Author: Lluis Ouro

Drive your website’s SEO with a .barcelona domain

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

There are still those who are unaware that a .barcelona domain can benefit their website’s SEO. Adding the .barcelona domain to your website infrastructure can be a highly efficient strategy for improving your presence in search engines, particularly if your project is linked with the city.

Either way, regardless of the domain extension you use, the most important thing for achieving a good position is that you work on the content and structure of your website.

How you can use the .barcelona domain to reach your target audience:

·       Clear geolocation: a .barcelona domain says a lot. It shows that your project is linked to the city. It can help you to position your website better in local searches, particularly if you offer products and services in Barcelona.

·       Set yourself apart from generic domains: a .barcelona domain makes you stand out. You’re not just another .com, you’re a brand with personality and local identity. Users won’t forget you. The .barcelona domain identifies you with the city’s values, an open, creative and cosmopolitan city.  

·       A relevant domain: choose a domain name that makes it clear what your project is about. You’ll help Google and users alike to understand you better from the outset.  

·       Content conceived for your audience: publish content linked to the city, use keywords linked to Barcelona and give local customers a voice.

Five steps to strengthen your .barcelona domain’s SEO

1.    Make sure tour website is well programmed and compatible with search engine standards.

2.    Get quality links with websites with authority and relevance.

3.    Improve the loading speed for your site and offer a fluid user experience.

4.    Work on your keywords, particularly those linked to your activity and location.

5.    Filter your target audience well and adapt your message to their needs.

Make the most of the .barcelona domain to connect with your local audience better and stand out in search engines.

How does the ICANN guarantee good management by registration companies?

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

One of the responsibilities of the ICANN is to ensure that domain registration companies meet the established standards and regulations, the goal being to guarantee the security and reliability of the system. If a registration company does not achieve the minimum requirements, they may lose their accreditation. Although this measure is not often adopted, it is needed for the domain name system to function properly.

Main reasons for losing accreditation:

1.      Non-compliance with the accreditation agreement for registration companies (RAA): when domain data protecting the privacy of holders are not maintained correctly.

2.      Fraudulent practices: activities such as the falsification of information or the sale of inexistent services.

3.      Non-compliance with payments: registration companies must be up to date with the payment of taxes and annual ICANN payments.

4.      Lack of collaboration in audits: registration companies are obliged to collaborate when the ICANN conducts audits and checks operations to guarantee compliance with regulations.

5.      Lack of client support and service: registration companies must guarantee suitable customer service and offer technical support for domain holders.

6.      Commitment to security: registration companies must work for the security of the domains they manage.

How does this affect domain holders?

When the ICANN withdraws accreditation from a registration company, the domains they manage are transferred to another operator. This process may mean changes in technical management or in access to the control panel. However, these situations are not very common and domain holders generally receive clear instructions to avoid any sort of disruption.

At the .barcelona domain, we work to ensure that any incident of this type is managed promptly and efficiently, keeping any disruptions for users to a minimum.

Fhar.barcelona shows the way forward for housing in the city

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The FHAR initiative, which brings together professionals from the public and private sectors to work on the future of the right to housing, is back at the Palo Alto Barcelona site on 7,8 and 9 May, with experts and professionals from this sector taking part.

The fourth edition will be looking at some of the main topics of debate, such as the regulation of the market, taking into account the perspectives of the administration, private companies and organisations defending the right to housing.

The programme for the FHAR  includes discussions about one of the options for turning the current situation around: increasing affordable public housing, with the participation of representatives from different administrative levels.

Decarbonisation is one of the goals that will be achieved through improved energy efficiency in housing. The main areas of innovation and transformation in this area will be presented at the forum, with a look at international models.Besides the discussion sessions, workshops and visits to different housing projects in the city are being organised, including new-build projects and energy renovation projects in public housing. More information at fhar2025.barcelona.

