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France
Fact sheet [odci.gov]
Domain(s): fr
Online population: 9,0 million (July 2000)
Native language(s): French
Understanding of English: Low
Hosts in domain: 1.161.000 (April 2001)
Pages in language: 18.7 million (April 2001, all domains)
Pages in domain: 7.13 million (April 2001, all languages)
Local presence required for domain registration: Yes
Multiple domains allowed: No
Professional help: See bottom of page
Known general search engines:
Altavista France [fr.altavista.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 French sites. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Caloweb [caloweb.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: Google
Meta description used in search replies: ?Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Excite [excite.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 French sites. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Free.fr [free.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: France's 2nd biggest site. 2,3 mill unique visitors in Nov-00. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: Google Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Google France [google.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ?Own
Meta description used in search replies: ?Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Lycos France [lycos.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: 1 category per site in directory. See also Hotbot France [hotbot.lycos.fr]
Multimania [multimania.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 6th biggest site in France. 1,9 mill unique visitors in Nov-00 Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: Ask Jeeves Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
MSN France [msn.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 10th biggest site in France. 1,3 mill unique visitors in Nov-00. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: Inktomi Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
NetScan [netscan.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Voila [voila.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 9th biggest site in France. 1,4 mill visitors in Nov-00. Also serving Wanadoo.fr, France's #1 site with 3,4 mill visitors. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ?
Meta description used in search replies: ?Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Voila.com [voila.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: ? Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ?
Meta description used in search replies: ?Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: This is Voila's "Raging Search" type site.
Known general directories:
Chaloop [chaloop.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: 1 Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Ecila [ecila.nomade.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: ? Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Francité [guide.francite.net]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: 1 Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Lokace [lokace.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: ? Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Looksmart [looksmart.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: 1 Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: Express submit 159 euros
Nomade.fr [nomade.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: The #3 directory in France (after Yahoo and Voila)[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: No No. of categories allowed per site: 2 Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Sharelook [sharelook.fr]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France.[/ Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: 2 Search method: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Spray - see Lycos
Yahoo France [fr.yahoo.com]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Yahoo France is France's #4 site with 2,0 mill unique visitors in Nov-00 and Yahoo.com the 7th with 1,7 mill visitors. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? No. of categories allowed per site: 2 for commercial sites, more for info sites. Search method: Own directory search + Google for web?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Other: ?
Local people who can help with translations and advise:
WebmasterWorld member Goblin does translations into French and Bulgarian. ostapbender@noos.fr This area will be updated with e-mail and/or web addresses to translators and SEO specialists, who have posted a reply in this discussion. Please state your name, web and/or e-mail address, languages to/from and what you can help out with. Prices and promotional stuff will be edited out.
Other translation services found at www.kevrenn.com
The easy way to post a reply: Copy from above, click button, paste and change.
Updated 5 June, 2001
Edited by: rencke
Cheer up. AV has shut down all autosubmission in Europe and Altavista France is not among the top sites in France anyway. They seem to be loosing ground all over Europe, which is not surprising if you look at the search replies. It is clear to me that they have lost at least a part of their ability to provide relevant replies. And when that happens, customers will turn elsewhere.
Re: Ecila. Not a very big loss either, I think?
You are right :)
France:
Online population: 11,107,974
active users: 5,468,447
online time/month 6:58
online shopping last 6 months:
12% % of adults (+16) browsing for products online
6% adults purchasing online
Having looked around Yahoo France, with a 'schoolboy' command of French!, I couldn't see a Biz Express function.
On visiting Yahoo.com, it states that 'foriegn' language sites will not be added to Yahoo.com - or presumably filtered to the correct international directory.
Is it the case that you cannot Biz Express to Yahoo France?
If a site submission is still 'free', can anybody give me an idea of the turnaround time for site review? Is it any faster than the old .co.uk or .com review process?
Thanks
Markd
Yahoo France and Yahoo Canada Français are still free to submit to and turn around time is 2 weeks to a month.
I waited 8 weeks once. They do not communicate with you to tell you what is going on.
Hi Rencke,
Sorry I am late to the party. Just noticed this tread. I will see what I can do. Mieux vaux tard que jamais... (better late than never)
<--! lists all .fr domains first by default also uses French .org .com, .edu, and .net uses AV.com listings as an option -->
<--! uses first image with a link grabbed from the site linked to page in SERP. Good to resubmit to benefit from this feature -->
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 French sites. Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: By default, yes Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: Yes
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: By default an obligation Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: Yes Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: Yes Other: Link popularity for sure. age of listing???
I will do some more later.
Tack Rencke!
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: Google
Meta description used in search replies: NoThings that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: No Keyword in meta keywords: No Keyword in header: Yes Keyword in 1st paragraph: No Other: Link pop
C'est vrai! Glad to have someone who speaks French joining the effort, especially since Internet usage in France has begun to take off in a big way.
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 French sites. Local language(s) required: No Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: Yes
Things that help ranking: Local language: No Local domain: No Keyword in URL: No Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
Ecila.fr is down and out since monday,
now there is a redirect to nomade.fr, the same group.
