SEO : practical guide to appear on Google (part 1)

Published on June 20, 2025|6 min read

SEOcontent

Discover the fundamentals of SEO in simple terms. A practical guide to understand how Google works and start improving your website's visibility without technical jargon.

SEO seems complicated, but it's actually quite simple : it's the art of appearing when your customers search for you on Google. No technical jargon, no complex theories - just practical advice that works.

In this complete guide, we'll explain everything from scratch. You'll discover why SEO is essential for your business, how Google works, and most importantly : the exact step-by-step method to improve your visibility.

What is SEO, really ?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is simply the art of making your website appear at the top of Google results when someone searches for what you offer.

A simple example :

If you're a baker in Lyon and someone searches "bakery Lyon", SEO is what will make your site appear first, before your competitors.

Main objective: make your website appear in the top results when someone searches for terms related to your business. The higher your ranking, the more qualified visitors you attract.

The basic principle: Google wants to provide the best answer to each search. Your job is to convince it that YOUR site is the best answer for your customers' searches.

Why is it so important to be well-positioned on Google ?

The statistics speak for themselves :

75% of users never go past the first page of Google (Source : HubSpot Marketing Statistics 2024)
The first 3 results capture 75% of all clicks - if you're not there, you're missing most opportunities (Source : Sistrix CTR Study 2024)
SEO generates 1000% more traffic than social media (Source : BrightEdge Organic Search Study 2024)
Organic traffic (visitors from Google) converts 8.5 times better than social media (Source : BrightEdge Conversion Report 2024)
92% of global searches are done on Google (Source : Statista Search Engine Market Share 2024)

Concrete benefits for your business :

•Free and lasting traffic: unlike paid advertising, SEO results persist without recurring costs
•Qualified audience: you reach people actively searching for your services
•Enhanced credibility: appearing at the top of Google results naturally inspires trust
•Competitive advantage: while your competitors depend on advertising, you capture their traffic
•Sustainable return on investment: initial investment that generates benefits for several years

How does Google decide who to put first ?

Google is like a very demanding teacher grading your site. It looks at over 200 criteria, but basically, it asks 3 main questions :

The 3 things to do to please Google

🔧 YOUR SITE WORKS WELL

• It loads fast
• It works on mobile
• No broken pages
• Simple navigation
• Secure (https)

📝 YOU WRITE WELL

• Answer questions
• Use the right words
• Clear titles
• Useful and complete text
• Links between pages

🌐 PEOPLE TALK ABOUT YOU

• Other sites cite you
• Positive customer reviews
• Active social media
• You are known
• Recognized expertise

Questions Google asks itself :

"Does this site really answer the question ?" Your content must be useful and complete
"Does this site work well ?" It must load fast and work on mobile
"Can I trust this site ?" Do other sites talk about you ? Do you have good reviews ?

What matters most to Google in 2025 :

What Google looks at	Importance level	In simple terms
Useful content	🔥 Essential	Do you really answer people's questions ? Does your text help or is it useless ?
Fast site	🔥 Essential	Does your site load in less than 3 seconds ? Does it work well on mobile ?
Perfect mobile version	🔥 Essential	On mobile, is everything readable and easily clickable ?
You are an expert	📈 Very important	Do people trust you ? Do you know your subject ?
Other sites talk about you	📈 Very important	Do other sites link to yours ? That's a good sign !
You understand what people want	📈 Very important	When someone searches "plumber Paris", do you really talk about plumbing in Paris ?
Secure site	⚡ Important	Does your site start with https :// ? Is data protected ?
Up - to - date content	⚡ Important	Do you update regularly ? Do you add new content ?

How to start your SEO strategy

Audit your current site

Evaluate your site's current state and define your priorities. This is the essential starting point for any successful SEO strategy.

Check that your site works well: test loading speed, verify it displays correctly on mobile

Identify your priority keywords: what do your customers search for ? Make a list of 10-20 main terms

Analyze your competitors: look at the first 3 sites that appear for your keywords. What do they do that you don't ?

Examine your current content: which pages already attract traffic ? Which could be improved ?

Set your goals: how many visitors do you want to attract ? On which keywords do you want to appear first ?

