Amandine Bart, founder of SEO Sans Migraine, shared her method for landing your first customers through organic search without an ad budget. This recap follows her notes: the three pillars of SEO, how she picks keywords, local SEO, four mistakes to avoid, and a checklist. The talk is available on video.
Why SEO matters
Organic search brings visibility, reputation and, above all, customers. Amandine Bart compares it with paid search. A Google Ads campaign stops the day you cut the budget, and its cost rises over time. A page that ranks well keeps bringing in traffic at no extra cost. The upfront work takes time, and it pays off over the long run.
She points to Waalaxy, where she worked. By her account, the site reached 20,000 visitors and signed its first customers in under six months thanks to SEO. She sets founders the same goal: quick early wins, then a strategy that holds up over time.
The three pillars of SEO
1. Technical
The technical pillar is the foundation: a fast, well-structured site with clear navigation. Mobile comes first, since Google indexes the mobile version of pages as a priority. Amandine Bart also recommends keeping pop-ups that interrupt reading to a minimum and taking care of the overall user experience. To spot technical issues, she relies on Google Search Console, which is free, and SEMrush, which is paid and more comprehensive.
2. Content
Content is the fuel. It is how Google understands what your site is about and decides where to rank it. Amandine Bart advises publishing articles, pages and product listings on a regular basis, after doing keyword research (method below), and matching the search intent of your users. Your writing should stay clear and easy to read. For GIFs, she uses Imagify to compress them.
3. Trust
Trust comes from backlinks, the links other sites point to yours. The most reliable approach is content that other sites genuinely want to reference. Amandine Bart also mentions free tools and calculators that attract backlinks, taking part in Reddit, forums and specialized Q&A platforms, and swapping guest articles with blogs in your industry. She advises against buying cheap backlinks: Google can penalize your site, and your domain's reputation takes a hit.
Keyword research method
Step 1: build your keyword wishlist
List every keyword related to your business, without holding back. Here is an example for a plush toy shop:
| Category | Keyword |
|---|---|
| Plush toys | otter plush |
| Plush toys | baby otter plush |
| Plush toys | buy otter plush |
Step 2: check search volume
Run each keyword through an SEO tool to find its monthly search volume. Amandine Bart names four tools: SEMrush (paid, the most comprehensive), Ubersuggest with a lifetime license (around €130 as a one-off payment), Mangools (under €30 a month) and Google Search Console (free).
Step 3: check the competition
Type the command intitle:your keyword into Google. The number of results tells you how many pages target that keyword in their title. Amandine Bart suggests starting with keywords under 3,000 results, then raising the threshold (4,000, then 5,000) as your site climbs the rankings.
Step 4: pick your priority keywords
Prioritize keywords that combine high search volume with low competition.
Local SEO
For a local business, Amandine Bart recommends a complete Google My Business profile, keywords that include your city ("skatepark Montpellier"), location-specific content such as local articles or comparisons, and collecting positive reviews, which she says carry real weight in local rankings.
Four mistakes to avoid
Amandine Bart highlights four. Neglecting mobile, even though Google indexes mobile versions first. Buying low-quality backlinks, which exposes your site to a Google penalty. Working on a single pillar, when technical, content and backlinks need to move forward together. Going after highly competitive keywords from day one, instead of starting with accessible ones.
Protecting your brand
Check that your domain name is available, including its variants. Get the .fr for the French market and the .com for international reach. Check that the brand name is legally available too. Publish content about your own brand regularly, so your pages own the search results for your name before competitors do.
SEO checklist
| Pillar | To do |
|---|---|
| Technical | Optimize load speed, check the mobile version, keep a clear site architecture, fix the issues flagged by Google Search Console. |
| Content | Run the four-step keyword research (wishlist, volume, competition, selection), create original content tailored to your audience, keep your articles and pages up to date. |
| Trust | Earn backlinks through natural partnerships and guest article swaps, refuse to buy links, monitor the reputation of your site and your partners. |
| Local | Create and complete your Google My Business profile, work local keywords into your content, make sure your location is consistent across every page. |
| Tools and tracking | Set up Google Search Console and read its data, use SEMrush or another keyword tool, keep a monthly routine of checks and optimizations. |
| Brand and domain | Check your domain name and its variants, choose the extension based on your target audience, protect your brand with dedicated content. |
