10 Squarespace SEO Tips from a Squarespace Designer

As a more introverted person who never envisioned myself diving into the world of conferences and networking events, I found myself relying heavily on SEO to win clients when I started working for myself. Little did I know that this approach would become the cornerstone of my business success.

Over the years, I've experimented extensively with various SEO strategies, refining my approach and learning what truly works. In this article, I'm excited to share my top 10 SEO tips that have helped me climb the ranks and could do the same for you.

1. Intro

2. Think About User Intent, Not Just Keywords

3. Demonstrate Your Expertise: Pillar Pages and Content Clusters

4. Build on Your Brand

5. Lean into Video Content

6. Implement On-Page SEO

7. Leverage Google Search Console

8. Prioritize Internal Linking

9. Create Focused Pages

10. Leverage Local SEO

11. Continuously Experiment

Before embarking on my entrepreneurial journey, I had spent years learning about SEO, thanks in large part to the invaluable resources provided by Moz, namely Rand Fishkin. Undertanding how and why websites showed up in search engines, and the art of gaining visibility in search engines had always fascinated me. This passion would prove to be a game-changer in my solo career as a marketing strategist and Squarespace designer.

Fast forward to today, and I'm now receiving weekly leads, (at one point this summer, I was even recieving a lead a day) all stemming from my SEO efforts. It's a testament to the power of search engine optimization, especially for those of us who aren’t likely to be passing out our business cards at local events.

So, whether you're a fellow introvert looking to grow your business or simply someone keen to harness the power of SEO, you’re in the right place. Let's dig into these proven strategies that can helped me build my business and can help you grow your online visibility.

1. Think About User Intent, Not Just Keywords

While keywords are still important, it's crucial to focus on user intent rather than simply chasing keywords. The Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework is an excellent approach to understanding what content people are actually looking for.

When I first started my business, I offered a broad range of services including web design and digital marketing. I was focusing on search terms for digital marketing (my career to date) and web design. And while I was getting leads, often people were looking for something like Google Ads Management - something I had a lot of experience in and certifications for, but I didn’t want to offer Google Ads services. There was a disconnect between search intent and my service offerings. I realized I wasn't effectively reaching my target audience or addressing their specific search intent. Through careful analysis and customer feedback, I discovered a crucial insight:

For a more streamlined process and better alignment with customer needs, I needed to niche down to focus specifically on marketing strategy and Squarespace design.

Another key point here, I recall thinking, “Can i really call myself a web designer if I build on Squarespace, not WordPress?” or thinking I wanted to cast a wider net for “web design” and gain more traffic, but the truth is, this can be another vanity metric. Especially when I didn’t intend to operate an agency and contract out web designers to build across different platforms. While not as celebrated, long-tail keywords can be your true champions, especially in helping you capture search intent and win warmer leads.

Additionally, there are over 4 million websites built on Squarespace - that’s right, 4 million!! Squarespace is currently the most popular website builder in the United States. All of this to say, I learned, I can certainly call myself a website designer and build on Squarespace, and secondly, there is enough volume to niche down to “Squarespace web designer.”

This realization led me to identify the "jobs" users were truly trying to accomplish:

Rather than chasing keywords, I needed to identify the "job" users are trying to accomplish: Instead of focusing on broad keywords, I now think about the underlying tasks or problems users are trying to solve, while also organically incorporating relevant keywords.

Some of these tasks, for example, include:

• Wanting to transfer to an easy-to-use website (many people love the idea of having a foundation built for them that they can grow with)

• Upgrading an outdated Squarespace site to 7.1

• Generally speaking, making their website look better, more organized, and overall more professional

• Adding additional capabilities like e-commerce to an existing Squarespace site while maintaining brand consistency

• Businesses and entrepreneurs seeking expert guidance on marketing strategy that they / a small team can execute

• Getting help with online visibility for their Squarespace website through content strategy and SEO

By niching down to Squarespace design and marketing strategy, I was able to:

• Better address the specific needs of my target audience

• Improve the relevance of my content to search intent

• Establish myself as an expert in a specific area

• Create more focused and effective marketing messages

• Grow organic traffic

• Gain more leads

This approach has allowed me to land on the first page of Google in Canada for the terms "Squarespace designer” and “Squarespace web designer” and “Squarespace designer near me.” By creating content that addresses these specific needs, you're more likely to attract and engage your target audience, leading to better SEO results.

