Next-Gen Squarespace SEO: 2025 Tips That Work
Search engine optimization (SEO) is always changing, but one thing stays the same: if people can’t find your website, you’re missing opportunities.
The good news? Squarespace provides a solid foundation for SEO right out of the box. The great news? With just a bit of extra strategy and know-how, you can help your Squarespace site climb higher in search rankings — and stay there.
This guide will walk you through practical, 2025-ready tips to optimize your site, from on-page basics to advanced strategies like Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for AI-driven search.
1. Start With Squarespace’s Built-In SEO Tools
Squarespace comes with many SEO-friendly features automatically enabled. Here’s what you’re already getting:
Automatic XML sitemap to help Google and Bing crawl your site
SSL certificates for secure browsing (and a ranking boost)
Mobile-responsive design for every template
Clean, structured code for faster load times
These features create a solid baseline, but real results come when you customize your settings and content.
2. Connect to Google Tools Early
Linking your website to Google Analytics and Google Search Console is non-negotiable. Squarespace makes this really easy. Just head to Analytics and follow the prompts to connect Google Search Console so your site starts to collect all that good data—like what pages bring traffic and where you’re losing visitors.
Pro tip: Check your Search Console weekly to identify new opportunities and catch problems early—monitor keyword rankings, crawl errors, and mobile usability issues. Tweaking your keywords is just part of the game!
3. Leverage Squarespace’s SEO & AI Tools (AIO)
Squarespace’s newer AI-powered SEO features can save time by:
Generating meta descriptions for pages and blog posts
Suggesting keywords to include
Creating basic alt text for your images
While these tools are helpful, they aren’t perfect — especially with image alt text. The AI often produces generic or inaccurate descriptions. An image of you shouldn’t say: "Image of a brown haired woman standing indoors”—it should have your name and title in there for the people searching for you!
Instead, manually review and improve each suggestion. A strong alt text description should:
Accurately describe the content of the image
Include relevant keywords naturally
Be concise — ideally under 125 characters
Add context if the image supports a topic
Example Fix:
AI-generated: "Image of a plant."
Optimized: "Modern ceramic pot with a snake plant on a minimalist desk."
Pro Tip: Use a simple formula:
[Object/Subject] + [Context] + [Relevance to Content]
By auditing your AI-generated tags and tweaking them for clarity and accuracy, you’ll create more accessible and SEO-friendly content.
4. Craft Smart Page Titles, Meta Descriptions & URLs
Your page titles and descriptions are your “billboards” in Google search results.
For Titles, use your primary keywords in Titles naturally, preferably near the start.
For example: “Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Tips for Mental Wellness| Coach Mercy Kuzek”
For Meta Descriptions, write clear, inviting, and keyword-rich summaries. Stay under 155–160 characters so your full message shows in search results.
For example: "Find balance and reduce stress with holistic health coaching by Mercy Kuzek. Personalized wellness plans to support your mind, body, and lifestyle."
URLs: Keep them clean and readable.
Instead of “yoursite.com/page?id=38” use “yoursite.com/lifestlye-coaching-tips”
Every page should have unique titles and descriptions — duplicate metadata confuses search engines.
5. Use Keywords Intentionally
Keyword stuffing is dead. Instead do keyword research with tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ry-rob, or Ahrefs.
Integrate keywords naturally into:
Headings (H1, H2)
First 100 words of your content
Image alt text and captions
Internal links
Think conversationally — especially with the rise of voice and AI-driven search.
6. Internal Linking for Better Crawlability
Internal links help search engines understand your site’s hierarchy and keep visitors engaged longer. So if you’re writing a blog post about gut health diet trends, link to related blog posts like how to supplement for gut health.
7. Optimize Your Images
Squarespace makes it easy to add images, but don’t forget about SEO—so important! Here’s what you need to do:
Rename files descriptively: IMG_0098.jpg → cozy-cabin-interior.jpg
As you insert images in your site you can add descriptive alt text—or you can let Squarespace’s built in AIO feature help you (but remember to edit the auto-generated text, it’s not the greatest)
Compress images to keep page sizes under ~500 KB for faster load times. Tools like JPEGmini, TinyPNG or Squoosh can help.
8. Get Your Technical SEO Right
Check for broken links and set up 301 redirects when removing or renaming pages.
Use Squarespace’s Indexing settings to hide unfinished or duplicate pages.
Ensure your navigation and footer are clean and crawlable—search engines will consider these (and the hero section) as having greater authority in describing what you do, so be sure to include keywords in these sections. Remember to be CLEAR not CLEVER if you want search engines to understand exactly what you do and who you serve.
9. Optimize for AI and Answer Engines
Search engines like Google and Bing are now being considered “answer engines”, often summarizing sites directly in search results. This means your not popping up as the first thing people see—they’re offering an answer using AI. If you want a better chance of showing up in A.I. and being cited, here’s how to adapt:
Write clear, concise answers in your content — especially in FAQ sections.
Use a Q&A format with headers like “What is…” or “How to…”.
Structure content with schema markup if possible to make your content more “machine-readable.”
Create content that solves problems, not just ranks for keywords.
11. Keep SEO Maintenance Ongoing
SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” process. Revisit your strategy regularly! Review Search Console data monthly. Refresh your content every 6–12 months. Update blog posts with new stats, trends, or visuals. Add new, high-quality backlinks through partnerships or guest content.
Quick-Start Squarespace SEO Checklist
✓ Connect Google Analytics & Search Console
✓ Submit your sitemap
✓ Customize titles, meta descriptions, and URLs
✓ Use researched keywords naturally
✓ Audit AI-generated meta tags and alt text
✓ Optimize images with accurate, descriptive alt text
✓ Build internal links
✓ Check for broken links or redirects
✓ Add Q&A content for answer-driven search