Squarespace SEO Checklist: What it Misses
If you’ve followed the Squarespace SEO checklist and still aren’t seeing results, you’re not alone. Your site might be live with all the boxes checked, and it’s still not ranking or bringing in leads.
A checklist can’t replace a real strategy. True SEO success takes more than built-in tools.
Working with clients, PageFound has first-hand experience with the Squarespace SEO checklist. The truth is that even if you complete every step on that checklist, it still may not be enough.
At-A-Glance
Squarespace’s SEO checklist covers the basics—but skips critical elements like keyword strategy and search intent.
PageFound builds SEO strategy around your audience, using tools and research to create content that ranks and converts.
We go beyond checklists to deliver custom content, local SEO, and on-page optimization that helps your site Get Found and Drive Revenue.
Where the Squarespace SEO Checklist Falls Short
The Squarespace SEO checklist gives you the basics. It tells you to add page titles, write meta descriptions, and use clean URLs. Following a list, though, isn’t the same as building a strategy. That’s where many businesses fall behind.
The truth is, the checklist skips some of the most important parts: keyword research, search intent, and Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness). Without these, your site might not bring in the traffic or customers you’re hoping for.
Keyword Research
Keyword research means finding the words and phrases your customers type into search engines. It shapes your content to match what people actually want to find. While Squarespace’s checklist suggests adding keywords, it doesn’t guide you on which keywords to target or how to use them effectively.
Advanced tools like Semrush can analyze keyword difficulty, search volume, and competition levels. It shows what high-volume, low-competition keywords you can possibly rank for without needing backlinks. This approach helps your site get found more easily by the right audience.
Search Intent
Search intent is about understanding what people are really looking for when they type something into Google. It’s the "why" behind the search. Knowing what people want to find helps create content that directly answers their questions.
Four types of search intent include:
Informational: People with informational intent are looking to learn something. They might be asking "what is," "how to," or "why does." Their goal is to gain knowledge, like searching "how to tie a knot."
Navigational: This type of intent indicates that the searcher wants to visit a specific website or page. He or she already knows where to go, such as typing “YouTube" or "Facebook login."
Commercial: When a person has commercial intent for a search query, he or she is researching a product or service before making a purchase. The individual might be comparing options, reading reviews, or looking for information to make a decision.
Transactional: People with transactional intent are ready to buy or complete an action. They're at the very end of their search journey and are looking to make a purchase, sign up, or download something. Searches like "buy [product name]" or "download [software]" fit this category.
Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines
Google looks for content that shows Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—known as E-E-A-T. These four qualities impact how well a page ranks.
Content needs to show real experience and industry knowledge. The website should demonstrate that you know what you're talking about and establish your business as a credible resource. Focus on the quality and clarity of your message. Shape your content to reflect what Google values most:
first-hand insight
expert details
clear, honest information
FAQs
-
While your competitor’s website might not look great, it can still outrank yours on Google. That’s because search engines don’t rank sites based on how pretty they are. Sites are ranked on how well they meet SEO standards.
A basic-looking site can still have strong content, fast load times, clean code, and the right keywords in the right places. If your site looks great but loads slowly, lacks keyword strategy, or doesn’t show expertise or authority, it won’t perform as well.
-
When photos are properly optimized, it improves your SEO.
Be sure to resize images and add alternative text with descriptive filenames to describe the content of the photo for search engines and screen readers.
Websites need to be optimized for phones screens because more than 50% of users browse on mobile.
Why Hire PageFound if Squarespace has an SEO Checklist?
Squarespace does not automatically do SEO for you. At PageFound, we provide content that speaks directly to the needs behind the search. We take time to understand what your ideal customer is trying to find, then shape the content to meet that goal. We combine clean design with a strategy that follows Google’s best practices so you’re not just proud of how your site looks but how well it ranks, too.
Contact Us
Based in Franklin, we serve clients across the area, including Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, and Nashville, as well as nationwide. Whether you need an SEO-optimized service page or keyword research, we can help your website Get Found and Drive Revenue. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