Speaking of creating content that addresses specific needs, it is also crucial to think about where people are in the buyer’s journey to deliver content that best meets their needs. Learn more about creating content mapped to the content funnel here.

2. Demonstrate Your Expertise with Pillars and Content Clusters

Demonstrating expertise is a crucial component of E-E-A-T(Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), a key factor in Google's assessment of content quality, It involves showcasing deep knowledge and understanding of your subject matter. Sharing personal strategies and firsthand experiences is key to differentiating yourself from those offering generic advice. This authentic approach not only establishes your credibility but also resonates with your audience, setting you apart as a genuine authority in your field.

One effective way to demonstrate expertise and improve your E-E-A-T signals is through the creation of pillar pages. Pillar pages are comprehensive, authoritative resources on a specific topic that link to more detailed, related content. They help to:

1. Establish your depth of knowledge on a subject

2. Organize your content in a user-friendly, easily navigable structure

3. Showcase the breadth of your expertise across related subtopics

4. Improve internal linking, which can boost your site's SEO performance

By creating well-structured pillar pages, you not only provide value to your audience but also signal to search engines that you're a reliable, knowledgeable source in your field. Here's how to implement this strategy:

1. Identify Your Content Pillars

Let’s use the example of a fitness coach. For a fitness coach looking to establish a strong online presence, the first step is to identify your main content pillars. Content pillars are the primary topics or themes that form the foundation of your content strategy. These pillars should align with your expertise, your target audience's interests, and the services you offer.

Example Content Pillars for a Fitness Coach:

1. Strength Training

2. Mental Health and Wellness

3. Nutrition

4. Recovery and Injury Prevention

5. Lifestyle and Habit FormationCreate a Pillar Page

These pillars cover the main areas a fitness coach might focus on to provide comprehensive guidance to potential clients. In this example, let’s focus on the mental health and wellness pillar to create a pillar page.

2. Create A Pillar Page

For this example, let's focus on the "Mental Health and Wellness" pillar. The fitness coach could create a pillar page titled "Mindful Fitness: The Ultimate Guide to Mental Health and Physical Wellness" - this would serve as the central hub for all mental health and wellness related content. This page should provide a comprehensive overview of how mental health intersects with fitness and overall well-being. Here’s how they might structure this pillar page.

Structure of the Pillar Page:

• Introduction to Mental Health in Fitness

• The Mind-Body Connection

• Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health

• Strategies for Improving Mental Wellness Through Fitness

• Overcoming Mental Barriers in Fitness

• The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

• Sleep and Mental Health

• Mindfulness and Meditation in Fitness

• Conclusion and Next Steps

This pillar page would provide an overview of each of these topics, linking to more in-depth pages or content clusters related to mental health and wellness. Here are a few examples of what these could look like:

• "The Mind-Body Connection: How Exercise Impacts Mental Health"

  • Topics: Neurotransmitters, endorphins, stress reduction, cognitive function

• "Mindfulness and Meditation in Fitness: Enhancing Performance and Well-being"

  • Topics: Guided meditations, mindful exercise, focus techniques

• "The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health and Athletic Performance"

  • Topics: Mood-boosting foods, hydration, balanced diet for mental clarity

Each of these content clusters would be a separate page or article that goes into depth on its specific topic. These pages would link back to the main pillar page and, where relevant, to each other.

By creating this structure, the fitness coach establishes a comprehensive resource on mental health in fitness. However, before embarking on such an extensive content effort, it's crucial to consider the most effective approach based on your specific business needs and strengths.

Prioritizing Marketing Efforts

Conducting a digital marketing SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is an excellent starting point for identifying marketing priorities. This process helps identify the most suitable channels for your business and allows you to allocate resources efficiently.

