How to Do SEO for Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the most popular website builders, standing right up there with contenders like WordPress, Shopify, and Wix. 

Starting at $29/month, it’s a budget-friendly option for creative professionals and small business owners who aren't necessarily tech-savvy but appreciate smooth performance. The price doesn’t mean you sacrifice aesthetics; Its drag-and-drop editor and templates make the sites professional and visually pleasing.

That being said, one question remains: Is Squarespace good for SEO?

TL;DR: Squarespace gives users an acceptable foundation for SEO – but don’t expect it to excel at the job. While it includes built-in SEO features made to simplify your climb to the top of the SERPs, you’re still the one who has to put in the effort with consistency, a reliable overview of your rankings, and a clear path forward. 

This guide will help you understand how to optimize your Squarespace site for search engines while keeping an objective lens on the platform's strengths and limitations.

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Is Squarespace SEO-Friendly?

Squarespace is SEO-friendly in some aspects, but it doesn’t cover all bases. Like most modern website builders, it comes with essential SEO tools to help your site rank better in search engines. 

Some key built-in Squarespace SEO features include:

• Built-in meta tags
• Clean HTML markup for heading tags 
• Structured data for rich results 
• SSL certificates
• Automatic sitemap updates
• Mobile optimization

What are Squarespace’s SEO limitations?  

The limitations that might hold you (and search engines) back are:

• Squarespace doesn’t support WebP, a next-generation image format known for its smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. This makes your image files larger, which may slow down your website’s loading time – a factor that directly impacts SEO and user experience.
• The platform uses a default schema markup for local businesses that can’t be changed. This is limiting for websites that fall outside this category or have specific structured data needs, such as e-commerce sites that want custom product reviews or rich snippets.
• You can’t streamline or modify Squarespace’s underlying code. This means you’re unable to fine-tune certain technical aspects, like optimizing JavaScript or CSS. That also makes advanced customizations, like creating unique navigation patterns or optimizing for very specific technical SEO requirements, difficult without using third-party tools.
• The Squarespace Extensions Marketplace offers very few SEO tools compared to platforms like WordPress, which boasts hundreds of plugins for keyword research, advanced SEO audits, and content optimization.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid Squarespace completely. Just be cognizant of where it’s lacking, so you can supplement with other tools and tactics! 

How to Optimize Your Squarespace Site for SEO

Check Your SSL Status in Squarespace

Every Squarespace site comes with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate enabled by default. In simple terms, it protects sensitive information – like passwords or credit card details – from being intercepted by hackers.

Beyond security, having SSL active also boosts your site’s credibility (indicated by the padlock icon in browsers) and can positively impact your search rankings. After all, Google prioritizes HTTPS-secured sites in the SERPs. 

To confirm SSL is active on your Squarespace site, follow these steps:

1. Go to SSL settings:

• Go to your Squarespace dashboard.
• Click on Settings, then go to Advanced > Developer Tools > SSL.

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Keep in mind that Squarespace can’t generate an SSL certificate for your domain until you point your domain to their servers. This means you’ll need to update your domain’s DNS settings to link it to Squarespace if it’s not hosted with the platform.

Enjoy Automatic Sitemap Updates, but Be Aware of Potential Setbacks

Squarespace automatically generates a sitemap for your site at /sitemap.xml and keeps it up to date whenever you add, remove, or modify pages. This way, search engines can easily find and index your content without your manual effort. 

For example: if you launch a new blog, the sitemap will reflect that change within 24 hours, giving search engines the nudge they need to crawl your site.

Just make sure your site’s availability is set to Public. If your site is Private or Password Protected, your sitemap won’t load, and search engines won’t be able to access it.

Squarespace’s sitemap is non-editable, which can be tricky if you have specific needs such as the following:

• You might want to exclude certain pages, like internal landing pages or thank-you pages, from being listed in the sitemap.
• Advanced users might want to assign priority levels to different pages, signaling which pages search engines should prioritize crawling.
• For very large sites, organizing URLs into sections might help search engines process your site more effectively.

If the above applies to you, you’d need to create and upload a custom sitemap manually using third-party tools.

