How to optimize your Squarespace blog posts for SEO
If you are already creating within Squarespace, then you know how powerful it is for your business! Regular blog posts not only raise your search engine ranking (Google loves fresh content) but are also an opportunity to highlight your expertise. Writing blogs is time-consuming, hence, it is essential to make sure that your blogs reach the audience. That’s where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play – the magician that optimizes your blog’s visibility so that all your hard work doesn’t go in vain.
Since Squarespace is an all-in-one platform, you might be wondering if there are any plug-ins to manage SEO tasks for you. You might have read myths that squarespace SEO is not as powerful as other platforms. The good news, however, is that using SEO on Squarespace blog posts is easy and incredibly powerful. You will be able to do that by the time you finish reading this post. It’s as easy as installing a plugin!
SEO Secrets for Squarespace Blog Post Perfection
Keyword Research: Finding the Right Topics for Your Audience
Blog posts are analyzed by search engines to determine your post and serve the right search results to users. To determine the value of your post, they utilize sophisticated algorithms that analyze and understand the words and phrases included.
It’s good to add “keywords” to let search engines like Google know what your post is about. The better Google understands exactly what your post is about, the more likely it is to rank in search.
Keywords are the main words that represent the theme of your blog post. Example keywords for this post: SEO, Squarespace, Blog, Optimize
Your post is more likely to rank well in search engines if it has the words in it. Search engines find these keywords and match them to user queries, and your post suddenly becomes relevant for people looking for information.
Keyword phrases are strings of keywords that create complete sentences or phrases that flow organically in your post. These are often used in blog posts and are more targeted than one-word keywords.
One example would be the post’s keyword phrase, “ Optimize your Squarespace Blog Posts for SEO and so on.
A key aspect of writing your post should be integrating these keywords and keyword phrases throughout the post, but be careful not to try to include them in every single sentence, as too much "keyword stuffing" can negatively affect your search engine placement.
The focus behind this, however, is to keep your readers well-informed and engaged with your content. Now, while you do want to include your keyword, making your readers happy should come first.
Also, for better SEO of the blog post, make sure you use your keywords and phrases in the post title, subtitles, URL slug, and excerpt (If you are using any one) as well. For this post, though, look at how an effective keyword and phrase placement throughout this blog post will help keep it searchable!
URL structure
Squarespace provides a convenient feature that allows you to customize your automatic Blog URL slug. I highly recommend taking advantage of this option.
To make this adjustment, navigate to the "Settings" and then select "Blogging."
By default, the Blog slug often includes the Year/Month/Day/Post Title, resulting in longer URLs.
Since search engines tend to favor shorter URLs, I recommend changing the slug format to a simpler one, like "/Post Title," as I've done.
The great thing about this step is that it's a one-time task. Once you configure the URL structure, all your future blog posts will follow the same format.
Optimizing URL Slugs for Better Rankings
Another vital aspect to address is the URL slug for your blog posts. You can customize this by following these steps:
Navigate to "Pages," then select your "Blog."
Choose the specific Blog Post you want to edit.
Click on "Edit" (or it might appear as "Settings," depending on your Squarespace version).
Access "Options." (This may be located across the top for older sites or down the left side for newer ones.)
Ensure that your Blog Post slug includes relevant keywords or phrases and is clear, free from any unrelated numbers, words, or symbols. In most cases, it should match or be a variation of the Blog post title.
You can omit filler words such as "and," "if," "the," etc., and focus on using primary keywords. Shorter and more concise slugs are generally more effective.
For instance, if the title of your post is: "How to Optimize Your Squarespace Blog Posts for SEO," your Blog Post slug can be a concise version of this title.
Add Images Titles
Search engines rely on text, not visuals, to understand the content of images. They look for image names in the hope that these names accurately describe what the image represents. It's essential to name all your images appropriately, even if you can't see these names in your post – search engines can. It's a good practice to incorporate your keyword phrases in image titles.
I recommend a two-step approach for this:
First, name the image file on your computer before uploading it.
Once you upload the image (using an image block), you can also rename it in the image block settings under "Filename." This approach ensures that all naming aspects are covered effectively.
Optimize Your Images for Faster Loading
Image size plays a crucial role in your website's speed. If your images are too large, your site will load slowly. Slow-loading pages are frowned upon by search engines, and this can harm your Google ranking.
