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lexiehewitt6 · 5 years ago

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Read About Why Search Engine Optimization Is Easier Than You Think!

You have made the decision to focus on SEO. Then you have come to the right place. However, you might be so intimidated by the overwhelming amount of information on the subject that you’re not sure what to do next. This article is here to help you find your way. These tips will teach you how to become a master at SEO.

Advertising isn’t going to bring up your ranking on the search engines. Traffic will be generated through advertising, but this does not increase your rankings properly.

Search engine optimization relies strongly on key words for its success. Be sure not to overdo keyword usage. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 20%.

TIP! Some very effective affiliate marketing campaigns rely on pay-per-click arrangements for generating revenue. While the pay may be minimal, it is an extremely easy strategy to implement and the money can add up over time.

Pick a domain name which has your desired keyword in it. You want to make your website easy to find when people are searching for it on the web. Not everyone will arrive at your site through ads, many will come from product searches.

Anchor Text

You need to put some thought into the anchor text you use for internal website links. You are going to get nothing from the phrase ‘click here’ to raise your ranks. Good anchor text will really help improve your search engine rank.

TIP! As you develop URL monikers for individual pages, keep in mind that spiders cannot interpret session id titles or other similar strings of characters. Incorporate a keyword into a naturally flowing URL for best results.

If you are naming your URLs for each individual page, you should keep in mind that search engine spiders can not identify dynamic language and session id names. This is very confusing to the search engines, so always remember to create a meaningful name for every URL, and try to put a relevant keyword in there that flows naturally.

Increasing your PageRank depends upon increasing the amount of site traffic you have, as well as keeping visitors on your site for an extended period of time. It is proven that spending more time working on a site increases the page rank. impacts its PageRank. One useful way to keep visitors hanging around longer is to offer discussion groups and forums.

Product feeds are an excellent way to generate more site traffic, which will help you build a larger base of customers. Your feeds should include detailed descriptions of your product offerings or services, along with prices and pictures. A consumer site that lists good deals, or listing with a search engine can provide this help to your site. Your customers will also be able to use their feed readers to subscribe.

TIP! There are a few things that you can do to optimize your search engine results. These description tags benefit your webpage by providing a quick, useful blurb when it appears on search results pages.

Don’t use Flash for your website if your are working on SEO for it. Flash is slow to load and is unreadable by search engine crawlers, so Flash file text is not going to be indexed. It’s important that your website’s content is easily visible to search engines.

Site Map

Use a site map to help boost traffic to your website. A site map is beneficial in ensuring that all the individual pages on your site are linked. Having these links in the side bar will help customers navigate your site, improving your traffic.

TIP! If you want your website to achieve the best results with search engine optimization, the you should avoid using Flash. Flash has long loading times and is not able to be read by the search engine crawlers, so any text in your Flash files is not going to be indexed.

Include transcripts for any videos or audio included on your site. This can make it easier for search engines to find your content in searches.

Blogging on your own site increases your visibility on search engines. More content also means better search engine rankings and, by extension, more site traffic.

Search Engine

TIP! You can boost the amount of search engine results to your website if you use social marketing basics to take advantage of the available free social networking sites. Go beyond Twitter and Facebook.

To really rocket your search engine ranking, create a stellar meta description. Don’t overdo it – 30 words at the most. You need to limit this page to under 100KB, so it can be read quickly by the search engine spiders.

An effective site map will include your keywords. A site map functions to show users all the areas that are available to them on your site, and provides them with an easy way to find whatever they are searching for. Search engines use them in order to put websites in a higher position on the search lists, because the ease of access is an important facet in their ratings.

Using “alt” tags on your images will help ensure high search engine results. If an image doesn’t load or is blocked by a browser, these tags show instead. The takeaway message from this paragraph is that Google looks for keywords in alt tags, just like any other text content on your page.

TIP! Blogging increases your presence in search engine results. Site traffic should then, therefore, increase.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to learn every SEO technique out there. The truth is that there are just not enough hours in the day to master every little technique, so pick one that looks promising and exploit this angle as much as you can.

Joining organizations like the BBB and your city’s Chamber of Commerce can improve your site’s search engine rankings. Because they usually automatically link to you, this helps with local searches. You will get people to trust you more readily if you register with the BBB.

Keywords will help you improve the visibility of your sites. Using keywords that are relevant to the subject in the posted writing will allow web crawlers to index it with ease. It will also make it easier for your readers to locate your articles through the search engines. Place a keyword in the title, in the summary, and include it in the body about four to five times.

TIP! To really rocket your search engine ranking, create a stellar meta description. An efficient description tag should not exceed 30 words in length.