Markets are a click away with mercatsaunclic.barcelona

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

“Mercats a un clic” is up and running, offering an online sales platform for Barcelona’s municipal markets. Fifteen markets have joined in with the initiative, which allows customers to shop at markets from anywhere and at any time of the day.

The platform allows users to place orders with a mobile app or on the website mercatsaunclic.barcelona. This enables markets to adapt to new needs and shopping habits, with customers able to receive their orders at home or pick them up from the market, even outside of opening hours thanks to refrigerated lockers located at market entrances.

The pilot project “Mercats a un clic” began in June and currently has 91 participating establishments, offering a wide range or produce such as fruit, fish, seafood, poultry, eggs, meat, pulses, cold meats, cheese and dietary products.You can place your order at mercatsaunclic.barcelona.

Control your domain: protect your .barcelona domain

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

One of the main reasons for people losing control of their domain is not renewing it in time. There’s a period of grace when it can still be renewed, but if this elapses the domain may become available again and could be acquired by somebody else.

Follow these steps to avoid this happening:

1.       Use an accessible contact address. When you register a domain, be sure to use a contact address which is easy for you to access.  

2.       Always keep the domain information up to date. A domain can be suspended if the data are not up to date and the registration company is unable to contact the domain owner.

3.       Check your mail frequently. Bear in mind that the registration company will send you reminders when the domain is soon to expire.

4.       Don’t forget the renewal dates. Make a note of the time period for the domain so that renewals won’t get overlooked and set some reminders in advance.

5.       Contract the domain for longer if you know you’re going to need it. Remember you can renew it for up to ten years to avoid having to worry about it.  

6.       Be sure you can contact your registration company. Check that you can communicate easily, whether by email or by phone.

If you don’t renew in time, the first step is to inform the registration company that you contracted. They will be in the best position to advise you.

What do you need to do if your domain has expired?

·         When your domain expires, you have around 45 days to renew it (although each registration company has their time frames and in some cases they may charge you extra to renew it after it has expired). If you don’t renew it, anyone else can register it, even you could acquire it again!

·         If your domain is contracted by somebody else, contact us at suport@domini.barcelona and explain your case to us. We will convey your request to the current holder and, if you are lucky, they will get in touch with you to negotiate the purchase of the domain.

·         Never negotiate the domain if it includes fraudulent information, if the website is being used improperly or if there is an attempt being made to gain from it. If you find yourself in one of these situations, contact us. If necessary, we will take legal action.

Remember to always keep your .barcelona domain up to date!

Current developments in the world of domains: key dates

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

Key dates are approaching in the world of domains and we have them in our agenda. Here are all the details.

ICANN82. Next stop: Seattle!

The .barcelona domain will be represented at the upcoming ICANN82, to be held in Seattle from 8 to 13 March. This is one of the biggest meetings of the year in the domain sector.

This edition will be addressing a theme that affects us all: online criminal activity and cybersecurity. Urgent aspects to be tackled from the perspective of ICANN, public administrations and the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO).

We’ll keep you informed of the resolutions from the meeting.

Discover CENTR

CENTR stands for the Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries. This association brings together domain registries for top-level country codes (ccTLDs, such as es., fr. and pt.).

CENTR gathers the best standards and practices from its members, making it a reference spaces for queries on ccTLDs, and fosters better service for users.

CENTR also offers a space for addressing matters that affect various domains and acts as a communication channel between government bodies and other internet institutions.

Upcoming meetings

CENTR is organising a meeting for its workgroups on 27 February. This online session will be a preliminary step to lay the foundations for the face-to-face meeting, the Jamboree in Lyon, from 21 to 23 May. At the Jamboree, experts and leaders in the sector will be fostering an exchange of knowledge, addressing shared challenges and identifying opportunities for collaboration.

For CENTR members this annual meeting is a great opportunity to build professional networks within the European industry of ccTLDs.