While Squarespace includes automatic image optimization for different screen sizes, your active involvement is still necessary.
My rule of thumb is to reduce image size as much as possible without sacrificing quality.
For banner images that span the entire site width, or very large images, I aim for sizes under 500KB.
In special portfolio pieces where image quality is a priority, I might exceed 500 KB slightly, but I avoid doing this too much as it can affect the overall site ranking.
Typically, blog post images, such as screenshots and smaller images, fall well below the 500KB threshold, often ranging from 20 KB to 100KB.
If you use larger images, strive to keep them well below 500KB. Photoshop's "Save for Web" feature is excellent for this. If you don't have Photoshop, you can use the Preview app on Mac, adjusting the size under "Tools > Adjust Size."
For banner images, a width of around 2500 pixels is my preference, while other site images range from 500 to 1500 pixels depending on usage. In blog posts, I retain the original size for screenshots and then compress them in Photoshop using "Save for Web" or the method below.
Compressing images can be done with tools like CompressPNG/JPG. Upload your file, and it will compress it significantly without sacrificing quality. This is a valuable tool if you're not using Photoshop.
First, resize images to the appropriate dimensions and then compress them using Photoshop or CompressPNG/JPG if necessary.
It may seem like a lot of work, but it's essential. Slow-loading sites not only affect your search engine ranking but also deter visitors from staying.
Use Keywords in Headings and Meta Descriptions
Incorporating keywords into your headings and meta descriptions can be advantageous for your website's SEO.
When it comes to headings, it's common practice to place the primary keyword of the page within the <h1> tag. You can then structure your content logically by using subheadings with <h2> and <h3> tags. If your page is divided into sections, Google acknowledges that having multiple H1 elements on different parts of the page is acceptable when done appropriately.
Meta descriptions, which are brief summaries of your pages displayed in search engine results, also provide an opportunity to use keywords. While descriptions don't directly influence rankings, a highly relevant meta description can entice users to click and visit your site. Write these descriptions in a natural, engaging way to encourage click-throughs from the search engine results pages (SERPs). Keep in mind that, whether you create descriptions or not, Google might sometimes pull other text from your page to better address a searcher's query.
To add meta descriptions to various pages, follow these steps:
For the home page: Go to "Settings" > "SEO" > "Appearance" > "SEO Site Description."
For individual pages: Navigate to "Pages" > Select the specific page > Click "Page Settings" > "SEO" > "SEO Description."
For blogs, products, or events: Choose the respective post or item > Click "Edit" > Go to "SEO" > "SEO Description."
Optimizing headings and meta descriptions with keywords enhances your website's visibility and encourages users to engage with your content.
Mobile Optimization
Did you know that more than half of online searches take place on a mobile device? That means if your blog is not optimized for mobile, you’re going to miss out on a huge chunk of traffic.
One of the best things you can do to help your blog be mobile friendly is to enable Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). This will help users load your content faster (which we’ll discuss in more depth below.)
Here are some other quick tips for keeping your blog mobile-friendly:
Keep your pages (including images, etc.) to less than 5 MB
Set your letter spacing to less than 0px, otherwise your text might overlap on mobile
Use padding instead of spacer blocks to reserve white space (some spacer blocks don’t show up on mobile)
Ensure you have mobile styles enabled in Squarespace
In the Home Menu, click Design, then click Template Settings.
Ensure Disable Mobile Styles is unchecked
Keep your design simple and don’t try to include too many elements in your blog posts
Add Internal Links
Adding internal links within your blog content facilitates the task of Google's crawlers in discovering new and relevant content on your website.
This is a straightforward practice, especially since a significant portion of your content is likely interconnected. When you identify a suitable opportunity to link to another blog post or webpage, seize it! However, it's crucial not to overuse internal links. A good rule of thumb is to limit them to 3-4 within a 2000+ word post to maintain a balanced approach.
FAQ: Squarespace SEO Essentials
What Makes Squarespace SEO Different?
Squarespace simplifies SEO with features like secure hosting, mobile-friendly templates, and easy navigation settings.
How Long Does It Take to See SEO Results?
Typically, SEO improvements take 3–6 months, depending on competition and keyword difficulty.
What Tools Can I Use for Squarespace SEO?
Keyword Research: Ahrefs, SEMrush
Content Analysis: Yoast SEO, Clearscope
Performance Tracking: Google Analytics, Squarespace Analytics
