The share of web traffic captured by rich results and AI-generated answers from Google continues to grow. For companies that relied solely on organic SEO as their only lever, the reality is harsh: the organic click-through rate is declining on many informational queries. This evolution reshapes priorities regarding online presence and prompts a rethink of how web solutions are chosen.
What Google updates change for choosing a web solution
Since the Core Updates of 2023 and 2024, Google penalizes low-value sites and those relying on over-optimization of SEO. The so-called YMYL sectors (health, finance) were the first affected, but this logic is gradually extending to all fields.
Related reading : Discover all the services available on Entrepreneur Land to boost your business
The central criterion is now called E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authority, trustworthiness. A showcase site generated en masse, without signed content or proof of expertise, mechanically loses visibility. Choosing a web solution is therefore no longer limited to comparing templates or hosting prices.
The quality of the content produced weighs as much as the site’s technical aspects. A platform that facilitates the publication of long content, signed by identified authors, with structured tags that meet Google’s expectations, offers a measurable advantage over a simple page builder. To explore the available offers in the French market, BestWeb lists and compares solutions suited to different business profiles.
Further reading : The best digital marketing strategies to boost your online presence
Field feedback varies on this point: some small businesses still achieve good results with simple CMS, provided they invest time in writing. Others experience a sharp decline after an algorithm update due to insufficient technical structure.
SEO and owned channels: arbitrate rather than accumulate
The classic reflex is to stack tools: a website, accounts on three or four social networks, a Google Business listing, sometimes a newsletter. The problem is not the diversity of channels, but the lack of arbitration among them.
Several industry analyses published in 2023 and 2024, notably by SparkToro and Search Engine Journal, document a decline in the organic click-through rate on informational queries since the rollout of Google SGE (AI-boosted results). In other words, even a good ranking on the first page no longer guarantees the same volume of visits as it did two years ago.
This trend reinforces the interest in channels that the company directly controls:
- The newsletter allows reaching an already engaged audience without depending on a third-party algorithm. Its open rate remains stable when organic traffic fluctuates.
- A well-fed CRM (even a simple one) turns every visitor into an exploitable contact, which SEO alone does not achieve.
- An owned community (forum, private group, client space) fosters loyalty and generates user content that feeds organic SEO.
Relying solely on classic SEO exposes one to algorithmic dependency. The ideal web solution natively integrates email collection, contact management, and multichannel publishing functions, not just a good Lighthouse score.
Digital Services Act and online advertising: constraints to integrate now
The entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in Europe has introduced concrete obligations for companies using advertising on major platforms. Since 2023 for very large platforms, and then 2024 for other players, the rules for advertising transparency and content moderation have tightened.
For a company investing in paid visibility on Google, Meta, or TikTok, this means that advertising campaigns must comply with stricter traceability requirements. The algorithmic recommendations that inform targeting are also regulated.
What this changes for choosing marketing tools
An advertising management tool that does not take the DSA into account exposes the company to campaign blocks or even sanctions. The available data does not yet allow measuring the exact extent of penalties applied to SMEs, but the risk exists, and platforms are already applying automatic restrictions.
When selecting a web solution that includes online advertising, checking the DSA compliance of the tool becomes a selection criterion on par with price or ease of use. Regulatory compliance now conditions the sustainability of a digital strategy.
Framework for evaluating a web solution in practice
Rather than a list of tools that will be outdated in six months, here are the questions to ask before committing.
- Does the CMS or platform allow publishing structured content (schema.org markup, identified author, visible update dates) to meet Google’s E-E-A-T criteria?
- Does the tool natively integrate email collection and a CRM module, or does it require adding third-party extensions that burden the site?
- Are the advertising functions compliant with the DSA, with an accessible ad transparency log?
- Is the technical support based in France or the EU, facilitating GDPR compliance and responsiveness in case of issues?
These criteria do not cover everything, but they quickly filter out solutions that do not hold up against current web requirements.
Content and organic SEO: the trap of full automation
The temptation to generate content via AI to feed a blog is strong. Feedback compiled by Fevad and CPME shows that an increasing number of small businesses are trying it. However, Google penalizes content generated without human oversight as soon as it lacks added value. A web solution that sells “automatic content creation” without a human proofreading workflow poses a real risk to SEO.
The market for web solutions is evolving rapidly, and the selection criteria from three years ago (responsive design, loading speed) have become prerequisites rather than differentiators. What distinguishes tools today is their ability to support a demanding content strategy, centralize communication channels, and comply with a European regulatory framework that will only strengthen.