Every website owner wants more traffic, better rankings, and improved conversions.
But if you’re using Squarespace, you might wonder if search engine optimization on this platform is any different.
The short answer? It has its quirks.
Squarespace is beginner-friendly, but it limits technical customizations.
Luckily, you don’t have to let that stop you from optimizing your site or competing with the best.
Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know about Squarespace SEO. We’re also sharing 14 advanced strategies you can start implementing right away.
Are SEO techniques for Squarespace websites different from SEO practices for other platforms?
Squarespace SEO shares common ground with other platforms. But there are unique challenges.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s the same across platforms?
SEO fundamentals are the same regardless of the platform you use.
Keyword research, content creation, and building backlinks are pivotal to improving search engine rankings on any website builder — including Squarespace.
These elements help search engines understand what your content is about and determine how relevant it is. User experience (UX) should also be taken into consideration in SEO performance. A site that’s easy to navigate and well-structured keeps users engaged and reduces bounce rates.
Mobile-first design is also important. (Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in its rankings.) If you ignore these basics, your site’s performance could suffer, no matter the platform.
What’s different?
While Squarespace offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface, it lacks the flexibility of platforms like WordPress.
WordPress users can automate tasks like adding schema markup or optimizing site speed with plugins, which makes these processes easier.
However, Squarespace requires manual intervention for advanced SEO features and technical issues.
(You’ll need to insert structured data and customize code for speed enhancements.) Since customization is limited to the platform’s built-in tools, advanced SEO tasks are more time-consuming.
Squarespace is also limited when it comes to scalability if you compare it to WordPress.
(You might also need to work with a developer if you’re looking to create an e-commerce website.)
Squarespace-specific SEO considerations
There are some SEO tasks that you can’t do — or you’ll need to get creative to do — if you have a Squarespace site.
Some specific examples include:
- Custom URL structures: Squarespace restricts URL customization, which could impact your ability to optimize URLs for specific keywords. For example, you can’t create complex URL hierarchies or change slugs globally. This means it’s important to be intentional with your page names from the start — since you may not be able to optimize URLs later on.
- SEO on image alt text: You’ll need to add alt text to images manually. Squarespace doesn’t auto-generate this as some other platforms do.
- Advanced analytics integration: Squarespace doesn’t offer built-in support for advanced tracking tools like Google Tag Manager, which limits integration options.
- Limited site speed optimization tools: To correct speed issues with caching or advanced compression, you need custom coding or third-party tools. (Unlike platforms with built-in features.)
- Content delivery network (CDN): While Squarespace uses a CDN by default, the platform doesn’t give you much control over its settings. This could hinder performance adjustments.
- Breadcrumbs navigation: Squarespace lacks support for native breadcrumbs. You’ll need to manually add this feature for better site navigation and SEO.
Now that we’ve run through the basics and what to consider, let’s go over some core strategies for Squarespace SEO.
And then move on to advanced techniques!
Core SEO techniques for Squarespace
When it comes to Squarespace, a few core SEO techniques are essential to making sure your site ranks well on search engines.
Here’s a breakdown of what you need for the basics.
Keyword research
Squarespace doesn’t provide built-in keyword research tools. You’ll need third-party platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner to find high-value keywords.
Use high search volume and low competition keywords. (Keep an eye on user intent, too.)
Focus on terms your audience is likely to search for. Once you’ve identified the right keywords, integrate them naturally into your content and headers.
Customizing URLs
Squarespace lets you edit your page URLs.
Keep them short, clear, and keyword-rich. For example, instead of “/page-12a,” use something more descriptive like “/about-us” or “/services.”
This helps with SEO and makes it easier for visitors to understand what they’ll find on each page.
Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions
Page titles and meta descriptions improve search visibility. And Squarespace lets you customize these fields easily.
Create SEO titles that include your target keywords and make them enticing to attract clicks.
Meta descriptions must be brief, informative, and summarize the page’s content to boost click-through rates. Both elements should accurately reflect the page content.
Image optimization
Search engines can’t “see” images like humans. So, make sure to optimize them for SEO.
Name image files with descriptive keywords before uploading them to your site.
(And pay attention to file size limits.) Also, add ALT text to every image using Squarespace’s built-in fields. This helps both accessibility and SEO, as this gives context to search engines about the content of your images.
Blog content
Squarespace’s blogging tools make it simple to publish fresh, high-quality content.
Consistent blogging is an effective way to increase organic traffic. Create valuable content that resonates with your audience, offers solutions, and engages readers. You can also include gated content to grow your email list.
Be mindful not to overuse category tags. This can cause duplicate content issues that harm SEO.
Internal linking
According to Ahrefs, 66.2% of site owners only add one dofollow incoming internal link to their pages.
Internal linking is vital for helping both users and search engines navigate your site.
Squarespace’s WYSIWYG editor makes it easy to add internal links.
They help guide visitors to more relevant content while improving your site’s overall structure. Internal links also help search engines crawl your site, so make sure to connect your pages for maximum SEO benefits.
Mobile optimization
While Squarespace templates are mobile-friendly, regularly check your site’s mobile performance.
Use tools like Lighthouse by Google so that your site looks good when people access it on their mobile devices.
Advanced SEO techniques for Squarespace websites
If you’re ready to take your Squarespace site to the next level, consider applying these advanced SEO techniques.
