Squarespace is an excellent choice if you want to create an SEO-friendly website. Squarespace offers easy-to use templates and many SEO tools that will help you rank higher in Google search results.
Are you unsure where to start? You will learn everything you need about Squarespace SEO. I'll show you the best practices and the tools Squarespace has to offer.
Why should you care about SEO for Squarespace?
If no one is viewing your website, even the most beautiful site, it won't be of much use to you. SEO refers to optimizing a website for your target audience so that it is easy to find.
SEO for Squarespace refers to ensuring that your Squarespace website is well-respected by search engines.
Yoast is an SEO plugin that you may be familiar with if you have used WordPress or other website builders. Squarespace will not accept these plugins.
Wix and other site builders offer limited SEO tools, making it difficult to increase your rank.
Squarespace has a lot of SEO tools already built in. It is essential to understand how to optimize your website using these tools to ensure your online success.
10 SEO Tips for Squarespace
All the SEO advice available can make it easy to become overwhelmed. There are on-page and off-page SEO. And even best practices for SEO developers.
Squarespace takes care of all technical SEO aspects. Squarespace sites are all mobile-responsive right out of the gate.
However, there are several things that can be done to improve your site's ranking in Google, Bing and other search engines. These are the ten best practices for improving your Squarespace SEO.
1. 1.
Keyword research is the core of SEO. It doesn't matter which builder you choose, keyword research is essential. Although I have written many detailed guides on keyword research, I will only cover the basics.
Keywords refer to the phrases or words that users use to search engines for your website.
Sometimes they're quite obvious. For example, a Chicago dentist will likely target keywords such as “chicago dentist”.
Some terms may not be as obvious, such “dentist near you” or “root canal.” This is where a keyword research tool like Ubersuggest (it's completely free!) can help. It can also be useful to look up the following terms.
Enter your keyword to see the results for other terms.
These are the terms you want to use in your domain name, URLs and page titles. We'll get to that later.
You might also want to research the terms used by your competitors. This will give you an idea of what terms people are searching for.
2. Optimize your Domain Name
Although domain names don't directly affect SEO, they can have an impact on your overall SEO performance.
For example, if someone wants a dentist in Chicago, do you think they'll click on a site like www.chicagodentist.com or www.marymandyddc.com?
It is easy to use keywords in your domain name to help clarify the purpose of your site and build your brand.
You don't need to make any changes to an existing website that ranks well. However, you can redirect it to a more SEO-friendly URL if you wish.
Do not forget to include keywords in the domain name if you're just starting out.
3. 3.
Do you remember the keywords we discussed in step one? Include them in your URLs.
Also, make sure that your URLs are clear and easy to read, especially for product or service pages.
For example (sticking with the dentist example from above), the pediatric dentist service page should be www.chicagodentist.com/pediatric,not www.chicagodentist.com/he12909vhsw#.
Clear URLs are more effective in search and appear more trustworthy to users.
Here's how you can change your Squarespace URL:
- Click Pages from the Home menu.
- To open page settings, click the gear icon.
- In the URL Slug field, type your new URL.
- Select Save.
4. Integrate with Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a tool that allows you to monitor and maintain your Google search presence. Squarespace can integrate it with Google Search Console to allow them to share data. This makes it easier for SEO professionals to identify where their efforts are working and where they aren't.
This console allows you to easily verify your site. You can also see all of the Google data in your Squarespace Analytics dashboard. There's no need to visit multiple sites.
Follow this guide from Squarespace's support page to integrate.
5. 5.
Meta titles and descriptions, also known as SEO page titles or descriptions, are brief blurbs that appear in search results and tell users what your page is about.
These are the key to driving traffic. Google will make them for you if they aren't already created.
Here are the steps to update your SEO page titles on Squarespace.
- Select Pages from the Home menu.
- Click the gear icon beside the title.
- Click on the tab and then add your title in the field.
- Select Save.
SEO titles can and should be added to all pages, blog posts included. This guide will show you how to create SEO-friendly meta titles and descriptions.
Meta titles and descriptions should generally:
- Include the keyword that you are trying to target
- Give clear information about the contents of what the user will see if they click
6. Google My Business Integration
This is an important step to take if you own a brick-and mortar business. Google My Business, a free tool that allows you to manage the visibility of your business in Google Maps as well as search results, is available.
You might have noticed the “Google three-pack” during a search for a local company.
Google pulls information from Google My Business about hours, pricing, reviews and pricing.
GMB is valuable but managing another platform can be a headache for smaller businesses. Squarespace makes it simple by connecting directly to Google My Business to manage and update your listing.