For instance, if the fitness coach has already built a strong presence on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, it might be more beneficial to adapt the content pillars for these channels rather than focusing heavily on traditional SEO. In this case, optimizing content for TikTok as a search engine could be more impactful than prioritizing Google rankings.

That said, long-form content still holds value, particularly for establishing authority and differentiation in a saturated market. If resources allow, creating comprehensive guides like the one outlined above can serve multiple purposes:

• Demonstrating expertise and depth of knowledge

• Providing valuable resources for your audience

• Supporting email marketing efforts through newsletters

• Enhancing website credibility and visibility

Focus On Adding Value

This is a great time to point out that I always believe you should start with quality content that has value and not just content for the sake of SEO. Visibility in search engines is a wonderful byproduct of creating meaningful content. And, if you are going to the lengths of creating content, I believe it makes a lot sense to optimize it for search engines to make the most of your efforts.

Remember, the most effective content strategy is one that aligns with your business goals, resonates with your target audience, and leverages your unique strengths based on what your unique digital landscape. By taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to content creation and distribution, you can maximize the impact of your efforts and build a strong, authoritative presence.

3. Build on Your Brand

Brand is becoming increasingly important after a decade of focus on performance marketing, and focusing on brand-specific SEO can be a highly effective strategy.

Let’s continue with the example above with the fitness coach, and let’s give them the fictitious company, Apex Athletica.

If you were the fitness coach, you may quickly learn that you likely wont rank for a seed keyword like “mental health” or even a longer tail keyword like “mental health for fitness.” To do so, you’d need to compete with sites like Harvard that share articles and research papers on the topic and have a ton of topical authority. With that said, do not despair. You may not be able to show up for desired keywords, but you can still create an impression and get people to search your brand name.

One highly effective strategy for enhancing brand awareness is to strategically incorporate your brand name into the content you share. This approach works well for various types of content, including videos and other formats. Here are some key tactics:

• Branded Outros: Include your brand name on the last slide or outro of your videos or presentations.

• Create Branded Series: Develop a series of content pieces that consistently feature your brand name.

• Optimize for Brand Recall: Even if you don't rank for specific keywords, these techniques can create a lasting impression, making it easier for people to remember and refer your brand.

• Value-First Approach: Always prioritize creating valuable content for your audience.

• Strategic Optimization: When optimizing your content, align it with your goals:

  • For brand awareness, include your brand name in the title tag.

  • For SEO, focus on relevant keywords.

• Balancing Act: Strike a balance between providing value and promoting your brand subtly.

Remember, the key is to create content that serves your audience while strategically positioning your brand for maximum visibility and recall. This approach ensures that your content marketing efforts contribute to both immediate engagement and long-term brand building.

Focusing on your brand name in online searches can be really valuable, even if you're not showing up for general fitness terms right away. Let's use "Apex Athletica" as an example for the fitness coach.

• Easy to Find: When someone hears about your classes and searches "Apex Athletica," they should find your website right away.

• Research: People often look up a business before deciding to use it. Make sure they find good information about you.

• Protect Your Image: By appearing at the top of search results for your name, you can better manage what people see about your business. It’s better you come up in search results than a competitor talking about why they are a better pick, right?

• Build Credibility: As more people find and click on your website, search engines start to see you as more important.

• Turn Searches into Sales: People searching for "Apex Athletica" are likely interested in what you offer, so make it easy for them to find you and buy from you.

The Growing Importance of Brand

A strong brand is a powerful asset that serves multiple crucial functions. It builds trust and credibility with your audience, setting you apart from competitors in a crowded marketplace. Furthermore, it fosters emotional connections with customers, leading to increased loyalty and higher retention rates. Ultimately, a well-established brand becomes a cornerstone of business success, driving long-term growth and customer satisfaction.

4. Lean into Video Content

In my experience, incorporating video content into your Squarespace site can significantly boost your SEO efforts. I've personally seen my video guides consistently outrank purely written content.

