The Ultimate Guide to Squarespace Website SEO for Small Business Owners
The Ultimate Guide to Squarespace Website SEO for Small Business Owners
If you’re a small business owner using Squarespace, you know you’re website plays a vital role in your success. It’s your digital storefront, your brand’s home base, your 24/7 salesperson, and it makes the first impression of your business. How do you make sure your website gets found by the right people? You guessed it: SEO.
How do you make sure the right people find your website? SEO.
If the word "SEO" makes your eyes glaze over or makes you panic, don’t worry—you’re not alone. I’ve got you. This guide breaks down Squarespace website SEO into clear, doable steps. No jargon. No fluff. Just helpful, practical guidance that empowers you to take control of your online visibility.
*Prefer to have an expert do the SEO work for you? Let’s work together.
What is Squarespace Website SEO?
Let’s start with the basics. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In plain English? It’s the art and science of getting your website to show up when people search for things on Google (or other search engines).
Squarespace website SEO refers specifically to optimizing your Squarespace site to rank higher in search engine results. This includes everything from how you use keywords, to how fast your site loads, to how your pages are structured.
Good SEO means more visibility.
More visibility means more potential clients.
It’s that simple—and that powerful.
Is Squarespace Good for SEO?
Short answer: Yes.
Squarespace gets a bad rap sometimes, mostly from people who haven’t used it in years or don’t understand how to work within its structure. But here’s the truth:
Squarespace has solid built-in SEO tools: Customizable page titles and meta descriptions, mobile-friendly templates, automatic sitemaps, SSL certificates, and clean HTML markup.
So yes, you can absolutely crush it with SEO on Squarespace—as long as you know how to use the tools.
SEO for Squarespace Website: The Essential Settings
Here’s a walkthrough of the esential SEO settings in your Squarespace site:
1. Page Titles and SEO Descriptions
Each page on your site should have a unique title and description. Use your primary keyword (like Squarespace website SEO) in both, and make it engaging for someone browsing search results.
Example:
Title: Squarespace Website SEO Tips for Small Business Owners
Description: Learn how to improve your Squarespace website SEO with easy, effective tips designed for small business owners and creatives.
Squarespace SEO Titles & Descriptions
Enter your SEO title and SEO description in this section of your Squarespace webpage settings.
2. Custom URLs (also called “Slugs”)
Make your URLs short, clear, and keyword-friendly.
Not this:
/page-3This:
/squarespace-website-seo
Page Title, Navigation Title, URL Slug
Enter your page title, navigation title, and URL slug in this area of the webpage settings. Make sure you target your primary keyword!
3. Image Alt Text
Designers and DIYers of ten miss this. Every image on your website should have descriptive alt text, which helps with both accessibility and SEO.
Good:
headshot of diane green, squarespace web designerBetter:
Diane Green, squarespace website seo expert for small businesses
4. Heading Tags (H1, H2, H3)
Each page should have just one H1 tag (the page title), followed by subheadings in logical order (H2s and H3s). Use keywords naturally in your headings.
5. Site Title and Tagline
Under Marketing > SEO, you’ll find your site-wide title and tagline. These should reflect your brand and include a keyword.
6. Enable SSL
Squarespace does this automatically. Secure websites (with “https”) are a Google ranking factor.
7. Connect to Google Search Console
Google Search Console shows you the keywords your site is ranking for, and where you can improve. It’s free, and it’s easy to connect it to your Squarespace website.
There’s a lot to SEO. Prefer to hire someone to do the work? Reach out!
Where to Put SEO Keywords in Squarespace
Keyword placement—is a critical part of any good SEO strategy.
Include your keywords in these places:
Page Titles (H1)
SEO Descriptions
First paragraph of page or blog content
Subheadings (H2, H3)
Alt text for images
File names of images (before uploading)
URL slugs
Naturally throughout the page copy (aim for 1–2% keyword density)
Remember: keywords should never feel forced. If you wouldn’t say it to a client, don’t write it that way on your site.