For excite.fr no update in the database, very simple interface, just for search.
Laurent
Google France
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: No Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: Own Meta description used in search replies: No
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: No Keyword in meta keywords: No Keyword in header: Yes Keyword in 1st paragraph: No Other: Link pop
Lycos France
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: Fast for crawl, but still does not crop results Meta description used in search replies: Yes
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: Yes Keyword in 1st paragraph: Yes Other: 1 category per site in directory. See also Hotbot France
La Toile du Québec is a local directory that uses Google for secondary results. Very important player in Québec.
<!-- Now partners with Lycos, uses a very slim directory by default (not very relevant IMHO) -->
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 6th biggest site in France. 1,9 mill unique visitors in Nov-00 Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: Fast for crawl, but still does not crop results Meta description used in search replies: Yes
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: Yes Keyword in 1st paragraph: Yes Other: Just can't find a way to add sites to the slim directory
<!-- uses MSM SEARCH by default and nomade.fr as an option, got is own free human edited directory ( Le Guide Web ) separated from the main directory. Will search only through French language sites even if you search for words like "pudding" (bilingual term) If you don't want your description messed around, use very short ones. They have "featured sites" (sites présentés) I believe they come from GoTo -->
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 10th biggest site in France. 1,3 mill unique visitors in Nov-00. Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: Inktomi Meta description used in search replies: Yes
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
<RIP>
NetScan
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France. Local language(s) required: ? Local domain(s) only: ? Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: ?
Things that help ranking: Local language: ? Local domain: ? Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ? Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: ?
</RIP>
Voila
<!-- One funny feature, let you un-cluster results if you like. Also have the VoilaBar (à la GoogleBar) in beta test version (more on this later). The story is Wanadoo portail - a subsidiary of Wanadoo S.A.- bought ECHO that developped Voila, most of Wanadoo portal and other geek stuff. ECHO and Wanadoo portail are very soon to merge -->
Language interface: French Traffic volume: 9th biggest site in France. 1,4 mill visitors in Nov-00. Also serving Wanadoo.fr, France's #1 site with 3,4 mill visitors. Local language(s) required: No Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: ECHO Meta description used in search replies: No
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: Yes Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: Yes Other: Link Popularity
Voila.com
<!-- same as above, they broke SE away form portal features -->
Language interface: French Traffic volume: ? Local language(s) required: No Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: ECHO Meta description used in search replies: No
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: No Keyword in URL: Yes Keyword in title: Yes Keyword in description: Yes Keyword in meta keywords: Yes Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: Yes Other: Link Popularity
For Voila.fr :
I think there are 3-4 invisibles keywords made by the editor and this boost the ranking.
And a new one on the list :
Antisearch [Antisearch.net]
Language interface: French Traffic volume: Not among top 10 sites in France Local language(s) required: Yes Local domain(s) only: No Search technology: ? Meta description used in search replies: First caracters of the page
Things that help ranking: Local language: Yes Local domain: ?Keyword in URL: ? Keyword in title: ?Keyword in description: ? Keyword in meta keywords: ? Keyword in header: ? Keyword in 1st paragraph: ? Other: used by Lokace and Francité
So, Google also taking a big slice of the cake in France as well?
Maybe we don't have to look very far for a european engine, as we discussed here.
When the "Voilà Guide editors edit a site, they can "connect" 2-3 keywords with them.
These keywords don't appear in the title, the descriptions or the url of the site in the directory; But help a lot for the ranking.
It's not for each site.
Also in Nomadefr; yahoo.fr
This is also the case when submitting to the Danish Jubii.dk, where you can choose up to 30 keywords (if you pay that is), but I never knew or heard this to be the case for Yahoo - or am I missing something?
Laurent is probably living a normal life... :)
I noticed this in some other directories like Y! France and Canada.
P.S.
I envy Laurent for is normal life! ;)
BTW, if you can read French, look at his profile for more gold nuggets...
Macguru, 3 years of high school French a long time ago, but I could only make out enough to recherche un petite peu. Beautiful site, some links to a few interesting choses en englais, aussi.
Quelle est un "normal life"? Un nouveau chose?
Laurent's site is very intersting dont we agree?
Bravo Laurent! Lâches pas!
Marcia, congrats for your French! C'est plutôt râre ici.
Gros câlin!
P.S.
Very intersting news about Google on Laurent's site, and so easyer to read. :)
Laurent, that is a very nice site for sure - good work there. Wish I had lisent a bit more in french class because I cannot understand a word of french.
Sorry, I'm still not sure about the keyword thing at Y! Could you please elaborate a bit more?
Ups, the discussion about the European engine mentioned above missed a URL [webmasterworld.com]
Here are the 2 last results (on 20) for the "vitrail" -stained glass- query on Y! France. No vitrail in title or description and it still comes up. The only explanation would be a hidden keyword.
[fr.search.yahoo.com...]
