Lyon and Paris data-led agency combining analytics, SEO, GEO, paid media and CRO
About Empirik
Empirik is a French digital marketing agency founded in Lyon in autumn 2012 by Lionel Cherpin, who still runs it as CEO, after nine years working in other agencies. It now has offices in Lyon and Paris. It has 21 staff with an average age of 35. The company had revenue of €560,000 in its second year, more than €1 million by 2018 and about €2 million in recent years. In March 2025 they bought Semanticc, the company behind the Thot SEO content tool, and plan to invest €500,000 in it with outside partners. Paul Grillet manages that business.
Their starting point is measurement. They see clean, well-tracked data as the base for SEO and paid media, and increasingly for AI search. Their SEO process has three phases. In the first, they agree goals, choose keywords and score the site against 200 technical, semantic, linking and conversion criteria. In the second, they deploy quick wins, aiming for first results in about two months. In the third, they track progress in an internal tool called Observatoire and keep updating a Kanban action plan. Content is written to match search intent, and the in-house platform Impakkt pulls together ranking and competitor data. They also train client teams.
Around SEO they offer analytics and GDPR-compliant tracking, server-side tagging, BigQuery and Looker Studio dashboards, Google Ads and social ads, conversion rate optimization and generative engine optimization. That last service aims to get brands cited by ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity and is measured with their LLM Brand Tracker. Their results include 3.5 times more organic traffic and 30% more leads for insurer Bien Prévoir between 2015 and 2021, 481% more visits in a year for Maréchal Fraîcheur and 43% more visits for Stormshield.
They have no dental work. Their client list leans toward large brands such as Yves Rocher, Peugeot, Legrand, Capgemini, Hachette and Saint-Gobain. The closest health links are the medical laboratory group Cerba among their clients and Cours Galien, a medical exam preparation company that gained 27.5% more SEO traffic. They fit best with dental groups, chains or dental product companies in France that have their own data and want strict measurement. A single local practice would find them oversized.
Reviewers on Google describe deep technical knowledge, quick responses and consultants who explain their reasoning, and several have worked with the agency for years. Prices are quoted on request. The minimum budget is €10,000, with rates of €100 to €149 per hour. They are a Google Ads Partner and a certified Piano Analytics agency.
Empirik's Website
Empirik at a Glance
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Team size | 21 employees |
| Headquarters | Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France |
| Other offices | Paris |
| Leadership | Lionel Cherpin (Founder and CEO); Paul Grillet (General Manager, Thot SEO) |
| Languages | French; English; consultants also work in several other European languages |
| Pricing | Quote on request; no public price list. €10,000 minimum budget; €100-€149 hourly rate. |
| Contracts & reporting | First results targeted within about two months; action plan run in Kanban through Wrike or Trello; performance monitored in the in-house Observatoire tool; client team training included. |
| Tools & partnerships | Impakkt (in-house SEO platform); Thot SEO; LLM Brand Tracker; MaillageBooster; Observatoire; Google Ads Partner; Piano Analytics certified agency; Google BigQuery; Looker Studio |
Dental Marketing Services
- SEO audit against a 200-criteria grid
- technical SEO
- search-intent content creation and optimization
- internal linking
- local, national and international SEO
- generative engine optimization for AI answer engines
- Google Ads and social ads
- analytics, server-side tracking and GDPR-compliant data setup
- Looker Studio and BigQuery reporting
- conversion rate optimization and UX
- client team training
Dental Clients & Results
- Bien Prévoir: organic traffic x3.5 and leads up 30% (2015-2021)
- Cointreau: users up 301% (4 years)
- Stormshield: visits up 43% and impressions up 17% (1 year)
- Cours Galien: SEO traffic up 27.5% and page-one keywords up 482%
- Maréchal Fraîcheur: visits up 481% (1 year)
- Descours & Cabaud: traffic up 20% and 3x targeted ROAS
Why Dentists Choose Empirik
- Measurement specialists since 2012
- Big-brand client list
- SEO and SEA under one roof
- Tracking set-up expertise
- 11-50 person team
Key Strengths
- Shares technical knowledge openly so practice teams understand the work
- Offers generative engine optimisation so practices appear in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity
- Uses in-house tools to track a practice's visibility in AI engines
- Runs CRO audits to improve how practice websites turn visits into enquiries
How the DSA Score Breaks Down
Points earned: 61.3 of 100 (profile 58 × 0.8 + client feedback 14.9). DSA Score: 92/100
What Clients Say About Empirik
- 3 on Google
- 1 on review sites
Clients Most Often Praise
- Higher Google Maps & local rankings 3
- Understanding of dentistry 2
In ShortClients praise deep SEO/SEA and acquisition expertise and a knowledgeable, committed team.
Very happy with the SEO/SEA services, citing great advice and support; recommends the agency.
See it on feedbax.aiOlivier Van Meyel describes a top team with real technical expertise, demanding.
See it on feedbax.aiFrédéric Jézégou calls Empirik an expert internet-marketing agency in Lyon, with SEO as its strong suit and consultants who share knowledge openly.
See it on feedbax.aiShow 1 more client review
- Agathe Béraud: Verified review: the agency understood their needs and supported them in managing organic SEO. La Fabrique du Net, 28 juillet 2026
Where Empirik Is Listed
Questions Dentists Ask About Empirik
Does Empirik have dental clients?
No. Their health-related work is limited to medical exam prep company Cours Galien and laboratory group Cerba, and most clients are large consumer and B2B brands.
How quickly do they expect SEO results?
They deploy quick wins first and target first results within about two months. Progress is then tracked in their Observatoire tool.
Can they help a dental brand appear in ChatGPT or Gemini answers?
They offer generative engine optimization to get brands cited by AI engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. They measure this with their LLM Brand Tracker tool.
Who runs the agency?
Lionel Cherpin founded Empirik in Lyon in 2012 and is CEO. The team has about 21 people across Lyon and Paris.
What budget should a practice expect?
They quote on request. The minimum budget is €10,000, which points to multi-site groups rather than single practices.
Reviews of Empirik
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