The author lives in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Since 2024, I have been working at a free address at We Work, which is a 20-minute walk from my home.
You can enter We Work with an all-access plan.
Work location: We Work La Fayette (33 Rue La Fayette, 75009 Paris)
Here's an introduction to the French web market that only people living in Paris, France can understand.
Do you want to increase your site's ability to attract customers in the French market?
Overseas SEO requires measures based on languages, culture, and search trends different from domestic ones, and measures optimized for Google.fr are essential, especially in France.
“Simply translating a Japanese site doesn't produce results” and “local search rankings don't grow as expected” — there are many companies that have such problems.
In this article, I will explain specific methods for successful SEO measures in France in an easy-to-understand manner, based on the latest trends in 2026.
If you are a company thinking about expanding into France, or if you want to strengthen attracting local online customers, please check it out.
SEO measures are an abbreviation of “search engine optimization (search engine optimization),” and it indicates an effort to display the company's website higher on search engines such as Google. The advantage is that when users search with a certain keyword, the company's site is displayed in a more prominent position, so an increase in the number of accesses and an increase in inquiries and sales can be expected.
When it comes to SEO in France,Google.frOptimizing to the algorithm is basic, but simply packing in keywords is not effective.
Natural expressions in French and content creation in line with local culture and search habits are essential. Furthermore, technical aspects and the quality of user experience, such as mobile compatibility, display speed, and reliable backlinks, are also subject to evaluation.
In other words, SEO measures are not simply a means of “improving search rankings,” but it can be said that it is a comprehensive marketing activity to provide valuable information to local users and create reliable websites. For SEO success in France, perspectives and strategies unique to that region are essential.
France is a country with a thriving manufacturing and service industry, and has a stable economy even within Europe.
Relations with Japan are also good, so recently economic arrangements have progressed between Japan and Europe, and business ties have become stronger. Against this background, many Japanese companies are becoming interested in developing business in France.
In order to promote products and services in France, it is important to be familiar with the lifestyle and way of thinking of local people. In addition to searching for information on the internet, it is possible to grasp more accurate needs by actually listening to the voices of local stores and customers.
Also, people with a wide range of backgrounds live in France, such as young people, the elderly, and people who have immigrated from various countries. Disseminating information that conveys appeal in an easy-to-understand manner to such diverse people is the key to success in the French market. Website ingenuity and search countermeasures are also very important as part of that.
The following SNS can be mentioned as the 4 major SNS in France.
・TikTok
・Snapchat
・Be Real.
This is a picture I actually took of Be Real. at my home in France. Every day I wake up in the morning with Be Real. notifications and post.
Reference article:[2026 Edition] Be Real. I will introduce the features and features I'm interested in (non-real)
There are many people who use X and other SNS, but there are many people who use the above 4 SNS with the same mouth.
The digital native gap between young people and the upper class is also viewed as a problem.
Even when doing SEO (search engine optimization) in France, the basic way of thinking is not much different from Japan. The purpose is to devise page content and structure so that when users search for information using search engines, the company's website is displayed at the top.
However, since the language, culture, and needs to be searched are different from Japan, it is essential to take measures tailored to the local area.
In particular, if you don't understand how to use French or search habits, you may not be clicked even if you are displayed at the top, or you may leave right away.
Also, even though Google's specifications are common all over the world, there are differences in the intentions and expression methods of searching users from country to country, so it is important to perform SEO optimized for the French market.
Let's check out the tips and tricks for actually implementing successful SEO measures in France.
In France, as in Japan, Google occupies most of the search engine market, and it is said that the market share ratio is over 90% even as of 2026.
Therefore, the basics of SEO measures are based on the assumption that they are optimized for Google. Bing, Qwant (search engine from France), and Yandex etc. are also used in other European countries, but realistically, most of the access is via Google, so first of all, content design and structure in line with Google standards is important.
Since Google places importance on high-quality content that matches search intentions, not only how to use keywords, but also site display speed, mobile compatibility, provision of reliable information, etc. are subject to evaluation.
In other words, even in France, the essence of SEO remains “delivering valuable information to users.”
What is particularly important when doing SEO in France is to use “correct French.” If there are grammatical errors or unnatural wording, not only will it make users feel uncomfortable, but there is also a possibility that search engines will regard it as poor quality content.
In particular, it is said that Google is also evaluating whether natural expressions are used for natives, and a simple translation is insufficient.
Also, unique accent marks (accent marks), such as “é,” “ç,” and “ô,” are frequently used in French.
For example, “été (summer),” “français (French),” “hôtel (hotel),” etc. may have different meanings if not written correctly.
Search users also search using these spellings, so using accented vocabulary correctly is also very important for SEO.
There are many immigrants and foreign residents in France, and it is a society where multiple languages and cultures coexist. Therefore, the users visiting the website aren't necessarily just native French people.
In particular, in the case of companies developing tourism or international business, it would be necessary to consider providing information in other languages, such as English, Arabic, and Spanish.
Furthermore, expressions and designs that take users with multicultural backgrounds into consideration are also important, and by avoiding culturally sensitive expressions and disseminating information from diverse perspectives, it is easier to be trusted by a wider audience.
I think what I realized is the most important thing in overseas SEO is “providing natural language content without any sense of incongruity for local people.”
Not to mention accurate grammar and vocabulary, if it's not an expression that is in line with French people's everyday phrases or cultural assumptions, you won't be able to gain readers' sympathy or trust even if it is displayed at the top of the search.
In fact, sentences based on automatic translation are often “not conveyed” even if grammatically correct. For example, even if it is a natural expression in everyday conversation, there are cases where the literal translation of the phrase becomes unnatural in French, and there are cases where the intention is conveyed the exact opposite due to slight differences in nuance.
In SEO, it can be said that not only is “strong in search engines,” but “being conveyed to local users” is a prerequisite for achieving results.
In order to successfully implement SEO measures in France, it is essential not to simply bring in Japanese methods as they are, but to optimize after understanding the local language, culture, and search behavior.
Although Google is the mainstream search engine, similar to Japan, it is also important to correctly handle grammar, vocabulary, and accent marks unique to French, and be aware of content, multilingual support, and diverse perspectives that can be conveyed to natives without any sense of incongruity.
Please refer to this article and be sure to build an SEO strategy for France that suits your company.