You should not have webpages consisting solely of links on your website. Blend them in with the other content on your page. Link pages won’t be high up on search engine results and they are boring to visitors. Use content that is relevant to your site and only use links that are relevant to that content. This will show search engines that your pages are credible.

Patience is a virtue when building web traffic with SEO techniques. Everyone is excited to see results right away after all of their effort. Creating and maintaining your presence on the web will take commitment and an investment of time. You must continue to work hard even if you do not immediately see the results that you want. In time, your commitment and hard work will reward you with your site climbing higher and higher in the search engine results.

Now you ought to have greater confidence in terms of your SEO abilities. So, start working on optimizing your website today. Also, you can reread it anytime.

TIP! Consider creating a site map which includes your keywords. Site maps are great ways for both search engines and visitors to find their way around your site.

Many people are interested in When it comes to search engine marketing, you really should not place trust in your company’s Google ranking to someone who is not a Lynchburg SEO Expert. If you are reading this, you most likely are seeking for someone who can help you increase your organization’s online visibility, website traffic, and leads.

, but are unsure of how to learn more. Luckily, you have found an article that has good information to get you started. Now you can put the various things that have been gone over here to good use.

from https://lynchburgseoexpert.com/read-about-why-search-engine-optimization-is-easier-than-you-think/

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sylviajackson10 · 5 years ago

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Read About Why Search Engine Optimization Is Easier Than You Think!

Advertising isn’t going to bring up your ranking on the search engines. Traffic will be generated through advertising, but this does not increase your rankings properly.

Search engine optimization relies strongly on key words for its success. Be sure not to overdo keyword usage. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 20%.

Anchor Text

Site Map

Include transcripts for any videos or audio included on your site. This can make it easier for search engines to find your content in searches.

Blogging on your own site increases your visibility on search engines. More content also means better search engine rankings and, by extension, more site traffic.

Search Engine

TIP! Blogging increases your presence in search engine results. Site traffic should then, therefore, increase.

TIP! To really rocket your search engine ranking, create a stellar meta description. An efficient description tag should not exceed 30 words in length.

Now you ought to have greater confidence in terms of your SEO abilities. So, start working on optimizing your website today. Also, you can reread it anytime.

TIP! Consider creating a site map which includes your keywords. Site maps are great ways for both search engines and visitors to find their way around your site.

, but are unsure of how to learn more. Luckily, you have found an article that has good information to get you started. Now you can put the various things that have been gone over here to good use.

from Lynchburg SEO Expert https://lynchburgseoexpert.com/read-about-why-search-engine-optimization-is-easier-than-you-think/ from Lynchburg SEO Expert https://lynchburgseoexpert.tumblr.com/post/613333878068969472

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markdaniel9 · 5 years ago

Text

Read About Why Search Engine Optimization Is Easier Than You Think!

Advertising isn’t going to bring up your ranking on the search engines. Traffic will be generated through advertising, but this does not increase your rankings properly.

Search engine optimization relies strongly on key words for its success. Be sure not to overdo keyword usage. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 20%.

Anchor Text

Site Map

Include transcripts for any videos or audio included on your site. This can make it easier for search engines to find your content in searches.

Blogging on your own site increases your visibility on search engines. More content also means better search engine rankings and, by extension, more site traffic.

Search Engine

TIP! Blogging increases your presence in search engine results. Site traffic should then, therefore, increase.

TIP! To really rocket your search engine ranking, create a stellar meta description. An efficient description tag should not exceed 30 words in length.

Now you ought to have greater confidence in terms of your SEO abilities. So, start working on optimizing your website today. Also, you can reread it anytime.

TIP! Consider creating a site map which includes your keywords. Site maps are great ways for both search engines and visitors to find their way around your site.

, but are unsure of how to learn more. Luckily, you have found an article that has good information to get you started. Now you can put the various things that have been gone over here to good use.

source https://lynchburgseoexpert.com/read-about-why-search-engine-optimization-is-easier-than-you-think/ from Lynchburg SEO Expert https://lynchburgseoexpert.blogspot.com/2020/03/read-about-why-search-engine.html

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lynchburgseoexpert · 5 years ago

Text

Read About Why Search Engine Optimization Is Easier Than You Think!

Advertising isn’t going to bring up your ranking on the search engines. Traffic will be generated through advertising, but this does not increase your rankings properly.

Search engine optimization relies strongly on key words for its success. Be sure not to overdo keyword usage. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 20%.

Anchor Text

Site Map

Include transcripts for any videos or audio included on your site. This can make it easier for search engines to find your content in searches.

Blogging on your own site increases your visibility on search engines. More content also means better search engine rankings and, by extension, more site traffic.

Search Engine

TIP! Blogging increases your presence in search engine results. Site traffic should then, therefore, increase.

TIP! To really rocket your search engine ranking, create a stellar meta description. An efficient description tag should not exceed 30 words in length.

