Okay, What Even is SEO Anyway?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the process of making small, thoughtful tweaks to your website so search engines like Google can better understand what your site is about and connect you with the people searching for what you offer.

Good SEO = more visibility, more traffic, and more of the right people discovering your work.

I know tackling your own SEO may seem complicated or overwhelming, but once you’ve learned the essentials you’ll realize it’s easier than you thought.

Let’s get started!

Write Your Website Copy with SEO in Mind:

Your copy (aka the words on your site) plays a huge role in SEO

(P.S. For prompts on how to write your copy click here!).

Here’s how to make it count:

✅ Use natural language your audience would actually search for.
Think: what would someone type into Google to find your services, products, or blog?

Example: “holistic nutritionist in Toronto” or “Squarespace templates for wellness brands.”
✅ Include keywords thoughtfully (i.e. don’t overdo it.)
Mention your main keywords in headings, paragraphs, and image descriptions, but keep it conversational. If it sounds robotic or awkward, don’t try to force it.
✅ Each page should have a clear focus.
Instead of trying to rank for everything at once, make sure each page covers a specific topic (ex: your services, about you, a blog post, etc.).
✅ Add location-specific keywords if you serve a local area.
If you're a service-based business that takes appointments in person or a brick and mortar, include your city or region in your copy and headings to help local searches find you.

How to Set Page Titles & Descriptions

Every page on your Squarespace site has a Page Title and Meta Description. These are what show up in search results so it’s important to make the most of them!

How to Edit Them:

In Pages, hover over a page and click the ⚙️ gear icon.
Go to the SEO tab.
Write your SEO Title (max ~60 characters) and SEO Description (max ~160 characters).

Keep these tips in mind:

Make it clear and specific (who you are + what you offer)
Use keywords where it makes sense
Write like a human, not a robot
Think: would this make me want to click?

✅ Example:
Title: Wellness Counselling in Toronto | Luna Wellness
Description: Personalized wellness coaching to help you regulate your nervous system, stop your burnout and reconnect with your body naturally.

Optimize Your Images:

Yes, your images can be SEO optimized too!

Rename your image files before uploading.
Add Alt Text to describe each image (for accessibility and SEO)

Rename your image files before uploading. Search engines can't read "IMG_2023.jpg" but they can understand a well-named file.

(Example: gut-health-smoothie.jpg instead of IMG_2023.jpg)

What to do:

Rename images with descriptive, keyword-rich phrases
Use hyphens (not underscores or spaces) to separate words
Keep it relevant and short (3–7 words is ideal)

✅ Example:

Original filename: IMG_2048.jpg
Optimized filename: burnout-recovery-journal-flatlay.jpg

Why it works: It clearly describes the image, uses keywords ("burnout recovery"), and improves SEO without stuffing.

More best practices:

Describe what’s in the image, not just the vibe
Be specific and accurate — include relevant keywords naturally
Keep it around 8–16 words
Avoid phrases like "image of" or "picture of" (it's redundant)
Don’t stuff it with keywords

✅ Example:

Image: A flatlay of a candle, journal, and herbal tea on a linen cloth
Alt Text: "Burnout recovery journal next to herbal tea and candle on neutral linen background"

Why it works: It’s descriptive, accessible and keyword-relevant without being spammy.

How to Add Alt Text in Squarespace:

Click on the image block
Click “Edit”
Add a short, accurate description in the Alt Text field

Use Internal Links:

Internal links are links on your website that point to other pages on your site. These help visitors move around easily and help search engines understand how your site is structured.

✅ Examples:

“Read more about my 1:1 coaching program here” (linking to your Services page)
“Learn more about gut health in this blog post” (linking to a blog post)

Make Sure Your Navigation Makes Sense:

A clean, easy-to-follow menu helps your SEO because Google can crawl your site more easily and also improves the user experience (search engines prioritize websites that offer a better user experience in their search results.).

Keep your main navigation focused on your key pages:

Ex. Home / About / Services / Blog / Contact

Use dropdowns if needed, and don’t bury important content too deep.

Using AI to Find the Right Keywords for You:

Not sure where to start with keywords? You can use platforms like ChatGPT to generate relevant keywords and long-tail keyword ideas for your business, your services, or even specific blog topics.

Here’s how to make the most of it:

✨ Prompts to Try:

To get general keywords:
📝 “What are some common keywords people might search for when looking for a [type of business]?”
→ Example: “What are common keywords for a holistic nutritionist?”
To get long-tail keywords:

📝 “Can you give me 10 long-tail keyword phrases for a [type of business] in [your location] that have medium to high search volume and medium to low competition?”
→ Example: “Can you give me 10 long-tail keyword phrases for a Squarespace web designer in Vancouver that have medium to high search volume and medium to low competition?”
For blog post ideas that are SEO-friendly:

📝 “What blog post topics would perform well for a [type of business] targeting [audience]?”
→ Example: “What SEO-friendly blog post topics could work for a wellness coach targeting women in their 40s?”
To refine your website copy:

📝 “Can you help me rewrite this paragraph to naturally include the keyword [insert keyword]?”

💡 Pro Tip: Once you’ve found some keywords you like, run them through your website copy, page titles, and blog content. Make sure to keep it feeling natural and conversational (i.e. if it doesn’t flow, don’t force it).

Ai can be a great tool but it has its limitations. Always remember that you’re writing for people first, search engines second!

Mobile-Friendly = SEO-Friendly:

All the template pages have come mobile optimized, but after you make changes or create changes you should always double-check how your site looks on mobile. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search results.

Squarespace no longer automatically mobile optimizes your site, so any new section that you build yourself will need to be tweaked to make sure it looks good on desktop and mobile. Always be sure to use the mobile preview and adjust spacing, fonts, and image sizes if needed to keep things clean and readable.

Blog Strategically (If You Blog):

Blogging is a great way to boost SEO over time if you are intentional about it. These are a a few recommendations to help using blogging to your advantage:

Write posts that answer common questions your audience has
Use relevant keywords in your post title, headings, and content
Break up your text with headings, images, and short paragraphs
Include internal links to your services, other posts, or contact page

✅ Example:

“5 Natural Ways to Balance Your Hormones”
is much more SEO-friendly than
“What I’ve Been Thinking About Lately…”

Submit Your Site to Google:

Once your site is live, submit it to Google via Google Search Console. This tells Google your site exists and helps it get indexed faster.

Squarespace makes this super easy. Just follow this guide:

🔗 Connect to Google Search Console

Search Engine Optimizing Your Site