Category Archives: XNews

3 SEO Tips For Freelance Writers to Increase Website Traffic

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If you’re a freelance writer and want to generate traffic for your website or blog, you must start learning about search engine optimization (SEO). Why? Because competition is fiercer than every on the web.

Some experts estimate that as many as 100,000 new websites go live every day That’s 36,500,000 new websites a year! And, I venture to say that that’s a conservative estimate. So following are three basic SEO tips that every freelance writer can start using immediately to increase website traffic.

1. SEO Tips for File Naming: Naming your files descriptively will help you get more page views because search engines can more readily identify what they’re all about. Let’s use a photo as an example. If you had a freelance writing website and you uploaded a graphic to the jobs page, instead of naming the file .jpg1, name it “editing-jobs1.jpg.”

2. SEO Tips for URLs: This piggybacks on the above tip. When you are naming your files, use hyphens as opposed to underscores. This is extremely important for SEO purposes because search engines treat hyphens as a space. This means that they recognize the words on each side of it as separate entities. This is not the case with underscores.

As an example, if a surfer typed in the phrase “editing jobs” and your file was named “editing-jobs.htm,” for example, the search engine would return that page as a result. It wouldn’t if it was “editing_jobs.htm.”

3. SEO Tips for Title Tags. This is one of the most important SEO tips you can use to increase traffic to your website/blog. Don’t name all of your website pages the same thing. Each page should have a unique title – one that is relevant to the content on the page.

The title tag is what shows up in the bar across the top of the page when you’re on a website. It should be directly relevant to what’s on the page, and should contain your main keyword phrase.

6 Questions to Ask a Travel Agent Before Booking a Trip

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Travel agents are indispensable resources for planning complicated trips, finding out the ins and outs of a destination, saving time, preventing travel headaches and getting the best value. However, each agent is different. Be sure that your travel agent is a good match for you by asking these questions.

1. What is the agent’s specialty?

An agent who narrowly specializes in a destination or certain products, such as cruises, can provide solid advice that will be crucial to booking a rewarding, problem-free trip.

Does the agent specialize in adventure tours or culinary trips? Does he or she frequently book groups? Is the agent a cruise expert? You wouldn’t go to a podiatrist to treat a toothache. The same concept goes for travel agents. If you’re traveling to the Caribbean, work with a Caribbean travel specialist.

2. Has the agent traveled to your destination?

There’s no substitute for first-hand knowledge. An agent who has actually traveled to the place where you want to go will know first-hand about the activities in which you plan to participate and the hotels in which you plan to stay. An agent who has been to the destination can make informed recommendations to steer you in the right direction.

3. What are the agent’s fees?

Agents may charge a fee for each service, such as a flight, charge a flat rate, or earn a commission. Expect to compensate the agent for his or her time, advice, planning expertise and work. Still, it is a good idea to find out the fees and deposits up front so there are no surprises.

4. Does the agent have special relationships with travel suppliers?

Travel agents can often get you perks that are not available to the general public or published on the Internet. Hotels, car rental agencies and tour companies often make perks such as upgrades, discounted parking, and express check-in available only to agents who have negotiated them or to agents who have elite status. Find out if your agent is one of them.

5. What happens if something goes wrong?

Inconveniences are sometimes unavoidable. A flight may be canceled; the weather may be uncooperative. Find out how your agent responds to problems when they occur and what his or her policies are. It is also helpful to pay attention to how the agent interacts with you. Is he or she easy to reach? Does the agent get back to you promptly when you call or email? An agent should be there for you even after the trip is booked.

6. What questions does the agent have for you?

Make sure that your travel agent has the right information about you to make the best recommendations. Also, choose an agent who is receptive to your priorities.

Even if you request something as simple as a four-day trip to Rome, you should be asked a number of questions from whether you prefer fine dining establishments or street vendors to what type of hotels you like best. In the end, you will be offered a trip that is the best match for you.

6 Questions to Ask a Travel Agent Before Booking a Trip

Posted on by

Travel agents are indispensable resources for planning complicated trips, finding out the ins and outs of a destination, saving time, preventing travel headaches and getting the best value. However, each agent is different. Be sure that your travel agent is a good match for you by asking these questions.

1. What is the agent’s specialty?

An agent who narrowly specializes in a destination or certain products, such as cruises, can provide solid advice that will be crucial to booking a rewarding, problem-free trip.

Does the agent specialize in adventure tours or culinary trips? Does he or she frequently book groups? Is the agent a cruise expert? You wouldn’t go to a podiatrist to treat a toothache. The same concept goes for travel agents. If you’re traveling to the Caribbean, work with a Caribbean travel specialist.

2. Has the agent traveled to your destination?

There’s no substitute for first-hand knowledge. An agent who has actually traveled to the place where you want to go will know first-hand about the activities in which you plan to participate and the hotels in which you plan to stay. An agent who has been to the destination can make informed recommendations to steer you in the right direction.

3. What are the agent’s fees?

Agents may charge a fee for each service, such as a flight, charge a flat rate, or earn a commission. Expect to compensate the agent for his or her time, advice, planning expertise and work. Still, it is a good idea to find out the fees and deposits up front so there are no surprises.

4. Does the agent have special relationships with travel suppliers?

Travel agents can often get you perks that are not available to the general public or published on the Internet. Hotels, car rental agencies and tour companies often make perks such as upgrades, discounted parking, and express check-in available only to agents who have negotiated them or to agents who have elite status. Find out if your agent is one of them.

5. What happens if something goes wrong?

Inconveniences are sometimes unavoidable. A flight may be canceled; the weather may be uncooperative. Find out how your agent responds to problems when they occur and what his or her policies are. It is also helpful to pay attention to how the agent interacts with you. Is he or she easy to reach? Does the agent get back to you promptly when you call or email? An agent should be there for you even after the trip is booked.

6. What questions does the agent have for you?

Make sure that your travel agent has the right information about you to make the best recommendations. Also, choose an agent who is receptive to your priorities.

Even if you request something as simple as a four-day trip to Rome, you should be asked a number of questions from whether you prefer fine dining establishments or street vendors to what type of hotels you like best. In the end, you will be offered a trip that is the best match for you.