Now you ought to have greater confidence in terms of your SEO abilities. So, start working on optimizing your website today. Also, you can reread it anytime.

TIP! Consider creating a site map which includes your keywords. Site maps are great ways for both search engines and visitors to find their way around your site.

, but are unsure of how to learn more. Luckily, you have found an article that has good information to get you started. Now you can put the various things that have been gone over here to good use.

from Lynchburg SEO Expert https://lynchburgseoexpert.com/read-about-why-search-engine-optimization-is-easier-than-you-think/

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victoriazoey26 · 7 years ago

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Online Relationship Ends in Divorce

When you begin dating it’s a whole new world with several prospects on the horizon. Online dating has made it easier to find love in an already difficult dating scene. Many websites will match you to people with similar interests in your area. You can get to know each other and begin an intimate relationship without ever meeting in person. Many relationships that begin online end in marriage. Things are blissful for some time and then here comes the dreaded divorce talk and threats of finding the best divorce lawyer. When the dreaded prospect of divorce arises contact a Salt Lake City divorce attorney to discuss options. There are several reasons why a relationship that begins online has a higher chance of ending in divorce.

CHEMISTRY

When the relationship is based solely online and through a screen, the chemistry feels electric. Then it comes time to meet face to face and the chemistry just doesn’t translate. You can’t stand each other and simply just don’t get along. There is absolutely no attraction but yet you’re stuck here with nowhere else to go. Even though many dating sites will match you with someone in your area some couples have to travel different states or countries to be with each other. In theory, you think you are both meant to be. You have similar backgrounds and morals. It’s a perfect match well that’s what the dating site says anyways.

Chemistry can also fade over time as with any relationship. It can be great without any issues, you even make it to the altar without any major relationship problems. You had talked and fantasized about this from the moment you started dating and your time has arrived; wedded bliss. The expectations are high and aren’t being met. One partner feels let down and disappointed leading to resentment. The other partner begins to feel as if they have let you down. You both come to the conclusion that divorce may be the only way out.

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RELOCATION ISSUES

When couples live in different areas and aren’t close together this puts a major strain on the relationship. They have to move figuratively and literally to resolve the issue. One partner will need to uproot their entire life to make things work. This is a big step that requires many changes and a lot of compromises. One spouse will need to give up their home, job, friends, and family for love. The first step is finding a new job which isn’t always easy so in the meantime, you have to depend on your partner for financial assistance or eat up any savings you have. This starts to build resentment if the communication isn’t there yet. When things don’t end up working out and it gets too difficult, arguments begin leading towards a downward spiral ending in separation and divorce. Couples should sit down and come up with a realistic plan of action and have contingency options if things go awry.

DO FATHERS RECEIVE FAIR TREATMENT IN CHILD CUSTODY CASES?

Child Custody Cases: There are few bonds more precious than a parent and their child. In many instances, fathers take a very active role as their child’s development. But in far too many cases, the rights of fathers are constantly under attack. For example, Utah’s adoption laws call for the consent of one parent. In the vast majority of those cases, fathers often find themselves in a powerless situation. The bias against fathers in Utah involving adoption is extremely blatant. State laws allow mothers to place their child up for adoption without consent of the father. In fact, the father does not have sign the papers. The state’s adoption law bias is so notorious, many mothers from other states travel to Utah just place their child for adoption.

THE RISING TREND OF CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE IN SALT LAKE CITY

Divorce can often get messy. Child custody is one of the most complex issues in Utah family law. In addition to complying with legal obligations, fathers must also wrestle with emotional issues when it comes to the custody of their children. There are many questions that need to be answered. Who has access to the children when they are with the other parent? How much time will the child get to spend with each parent? The sad truth is many parents do not properly follow the child custody arrangements made by the court. The amount of custodial interference cases in has skyrocketed in recent years. In far too many cases, the rights of fathers are being ignored. Here is how fathers can protect themselves.

Present the divorce decree signed by the judge to prove your legal parental obligations

Never file a petition with family court based on revenge or vengeance.

Make sure to document important evidence, including emails, phone conversations and text messages between you and your former spouse.

A recent study conducted by a respect law firm indicates, there is a clear bias against father–particularly in cases involving custodial interference.

64% of custodial interference cases against mothers are thrown out by courts

Custodial interference cases have tripled in the last decade.

The average time between filing for custodial interference cases is 232 days.

Free Consultation with Divorce Lawyer

When you need a divorce attorney, call Ascent Law for your Free Consultation (801) 676-5506. We will help you.

Ascent Law LLC8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite CWest Jordan, Utah 84088 United StatesTelephone: (801) 676-5506

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Back in 2015, Vince Vaughn, Dave Franco, and Tom Wilkinson were featured in a series of parody stock photos to promote their upcoming movie Unfinished Business. The film has a 10% rating on RottenTomatoes.com, so don’t worry if you never saw it.

