TL;DR
Squarespace SEO helps a Squarespace website increase its visibility on Google. It starts with keyword research and a website structure that connects targeted keywords with relevant money pages. Mobile-friendly design, HTTPS security, and fast loading speeds improve the website experience. Clean permalinks, optimized SEO titles, descriptive meta descriptions, organized headings, relevant image alt text, and a recognizable favicon strengthen the website’s SEO foundation. Thencan Designs provides personalized Squarespace SEO advice for small businesses that need additional support.
Introduction
Squarespace SEO helps a well-designed Squarespace website appear more prominently on Google. An attractive website can showcase a brand and connect with ideal customers, but its design does not guarantee search visibility. Poor Google visibility indicates that the website needs additional SEO work. Thencan Designs, an SEO agency in Bend, Oregon, uses this Squarespace SEO checklist with its clients.
The Foundation: SEO Strategy
Keyword research provides the foundation for a successful Squarespace SEO strategy. It identifies the phrases that potential customers enter into search engines. Thencan Designs provides several videos about the topic, while the following strategy explains how to identify a primary keyword quickly.
Quick Keyword Research
Google Autofill and the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool help website owners identify a primary keyword.
- Google Autofill: It suggests phrases related to a business’s services and location. A website owner can enter a service, city, and state into Google. For example, the search engine may suggest “interior designer Fort Collins” for an interior designer in Fort Collins, Colorado.
- Semrush Keyword Magic Tool: The Semrush tool provides search-volume data for relevant keywords. A website owner can paste the starting keyword into it and review the search-volume column. A free account provides access to the necessary information. The relevant keyword with the highest search volume can become the page’s primary keyword.
Structuring Your Website
Money pages connect a website’s most important services and locations with targeted keywords. They include the homepage, service pages, and location pages.
| Page type | Target |
| Homepage | The homepage targets the business’s main keyword, such as “interior designer Fort Collins.” |
| Service pages | Individual service pages target specific services, such as “residential interior design Fort Collins” and “commercial interior design Fort Collins.” |
| Location pages | Individual location pages target the cities that the business serves, such as “interior design Loveland Colorado.” |
Squarespace SEO Checklist
The Squarespace SEO checklist covers ten important website and on-page optimization elements. It doesn’t rank every element by importance, but it identifies the elements Squarespace website owners should review.
1. Professional Domain
A professional domain gives a business a branded and credible website address.
- It replaces the default .squarespace.com domain.
- Squarespace sells professional domains for approximately $12–$20 per year.
2. Site Security
Squarespace automatically provides HTTPS security for Squarespace websites.
- HTTPS protects the connection between a website and its visitors.
- The platform handles the website’s security certificate automatically.
3. Mobile-Friendly Design
A mobile-device check identifies navigation and layout problems on a Squarespace website.
- A website owner can use a phone to test the website’s navigation and layout.
- Clear navigation helps mobile visitors find important information.
- A call-to-action button above the fold directs visitors toward actions such as “Contact Us” or “Get Started.”
4. Page Speed
GTmetrix measures a website’s loading performance.
- Its performance test provides a grade for the website.
- A grade of B or higher provides a useful performance target.
- Large image files increase website loading times.
- Canva compresses images and reduces their file sizes.
5. Sitemap
Squarespace automatically creates a sitemap for every Squarespace website.
- It helps search engines discover the website’s pages.
- A sitemap check confirms that it works correctly.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization helps search engines understand the subject and purpose of each website page. It uses permalinks, SEO titles, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt text to communicate information about individual pages.
6. Permalinks
Clean permalinks help visitors and search engines understand a page’s subject.
- Hyphens separate individual words within a URL.
- A descriptive slug communicates the page’s topic.
- The slug “doula-services” communicates a clearer subject than “services-old.”
7. SEO Page Titles & Meta Descriptions
SEO titles and meta descriptions communicate the topic and value of individual pages.
- Homepage: A customized homepage SEO title identifies the website’s primary topic. It should include the homepage’s primary keyword, such as “interior designer Fort Collins.” The meta description should include a compelling call to action.
- Service pages: A unique SEO title and meta description describe each service page. They should include relevant keywords and an appropriate call to action.
8. Headers (H1, H2, H3)
Heading tags organize a page’s primary and supporting topics.