Barcelona City Council leaves X

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

Barcelona City Council has decided to close all its accounts on this social media network, except for the profile @bcn_ajuntament, which will only be used to give information on emergencies, weather alerts and disruptions to mobility.

The decision corresponds to the City Council’s commitment to reliable communication, in the face of the disinformation generated by the X platform. The aim of the move is to guarantee that members of the public receive reliable information in line with the values of digital democracy.

Despite closing its X accounts, the City Council will continue to provide information through its other official channels, such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, as well as the municipal website. This will allow the institution to continue its broad coverage of verified and accessible information for citizens.

The profile @puntBarcelona has also ceased to be present on X, but we remain active on Instagram and Facebook. You can also sign up for the digital newsletter to get updated official information directly by email.

New aspects to mobility at mobilitat.barcelona

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

February got under way with some changes to mobility in the city. The new by-law on circulation in the city, which you can find on the website mobilitat.barcelona, aims to preserve pavements as pedestrian spaces by prohibiting bikes and personal mobility vehicles (PMV) from circulating on them, except for children with bicycles and those accompanying them.

It’s worth noting that PMVs will now be classed as unipersonal vehicles, meaning they can only carry one person, and should have essential safety elements: helmets are obligatory, and the vehicle must have front and back lights. The current legislation prohibits the use of PMVs by those under 16 and establishes a speed limit of 25 km/h.

The new text prohibits bikes and PMVs from circulating on pavements, which will be exclusively for pedestrians. As an exception, adults carrying children with authorised systems (trailers or child-seats) or accompanying children up to 12 years of age on bicycles will be able to circulate on pavements, as will those under 14 and adults transporting children where there is no bike lane.

Either way, the obligation remains for cyclists and PMV riders to get off their vehicle in crowded spaces shared with pedestrians.

Besides the specific prohibition on parking motorcycles on pavements near schools and hospitals, the by-law on circulation, pedestrians and vehicles also means fines for parking in front of reserved pedestrian entrances, in bike lanes or in front of waste containers. The recommendation continues to be to park these vehicles on road surfaces.

The new by-law also introduces fines of up to 500 euros to guarantee compliance with the measures established. Besides the website mobilitat.barcelona, the new by-law can be found in Barcelona City Council’s Open Repository on Knowledge.

Una persona circula en patinet

Twenty years of the consellciutat.barcelona

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The Consell de Ciutat (City Assembly), Barcelona’s most important advisory and participatory body, has just turned twenty. During this time the assembly has contributed to the evolution of city governance and become a space which represents society, today’s heir of the Consell de Cent, which lasted five centuries.

The assembly has space for trade unions, business associations, community organisations, institutions representing the city and individual citizens, over a hundred members with the capacity to draft rulings and recommendations for improving municipal policies.

The assembly has three organisational levels: the Plenary, which initially proposes topics, the Permanent Commission, and working groups devoted to listening and consulting experts.

To find out more and discover the history of the assembly go to conselldeciutat.barcelona.

Housing in Barcelona is habitatge.barcelona

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

Access to housing is one of the main challenges for the city in the coming years. Barcelona has launched a new strategy to respond to the issue during this term of office, the Pla Viure.

The plan, which users can follow on the website habitatge.barcelona, not only defines the goals but also the actions and services in this area for the period 2025-2032, notable aspects being:

  • Making the right to housing universal: enlarging the stock of affordable social housing.​
  • Renovating and improving housing: with sustainability, accessibility and comfort.​
  • Addressing vulnerability: the demographic challenge and life stages.​

The future Barcelona Housing Plan 2025-2032 is now under way with a participatory process open to everybody. In this first stage, an assessment will be made of the measures implemented in recent years in the city, with discussions on new proposals for the next eight years. The participatory sessions will run until the summer of 2025.If you want to stay up to date, don’t forget to check the website habitatge.barcelona.

Façana de l’edifici d’habitatges de lloguer social al carrer de Veneçuela, 96-106