I've found that leaning into video content has been incredibly beneficial for growing visibility in search engines. I've personally seen my video guides consistently outrank purely written content. As a notable example, I created a lengthier video in podcast format discussing content strategy and SEO, which surprisingly outranked my long-form written content on the same topic. This personal experience aligns with broader trends in digital marketing and SEO, highlighting the power of video content in today's online landscape.

Here's why video content is so effective:

• Engagement and Time on Page: Videos keep visitors on your site longer, signaling value to search engines.

• Versatility and Content Repurposing: A single video can be transformed into multiple content formats, maximizing SEO efforts. For example, transcripts can be turned into blog posts or articles, key points can be extracted for social media posts, audio can be used for podcasts, and so on. This multi-format approach helps you cover more ground in search results and cater to different user preferences.

• Trust and Connection: Video builds personal connections and credibility faster than text alone. This is especially true as more and more AI developed content is churned out.

• Prominence in Search Results: Search engines often prioritize video content, increasing visibility.

• Accessibility and User Experience: Videos can make complex information more accessible and easier to understand. This improved user experience can lead to lower bounce rates and higher engagement.

• Social Sharing and Backlinking: Video content is highly shareable, increasing brand visibility and potential backlinks.

Are you ready to get started with video? Veed.io and Canva provide robust, user-friendly tools that make creating stunning videos accessible to anyone. Both platforms offer features like adding music, uploading GIFs, and creating smooth transitions to enhance your content. Leaning into video content is not just a trend but a smart, sustainable strategy for 2025 and beyond. Its ability to humanize your brand, provide educational value, and enhance engagement across multiple platforms make it a cornerstone of an effective marketing strategy.

5. Implement On-Page SEO Best Practices

On-page SEO is crucial for helping search engines understand and rank your content effectively. On-page SEO is like giving Google's spiders a clear roadmap of your website, demonstrating why your page is the best result for specific queries.

Imagine you run a gluten-free bakery in NYC. When someone searches for "best gluten-free bakery NYC," on-page SEO tactics help signal to search engines that your website is highly relevant. By optimizing elements like title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and content with targeted keywords, you're essentially telling Google, "This is the page you're looking for!"

Many businesses unknowingly hinder their search visibility by failing to clearly communicate their offerings to search engines. For instance, a bakery might use a header image of baked goods with a vague title like "Yummm." While this approach might appeal to visitors, it gives Google little context about the business. The key is striking a balance: create an engaging website for visitors while providing clear, keyword-rich information for search engines. This might mean using headers like "NYC's Premier Gluten-Free Bakery" or including descriptive alt text for images. By doing so, you're optimizing for both user experience and search engine understanding, increasing your chances of ranking well for relevant searches.

For Squarespace users, leveraging on-page SEO is particularly important. While the platform offers built-in SEO features, knowing how to use them effectively can significantly boost your site's visibility.

Here's a checklist of on-page SEO best practices for Squarespace:

✅ Use descriptive, keyword-rich page titles (60-70 characters)

✅ Write compelling meta descriptions (150-160 characters)

✅ Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content

✅ Include your target keyword in the first 100 words of your content

✅ Use internal links to connect related content

✅ Optimize images with descriptive file names and alt text

✅ Ensure your content is mobile-friendly

✅ Improve page load speed by optimizing images and minimizing custom code

✅ Use schema markup where appropriate (e.g., for events, products, or reviews)

✅ Create unique, valuable content for each page

I’ve created a more detailed guide about on-page SEO for Squarespace websites , including examples here. You can also find my Squarespace SEO checklist here.

By consistently applying these best practices, you'll make it easier for search engines to crawl, understand, and rank your Squarespace site.

6. Leverage Google Search Console

When creating a new Squarespace website, many site owners find themselves stumped and frustrated when their site doesn't appear in Google search results. This is a common problem, and it often occurs because the website hasn't been properly submitted to search engines. One crucial step that's frequently overlooked is registering and verifying the site with Google Search Console.