The faux stock photos were the best part anyway.

This series of images inserted the three actors’ heads into existing photos, creating a hilarious mockery of the genre.

The movie was terrible, but its promotional tactic was a watershed moment for visual content. Bland, meaningless stock photography had become so ubiquitous – and so universally disliked – that it could be used as a tongue-in-cheek marketing vehicle.

Several years later, marketers fully understand that these kinds of images get about a 10% positive rating from our audiences, but we’re struggling with what to do instead.

Now more media have joined the fray, forcing us to curate high-quality audio and video resources along with standard photography. As both CEO of the stock imagery service Storyblocks and a marketer myself, I spend quite a bit of time trying to find the right balance between time, budget, and quality in visual content.

Those are really the three pillars of a best-in-class visual content strategy, so let’s dive into each one to see how we can build a meaningful and effective system for making our content look good without breaking the bank.

The tyranny of time in visual content

How many of you have found yourself squeaking a blog post in just under the deadline only to realize you’ve forgotten the images? It’s okay, you can raise your hand. I won’t tell anyone.

Or maybe you’ve been meaning to start a podcast, but can’t imagine where you’ll find enticing opening and closing music.

Or maybe there’s ninety percent of an explainer video sitting on your desktop that just needs some solid B-roll footage, but you just can’t find time to film it.

We know we need supporting images in our content, and we don’t need Vince Vaughn’s mocking raised eyebrow to tell us that it has to be professional without being cheesy. But the trouble is we rarely have the time to create those pieces from scratch.

New tools to the rescue

This time crunch has created a big market with a strong need, which has mercifully been filled by a new crop of tools designed to give us a sophisticated look without keeping us at our desks till midnight.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Magisto

Intimidated by the video editing process? Magisto is for you. It lets you quickly and painlessly deliver unique videos with the ease of creating a PowerPoint presentation.

There are even A/B testing options to help optimize your video’s performance after it’s published.

For $10/month you can create videos up to five minutes long and include your own branding. Not a bad way to get in on a format that’s driving over 70% of web traffic right now.

Moovly

Moovly’s claim to fame is animated video, which sounds fancy and complicated but is in fact remarkably simple with this kind of tool.

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If you need to switch things up from filmed footage, or if real-world video isn’t quite right for your subject, an animated option may be the way to go.

Moovly plans start at $49/month.

Canva

The Canva mission, “Empowering the world to design,” is one that hits home for me. Marketers are often called on to be designers (or we could be far more effective if we were empowered to act like them), so tools like Canva can unlock a whole new world.

If you’re new to design, Canva will get you started with templates for social media, blog images, presentations, and even infographics.

The basics of Canva are available for free, but to access their templates, stock photos, and magic resizing for all social media channels, you’ll need the $12.95/month Canva for Work option.

We use these tools ourselves at Storyblocks, and we’ve also created an API that works with Magisto and Moovly to allow marketers to combine the tools’ functionality with our massive library of images, audio, and video.

There’s nothing more frustrating than being forced to interrupt your creative flow to jump in and out of a tool, so we make our content available natively in these (and other) content creation tools.

With the right combination of resources and functionality, you can significantly streamline the visual part of your content creation. No more late nights scrolling through Google image searches; now visual content meets you where you’re working.

Be brilliant and on budget

Whether you publish something once per month or once per day, the pace of content marketing is relentless. Even with smart reuse and repurposing strategies, we’re always making something new.

And that, of course, means we always need more images.

We don’t, unfortunately, always have more budget.

Content marketing at any kind of scale makes paying per image extremely expensive; a subscription model is far more cost-effective. An unlimited subscription option makes it less likely that you’ll have to skimp on visuals. If you write a long article that needs six or seven supporting images, for example, you can get what you need without going over your monthly quota for downloads.

Quality doesn’t mean what it used to

No matter what you’re marketing or what kind of content you’re using, you’re trying to speak to an audience of real people. Old-school stock photos were technically high quality – they had top-notch resolution and were often set in expensive-looking surroundings – but they didn’t capture real experiences.

Modern audiences no longer see these kinds of images as high quality, because their expectations have shifted.

Social media now allows them to see everyone, from their teachers to their relatives to their favorite celebrities, in authentic situations, and they expect marketing materials to be similarly realistic.

In this environment, cookie-cutter photos featuring perfectly posed and Photoshopped subjects don’t convey a message of quality. Instead, they say that a brand is out of touch with the changing world of their audience.

Marketers, therefore, need to work hard to understand the visual world that our audiences like to occupy so we can reflect it in our content.

