How Does SEO [Search Engine Optimization] work
Search Engine Optimization [SEO] refers to how well your website is indexed by search engines [Google, Bing, and more]. When a person types in a search word or phrase, search engines crawl through various websites scanning that site’s content. By doing this, they try to decipher which websites will offer the most informative, clear, and well organized information for their users.
The better organized, engaging, and well written content is, the better chance a website will rank higher in searches.
Keywords
Keywords are a great place to start.
By researching your industry, compile a list of 3 - 10 words that sum up your services.
Go to websites and read articles from professionals in your field who come up easily in google searches.
What words are they using?
Do all of them use certain words?
For example:
If you are a heart doctor, some keywords would be: heart doctor, NYC [or your location], medicine, preventative care, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, physician, private practice, hospital, etc.
If you are a painter/artist, some keywords would be: painter, NYC [your location], abstract, modern art, collage, multi-media, artist, expressionism, watercolor, acrylic, etc.
Using the list of keywords you compile, integrate them into the website by:
Adding such keywords to all of your written content.
Your Bio/About
Your Contact Page
Your Image Titles
Your Page Titles
Your Page Descriptions
When someone searches for a service that matches what you offer, you want variations of search words to bring up your website.
For example:
Let’s say a person living in NYC wants to find the right type of fitness studio for their lifestyle and needs. They may type in “Gyms in NYC”, “Gyms near me”, “Fitness Classes”, “Best fitness classes in New York”, or “Best gyms in New York City”, etc.
No matter which of these searches they type in, if you’re a gym, you want your website to be at the top of search results.
Adding keywords helps this to happen.
How to implement SEO onto your SquareSpace Site
These keywords should then be added to your website:
Site Titles - Whether you have a logo or your brand name will be written, always write a site title that includes at least one keyword.
Page Descriptions - Anywhere from 50 - 300 characters, explain each page in detail, using keywords.
Collection Items - Just as you do on Page Descriptions, add a 50 - 300 character description of the collection, integrating keywords.
Add your location - If your template allows, add your location to the Business information section. Also, add your location on the Contact page with a map.
Page Titles:
There are three titles for each SquareSpace Page - The Page Title, The Navigation Title, and The SEO Title.
Navigation Titles are what show up on your website in the Main Navigation. They are usually short and less descriptive. [i.e. “About”, “Home”, “Contact”, “Blog”, etc.]
Page Titles & SEO Titles on the other hand do not show up in the Main Navigation. These titles should be descriptive and incorporate keywords. They do not have to be as short and concise as the Page Titles.
Utilize a Custom domain - Each package offers a free domain. Take advantage of this and when you publish your site, do not use the default SquareSpace url but your custom domain.
Social Sharing/Social Images: As you publish blog posts, articles, galleries, and more, let your social followers know by connecting your social media accounts to your website.
URL Slugs:
Each page on your website contains a unique url that you can edit.
For example:www.lywdesigns.com/squarespace-seo-tips
Make sure to use unique url slugs that incorporate descriptive keywords for each page.
404 Page:
If someone comes to your site and is incorrectly directed to a false link, they will often see an Error 404 Page.
By customizing this page, you can add information that keeps a user engaged,:
For example by adding a link back to the homepage, they can quickly get back to searching your site and reading content.
SEO & Social Media
There are ways to rank higher in search results for both your website and social media:
The same website description used on your SquareSpace site should be used for your Social Media pages.
Your Site Title should be the same on your Instagram, Facebook, Twittter, etc profiles.
The same main images should also be used.
Google Webmaster & Console
Google Webmaster/Console allows users to create an account. This account gives you important information about the users that are coming to your site like demographics. But it is also important because by signing up, you notify Google that your site is live and ready for indexing - just one more step towards increasing your site’s visibility.
Once you sign up for an account, you can connect the unique ID you will receive on SquareSpace.
SquareSpace Email Services
SquareSpace recently launched their own email campaign/marketing feature.
Similar to other Email Marketing Services like Mailchimp and Constant Contact.
If you have an active SquareSpace account you are allowed three free email campaigns. This is to allow you a chance to get a feel for how it works.
With at least one mailing list on your site - via a newsletter sign up or contact form, you can send your next newsletter or email blast directly through SquareSpace.
Squarespace Marketing Analytics
SquareSpace users that have the $18/month plan or higher can access valuable insights into the types of people coming to their website. The analytics cover such things as:
Which Keywords are steering users to your website from Google, Bing, and more.
The active users that engage with forms on your website.
Where such users are located around the world.
And what content is the most popular among users.