Google Search Console is a powerful, free tool that provides valuable insights into your site's search performance. It's essential because it helps you understand how Google sees your site and allows you to submit new pages for indexing, speeding up the process. The tool alerts you to any crawl errors or security issues and shows which queries are driving traffic to your site. Additionally, it provides data on your site's mobile usability, monitors core web vitals and page experience, and displays your site's backlink profile and internal linking structure. One of its key features is the ability to disavow spammy links, protecting your site's reputation.

To make the most of Google Search Console:

1. Set up your account and verify your Squarespace site

2. Submit your sitemap

3. Regularly check for any crawl errors or manual actions

4. Use the "URL Inspection" tool to submit new pages for indexing

5. Analyze your search queries to identify new content opportunities

6. Monitor your site's performance metrics and core web vitals

7. Review your site's mobile usability and fix any issues

8. Check your site's links (both internal and external) for optimization

9. Use the "Performance" report to track your site's search visibility over time

10. Set up email alerts for critical issues or significant changes in performance

By actively using Google Search Console, you can ensure that your Squarespace site is being properly indexed, identify areas for improvement in your SEO strategy, and stay on top of any issues that might affect your search rankings. Regular monitoring and action based on the insights provided can significantly boost your site's visibility and performance in search results.

7. Prioritize Internal Linking

Internal linking is an important yet often overlooked aspect of website optimization. When I first learned about the importance of internal linking and implemented a strategic approach, I saw a notable increase in my website's visibility and overall performance.

Internal linking is the practice of connecting different pages within your website through hyperlinks. This simple technique plays a key role in both enhancing user experience and boosting search engine optimization (SEO). Internal linking connects different pages on your website, helping search engines understand your site structure, distribute link equity, and improve user navigation.

Here’s how internal linking can help improve your Squarespace website:

• Improved crawlability: Helps search engines discover and index pages faster.

• Enhanced user experience: Makes it easier for visitors to find relevant content.

• Increased link equity: Distributes "link juice" from high-authority to lower-authority pages.

• Longer session duration: Encourages users to explore more of your content.

• Reduced bounce rate: Keeps visitors engaged with your site.

• Establishes content hierarchy: Helps both users and search engines understand which pages are most important.

Ready to get strarted with internal linking? Heres’ 7 best practices for internal linking for your Squarespace website:

1. Use descriptive anchor text: Instead of "click here," use keywords that describe the linked content.

2. Link to relevant content: Ensure that linked pages are topically related.

3. Create a logical site structure: Organize your content in a way that makes sense to both users and search engines.

4. Don't overdo it: While internal linking is beneficial, too many links can be overwhelming and appear spammy.

5. Regularly audit your internal links: Check for broken links and update them as needed.

6. Prioritize important pages: Link to your cornerstone content more frequently.

7. Consider using a related posts section: This can encourage further exploration of your site.

By implementing a thoughtful internal linking strategy, you can significantly enhance your website's visibility, user engagement, and overall performance. Remember, internal linking is not just about SEO; it's about creating a better, more interconnected experience for your visitors.

8. Create Focused Pages for Key Services or Products

For service-based businesses or those offering multiple products, it's common to create a single, comprehensive "Services" or "Products" page. However, this approach often falls short when it comes to SEO and lead generation. In my experience, a more effective strategy is to build out narrow, focused pages for each key service or product offering.

This approach of creating dedicated pages for individual services or products has several advantages:

Targeted keyword optimization: Each page can be optimized for specific, long-tail keywords related to that particular service or product.

In-depth information: You can provide more detailed, valuable content about each offering, showcasing your expertise and addressing potential client questions.

Improved user experience: Visitors can easily find and access information about the specific service or product they're interested in.

Better conversion rates: With focused content and tailored calls-to-action, you're more likely to convert visitors into leads or customers.

I've personally seen remarkable success with this strategy. For example, creating a dedicated page for "Content Marketing Vancouver," I was able to rank on the first page of Google for that specific search term.