Here are the steps to integrate Squarespace with GMB.
- Select Marketing from the Home menu. Next, select Location Management.
- Select Add Location.
- Click Import From Google.
You can create a GMB account in Squarespace if you don't have one. Follow the steps to set it up. After you have integrated, you will be able to push and pull data directly from your website to Google.
7. Make a custom 404 page
A 404 page is a page that users see after clicking on a link which doesn't exist, has been moved, but not redirected. Here is mine:
When used correctly, the 404 pages can improve your SEO and user experience.
It is used to direct users towards my SEO tool. However, users can also be directed to blog posts, product pages, and other important pages. This helps users stay on your site and allows them to find the information they are looking for.
A custom 404 page can increase page time, which can help improve SEO.
This is how you can create a Squarespace 404 page.
8. 8.
SSL certificates (secure sockets layers) encrypt data that is transmitted between your website server and it. It increases website security and is essential for all websites, but especially for e-commerce sites.
It's not only a great idea but it also helps Google rank your website. Therefore, Squarespace users who enable SSL are more likely to be successful in SEO.
Squarespace makes it easy. All sites on Squarespace are protected by an SSL certificate. You can change several settings to suit your needs.
How to verify your Squarespace SSL certificate settings:
- Select Settings from the Homepage menu. Next, choose Advanced.
- Select SSL.
- Select Security Preferences.
- You can check the boxes for Secure and HSTS Secure.
- Click Save.
9. Make high-quality content
Good SEO is built on high-quality content. It is fresh and useful content that Google loves.
Squarespace allows you to easily add a blog on your website. However, many themes already have them in place.
After you have created your blog page, it is time to start writing. You have two options: you can either write it yourself or hire a freelancer. To get a better idea of the type of content that your target audience is looking for, I recommend you write it yourself.
Begin by brainstorming topic ideas. What are the most common questions you get? What are your customers' most pressing problems? These problems should be addressed.
These are some other ways to create high-quality, useful content.
- Offer useful information: Answer a question, provide a step-by-step guide, or give advice. This can be done by keyword research.
- Separate content: Use headings and lists to break down longer pieces and make them easier to read.
- Be specific You don't have to write for everyone. Instead, you should write for your target audience or a subset thereof. This post, for example, isn't about SEO as a whole; it's only for Squarespace users. While a dentist might write “how to brush your teeth”, “How to teach your children to brush their teeth properly” would be more helpful.
- Optimize your content. After you have created useful and high-quality content, take a look at Squarespace's best practices for content creation to make sure your audience can find it.
10. To add internal links to important content
These links link to pages within your website. These links improve the user experience by helping users locate pages. They are also great for SEO.
Google can use internal links to help them understand the most important pages on your website. Internal links are also used by search engines to link to pages on your website.
Internal links should not be excessive. My goal is to have 5-10 internal links per 2000-word article. This seems to be a good compromise. You would include fewer links if you have only 10 pages.
Optimize your anchor text, which is the words users click to go to a specific link.
Make sure that the links you include are useful. This is not a place where you spam users with information about your latest product. It's about leading them on useful pages.
This is how you can add text links to Squarespace sites.
Squarespace SEO Commonly Asked Questions
What template is best to use for Squarespace SEO?
Squarespace templates are very SEO-friendly. Brine wins high marks for being able to customize headers and content insets as well as adjust mobile styles. Advanced features such as parallax scrolling can be added.
Are Squarespace and SEO good?
Yes. Squarespace has many SEO tools and features that can help you optimize your site. Although there are some features and tools that you cannot access, Squarespace offers many SEO tools.
Optimizing SEO for Squarespace is free
SEO features are available in all paid plans. This means that SEO is included in your monthly plan. Some features are not available for Commerce or Business customers. When comparing plans, be sure to take into account your SEO requirements.
What are the negative aspects of Squarespace? How can you overcome them
Squarespace's biggest drawback is its lack of control. While many templates can be adjusted easily, customization options are limited. These issues can be overcome by carefully considering the options available and choosing a format that fits your business.
Squarespace SEO Conclusion
It is essential to understand how to use Squarespace's SEO tools to achieve online success. Although Squarespace SEO is different from other website builders, it still offers a variety of SEO tools.
I recommend keyword research if you aren't yet building your website. My team is available to assist you if you need it.
Do you use Squarespace? Are you happy with the SEO tools they offer?
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By: Neil Patel
Title: 10 Best Practices for Squarespace SEO
Sourced From: neilpatel.com/blog/squarespace-seo/
Published Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000