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. Are you wondering why the traffic isn’t showing up or turning into business?
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, your site is likely to not rank on Google.
In this post, we’ll show where the Squarespace checklist falls short, answer common SEO questions, and explain how PageFound helps businesses like yours rank higher and grow faster.
At-A-Glance
Squarespace’s SEO checklist covers the basics—but skips critical elements like keyword strategy, search intent, and E-E-A-T.
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 drive real results and ultimately 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; they think checking off boxes is enough to rank well on Google.
The truth is, the checklist skips 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 look polished and, at the same time, it won’t bring in the traffic or customers you’re hoping for.
That’s why working with PageFound matters for your business. We don’t just follow steps; we dig into what your audience is searching for. We research the right keywords for your blog posts and service pages. Then, we shape your content to match what people actually want to find. We build every part of your site to reflect your real-world knowledge and experience.
PageFound gives you a plan that works, not just a checklist that only addresses the surface level.
The table below contrasts the benefits of PageFound SEO services with the Squarespace SEO Checklist:
Keyword Research
Keyword research means finding the exact words and phrases your customers type into search engines. It helps uncover what people want to learn, buy, or fix. While Squarespace’s checklist suggests adding keywords, it doesn’t guide you on which keywords to target or how to use them effectively.
PageFound goes much deeper. Using advanced tools like Semrush, we analyze keyword difficulty, search volume, and competition levels. We focus on high-volume, low-competition keywords, which are those you can rank for without needing backlinks. This approach helps your site get found more easily by the right audience.
We also align keywords with your customers’ real pain points and search intent, ensuring your content answers their questions and meets their needs. PageFound doesn’t just help you get visitors—we help you drive revenue by attracting customers ready to take action.
Search Intent
Search intent is about understanding what people are really looking for when they type something into Google. It’s the "why" behind their search. If someone searches for "best running shoes," is the user trying to buy a pair right now, or just comparing different kinds? Knowing what the potential client wants to find helps us create content that directly answers his or her questions.
The four main 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 help him or her decide.
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.
Although Squarespace offers a basic SEO checklist, PageFound provides a more comprehensive approach.
At PageFound, we write blog posts and pages that speak 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. This gives your site a better chance to show up in search results and move visitors to take action.
E-E-A-T
Google looks for content that shows Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—known as E-E-A-T. These four qualities help Google decide if a page should rank high in search results. A simple SEO checklist, like the one Squarespace offers, doesn’t go deep into these areas. That’s where PageFound stands out.
We write content that is built to show real experience and industry knowledge. We help your site prove that you know what you're talking about and establish your business as a credible resource. This goes beyond keywords and titles—we focus on the quality and clarity of your message.
Unlike a checklist, we shape your content to reflect what Google values most. That includes writing with
first-hand insight
backing it up with expert details
giving clear, honest information that readers can count on
This is how PageFound helps your site meet Google’s expectations and earn higher rankings.
FAQs
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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.
They rank them based 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.
While a professional design helps with user experience, Google cares more about what’s under the hood. If your site looks great but loads slowly, lacks keyword strategy, or doesn’t show expertise or authority, it won’t perform as well.
PageFound helps bridge that gap. 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.
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In addition to optimizing for local seo, a blog post won’t perform well if your website isn’t built for SEO. Two big areas to focus on for an SEO-optimized blog compared to a regular blog include image optimization and mobile optimization.
Be sure to resize images and add alt text with descriptive filenames
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? Because Squarespace does not automatically do SEO for you. It isn’t just about content—it’s about user experience. Your blog could be great, but if it’s slow to render on the screen or hard to read, you’ll lose visitors fast.
Why Hire PageFound if Squarespace has an SEO Checklist?
Why does SEO matter for small businesses? You’re an entrepreneur. You work hard and don’t have time to waste on content no one sees.
An SEO-optimized blog works while you sleep. It brings in:
More organic traffic from Google
Visitors are already searching for your services (ex., health insurance agent + location)
Leads you can turn into paying customers
You might think, “If Squarespace helps me build a good-looking site, then why do I need to hire PageFound If Squarespace already has an SEO Checklist? PageFound helps you with SEO strategy for small business websites.
Contact Us
Based in Franklin, we serve clients across the area, including Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, and Nashville, as well as nationwide. Ready to get your website found on Google? Whether you need an SEO-optimized service page or keyword research, we can help your website Get Found and Drive Revenue.
Contact us today via our website to schedule a free consultation and learn more about why you should consider hiring PageFound SEO despite Squarespace having an SEO checklist.