9. Leverage Local SEO

Local SEO involves a combination of on-page and off-page tactics designed to improve a business's rankings in location-based searches. These searches often include geographic terms (like city names or "near me" phrases) or are performed on platforms that prioritize local results, such as Google Maps.

The primary goal of local SEO is to connect businesses with customers in their immediate vicinity or service area. This is particularly crucial for brick-and-mortar establishments, service-area businesses, and any company that targets a specific geographic region.

Focusing on local SEO can be an effective strategy to attract clients, especially when competing for broader, more general keywords isn't feasible. This is a bit of a “big fish, small pond” strategy, as it allows businesses to target more specific, location-based keywords that are less competitive but highly relevant to their target audience.

For example, ranking for a broad term like "content strategy" would be extremely challenging due to high competition from large companies, industry leaders, and even educational institutions, targeting a more specific, localized keyword like "content strategy Vancouver" is much more achievable.

Here’s a 5 key advantages of local SEO:

1. Lower Competition: Location-specific keywords typically have lower search volumes, but they also have much less competition. This makes it easier to achieve higher rankings and visibility.

2. Higher Relevance: Users searching for location-specific services are often further along in the buying process and more likely to convert.

3. Cost-Effective: Targeting local keywords often requires less investment in SEO compared to competing for broader terms, making it a more accessible strategy for smaller businesses or individual practitioners.

4. Building Local Authority: By focusing on local SEO, you can establish yourself as an authority in your specific area, which can lead to word-of-mouth referrals and a stronger local reputation.

5. Gradual Expansion: As you build authority in your local area, you can gradually expand to target broader keywords or nearby locations.

10. Continuously Experiment and Adapt

SEO is not a one-size-fits-all strategy, and what works for one business isn't always the right approach for another. It's crucial to take inventory of your specific business strengths, opportunities, and current resources. Consider carefully where SEO is most valuable for your business and in what context. Should you focus on local SEO? Emphasize brand building? Target bottom-of-funnel keywords? The answers to these questions largely depend on your individual business goals and your company's current position in the market. By tailoring your SEO strategy to your unique situation, you can maximize its effectiveness and drive meaningful results for your business.

That's why it's crucial to continually experiment with different content formats and strategies to find what works best for your unique business. While certain SEO techniques have been effective to date, it's important to recognize that the strategies driving future success may differ significantly. SEO is changing rapidly, with emerging trends like "ranch style SEO" potentially replacing established practices such as pillar pages.

Moreover, zero-click content, coined by Amanda Navtividad is altering how marketers, well, market, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This shift is changing how users interact with search results, meaning marketers need to adapt their strategies to capture attention and provide value even when users don't click through to their websites.

Looking ahead, optimizing for AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT may become as crucial as traditional search engine optimization. Time will tell.

Given this, it's essential to continually experiment with various content formats and strategies to discover what works best for your unique business. Some areas ripe for experimentation include:

• Content formats (blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts)

• Content length (short-form vs. long-form content)

• Publishing frequency

• Topic selection and keyword targeting

• Content promotion strategies

• Page layouts and design elements

• AI-optimized content for emerging platforms

To effectively experiment, set clear goals for each trial and utilize analytics and Google Search Console to track results accurately. Patience is key; allow each experiment sufficient time to gather meaningful data before drawing conclusions. Make sure to document your results as this will shape your future strategies, and be willing to pivot if a particular approach isn't yielding the desired results. By embracing a mindset of continuous improvement and experimentation, you'll be able to refine your Squarespace SEO strategy over time, adapting to changes and achieving better results for your business.

Conclusion

Implementing effective SEO strategies on your Squarespace site is an ongoing process that requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to adapt. By focusing on user intent, demonstrating your expertise, leveraging various content formats, and following SEO best practices, you can improve your site's visibility in search results and attract more qualified traffic.

And most importantly, the key to successful SEO is providing value to your audience. By consistently creating high-quality, relevant content and optimizing it for both users and search engines, you'll be well on your way to achieving your SEO goals on Squarespace. Best of luck on your SEO journey!

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