Web seminar resources: “better communication on the web”

25 October 2025. Published by Benoît Labourdette.

5 min

I led three webinars for the Afnic Foundation in October 2025. Three mornings to understand how to build an effective web presence, from SEO to writing. A journey designed for the nonprofit sector.

Why this training cycle?

The Afnic Foundation approached me for the second consecutive year to lead this series of three webinars. This request responds to a need the Afnic Foundation has observed for several years among organizations, particularly those in the nonprofit sector. They have a website, but often feel helpless when faced with certain practical questions: how do we make our site findable? Which tool should we choose among all those that exist? How do we write better for the web?

These questions are not trivial. They touch the heart of what a digital presence represents today. A website is not simply a communication tool; it’s a space where we create connections with our audiences, where we share our expertise, where we provide service. But for this space to fulfill its function, we need to understand some essential mechanisms.

We built these three sessions as a coherent journey. Each session adds its building block: understanding SEO, choosing the right tools, mastering writing techniques. At the end of this cycle, participants will have all the elements to develop a relevant and sustainable web strategy for their organization.

Natural SEO: understanding to act better

The first session was devoted to natural SEO. I wanted to start with the technical fundamentals of the web to arrive at concrete SEO strategies. Why start with the technical side? Because understanding how the Internet, HTML, and search engine indexing work helps demystify SEO and avoid misconceptions.

I explained how data circulates in the form of zeros and ones, how ASCII code transforms these bits into characters, how HTML structures web pages. These explanations may seem abstract, but they are fundamental. When you understand that HTML is a semantic markup language, not patented, which constitutes a common good of humanity, you better grasp the issues of freedom and web accessibility. When you visualize the Google robot as a simple text reader that follows links and indexes words, you understand that SEO is not black magic.

The fundamental principle I hammered throughout this first session can be summed up in two words: “Content First.” Content is king. The quality of editorial content is by far the most important factor for good natural SEO. Technical aspects have their importance, of course, but in a ratio of one to ten compared to content quality. This hierarchy changes everything in how we approach SEO. It’s not about manipulating or deceiving algorithms, but about creating quality content that meets the needs of people searching for information.

Choosing your tool: a question of freedom

The second session addressed the choice of tools for creating a website. This question is more complex than it appears. There are a multitude of solutions, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, from free to paid, from open to proprietary. How do you navigate this?

I presented the different types of tools: CMSs (content management systems) like WordPress, SPIP, or Drupal, static site generators, proprietary platforms. Each solution has its advantages and limitations. WordPress is the most widespread, but is it therefore the best choice for everyone? SPIP offers great editorial finesse and a remarkable ecological approach. Static site generators are appealing for their simplicity and performance but require technical skills.

Beyond functionalities, I addressed a question close to my heart: that of freedom and sustainability. Choosing an open-source tool rather than a proprietary solution is making a political choice, in the noble sense of the term. It’s guaranteeing your own autonomy, not depending on the goodwill of a company, participating in an ecosystem of digital commons. This ethical dimension seems essential to me, particularly for nonprofit organizations.

Writing well for the web: a discipline in its own right

The third and final session was devoted to best practices for web writing. Writing for the web is not writing for print. The codes, constraints, and opportunities are different. This session delved into the details of web-specific writing techniques.

I started with editorial strategy, which should guide all content production. Three essential questions: why are we writing? For whom are we writing? How will we write? These questions may seem obvious, but they are often neglected. We write without a precise goal, without thinking about our audience, without reflecting on appropriate formats. Result: content that doesn’t find its audience, that doesn’t meet any real need.

I made the distinction between content and communication. This is fundamental to understanding the complementarity between a website and social networks. The website is the space for lasting, structured, indexed content that can be consulted over time. Social networks are the space for communication, events, the ephemeral. Both are necessary, but today we observe a worrying devaluation of websites in favor of social networks. The organization’s activity remains confined to social networks, while the website becomes a frozen institutional showcase. This trend is problematic because it weakens online presence and creates dependence on platforms whose rules and sustainability we don’t control.

We also addressed practical questions: text structure with heading levels, keyword selection, optimization for SEO while maintaining quality for readers, the notion of long tail that allows reaching niche audiences on very specific queries. I want to give participants concrete tools, techniques they can apply immediately in their daily practice.

A webinar, not a lecture

I wanted these webinars to be something other than lectures where theoretical knowledge is poured out. Each session lasted an hour and a half, a format that allows going into detail without losing participants’ attention. I alternated between explanations, concrete demonstrations, and exchange moments. Participants could ask questions, share their own experiences, confront concepts with their real situations.

I didn’t seek to make everyone a technical expert in HTML or Google algorithms. My goal was to provide the keys to understanding for effectively managing one’s online presence and engaging in informed dialogue with the professionals who support organizations. Understanding the underlying logic allows making informed choices, avoiding costly mistakes, and not being intimidated by technical jargon often used to mask the simplicity of basic concepts.

Accessibility as a common thread

A common thread runs through these three sessions: accessibility. Technical accessibility, first, with the choice of open-source tools and open standards. Economic accessibility, next, as I favor free or low-cost solutions. Intellectual accessibility, finally, as I strive to explain simply concepts that may seem complex.

Accessibility also means taking into account audiences who have reading difficulties or cognitive disabilities. I addressed in the first session the particular case of Easy Read and Understand (FALC) websites, which favor visual and audio content over text. How can these sites be well-ranked when Google primarily indexes textual content? This question raises technical but also ethical issues: how not to penalize in SEO the approaches that aim for inclusion?

The web as a common good

What drives me in these trainings is a deep conviction: the web must remain a common good, accessible to all, not privatized by a few large platforms. HTML is a non-patented language, web standards are open, free software exists to create quality sites without depending on expensive proprietary solutions. This dimension of digital commons seems essential to me to transmit.

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the web, made the choice not to patent HTML. This choice enabled the universal development of the Internet. Today, we are at a turning point. Large platforms are capturing an increasing share of attention and content. Websites are sometimes perceived as outdated compared to social networks. I believe this is a major strategic mistake. A well-designed, well-ranked website, well-supplied with quality content, remains the best way to build a lasting and controlled digital presence.

These three webinars are my contribution so that organizations, and particularly those in the nonprofit sector who often have limited resources, can appropriate these tools and develop their online presence autonomously and sustainably.