Add Sitewide Titles and Descriptions

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Squarespace makes it easy to manage your site title and descriptions – two key factors for helping search engines and visitors understand your website’s purpose. You can also customize titles and descriptions for individual pages without needing any coding knowledge. Here’s how:

HTML Heading Tags for Structure

In Squarespace, you don’t need to worry about manually adding HTML markup for headings. Headings like <h1> and <h2> are automatically created within your site’s code. These HTML tags give structure to your content, and search engines use them to index your site. 

One example of an H1 is your site title, AKA the main identifier of your site. Here’s how to edit it:

1. Click Edit in the top-left corner of your site preview.
2. Hover over the header and click Edit Site Header.
3. Click your site title or logo, then click the pencil icon.
4. Add a new title in the text field. (Note: Site titles have a 120-character limit.)
5. Click Save to finalize your changes or Exit and then Save to close the editor.

Meta Tags (or SEO Descriptions) in Squarespace

Squarespace uses terms like "meta tags" and "SEO descriptions" interchangeably, which can confuse some users. 

To clarify: when you add SEO descriptions in Squarespace, the platform automatically generates the corresponding <meta> tags in your site’s HTML. These tags help generate meta descriptions which search engines use to identify your page titles and content, improving how your site appears in search results.

Each page and blog post on your Squarespace site should have unique descriptions. They not only help search engines understand your content but also act as a preview for users on search results pages.

For example, if you’re editing a product page, your description could be something like:
"Shop our handmade ceramic mugs – perfect for coffee lovers and unique gifts."

Here’s how to add or edit an SEO description (or meta tag):

1. Go to the Pages Panel.
2. Click the gear icon (Page Settings) next to the page you want to edit.
3. Navigate to the SEO Tab.
4. Enter your description.
5. Save your changes.

Those SEO titles and descriptions will integrate automatically with social sharing settings, so that when someone shares your page, platforms like Facebook and Twitter display them nicely, like so:

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Customize the Necessary URL Slugs

Squarespace automatically generates clean, SEO-friendly URLs for your pages. For example, if you create an "About Us" page, the URL slug will be something straightforward like /about-us, resulting in a full URL like www.yourwebsite.com/about-us.

While the platform assigns slugs based on your page title, you might want to refine or update them for better clarity, readability, or SEO. This is especially true for blog posts or e-commerce items, where default slugs might look confusing and not fully optimized for search visibility.

You’ll also need your slugs when setting up:

• Links to specific collection items (like individual products or blog posts).
• Anchor links for navigating to a specific section of a page.
• RSS feeds and URL redirects.

To find or edit a page’s slug:

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1. Go to your Squarespace dashboard and open the Pages panel.
2. Hover over the page you want to edit and click the gear icon to open its settings.
3. Update the URL in the URL Slug field.
4. Click Save.

If you’re logged in, the URL might not include the slug directly. To view it, use the Full Preview Mode. Just click the expand arrow in the top corner to preview the page. The slug will appear in the address bar after your domain name.

Note that changing a URL slug doesn’t automatically redirect old links to the new URL. This can lead to 404 errors if visitors try to access the outdated link. To prevent this:

• Set up a 301 Redirect to redirect traffic from the old URL to the new one. 
• Edit any external or internal links pointing to the old URL. For internal page links within Squarespace, check and update those too.

Add Alt Text to Images

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Alt text improves website accessibility by providing a description of images for users who rely on screen readers. It also helps search engines understand your content better, as they can’t “see” images but can read the alt text. By including keywords naturally in your alt text, you can improve your SEO without stuffing.

Here’s how to add alt text to images in Squarespace:

1. Hover over the image and click Edit Content.
2. Locate the Image Alt Text field.
3. Enter a short, clear description of the image.
4. Save. 

A sentence or less is often enough. You don’t need to describe every color or detail unless it’s vital to the content. Plus, avoid starters like “image of” or “screenshot of.” You can safely jump straight to what the image represents.

Use Structured Data to Get Featured in Rich Results

Squarespace automatically generates some structured data (also known as schema markup), for your website. This type of data helps search engines like Google better understand your content and display rich search results. 