These can help you optimize your site further for better rankings beyond Squarespace’s built-in features.
1. Add custom code for schema markup
Squarespace doesn’t generate advanced schema markup automatically.
To increase your chances of being featured in rich snippets, you’ll need to add JSON-LD code blocks manually.
These code snippets help search engines better understand your content. For example, if you run an online store, add product schema to show prices, reviews, and availability directly in search results.
Use Google’s Schema Markup Testing Tool to set up your schema correctly.
2. Prioritize site speed optimization
You need a fast site speed for both user experience and SEO. Slow-loading sites often have high bounce rates, which negatively impact rankings.
To speed up your Squarespace site, start by compressing images before uploading them with tools like TinyPNG. Limit animations, third-party embeds, and custom fonts since these can all slow download times.
Track your site’s performance using Google PageSpeed Insights and follow its recommendations to improve speed.
3. Use third-party integrations
Squarespace integrates with Google Search Console and Google Analytics — two essential tools for tracking your site’s performance.
Connect your site to these tools to submit sitemaps to Google, track keyword rankings, and monitor search queries. These integrations also let you identify pages with high bounce rates so you can optimize them for better performance.
4. Implement advanced redirect management
While Squarespace handles 301 redirects automatically, you can take it further.
Use redirects to:
- Send traffic from old or underperforming pages to stronger ones
- Create vanity URLs for campaigns
- Consolidate duplicate content
Efficiently managing redirects helps search engines and users find the correct pages.
5. Optimize for multi-language SEO
If your Squarespace site targets an international audience, it’s important to implement multi-language SEO.
Use Squarespace’s multi-language features to create separate pages for different languages. Optimize metadata and content for each language.
(Use the rel=“alternate” hreflang=“x” tag in the Code Injection tool to specify language and regional targeting.) This helps search engines serve the right content to the right users in different regions.
6. Create content hubs with linked index pages
Content hubs organize your content and support your site’s SEO.
With Squarespace’s Index Page feature, you can cluster related content in a way that helps search engines better understand your site’s focus.
This setup makes it easier for users to navigate — and signals to search engines that your site is an authority on specific topics. (Use parent pages for main topics and child pages for subtopics.)
7. Create custom 404 pages for user retention
A custom 404 page enhances user experience by letting a visitor know they’ve hit a snag.
Instead of a generic “Page not found” message, create a 404 page that offers links to popular or high-performing pages. Or include a search bar. Use engaging copy and a clear call to action so that users stay longer on your website. This helps reduce bounce rates and improves SEO.
8. Optimize for local SEO
If your Squarespace site serves a specific geographic area, don’t forget about local SEO. You want your site to quickly appear in search results when people search location services.
Add a Google Maps block to your contact page to display your location. And use location-specific keywords in your titles, metadata, and content.
Make sure to also have a consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) across your site and in local directories. (Your business hours must also be consistent on all fronts.)
You can also add your site’s customer reviews with location references to improve your local SEO.
9. Use AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)
Squarespace doesn’t natively support AMP — but you can create custom AMP pages for key content.
AMP pages load faster on mobile devices and can improve rankings. Add the necessary HTML code via Code Injection and use canonical tags to direct users to the original page. Submit AMP pages to Google Search Console for indexing to ensure they appear in search results.
10. Try dynamic landing pages for seasonal campaigns
Dynamic landing pages are perfect for seasonal or promotional campaigns. A must-have in your Squarespace SEO strategy.
Use Squarespace’s duplicate page feature to create tailored landing pages focused on specific keywords and offers.
After the campaign ends, redirect these landing pages to relevant evergreen content to maintain SEO performance.
11. Implement advanced sitemap management
Squarespace automatically generates sitemaps. But you can refine them by excluding low-value pages.
For instance, some pages on your website, like your “Terms and Conditions” or “Thank You” pages, may not be necessary for search engines to index. They don’t help you rank better in search results, so you can exclude them from the sitemap.
Use the “Hide from Search Engines” option in the Page SEO settings for these pages. Submit your sitemap manually to Google and Bing for quicker indexing.
12. Build backlinks with content-specific strategies
Backlinks are pivotal for SEO — and Squarespace’s visual design features help you create content that others want to link to.
Create shareable resources like infographics, case studies, or data visualizations. Offer these valuable assets in exchange for backlinks to increase your site’s authority and improve SEO rankings.
13. Try advanced tracking with UTM parameters
UTM parameters let you track specific campaigns or traffic sources.
Image Source
These are codes you can add to URLs to track where your website traffic is coming from. (For instance, from an email campaign or a community forum.)
You can view this data in Google Analytics to see which channels generate the most organic search traffic.
14. Optimize custom fonts and icons
If you use custom fonts or icons, host them locally rather than relying on external sources.
External fonts and icons require extra HTTP requests to load, slowing down your site’s performance. When you host them locally, you reduce these requests, so your site loads faster.
Wrapping up on Squarespace SEO
Squarespace offers a solid foundation for SEO, but success requires effort. (Especially if you have ambitious scaling goals.)
Focus on high-quality content, fast load times, and strategic optimizations.
With the tips above, you can grow your organic traffic and turn your Squarespace site into a lead-generating machine.
PS: Need support? Let’s create an SEO checklist and custom Squarespace SEO strategy for your site. Book a free call with uSERP now.
