FAQ
The questions people really ask us.
Everything agencies ask us before getting started.
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How is Sezam different from Ahrefs or Semrush?
Those tools are calibrated for high-volume markets. As soon as demand gets specific (a neighbourhood, a town, a narrow specialism), they show “volume: 0” everywhere and become unusable. This happens in a village just as much as in Lausanne or Geneva: it isn't a matter of size, but of granularity. Sezam works with the signals that genuinely exist at that scale: your Search Console, Google Suggest crawled in depth, and your clients' real questions.
Where does Sezam's data come from?
From four sources: Google Search Console (16 months of history, via read-only OAuth or CSV import), the Google Suggest crawl (real localized suggestions), the "questions from the field" form filled in by the end client, and optionally DataForSEO for volumes, CPC and People Also Ask questions.
What exactly does the AI do in Sezam?
Three things: it ranks every query discovered (intent and local relevance), it suggests relevant seeds from the client's site, and it generates complete editorial briefs covering H1, meta tags, H2/H3 structure, secondary keywords, questions to address and the sector's ethics reminders.
Is the Google Suggest crawl safe?
Sezam queries Google Suggest's public endpoint at a deliberately slow rate (throttling), with browser-identity rotation and automatic backoff. The crawls run in the background and respect strict monthly quotas per project.
Do I need a DataForSEO key?
No. Without DataForSEO, Sezam runs in free mode with GSC + Suggest + questions from the field, which is more than enough to map a micro-market. DataForSEO (included from the Pro plan on, or with your own key) adds volumes, CPC and PAA questions.
What is the "questions from the field" form?
A link to send to the person who answers the phone at your client's (receptionist, front desk). They note down the questions real clients ask every day. Those questions are exactly what people type into Google, and they become keywords sourced from the "field", with a score bonus.
Who is Sezam for?
Web agencies and SEO freelancers serving hyper-local SMEs: medical and dental practices, tradespeople, restaurants, shops, independent professionals. Each Sezam project corresponds to one client site.
Are my data and my clients' data protected?
Yes. Hosting in Switzerland (Infomaniak), strict isolation per agency, Google tokens and API credentials encrypted (libsodium), read-only Search Console access only. nLPD and GDPR compliant.
Can I put my logo on the briefs delivered to my clients?
Yes, PDF white label (logo, color, agency name) is included from the Pro plan on. The questions-from-the-field form also carries your brand.
How does onboarding work?
You pick your plan, your account is opened, and we guide you through your first mapping. You judge on a real project, not on a demo.
Is there a minimum commitment period?
No, plans are monthly or annual (2 months free on annual) and can be cancelled at any time.
Does Sezam work outside Switzerland?
Yes. The method applies to any French-speaking micro-market (Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg), and the interface is available in French, English, German and Italian.
What happens after the brief?
Sezam stays with you through to going live: a six-month editorial plan, detection of pages cannibalizing each other, and a publishing kit to hand to the developer with all the content ready to paste. Then come position tracking and the real performance of the published pages.
Can my client see the work without access to my workspace?
Yes. Every project has a read-only portal under your brand: your client sees their field questions, the published pages and their results. No account to create, no internal data visible.
Convinced?
See it on your clients.
One guided first mapping is worth more than every written answer.