The platform’s built-in schema supports:

• E-commerce sites: Displays product details like names, images, prices, and availability in search results.
• Event sites: Highlights event details such as dates, times, and locations for local happenings.
• Local businesses: Shows essential business information, including addresses, phone numbers, and operating hours.

That said, it doesn’t allow you to edit or add custom schema markup. This could be a drawback if your website requires schema types that Squarespace doesn’t support.

What If You Need Custom Schema Markup for Squarespace?

If you need schema types beyond what Squarespace offers – such as FAQs, reviews, or recipes – you’ll need to implement them manually. This involves adding custom code to your site’s header or directly embedding JSON-LD scripts. For most users, this means following these general steps:

1. Generate the schema markup: Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or a JSON-LD generator to create your custom schema.
2. Copy the generated code: Once your markup is ready, copy the JSON-LD script.
3. Add it to your Squarespace site: Paste the code into your site’s header using the Code Injection tool (found in your site settings).

While this approach requires some technical effort, it’s a good solution if you need more control over your structured data.

Physical Store Owner? Don’t Forget Local SEO Capabilities

If you run a brick-and-mortar business, Local SEO is your key to standing out in search results and connecting with nearby customers. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Make sure your address, phone number, and email are identical across your website, social media pages, and online directories. Inconsistencies can confuse both search engines and potential customers.
• Sprinkle city or neighborhood names throughout your site in a natural way. 
• Take a look at local competitors’ websites. Are they using phrases or targeting services you’re missing? Adopt those search terms strategically if they’re relevant. 
• If you haven’t already, set up and optimize your Google Business Profile. 

Use Squarespace’s Location Management Feature

Squarespace offers a built-in Location Management tool for Business and Commerce plan users. You can manage details for up to 10 physical stores and even sync them with your Google Business Profile. While the customization options are limited, it’s a helpful starting point for keeping your store data consistent across platforms.

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Use Squarespace’s Analytics to Monitor SEO Progress

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Squarespace analytics can help you track search keywords, visitor traffic, and top-performing content directly from your dashboard. You can also connect both your Google Search Console (GSC) and Google Analytics account to access search performance insights like queries, clicks, and impressions.

To connect to GSC: 

1. Go to Analytics > Search Keywords in your Squarespace menu.
2. Click Connect in the pop-up and log into your Google account.
3. Allow permissions and wait up to 72 hours for data to appear.

If connection issues pop up, use the Connected Accounts panel for authorization.

To connect to Google Analytics: 

1. Open Developer Tools > External API Keys.
2. Enter your measurement ID (e.g., G-XXXXXX) in the Google Analytics field and click Save.
3. Wait 24 hours for statistics to start showing.

Don’t forget to Enable Consent Mode and a cookie banner to comply with GDPR and communicate visitor consent to Google.

Heads Up: AMPs are No Longer Recommended

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs) were once a gold standard for mobile performance, but they’ve become less relevant as mobile optimization techniques evolved. Squarespace still mentions them as one of their SEO features, but they’re no longer recommended.

The Verdict: You Shouldn’t Blindly Trust Squarespace with Your SEO

SEO isn’t Squarespace’s strongest suit. It does offer tools to handle some of the essential, ongoing aspects of SEO. And those details matter – but so does knowing how to prioritize them.

Without guidance, you might focus on something minor while overlooking opportunities that could boost your rankings faster.

That’s where a tool like SiteGuru steps in, working alongside Squarespace to bridge the gap.

From broken links to slow-loading pages, SiteGuru flags and ranks the problems that can quietly sabotage your site’s performance. Plus, it breaks everything down into simple terms so you’re never left scratching your head.

On top of that, SiteGuru delivers weekly updates on your site’s SEO health, keyword performance, and new opportunities. No need to log in daily.

All in all, Squarespace is a fantastic platform for building beautiful, SEO-almost-ready websites. But as any expert will tell you, the best SEO results come from a combination of Squarespace’s tools and your effort. 

Test-drive SiteGuru for 14 days and start making rank-worthy changes right away!