Squarespace SEO tips for beginners and creative business owners
As a creative entrepreneur, your days are full. You’re juggling client work, marketing, product creation, social media, and everything in between, meaning the last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed by SEO.
But the truth is, SEO doesn’t need to be complicated… small, smart SEO steps can make a real difference in getting your website noticed.
(And if you don’t know what SEO is, that’s ok! It stands for search engine optimisation, and it’s basically a way to help your website show up in search engines like Google).
Here are eight practical tips you can start using today.
1. Choose clear page titles and descriptions
Think of your page title as your website’s first impression in search results. A unique, descriptive title tells visitors what your page is about and encourages them to click on the link. Pair it with a meta description that sums up the content and includes keywords your audience might use.
For example, if you’re a freelance illustrator, your portfolio page could be titled:
“Freelance Illustrator Portfolio | [Your Brand Name]”
If you‘re unsure what to write, you can use Squarespace’s in-built SEO tools. You can use it to automatically generate page titles and meta descriptions for all of the pages for your website. That said, we recommend using this as a starting point, and updating the text to match your brand voice and include the keywords that you want your website to rank for. You don’t want your text to sound like it was written by AI (instantly deletes em dashes).
2. Use headings strategically
Headings (H1, H2, H3) are not just for style, they help visitors scan your page quickly and help search engines understand your content. Only use one H1 per page for the main headline, then H2s and H3s for subheadings like services, projects, or testimonials.
This is especially useful for creative entrepreneurs with multiple offerings as you can showcase your work clearly without overwhelming visitors.
3. Optimise images
Beautiful images are key to showing off your brand and your unique style, especially as a creative business owner. Optimise them by:
Reducing file size so your site loads quickly
Adding descriptive alt text so search engines can “see” your images, but no keyword stuffing here, make sure that the descriptions actually describe what’s in image. This is also very important for making your website accessible to visitors with visual impairments using a screen reader.
Using clear, descriptive filenames
Squarespace tip: Squarespace can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. It will automatically convert your images into a much smaller image file (called webp) and you can also use Squarespace’s AI tool to write your image alt text for you.
4. Write keyword-friendly content
Think about what words potential clients or customers are typing into Google when looking for products or services like yours. Use those words naturally in your headings, page content, and image descriptions. For example: “Brand strategy for consultants and sales coaches” or “Social media management for lifestyle and wellness brands.”
Quick tip: Head over to Google and start to type in keywords and phrases related to your business and see what it starts to autofill/ recommend you to search for. This will give you an idea of what potential clients or customers are searching for.
The key is to write helpful, engaging content for your audience first as SEO works best when it sounds natural.
5. Use clean, custom URLs
A simple, descriptive URL is easier to share and better for SEO. Instead of /page-1, go for page URLs such as /creative-portfolio or /custom-jewellery that actually describe what the page is about. Squarespace makes it easy to edit URLs so they reflect your content and brand clearly, simply go to your page settings to update your URL.
6. Enable SSL and optimise site speed
Security and speed matter. Squarespace automatically includes an SSL certificate, which is good for SEO and visitor trust. Fast-loading websites also rank better in search results - but the good thing is that Squarespace now automatically converts your images into a much smaller file type called webp files for you!
7. Link internally and externally
Internal links guide visitors to other parts of your site, keeping them engaged for longer. For example, link to your portfolio and services pages from your about page so that you can guide potential customers through your website (and get them closer to booking with you!).
External links from other websites to yours can help to widen your reach to new customers and show your expertise. For example, you could feature as a guest in a blog post on another website.
Both help search engines understand your content and improve your rankings.
8. Start a blog
A blog is one of the best ways to showcase your expertise and attract clients. Writing about your creative process, behind-the-scenes stories, or tips for clients adds value and helps your site rank for more searches.
Squarespace comes with simple, easy-use blog functionality, making it easy to post regularly without feeling overwhelmed by formatting or design.
Our final thoughts
SEO doesn’t have to be intimidating, cost a lot or take long to get started. By following these tips, you can make your website more visible and attract the right audience.
Squarespace makes this easier with its built-in tools, and using a premium Squarespace template like ours gives you a head start so you can focus on creating, selling, and running your business without the technical headache.