That means social listening isn’t just about reading what people type into their social profiles anymore. It’s also about looking carefully at the images they share.

We have to adjust our perception of quality visual content. It’s not about expensive, airbrushed perfection; quality content understands and mirrors back the things that are important to an audience.

Where do you see visual content going?

Our increasingly diverse, ever more connected world seems poised to keep driving visual content down this more authentic path. While new channels and trends will certainly force us to adapt, it seems safe to say that the days of staged office high fives are coming to an end.

What do you think? Has the time of ultra-cheesy stock photos passed, or should we prepare ourselves for their return?

Special for Content Marketing Institute readers

We’ve put together two cool collections (one for images and one for video) specifically for Content Marketing Institute readers. Check them out, and take advantage of the special CMI deal – where you can sign up for all three libraries right now for just $149 for an entire year.

The post Stock 2.0: What Savvy Marketers Need to Know About the Changing Rules of Visual Content appeared first on Content Marketing Institute.

Stock 2.0: What Savvy Marketers Need to Know About the Changing Rules of Visual Content syndicated from http://ift.tt/2maPRjm

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puravidaeh · 7 years ago

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Nikki and Ricky; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall entrance

Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

COSTA RICA’S LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL

If you plan to pass through the Liberia area of Costa Rica with an hour or two to spare, don’t miss Costa Rica’s Llanos de Cortes Waterfall. Not only is the entrance fee inexpensive (by donation only–learn more below), but the drive to and from the site is easy, the climb down to and up from the waterfall is not overly challenging, and the pool at the waterfall’s base is both refreshing and suitable for children.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL AND THE LLANOS DE CORTEZ WATERFALL

Simply put, there is none; the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall and the Llanos de Cortez Waterfall are one and the same. Although a variety of other Costa Rica resources (online and in print) incorrectly spell the waterfall’s name with a “z” (i.e., Llanos de Cortez), the waterfall’s true title is Llanos de Cortes as it is named after the small community of Llanos de Cortes, Bagaces, Costa Rica.

Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Sandy shore; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Nikki; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

WHO SHOULD VISIT THE LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL

The Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is one of a number of attractions that we can comfortably recommend to the masses. While many of our other Costa Rica recommendations are tailored to specific types of travellers, the majority of visitors can execute a trip to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall without issue. If you can identify with any one (or more) of the traveller types we list below, adding a visit the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall during your time in Costa Rica may be a smart choice.

Travellers who plan to a) fly into or out of, b) visit, or c) pass through the Liberia region of Costa Rica

The Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is located less than a ten-minute drive from Costa Rica’s #1 highway (i.e., the Panamerican Highway, or as Google Maps displays, the Inter American Highway). As the main highway that runs throughout the country from its border at Nicaragua to its border at Panama (after a highway numbering change from #1 to #2 in San Jose), most foreign visitors will travel over a stretch of the road at least once during their trip. If you plan to fly into or out of the LIR Liberia airport, or else visit a Guanacaste destination before or after visiting La Fortuna/Arenal, Monteverde, San Jose, the Caribbean Coast, the Central Pacific Coast, or the Osa Peninsula, there is a good chance that you will be able to schedule a stop at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall along the way.

Travellers who plan to rent a car in Costa Rica

It is no secret that travellers with access to a rental car in Costa Rica have road-tripping freedom (if you are on the fence about whether or not you should rent a vehicle for your trip, don’t miss our related blog post Renting A Car In Costa Rica: Should You Do It? for help weighing the various pro’s and con’s). Since the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is merely a twenty-five-minute drive from Liberia, an hour drive from the communities at Playa Hermosa and Playa del Coco, and a ninety-minute drive from Tamarindo, self-drive visits can easily be made with less than a half-day available on a trip itinerary. Throw in the fact that a 4X4 vehicle is not required to get to and from the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall’s entrance (although one would be recommended, especially during the green/wet/rain season), and a spur of the moment road-trip becomes an obvious and easy one to make.

Road to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Donation receipt; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Travellers on a tight budget

Entrance to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is free. This being said, upon entry you will be met by a booth attendant who is also a representative of the nearby Llanos de Cortes community. At the booth, donations are urged and recommended. Whenever Ricky and I visit, we offer the equivalent of $10 USD for the two of us (payment is accepted in USD or Costa Rican colones); for a group of four or five travellers, we would advise offering $20 USD or $25 USD to maintain the approximate $5 USD per person donation, which is the minimum amount that we would ever consider donating ourselves or suggest that others donate. Not only are the funds provided to the Junta de Educacion de la Escuela Llanos de Cortes, a licensed school overseen by the Govenment of Costa Rica’s Ministerio de Educacion Publica (or the Ministry of Public Education, in English), but it would be hard for anyone to argue that the fun, scenery, relaxation, photos, and memories that the visit provides would be worth less than the cost of a Venti Frappuccino.

