Definition of SEO

Through our SEO Agency Optimize 360.

Le referencing or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to all the techniques and actions designed to increase the visibility of a website. website on search engines.

Any good Search Engine Optimisation Agency will tell you, its main aim is to improve a site's position in the organic (natural) search results in order to attract more traffic and increase its reputation. ( particularly on Google )

In this article, we take a look at SEO in the broadest sense of the term, reviewing its various facets, challenges and best practices.

The different facets of SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) encompasses a wide range of techniques and actions based on two main principles:

On-site referencing SEO: this involves optimising the internal elements of the website, such as content, structure, design and navigation. It aims to make the site easier to index and understand for indexing robots search engines.
Off-site referencing Link building: this consists of boosting the popularity and reputation of a website by obtaining inbound links from other sites recognised as being of high quality. These links are called backlinks and help improve the site's visibility in search results.

Each of these areas is based on a number of optimisation levers:

Technical referencing

This is the basis of any successful SEO and involves optimising the code in particular HTMLthe loading speed pages, mobile compatibility and site security with the HTTPS. Semantic mark-up also makes it easier for search engines to understand the content.

Editorial referencing

Content is at the heart of SEO, since it is one of the main criteria taken into account by search engines to determine the relevance of a web page. It must be unique, of high quality, informative and meet the expectations of web users. The use of keywords The way the text is strategically structured makes it easier to index and display in search results.

Local natural referencing

Local SEO takes into account the geolocation of Internet users to provide search results tailored to their geographical location. This involves working on keywords that include geographical terms, optimising the title and meta description, and creating a local search engine listing. Google My Business to be visible on Google Maps.

Optimisation for social networks (SMO)

Social Media Optimization (SMO) refers to all actions aimed at developing a brand's presence on social networks and encouraging the sharing of its content. Although it is not directly related to SEO, SMO helps to generate traffic to the website and can indirectly improve the reputation and authority of the domain in the eyes of search engines.

The challenges of good referencing

There are several advantages to boosting a site's visibility in search results:

Qualified traffic better positioning to capture an audience that is naturally interested in products or services offered by the site, as it actively researches these themes.
Notoriety appearing on the first page of search results confers a certain credibility and reinforces the confidence of Internet users in the brand or site.
Competitive advantage A site that positions itself better than its competitors on targeted keywords benefits from increased exposure to Internet users and thus increases its chances of conversion (sales, making contact, etc.).
Profitability SEO is a long-term investment that generates free, sustainable traffic. Unlike paid advertising campaigns, you don't have to spend continually to maintain your position in the search results.

Best practices for successful SEO

There are many ways of optimising a website to improve its visibility in search results:

Choosing the right keywords

Identify relevant, traffic-generating keywords is essential to building an effective content strategy. We recommend that you focus on specific keywords that have a strong search volume but moderate competition.

Structuring your website

A clear, logical structure facilitates navigation and indexing by search engine spiders. It is important to create coherent categories, to organise the different pages well and to set up a internal networking (links between pages).

Produce engaging, regular content

To build visitor loyalty and appeal to search engines, you need to offer unique contentinformative and with high added value. Updating the site frequently with new articles, videos or infographics shows that the site is active and full of useful information.

Optimising images

If images are too heavy, they can slow down page display. It is therefore advisable to compress images without losing quality and to use ALT tags to describe their content to search engines.

Multiply the sources of backlinks

A site's authority in the eyes of the search engines is partly determined by the number and quality of the links pointing to it. Obtaining backlinks from sites recognised as being of high quality and relevant to the site's theme is a strategy that pays off in the long term if you want to improve your ranking.

In short, SEO in its broadest sense encompasses a wide range of techniques and actions designed to improve a website's visibility in organic search results.

There are many issues at stake and a wide range of best practices, but regular, methodical work can produce lasting, profitable results.