SEO Tips for Squarespace: On-Page Best Practices
These habits will take your SEO from “marginal” to “effective.”
1. Write for humans first, Google second
Yes, you need to use keywords. But your #1 goal is writing content that actually helps your reader. If your content helps your reader and is easy to digest, Google will reward you.
2. Add internal links
Link to other relevant pages or blog posts within your website. This keeps people engaged and helps search engines understand the structure of your content.
3. Use clear calls-to-action (CTAs)
While a CTA doesn’t directly affect SEO rankings, it does improve user experiences and conversions—which means more time on your website and better SEO over time.
4. Keep blog content updated
Google loves fresh content. Even updating a post from last year can improve your rankings. Add new information, update screenshots, and reshare it.
Technical SEO on Squarespace
These are the behind-the-scenes details that tell Google your site is trustworthy and well-organized.
Mobile-Friendly Design: All Squarespace templates are responsive, which is a huge win.
Fast Loading Times: Compress images and avoid unnecessary animations.
404 Error Pages: Create a custom 404 page and monitor broken links.
Redirects: If you change URLs, always set up a 301 redirect.
Sitemap: Squarespace auto-generates a sitemap (
yoursite.com/sitemap.xml). Remember to submit it to Google Search Console.
Common Squarespace SEO Myths (and the Truth)
Myth #1: Squarespace isn’t good for SEO.
Truth: Squarespace has excellent built-in SEO tools—you just need to use them properly.
Myth #2: You need plugins to rank.
Truth: You can absolutely rank well without plugins. What matters is how you structure and optimize your content.
Myth #3: Blogging on Squarespace hurts your SEO.
Truth: Consistent blogging actually helps your SEO—no matter the platform.
Squarespace SEO Checklist
FAQs
How do I do SEO for my Squarespace website?
To effectively perform SEO on your Squarespace website, follow these steps:
Conduct Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can assist in finding terms related to your business.
Optimize Page Titles and Descriptions: Incorporate your primary keywords into page titles and meta descriptions. Squarespace allows you to customize these elements under the SEO settings for each page.
Utilize Headings Appropriately: Structure your content with H1, H2, and H3 tags, embedding relevant keywords to improve readability and SEO.
Enhance Image SEO: Add descriptive alt text to your images, including pertinent keywords, to aid search engines in understanding your content.
Build Quality Backlinks: Acquire links from reputable websites to boost your site's authority and search engine ranking.
Implementing these "SEO tips for Squarespace" will enhance your site's visibility and attract more visitors.
Is Squarespace good for SEO?
Yes, Squarespace is designed with SEO in mind, offering a range of built-in tools to help optimize your website. Features such as automatic sitemaps, clean HTML markup, and responsive design contribute to a solid SEO foundation. Additionally, Squarespace provides an SEO checklist to guide users through best practices.
Does Squarespace have SEO plugins?
While Squarespace doesn't require external SEO plugins due to its comprehensive built-in features, there are third-party tools available, such as SEOSpace, that can further assist in optimizing your site.
Where do I put SEO keywords in Squarespace?
To optimize your Squarespace website effectively, place SEO keywords in the following areas:
Page Titles: Incorporate primary keywords into the titles of each page.
SEO Descriptions: Add relevant keywords to the meta descriptions for each page.
Headings and Subheadings: Use keywords in H1, H2, and H3 tags to structure your content.
Image Alt Text: Include descriptive keywords in the alt text for images.
URL Slugs: Customize URL slugs to include pertinent keywords, making them more search-engine friendly.
Implementing these strategies will improve your Squarespace website's SEO performance, increasing the likelihood of ranking higher on Google and attracting your target customers.
Final Thoughts: SEO is a Long Game, but It's 100% Worth It
Effective SEO doesn’t happen overnight, but if you’re intentional and consistent in your SEO efforts, your Squarespace site can and will show up where your dream clients are searching.
Does SEO still feel overwhelming? I’m here for you. Reach out anytime—I love helping small business owners feel empowered and seen in the digital space.
Want more help? Let’s work together!