Travellers with young children

Fortunately, the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is family-friendly. Not only does the sandy entrance into the waterfall’s pool offer a slow descent, but plenty of the pool’s sections are shallow enough for young waders. In addition, since the Llanos de Cortes waterfall isn’t an overly powerful one (when compared to many of the waterfalls we describe in our related blog post The La Fortuna Waterfall And Other Arenal Waterfalls Worth A Visit), visitors are less bothered by strong river currents and significant water spray coming off the cascade; this makes for a more pleasant swimming experience and a lower-risk activity for child participation. Although all child’s play near water should be awarded the highest degree of care and attention, a successful trip to the LLanos de Cortes Waterfall is not an overly challenging feat to accomplish by adults travelling with young children, which is likely why the site is such a family favourite.

WHO SHOULD NOT VISIT THE LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL

In contrast to the information provided above, the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is not for everyone. If you can identify with any one (or more) of the traveller types we list below, perhaps skipping a visit the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall during your time in Costa Rica would be best.

Travellers who have difficulty walking up or down stairs

Although the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall does not require a difficult hike to and from the waterfall’s base, it does require an approximate two-minute climb down (and back up again) concrete steps. Since the stairway is the easiest way to get to and from the waterfall, if you feel you will not be able to make the climb (or you would rather not risk being unable to do so), do not plan to visit the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall.

Travellers who do NOT plan to a) fly into or out of, b) visit, or c) pass through the Liberia region of Costa Rica

If your Costa Rica itinerary does not include a visit to the Liberia region of the country, skip a visit to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall altogether. Although we have always enjoyed our visits, each was the result of us having some free time as we passed through the area; it would be unlikely that we would plan to drive from other regions (including La Fortuna/Arenal, Monteverde, San Jose, the Caribbean Coast, the Central Pacific Coast, or the Osa Peninsula) to the Liberia region for the sole purpose of experiencing the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall. In fact, we bet that most travellers would agree that the waterfall is not spectacular enough to warrant planning an entire trip around a visit, and we doubt that any traveller would want to rearrange a pre-planned trip simply to add one in. While the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is certainly lovely, there are far more sites and attractions (other waterfalls included) that we would recommend prioritizing when planning a Costa Rica trip.

Travellers who do NOT plan to rent a car in Costa Rica… in some cases

Apart from driving to and from the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, arranging alternative transportation to and from the site can be costly and/or tricky. There are certainly ways to accomplish the task, including hiring a taxi or reserving a private transfer service to take bring you to the site, but both of these services could be expensive depending on where you plan to depart from and how long you want the driver to wait for you at the waterfall. Some backpackers take the local bus which is also an option (truthfully, the least expensive one), but careful coordination of bus schedules is needed, and the bus driver must be informed of your destination intent in advance in order to make an unscheduled stop (unfortunately there is no direct bus route to and from the Llanos de Cortes waterfall). Shared shuttle services–one of the most common methods of transportation in Costa Rica (don’t miss our related blog post Costa Rica Transportation: 10 Ways To Get From Point A To Point B Throughout Your Trip for more information)–very rarely permit unscheduled stops along route as they provide direct destination-to-destination service and transport multiple travellers on strict travel scheduled (hence the use of the word “shared” alongside the term “shuttle service”). As a result, although it is not impossible to visit the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall without a personal rental car in Costa Rica, some travellers might argue that a visit wouldn’t be worth the hassle or expense.

Parking lot; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL VISIT TIPS AND WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

The waterfall offers ample parking onsite

Much like the waterfall’s entrance fee, parking at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is free, but you should be prepared to pay for it anyway. The parking lot is manned by a handful of local residents; one will approach your vehicle after you park. Although payment for parking is not required, the individuals will offer to watch your vehicle for you for donation. We typically pay anywhere from $2-$5 USD for a visit that lasts no longer than one hour. If you arrive as a large group or you plan to enjoy the waterfall for longer, consider offering a larger donation.

The waterfall offers bathrooms/change rooms onsite

Truth be told, they were only just building these upon our most recent visit, however by the time this post is live on our blog, construction will likely be complete. The bathrooms/change rooms are located in the parking lot (not at the base of the waterfall), so be sure to access them on your way to or from the waterfall to prevent having to make an extra and unnecessary trip up and down the concrete steps described above and pictured below.

Use the newer concrete steps to access the waterfall’s base–not the older steep forest steps

Before the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall offered concrete steps from the parking lot down to the waterfall’s base, visitors had to climb down (and back up) rugged forest steps on steep terrain. Since the rainforest steps were not destroyed or closed when the concrete steps were built, many visitors trek down the forest slope without knowledge of the alternative easier route. From the parking lot, there are two access points to the waterfall’s base (both of which appear as trails leading into the forest); take the access point/trail to the left as it is the safer and more developed option between the two.

