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UIX Récap

Introduction to SEO

Introduction to SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Section titled “Introduction to SEO (Search Engine Optimization)”

SEO is the art of convincing search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo…) that your content is the best possible answer to users’ needs.
Without SEO, your website or app stays invisible: few clicks, little traffic, and low conversions.

Learning Objectives

Section titled “Learning Objectives”
  • Understand how search engines work
  • Know the main criteria of organic SEO
  • Master on-page and off-page signals
  • Optimize content writing for SEO

What is SEO?

Section titled “What is SEO?”

SEO is not a “trick” but a user-focused approach.
Google rewards content that is relevant, useful, and credible.

Three success factors:

  1. Help search engines understand your site (structure, tags, metadata)
  2. Show your content is trustworthy (authority, quality, reliability)
  3. Make content accessible and shareable

How Do Search Engines Work?

Section titled “How Do Search Engines Work?”

A search engine’s mission is to solve a problem or answer a question.
It relies on:

  • Crawlers (bots) to explore and index pages
  • Algorithms that rank results based on thousands of signals

The Role of Keywords

Section titled “The Role of Keywords”

Keywords represent users’ search queries.

To use them well:

  • Identify the search intent of your personas
  • Use the exact terms your audience uses
  • Create content that precisely addresses their needs

Google: The Priority

Section titled “Google: The Priority”

In France, Google holds over 95% of the search market.
SEO strategies should primarily target Google, without ignoring other search engines if your audience is there.

Google’s Algorithm & Updates

Section titled “Google’s Algorithm & Updates”
  • Panda: content quality
  • Penguin: link quality
  • Hummingbird: search intent understanding

Google updates its algorithm daily (minor changes) and rolls out major updates several times a year.

Google’s Human Quality Raters

Section titled “Google’s Human Quality Raters”

Human raters assess:

  • User intent
  • E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness)
  • Real usefulness of the proposed content

The 4 Pillars of SEO

Section titled “The 4 Pillars of SEO”

1. Technical (On-page)

Section titled “1. Technical (On-page)”
  • Fast page load
  • Mobile-first design
  • Clean and readable code
  • Mandatory HTTPS
  • schema.org markup

2. Content (On-page)

Section titled “2. Content (On-page)”
  • Optimized titles and metadata
  • Useful, well-structured text
  • Rich content (images, videos, graphics)
  • Logical internal linking
  • Regular updates
  • Relevant outbound links

3. Popularity (Off-page)

Section titled “3. Popularity (Off-page)”
  • High-quality backlinks
  • Mentions on trustworthy websites
  • Social shares and brand citations
  • Relevant anchor texts

4. UX & Usability

Section titled “4. UX & Usability”
  • Clear navigation
  • Readable and accessible content
  • Smooth experience on both desktop and mobile

Content SEO Best Practices

Section titled “Content SEO Best Practices”

Core Rules

Section titled “Core Rules”
  • Natural, error-free writing
  • No keyword stuffing
  • Focus on user intent

Effective Formats

Section titled “Effective Formats”
  • How-to guides, lists, infographics
  • Videos, podcasts, optimized images
  • Ebooks and webinars for lead generation

Measuring SEO Performance

Section titled “Measuring SEO Performance”

Key Metrics

Section titled “Key Metrics”
  • Conversion rate
  • Bounce rate
  • Time on page
  • Traffic sources
  • Heatmaps, scroll tracking, click data

Tools

Section titled “Tools”
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Search Console
  • A/B testing tools
  • Behavior tracking tools (Hotjar, Clarity)

Key Takeaways

Section titled “Key Takeaways”
  • SEO is a long-term strategy
  • It’s based on understanding user needs
  • Optimized content is useful, structured, fast, and credible
  • SEO can’t be tricked — it must be earned and maintained