Audit your current site

Evaluate your site's current state and define your priorities. This is the essential starting point for any successful SEO strategy.

Check that your site works well: test loading speed, verify it displays correctly on mobile

Identify your priority keywords: what do your customers search for ? Make a list of 10-20 main terms

Analyze your competitors: look at the first 3 sites that appear for your keywords. What do they do that you don't ?

Examine your current content: which pages already attract traffic ? Which could be improved ?

Set your goals: how many visitors do you want to attract ? On which keywords do you want to appear first ?

Optimize your site basics

Strengthen the technical and structural foundations of your site. These optimizations are crucial for Google to understand and value your content.

Improve technical aspects: make your site faster, fix broken pages, optimize for mobile

Rework your titles and descriptions: each page must have a unique title containing your important keywords

Organize your content: create links between your pages so Google better understands your site

Optimize your images: add descriptions to images, compress them to load quickly

Structure your pages: use clear headings (H1, H2, H3) to organize your content

Optimize your site basics

Strengthen the technical and structural foundations of your site. These optimizations are crucial for Google to understand and value your content.

Improve technical aspects: make your site faster, fix broken pages, optimize for mobile

Rework your titles and descriptions: each page must have a unique title containing your important keywords

Organize your content: create links between your pages so Google better understands your site

Optimize your images: add descriptions to images, compress them to load quickly

Structure your pages: use clear headings (H1, H2, H3) to organize your content

Create useful content regularly

Feed your site with quality content that meets your audience's needs. This is the engine of your long-term SEO growth.

Plan your publications: schedule 1-2 articles per month on topics your customers search for

Create reference pages: write comprehensive guides on your main services

Feed a blog: write articles that answer your customers' frequently asked questions

Use the right words: naturally integrate your keywords into your texts without overusing them

Vary formats: add videos, photos, infographics to make your content more attractive

Create useful content regularly

Feed your site with quality content that meets your audience's needs. This is the engine of your long-term SEO growth.

Plan your publications: schedule 1-2 articles per month on topics your customers search for

Create reference pages: write comprehensive guides on your main services

Feed a blog: write articles that answer your customers' frequently asked questions

Use the right words: naturally integrate your keywords into your texts without overusing them

Vary formats: add videos, photos, infographics to make your content more attractive

Build your authority

Strengthen your authority and credibility in Google's eyes. This step transforms your visibility into true market leadership.

Get links from recognized sites: contact other sites to have them talk about you and link to your site

Develop your presence: write guest articles, participate in interviews, be active on social media

Optimize your local presence: complete your Google My Business listing, encourage customer reviews

Share on social media: distribute your content to reach more people

Demonstrate your expertise: publish regularly to show you master your field

Build your authority

Strengthen your authority and credibility in Google's eyes. This step transforms your visibility into true market leadership.

Get links from recognized sites: contact other sites to have them talk about you and link to your site

Develop your presence: write guest articles, participate in interviews, be active on social media

Optimize your local presence: complete your Google My Business listing, encourage customer reviews

Share on social media: distribute your content to reach more people

Demonstrate your expertise: publish regularly to show you master your field

Your first concrete steps

Now that you understand the basics, here's where to start concretely :

Check that your site works well: test speed on Google PageSpeed Insights
Make sure it works on mobile: look at your site on your phone
Write useful content: answer questions your customers ask
Use the right keywords: think about what people type to find you
Create links between your pages: make navigation easier
Be patient: results come in 3-6 months minimum

In part 2, we'll see :

•Essential SEO tools (free and paid)
•How to optimize for local SEO
•Advanced content techniques
•How to measure your performance
•Strategies to get quality links
•SEO trends 2025

Conclusion of part 1

You now have the basics to understand SEO and start optimizing your site. Remember : SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. First results appear after 3-6 months, but the benefits are lasting.

Key takeaways:
•SEO is about appearing when your customers search for you
•Google looks at whether your site works well, if your content is useful and if you're credible
•Start with the basics : speed, mobile, quality content
•Be patient and consistent in your efforts

Next step: watch for the publication of part 2 to dive deeper with advanced techniques, specialized tools and strategies to go further !