The waterfall area gets hot

Depending on the time of year that you opt to visit, the waterfall can provide refreshing relief during a hot and humid travel day. It should not be forgotten that the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is situated in Costa Rica’s hottest and driest province (Guanacaste), and that sun safety should be exercised. This means relying on hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen to prevent sun damage, and packing plenty of water and snacks to stay hydrated and energized throughout the visit.

Ricky; ready for snacktime at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Concrete steps; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Do not visit the waterfall after dark

As we touch on in our related blog post Is Costa Rica Safe? Yes, If You Travel Clevery, Consciously, And With Common Sense. Here’s How., most places (including the beach and ATMs, to name a few) should be avoided after dark. The Llanos de Cortes Waterfall is no exception to this rule; in fact, the site’s location off the main highway, down an unlit path, and into the forest is one of the most dangerous places we could envision a traveller being late at night. If you wish to visit the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, do so in the middle of the day when there are likely to be other people around and daylight to guide you way.

Bring/leave personal items at your own risk

Since most travellers would not want to bring personal belongings (such as clothes and shoes) into the water with them, these items may be left on the sandy area that surrounds the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall’s pool. Do not bring any valuables (such as credit cards, jewelry, etc.) with you to the site since there is no secure place to leave them. If you absolutely must bring important items with you (such as car keys and identification documents required for driving), store the items in a waterproof container that can be safely secured to your body.

Visit the waterfall’s base/pool; do not hike above the waterfall or climb behind the waterfall

At the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, there is both a hiking trail above the waterfall (which leads to a lookout over the top of the waterfall), as well as space to climb behind the waterfall. With respect to both, we choose to err on the side of caution; we do not recommend visiting either, although hundreds of visitors do so. The reason for our hesitance? Too many sad stories of slips, falls, and injuries suffered as a result of horsing around at great heights and/or on slippery river rocks. From a personal perspective, an individual we knew lost his life as a result of climbing around on the side of a waterfall (not the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, but a similar one in Costa Rica nonetheless), and the unfortunate incident reminded us that one cannot be too careful in risky situations. Mother Nature and her creations are unpredictable–cliffs can slide, rocks can be sharp or break, and flowing water can be surprisingly forceful. In our opinion, the views that can be obtained from the top of the waterfall and from behind the waterfall are not worth the associated risk.

Individuals at the top of the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Ricky; swimming safely in front of the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

MAP OF THE LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Have you been to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall? Did you feel it was worth your time, gas, and entrance donation?

Pura vida!

If you’re more of a visual learner, take a moment to view our gallery photos below from our most recent visit to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall.

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Ricky; swimming safely in front of the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Ricky; ready for snacktime at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Nikki; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Ricky and Nikki; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Individuals at the top of the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Parking lot; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Donation receipt; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Sandy shore; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Concrete steps; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Parking lot; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

Nikki and Ricky; Llanos de Cortes Waterfall entrance

Road to the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall

The Llanos De Cortes Waterfall: Local Free Waterfall Nearby Liberia COSTA RICA'S LLANOS DE CORTES WATERFALL If you plan to pass through the Liberia area of Costa Rica with an hour or two to spare, don't miss Costa Rica's Llanos de Cortes Waterfall.

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sdconnection-blog · 8 years ago

Text

By Dave Schwab

City prepares for changes after voters approve medical marijuana shops

Now that Measure U has passed overturning La Mesa’s ban on medical marijuana, including dispensaries, it’s up to the city do an about-face to implement the initiative.

Measure U received 51.41 percent of La Mesa’s votes Nov. 8, more than the simple majority needed.

La Mesa rejected a similar ballot measure in 2012, and banned the cultivation and manufacturing of medical marijuana, as well as the operation of dispensaries.

The citizen-sponsored initiative authorizes and regulates medical marijuana dispensaries, and limits commercial cultivation sites to industrial and manufacturing zones with a permit issued by the city. It prohibits growing marijuana in a residential zone.

On the same ballot, statewide Proposition 64 legalizing recreational marijuana for adults age 21 and up also passed by a 57.13 percent to 42.87 percent margin.

Carol Dick, La Mesa’s director of community development, said medical marijuana will get first — and top — priority.

“Prop. 64, we’re not even dealing with that yet,” Dick said noting, “So much depends on the state getting their licensing put into place.”

The city staffer said Jan. 12 is when Measure U takes effect, 30 days after being certified.

“We have taken that measure and created an application form and a map,” Dick said. “We’re feverishly working on that. These are our two highest priorities.”

