What Squarespace SEO Can (and Can’t) Do for You

Before you invest in SEO, it’s important to understand its possibilities and limitations

With all of the talk around what a powerful tool search engine optimization (SEO) can be, it’s easy to imagine it as a magic bullet that, with a little strategy and luck, will rocket your website right to Google’s first search results page.

The truth is, SEO is important—so important, in fact, that you can’t afford to overlook it when creating your website. But it’s not a system that can be gamed.

As a matter of fact, it’s a little bit like an anti-game. The rules aren’t set in stone and they can change at any time.

The key to maximizing SEO’s potential and avoiding disappointment is to understand what it can and can’t do for you.

Table of Contents in Detail Hide

Start with Clear Expectations of Squarespace and SEO

Image Source: Unsplash

No Company Can Promise Results

Reputable SEO companies never make promises or guarantees about their results for one simple reason. They don’t have control over all the factors that could impact your ranking.

What they do have control over:

• Your website

• Your content creation

• Your social media channels

What they don’t have control over:

• Search engine algorithms

• Your competitors’ websites

All of these elements play a role in how your website will rank on search engine results pages. So even though a company can do excellent work optimizing your website, that good work could be rendered moot by a sudden change to the search engine’s algorithms, or it could be negatively impacted by a competitor’s push to improve its marketing efforts that outshines yours.

SEO is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Image Source: Unsplash

The old saying is true: good things come to those who wait.

SEO doesn’t work overnight. It is a long-term marketing strategy that takes three to six months minimum to start seeing results.

Companies who devote a budget to SEO only to abandon it after a few months because they weren’t seeing the desired results are like beginner gardeners who plant a seed and then dig it up a few weeks later because it didn’t grow. Their efforts didn’t necessarily fail—they just didn’t wait long enough for the fruit to appear.

Even though it’s not a way to jumpstart sales quickly, with the right investment of time and resources, SEO offers a reliable and valuable ROI. The key is being patient and not throwing in the towel after a couple of months.

Embrace the Mystery of SEO

Search engine algorithms are a bit like the recipe for Coca-Cola. No one outside the organization knows all the ingredients that go into it, and the finished product tastes a little different from place to place.
Google’s algorithm, for instance, uses over 200 ranking signals to pull results for its search engine results pages (SERPs). And the results provided to one Google user may differ from the results provided to another.

Plus, you’ll likely have noticed that Google results pages, in many cases, show far more than just a list of relevant websites in response to your search. SERP features such as product ads, Google ads, map results, video results, snippets, and more, can often push even the number one ranking website to below the fold.

Still a little confused? Digital marketer Neil Patel does a good job of breaking down the whys and hows of the Google algorithm on his website here.

SEO isn’t Something You Do Just Once

SEO strategy isn’t a one-and-done service. It’s an ongoing process that never really stops.
Here are just a few of the reasons why:

• Keyword popularity changes

  Those keywords that you spent time carefully researching? They’re not necessarily evergreen. Keywords come into fashion and then go right back out, with new ones taking their place. So it’s essential to review your Squarespace content and keyword use to keep up with the changing times.

• Algorithms reward frequent updates

  Search engines favor websites that keep things new and fresh. There’s even such a thing as a “freshness score” that gets assigned to your Squarespace site by search engines, and it is based on several factors, including your content’s creation date.

• Content is still king

  Bill Gates said it back in the 90s and it remains true to this day: Content is king. Posting new and well-researched content that is also search engine optimized proves to your site users (and the search engines) that you are a trusted authority. Your rankings over time will reflect that.
  
  One easy way to stay current with Squarespace SEO tips is through our newsletter. We love this stuff and send out a monthly email that captures important industry insights.

Determining If Squarespace SEO Services Are Right for You

Image Source: Unsplash

Is this you? You could benefit from a Squarespace SEO project

Some projects stand to gain a lot of value from our Squarespace SEO services. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to consider professional SEO help:

• You are using traditional marketing channels

  If you are running paid ads in traditional marketing avenues such as TV, radio, magazines, and billboards, then SEO is essential for ensuring you get a good ROI on your advertising dollars. Good SEO strategy will help ensure that the people who saw your ads can find your website.

• Your brand needs a solid online presence

  Building trust is key in an online environment. A strong online presence functions as a form of social proof that demonstrates you are who you say you are. This is particularly important if you want your brand to be highly competitive or if you are seeking high-end clients.

  However, even if you are a smaller business or your goal isn’t to land on the first SERP, you still should take the time to ensure your Squarespace website is properly optimized for search engines. The reason being, if your clients and potential clients search for you specifically, they should be able to find you. If your website doesn’t appear properly on Google and other search engines, or if your website is set up in a way that looks confusing, this can hurt your business.

• You want help from a Squarespace SEO expert

  If you want to focus on your business and leave the SEO to the experts, then your best bet is to reach out for professional help. We can optimize your technical SEO and provide quality recommendations for the next steps, so you can give your full attention to building and running your business. You can check out our packages here.

• You want to set yourself up for long-term success

  How you start matters in SEO. If you want to lay the groundwork now, with an eye to allowing your SEO to build momentum over time, you can prime yourself for solid success in the long run. Squarespace SEO experts can help you avoid unnecessary starts and stops and the delays and costs associated with “figuring it out as you go.”

Is this you? Squarespace SEO may not be the solution

Depending on what your goals and priorities are, your project may not be a great fit for Squarespace SEO services. Here are some of the reasons why professional SEO help may not be a useful option:

• You want to compete for a broad search term without an extensive strategy behind it

  Landing on the first SERP for a broad search term (such as “healthy California restaurant”) requires a strategic and ongoing effort that includes additional advertising and content creation. A single SEO project won’t be able to launch you there on its own—it would be just one element of a larger, multi-step process. 

• You aren’t willing to manage your expectations

  SEO can be a humbling experience. Like we said, you can do everything right and still not achieve the outcome you want, simply because not everything is in your control. Search engine algorithms may change at any time, and your competitors may hit that sweet spot of SEO tactics that bumps them above you. No professional SEO service can offer a fail-proof way to avoid this. 

• You prefer the DIY approach

  If you have the time and the know-how to tackle your own SEO, go for it! We encourage do-it-yourselfs and offer a bunch of free resources to help you plan and evolve your SEO strategy. If you’re just getting started or if you want to refresh yourself on best practices, you can check out our free ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Squarespace SEO 2021.
  
  If you’ve tried the DIY route and decided it wasn’t for you, hiring an expert is a great option. You can browse our recommendations here.

• You want a money-back guarantee

  Professional SEO services are unique in that they operate in an ever-shifting landscape. This is very different from purchasing a good or service that has one specific purpose and for which success can be measured simply. For example, if you hire a plumber to unclog your sink, it’s reasonable to expect that your sink will drain properly after the service has been performed and to request a refund if it doesn’t.
  It’s not quite the same with SEO. When you hire a professional to improve your SEO, you’re paying for the most current best practices, with the understanding that things could change at any moment and that there are no guarantees.

Key Takeaways About Squarespace and SEO

The best way to think about SEO is as a process, not a product. Experts can help you navigate the process of optimizing your Squarespace site but there are no “tricks of the trade” that will land you as a top search engine result and keep you there with minimal effort.

Good SEO comes down to a few fundamental truths:

• SEO is a long-term commitment

• Nothing beats consistent, high-quality content for a specific audience

• You have to invest time, money, or both, to get the results you want

• Search engine algorithms can change at any time

• Website rankings are not fixed in stone
  

Want to learn more Squarespace SEO tips? Check out our collection of online guides.