5 Amazing Tools to Help Boost Your Squarespace SEO
How do I get more organic (not paid) traffic to my website from search engines? This is what SEO or Search Engine Optimization is all about.
Here are five amazing tools (free & paid) that I use to help with Squarespace SEO.
This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk (*).
Google Search Console
Google Search Console (formerly known as Webmaster Tools) is definitely the very first SEO tool that I would recommend to anyone getting started with SEO. And, it’s completely free to use.
GSC is so important that several of the other tools on this list actually to connect to it so that they can get the most accurate information, straight from Google, about your website.
What does it do?
Google Search Console shows you all sorts of data about your website performance in search, including the number of clicks, impressions and what keywords people are using. You can also see what other websites are linking to your website and your internal links.
The best thing about GSC, is that it shows you which of your pages has been indexed and are available to be in Google Search. You can see others that haven’t been indexed and the reasons why (ex: 404 error). So, you are able to fix any indexing problems with your site.
You can also add a sitemap on Google Search Console, so that Google can find your pages more quickly.
I like to use the URL Inspection tool when I add a new page. It’s a quick way to let Google know about the new content.
*Bing also has their own version of this tool called Bing Webmaster Tools. It’s a good idea to verify your site with this tool as well, but since Google accounts for the majority of web traffic (more than 90%), Google Search Console should be the priority.
SEOSpace*
One of the criticism you hear about Squarespace SEO is that there is no SEO plugin like Yoast that exists for WordPress. Well, that’s no longer true.
SEOSpace is the newest SEO tool on the list. It’s a Chrome plugin made just for Squarespace websites.
What does it do?
SEOSpace analyzes your webpages and gives you concrete actions that you can take to improve your SEO. There is both a free and paid version of this tool.
The free version scans for broken links, missing alt text, large image sizes and checks your headings, SEO titles and descriptions.
The paid version goes even further allowing you to check how your keywords are being used in your content and giving you further keyword suggestions. It also tells you how competitive your keywords are and how many people are searching for them per month.
Both version include tutorials and access to a great community where you can ask all your SEO questions.
SEMrush*
SEMrush is a professional SEO tool with a ton of great features. It is the most expensive tool on this list, but you can opt for the free version of the tool which lets you have a limited use of some of the best tools.
What does it do?
With SEMrush you can do keyword research, see your ranking in search and how your positions are changing. You can also analyze your competitor’s traffic and see what websites are linking to yours.
SEMrush also gives you ideas about keywords you may be missing, content marketing ideas that could help your website and so much more. Try out the full version with a 7 day free trial.
Squarespace Analytics & Google Analytics
Do you want to know how many people are visiting your site, how they find you and what pages they are visiting? Then you need analytics!
Squarespace Analytics is an easy to use tool that is built right into your Squarespace website. So no setup is needed. Just click on Analytics in the Home Menu.
Google Analytics is a free tool that can be easily set up in Squarespace. You simply need to add your tracking id into Settings > Developer Tools > External API Keys.
Which Analytics Tool Should I Use?
I would recommend using both Squarespace and Google Analytics. They are both free tools that can be set up on your website at the same time, so there’s no reason you can’t use both.
Of the two SEO tools, I find Squarespace Analytics much easier to use. It gives good, basic information about your visits. So, it’s the analytics tool that I use for everyday use.
Google Analytics 4 is relatively new and I’m still learning all it can do. It definitely gives you more information than the Squarespace tool, but there is a learning curve to it. It’s great to have that second, more in depth tool, when you have questions and want further information.
Squarespace
Since we’re talking about boosting Squarespace SEO, I thought it was important to talk about the SEO tools, beyond Squarespace Analytics which I’ve already mentioned, that are built into Squarespace.
Sitemaps: Squarespace automatically creates a sitemap of your website that you can add to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. This lets the search engines know what pages are available to search.
To add a sitemap to Google Search Console click on Sitemaps in the menu. Under add a new sitemap, paste the following:
sitemap.xml
SSL Certificates: All Squarespace websites come with an SSL Certificate. Search engines are now penalizing websites that don’t have one, so it’s important to SEO. Make sure you have your SSL enabled and that your website is showing HTTPS rather than HTTP at the beginning of your web address.
AMP: You can optimize your pages for mobile, creating faster, stripped down versions of your blog pages by enabling AMP or Accelerated Mobile Pages. Search engines prefer fast loading pages, especially on mobile.
To enable AMP click on Settings > Blog Preferences. Scroll down to Accelerated Mobile Pages. Check Use AMP.
SEO Page Settings: Every page or blog page on your Squarespace website has a section in the Page Settings for you to add your SEO Title and Description. This tells Google what your page is about. It also shows you how your page will look in search results.
And don’t forget to add your SEO site description too!
Want more tips?
Get all the latest news, updates, tutorials, discounts and tips about Squarespace, Web Design, SEO and more.
Sent out once a month, so I don’t clog up your email!