Pointing out Measure U’s implementation is being done on “a very tight timeframe,” Dick said, “We can commit to that date (Jan. 12)” adding “we want to make sure it’s well thought out.”

However, despite the city’s being well versed in doing conditional use permits (CUPs), which will be required of dispensaries, Dick cautioned, “It’s a very specific type of use — with very specific restrictions.”

Two La Mesa council members, Kristine C. Alessio and Bill Baber, weighed in on Measure U’s implementation, and what they’d like to see done with it.

“My main concern is with our ability to handle, from a staffing perspective, the applications for Conditional Use Permits which I am quite sure we will be deluged with,” said Alessio.

She added, “Dispensaries will have to comply with existing law as to the issuance of Conditional Use Permits, which includes factual findings that must be met in order for the permit to be granted. Our Planning Commission will be the first to hear the applications, and the City Council will be the final say should someone appeal a Planning Commission decision.”

Baber, who’s worked on several citizen initiatives, including La Mesa term limits, confided he was “neutral” on U’s passage.

“I respect the authority of citizens to legislate via an initiative without the politicians mucking up the process,” Baber said. “This was a citizen initiative that established objective rules for obtaining a CUP for medicinal (not recreational) marijuana dispensaries. The citizens, by their votes, exercised their legislative control of the issue. The City Council must follow the initiative, we can not change it or ‘fix’ it or ignore it.”

Baber added there’s a failsafe in the initiative in that “neighbors can raise objections to the granting of any CUP.”

Baber pointed out medicinal dispensaries still need to be licensed by the state adding, “We don’t expect state licenses to be granted until January 2018, so I don’t expect to see medicinal dispensaries fully functioning for another 13 months.”

Paradoxically, Baber noted La Mesa “may ban recreational dispensaries under Prop. 64, but we cannot ban medicinal dispensaries under Prop. U. Medicinal is for patients, not partiers, and that is an important distinction.”

Concerning medical marijuana’s future, Baber said, “This medicinal initiative was written and passed independent of Prop 64. With the passage of Prop. 64, I think future initiatives will focus on recreational, not medicinal, issues.”

Vey Linville, who campaigned in favor of the first unsuccessful medical marijuana initiative in La Mesa, is secretary of the San Diego Chapter of Americans For Safe Access (AFSA). AFSA is the largest medical marijuana patient organization in the nation with more than 50,000 members.

A resident of unincorporated Spring Valley who lives near La Mesa, Linville and AFSA were elated by Measure U’s passage.

Noting the La Mesa City Council previously “fought tooth and nail” against allowing medical marijuana, Linville said he hopes that “would change now that there have been some changes to the council. Hopefully this situation will change over time, and there will be more and more support going forward.”

Added Linville, “I would think you would want folks who are legally entitled to have safe access to their medicine, to have somewhere in the community where it is actually legal for them to go and take care of that. There shouldn’t be anything less than that. It’s important we provide those patients access to their medicine in a safe and rational manner — just like everyone else.”

Unlike recreational marijuana, Linville noted taxes, which are significant, “aren’t going to apply on the medical side.” He added, “That’s a fundamental difference,” pointing out that, for most, “there isn’t a tax on their medicine.”

Linville noted great strides were made nationally with medical marijuana, as eight of nine proposed ballot measures for legalization passed this November. He added San Diego County did its part, with local measures passing in both La Mesa and Lemon Grove (by a mere 87 votes).

“It’s a watershed time in history for marijuana proponents,” said Linville noting law “is changing all over the country and all over the world.

“It’s all part of a bigger picture,” Linville concluded.

La Mesa’s existing dispensaries

There are several dispensaries listed on Weedmaps and in the San Diego Reader in La Mesa and environs, which declined comment for this article. The Reader also carries a nine-page list, in the back of the publication, of existing medical marijuana dispensaries dispersed throughout San Diego County, including La Mesa.

In La Mesa proper, Weedmaps/The Reader list 11 dispensaries that are currently operating. They have names like Greener Side Wellness, Diamond Collective, Green Nature Collective, Cloud 9 Wellness Center and La Mesa Greens. Most of them clustered along University Avenue, and a few more are located on Jackson Drive, El Cajon Boulevard, Center Drive and Case Street. In addition to walk-in dispensaries, there are also delivery-only establishments that list La Mesa as their operating address.

After the city reviews where dispensaries will be allowed to operate, some, if not all, of these establishments may have to move — that is, of course, if their CUPs are approved.

—Dave Schwab can be reached at [email protected].

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Original Article Provided By: LaMesaCourier.com Dealing with dispensaries By Dave Schwab City prepares for changes after voters approve medical marijuana shops Now that Measure U has passed overturning La Mesa’s ban on medical marijuana, including dispensaries, it’s up to the city do an about-face to implement the initiative.

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