- H1 tags: An H1 tag defines the page’s primary subject. It should include the page’s primary keyword, and each page should contain only one H1 tag.
- Hierarchical structure: H2 tags define major supporting sections, while H3 tags define topics contained within those sections. This logical hierarchy helps visitors and search engines understand the relationships between sections.
9. Image Alt Text
Image alt text describes an image for visually impaired visitors and search engines.
- It explains the content or purpose of an image.
- Accurate alt text improves the website’s accessibility.
- Relevant keywords can appear naturally when they accurately describe the image.
- User experience should guide every alt-text description.
10. Favicon
A favicon represents a business’s brand in browser tabs.
- Squarespace settings allow a website owner to upload one.
- A simple icon remains recognizable when a browser displays it at a small size.
- Canva can create a favicon at 512 × 512 pixels.
Final Thoughts
This Squarespace SEO checklist establishes a foundation for improving a website’s search visibility. The Additional Resources section provides a downloadable copy.
Three elements deserve particular attention:
- An SEO page title communicates the page’s topic to search engines and searchers.
- An H1 tag defines the page’s primary subject.
- A keyword map connects each money page with a specific target keyword.
A unique keyword target helps each money page serve a distinct search purpose. It also prevents multiple pages from competing for the same keyword.
Thencan Designs provides customized guidance for business owners who feel overwhelmed by Squarespace SEO. This page provides access to a large orange button that delivers the next best actions for improving a Squarespace website’s SEO in video format. We customize each video for the small business instead of providing cookie-cutter advice.
Effective Squarespace SEO helps a small business attract more traffic, generate more leads, and acquire more clients.
Additional Resources
Thencan Designs provides additional Squarespace SEO tutorials and resources through YouTube, a downloadable checklist, and an email newsletter.
- The Thencan Designs YouTube channel provides in-depth tutorials about topics such as SEO title optimization.
- ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ The Squarespace SEO Checklist contains the checklist from the video. The File → Make a Copy option creates an editable copy.
- 💌 The Thencan Designs email list delivers free SEO tips and additional resources to subscribers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the first step in optimizing my Squarespace site for SEO?
The first step to optimize your Squarespace site for SEO is keyword research. It identifies the primary keyword that each page should target. Google Autofill suggests relevant search phrases, while the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool provides keyword and search-volume data.
2. How important is having a professional domain for SEO?
A professional domain is important for SEO because it gives a business a credible and recognizable website address. It replaces the default .squarespace.com address and supports the website’s professional identity.
3. How can I check if my site is mobile-friendly?
You can check if your site is mobile-friendly by testing it on a mobile device. A phone allows you to review the website’s layout and navigation. Clear navigation helps visitors find important information, while a visible call-to-action button directs them toward the next step.
4. What tool can I use to check my site’s speed?
The tool you can use to check your site’s speed is GTmetrix. It measures the website’s loading performance and provides a performance grade. A grade of B or higher serves as a useful target, while image optimization reduces file sizes and improves loading times.
5. How should I structure my URLs for SEO?
Structure your URLs for SEO with clean permalinks and hyphens between words. This structure makes website URLs readable and SEO-friendly. A descriptive slug such as “doula-services” communicates the page’s subject to visitors and search engines.
6. What should my SEO page title and meta description include?
SEO page title and meta description should include the page’s primary keyword and a compelling call to action. The SEO page title communicates the page’s main subject to searchers. The meta description summarizes the page and encourages searchers to visit it. Every page should use a customized SEO title and meta description.
7. How many H1 tags should each page have?
Each page should have one H1 tag. It should identify the page’s primary subject and include its primary keyword.
8. What is image alt text and why is it important?
Image alt text is a description of an image, and it is important because it supports visually impaired visitors and search engines. It improves accessibility and helps search engines understand the image’s content. Relevant keywords can appear naturally when they accurately describe the image.
9. How do I add a favicon to my Squarespace site?
Add a favicon to your Squarespace site through the Squarespace settings. It should use a simple and recognizable version of the business’s brand icon. Canva can create the icon at 512 × 512 pixels.
10. What should I do if I’m overwhelmed with SEO optimization?
If you are overwhelmed with SEO optimization, you should get personalized SEO advice from Thencan Designs. Its recommendations identify the next best actions for improving a Squarespace website’s SEO.