Category: News

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.

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!

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.

.barcelona at ICANN81: the meeting for international internet leaders

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The 81st annual ICANN meeting was held in Istanbul from 9 to 14 November. ICANN is the organisation responsible at an international level for coordinating various technical aspects of the internet, to guarantee that it works in a safe, stable and accessible way for everybody. The team from .barcelona took part in the  meeting and came back to the city with a wealth of new information and knowledge.

The future of the internet, increasingly diverse and inclusive

One of the star topics at the meeting was the importance of international domain names (IDN). This means that we will increasingly see domains with characters from other alphabets, such as the Cyrillic or Arabic alphabets, plus domains that contain characters unique to the Catalan language, such as those using .barcelona, favouring the use of our language. This is great news for cultural and linguistic diversity on the internet!

The ICANN highlighted the importance of promoting universal acceptance, where all of us as users get accustomed to using these domains in our daily life. This will make the internet even more open and accessible for everybody.

New opportunities and challenges for .barcelona

The draft for the ICANN strategic plan for 2030, to be presented in 2026, was another topic at the meeting. There was also extensive discussion about the new round of geographical Top-Level Domains (gTLD) being opened up in 2026. This new stage represents a great opportunity for new stakeholders, at the same time posing challenges in terms of management and competitiveness for new domains and existing domains alike.

As a member of the GeoTLD group, the .barcelona team are closely involved with the implementation of the directive on the resilience of essential entities (NIS2). This European directive establishes new cybersecurity requisites for essential services, such as domain registers. Our team has already started working to adapt to the new regulation and ensure that .barcelona is a domain offering maximum security and reliability for all our users.

Strengthening ties with the .barcelona community

During the annual meeting, we took the opportunity to meet with main registration companies for the domain and to strengthen our collaboration. These meetings are fundamental for ensuring the domain works well and offering a quality service to users.

What does all this mean?

These new developments allow us to look to the future with optimism. The .barcelona domain is growing and constantly evolving to adapt to the new trends of the internet. We want .barcelona to be your trusted domain, a space where you can express your digital identity and connect with the city’s community.

ICANN81 was a unique opportunity for the .barcelona domain to be at the forefront of debate on the future of the internet and be involved in defining the regulations that govern it. The meeting helped us collaborate with other stakeholders in the sector and put .barcelona on the map as a leader in managing geographical city domains.

.barcelona at Bizbarcelona: connect your business with the city

Posted on by admindti

The .barcelona domain was at Bizbarcelona on 23 and 24 October, the essential meeting point for all entrepreneurs, freelancers and companies looking to drive their business in Barcelona and on an international scale.

We were on the Barcelona Activa stand as one of the digitalisation and sustainability projects.

Bizbarcelona offered the .barcelona domain a unique platform for connecting with thousands of local professionals and businesses. The event was the ideal place for:

  • Introducing the .barcelona domain: this enables us to show the advantages and benefits of using a specific name linked to the city.
  • Offering personalised advice: our experts are ready to help resolve your doubts and help you choose the domain that suits your needs best.
  • Networking: Bizbarcelona is an excellent opportunity for establishing contact with companies, providers and potential clients.

Identify yourself with a .barcelona domain for just 5 euros

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

Held on 26 September, the European Day of Languages is a special occasion highlighting the continent’s linguistic wealth and the great cultural heritage it represents in Europe.

To mark the occasion, the .barcelona domain is joining the .cat and .gal domains for a campaign to nurture and promote geographical and cultural domains.

Your .barcelona domain for just 5 euros

You only have until 13 October to purchase your .barcelona domain for just 5 euros plus VAT.

Why choose a .barcelona domain?

·         Identity: A .barcelona domain reflects your link with the city.

·         Visibility: It increases your visibility in search engines and attracts a local and international audience with an interest in Barcelona.

·         Professionalism: A personalised domain conveys seriousness and professionalism.

·         Community: You will form part of a community of .barcelona domains and be able to proudly show that your project is different, modern, cosmopolitan and entrepreneurial.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity!Go to https://www.domini.barcelona/registra/ and register your .barcelona domain. It’s the moment to show the pride you take in the city of Barcelona.

From Barcelona to London: shared experiences

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The team from the .barcelona domain attended the annual meeting by the GeoTLD Group, held in London on 5 and 6 September and bringing together geographical domains (GeoTLD) and city domains to share the challenges and opportunities for our sector, the evolution of the market and new trends and challenges.

City domains attending this year’s meeting included .paris, .berlin, .amsterdam, .wien and .cologne.

The meeting puts Barcelona’s digital future and the new European regulations in the spotlight

The meeting provided a good chance to analyse the future perspectives of domains and explore new opportunities for collaboration. In this context, .barcelona highlighted how it is a domain which is open to citizens and committed to the promotion of Barcelona in the digital sphere and its contribution towards a more open and diverse internet.

The European security regulations (NIS2), which come into force in the next few months, provided another of the main topics for the meeting. The regulations are aimed at ensuring a more secure European digital environment, with more guarantees, regulations and certifications, meaning challenges in management and new dynamics in operating domains.

Towards a new round of domains

The meeting also offered a unique opportunity for us to get together again with those in charge of the ICANN, who were able to share the new round of domains due to be launched in 2026. Developed over the last ten years by the ICANN, the new round of domains will offer a great opportunity to request new domain extensions representing communities, other cities, brands and general names.

.london and .barcelona share experiences and learning

Another key moment was the bilateral meeting we held with London & Partners, the City of London agency tasked with managing the .london domain, the host for this year’s meeting. The session gave us an insight into the experiences the .london domain has had to go through since it was created, and to share initiatives in the field of marketing and promotion for both domains.

Working together for a more secure digital future

The presence of the .barcelona domain at the annual GeoTLDmeeting  reaffirms our commitment to keep working with other geoTLDs to build a more secure and prosperous digital future, and at the same time to allow the .barcelona domain to keep abreast of the latest trends in the sector, establish contacts with other similar organisations and work together.