your customers. There is a simple approach to creating great sales copy and it works like crazy.

Ask yourself a few simple questions, "What's in it for me?, "How can you fulfill your promise?", "Why should I believe you?", "What if I don't like it?". Write your sales copy to paint a portrait of "yes, I can!" by answering each question; giving a risk free assurance by including a money back guarantee along with a good time factor. Strive to incorporate all of your answers in your sales copy and you'll convert your readers into buyers.

One of the hottest topics on the Internet today is search engine optimization, another critical and important component of a professional website. With recent surveys showing over 40% of all search engine traffic coming from Yahoo Directory, it has never been more important to pay close attention to the selection of your title and description. First and foremost, get a head start on the competition by choosing a keyword rich domain name. It's a clear advantage you may have overlooked in preparing for search engine submission.

Make sure that your title is 5 words or less and includes your most important keywords. Try to limit your site description to 25 words or less. Remember, Yahoo doesn't look at your meta tags like a typical search engine, so make your title and description count! If you are submitting to Yahoo for the first time, make sure to submit to Google, Yahoo's search partner, then Yahoo in a few days. Google creates the description of your site by looking for the first bold word so make sure you optimize your site accordingly.

Every webmaster should analyze their site's keyword count. Your most important keywords should be 5% - 8% of your keyword count. If your percentages are too high, the search engines may consider your site as "spam". If your percentages are too low, your site will never appear in the Top 100 of any search. Keyword and relevancy optimization can easily move a site from complete obscurity to instant popularity in the search engines overnight. Do it right the first time and I'll see you at the top!

It's a painstaking process but website optimization is a necessary step towards securing market position. In an age of instant gratification, ones and zeros, gigabytes and terabytes, the simple virtues of patience and perseverance are seldom nurtured. In developing your website, take time to reflect on your mission, and if you do only one thing well, share your passion with your target audience. Do it for the sheer love of it. Your audience will appreciate your efforts. It's the first step towards creating a website that speaks the language that your visitors want to hear!

With the right attention to detail, just like a long lasting relationship, you'll have no fear in the night that your website might desert you.

I hope this helps in your future marketing decisions.


About The Author
David Bell is Manager, Online Marketing, at http://www.wspromotion.com/, a leading Search Engine Optimization services firm and Advertising Agency.

Labels: website, yellowpages

by: Lynella Grant

A Yellow Page Ad Says You’re "Open for Business"

Most small businesses that have a storefront or provide a service are committed to a Yellow Page directory ad. It was a safe bet, since buyers went to the directory when they were ready to buy.

Every year owners renew their ad. And steadily the costs go up. Many advertisers "beefed up" their ad, hoping to stand out - making it even more expensive. For too many, their directory ad is their most expensive (or only) promotional activity. While the expense increased, directory use has gone down. Since last year’s advent of Local Search, many more people go online than to their Yellow Pages before they make buying decisions.

The Walking Fingers are Walking on the Keyboard

"Let your fingers do the walking" means calling a business to get desired answers before visiting the store. Nowadays, instead of opening the directory, 70% of buyers head to the Internet to conduct searches. Already, 36% of such searches are looking for local vendors. Of those, 45% have a buying intention. Yet 54% of the qualified small businesses don’t appear in those results. So customers select from those who do - a major handicap for those left out.

Older businesses depend on the directory more than newer ones. 78% of enterprises open over 20 years rely on the directory, compared to 52% of firms under 10 years. Younger operations are more willing to incorporate online exposure, and thereby out-pace their well-established competition. Ouch!

Of course, every Yellow Page category is different. Some get a lot more use than others. Maybe it’s true for you. But the only way to know is to track where your new customers come from. And if you’re bothering to track, how much is coming to you via the Web?

Local Search Appeals to Computer-Savvy Buyers in your Town

A Local Search occurs when a person adds a geographic term (city, state, region, zip code) to a search engine query. The results only show enterprises in that area - florists in Cheyenne - displayed on a map.

Who searches for local businesses? The locals, certainly. But so do travelers, people intending to move there (or just arrived), and those who want to do business with an enterprise in that town (flowers for Aunt Mildred). Most have no prior contact (or preference) with your competitors.

Yellow Page directory listings were added to search engine data bases. So even the cheapest ad gets a business listed. And there’s no evidence that a more expensive directory ad can accomplish any more than that. That’s why your savings from cutting the size or options of your directory ad could cover the costs for your initial online exposure.

Your directory ad gets you into the search data bases, but won’t make you stand out there. And just being listed isn’t sufficient. Where are you listed? In an obscure section that doesn’t get searched? Under what keywords? Is your information accurate or complete? Probably not.

Take an Active Role to Assure Plentiful Search Engine Results

To get the steady flow of customers search engines can deliver, you need to get involved. Make sure information about your enterprise is accurate, complete and consistent - everywhere it appears.

Look for yourself online. Conduct various Local Searches from the buyer’s mindset - what terms do they look for? How hard are you to find? And who does appear in such results? What are they doing that you’re not? Enough said.

Search engine optimization (SEO) involves methods to boost one’s search engine rankings. Be wary of most SEO advice. It can be expensive and time consuming - and unlikely to work for you anyway. As a small or mid-sized enterprise, you’re not competing for a front position related to the entire Internet. You only need to appear at the front of search results geared to your community, and ahead of your local competitors.

Get listed in the various Internet Yellow Pages (IYP). Some are free, some aren’t. Some are national, others regional. But the few dollars spent for enhanced listings or links to your site, can pay real dividends. Shop around and compare what works best for your region and type of business. Start by checking where you’re already listed: http://www.localsearchresources.com/listed.html

Businesses with Websites Benefit Most from Local Search

Even a small website provides more complete and useful information than any directory ad. And you’ll appear in many more categories of search results. When asked where to get an inexpensive website that’s optimized for Local Search, I recommend Geo Target Search http://www.geotargetsearch.com. If you mention my name they'll give you third month of hosting free.

Look for resources designed for brick-and-mortar enterprises that bring effective search engine results - without it being expensive or overly complicated. They’re out there.

For those who already have a website and want to make sure it appears in Local Search results, I recommend Sharon Fling’s set of videos, "Get listed on local search for free"
http://www.localsearchresources.com/fling.html She has spent years showing small businesses how to develop their Internet presence and earnings at http://www.geolocal.com

Yellow Page Smarts, explains how to combine your Yellow Page ad with your website for maximum profits. http://yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html Capture ready buyers wherever they’re looking for information - online and offline.

Local Search lets small businesses show up before buyers when they’re ready to spend. And it needn’t cost you more than you already pay. Shave some of your Yellow Page directory expense and put those dollars to work on your website and IYP. You’ll multiply your exposure and traffic.

Copyright 2005 Off the Page

About The Author
Dr. Lynella Grant Expert in communicating through Yellow Page ads and Local Search. Stand out online and offline. Capture more Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free resources http://www.localsearchresources.com 719-395-9450

Labels: yellowpages