Pillar 1: structure and clarity
If you imagine your website is a house, this pillar is about the floor plan. Before you worry about the paint colours (your copy) or curb appeal (backlinks), you need to make sure the rooms make sense.
Google and modern AI search tools crave clarity. They want to look at a page and understand exactly what it is about in milliseconds. If they have to guess, they generally won't rank you.
Here is how to get your structure right on Squarespace.
Give every page a single job
One of the most common issues I see on Irish business sites built with Squarespace is a single page trying to rank for too many things at once. This happens when you try to rank one URL for “Wedding Photographer,” “Family Portraits,” “Corporate Headshots,” and “Events in Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare.”
When you mix too many topics on one URL, you dilute your relevance. Google doesn't know if you are primarily a wedding photographer or a corporate one, so it often ranks you for neither.
It is much better to give every core service its own dedicated page. Instead of a single /services page that lists everything in bullet points, create a hub that links out to separate pages, like /wedding-photography-dublin and /corporate-headshots-dublin.
This isn't just for Google. It helps AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini accurately summarise your business. If a user asks an AI, "Find me a corporate photographer in Dublin," the AI looks for a specific match. If your corporate work is buried in paragraph four of a generic wedding page, the AI is likely to miss it.
Keep your URLs clean and descriptive
Your URL slug is the part of the web address that comes after your domain name. If you aren't careful, Squarespace often defaults to messy URLs (like /blog/2026/1/10/new-post-final) or vague ones (like /services-2).
Messy URLs look unprofessional to users and give search engines zero context.
To fix this, go to your Page Settings and check the URL Slug field. You want something short, descriptive, and easy to read. Use your primary keyword and separate the words with hyphens rather than underscores. A URL like /boiler-repair-dublin tells Google exactly what to expect before it even loads the page.
How to set the URL slug in Squarespace:
A quick warning on this: If you change the URL of a page that already exists, the old link will break.
You need to set up a 301 Redirect in your Squarespace settings (under Developer Tools > URL Mappings) to ensure anyone clicking the old link is automatically sent to the new one.
List each individual mapping in the dedicated field with one mapping per line following this format:
<original url> -> <new url> <redirect type>
How to set 301 redirects in Squarespace:
Use headings to tell a story
Headings (H1, H2, H3) are not just for making text look big. They act as the skeleton of your article. When an AI bot scans your page, it reads your headings to understand the hierarchy of information.
If your page is just a wall of text, or if you use bold text instead of proper heading tags, search engines struggle to extract the key facts.
You should have only one heading 1 (H1) per page, and it should clearly state the page topic (e.g., "Chartered Accountant in Dublin 2").
After that, use heading 2 (H2) for your main sections, like Pricing, Process, or FAQs.
A good way to test this is to read only the headings on your service page. Do they tell a clear story on their own? If your headings are just "Welcome," "What we do," and "Info," you are missing a trick. Change them to be descriptive, like "Physiotherapy in Dublin 4," "Treatments," and "Book an Appointment."
Pillar 2: content and intent
If structure is the floor plan of your house, content is the furniture. It’s what makes the site useful and comfortable for the people visiting it.
I have come across many Squarespace sites look stunning but fail to rank because the written content is too thin or too vague. Google — and the AI tools that are powering search results and summaries like AI overviews — need words to understand what you do. They can’t "read" a beautiful photograph.
Here is how to upgrade your content without rewriting your whole site.
Write titles for humans, not just robots
Your page title and meta description are the first things people see in search results. Think of them as your shop window. If the window display is messy or boring, nobody comes in, even if your shop is on the busiest street in town.
A common mistake is stuffing these tags with keywords until they look spammy. You might see a title like "Accountant Dublin | Tax Returns Dublin | Payroll Dublin." It looks robotic and desperate.
It is much more effective to write for the click. You want to describe what you do, who it’s for, and where you do it. A title like "Small Business Accountants in Dublin 2 | Tax & Payroll" tells a potential client exactly what they need to know.
For the meta description, don't just list services. Use that space to set expectations or offer a benefit. Something like "Affordable accounting for Irish SMEs. We handle your tax and payroll so you can focus on growing. Book a free consultation." is far more likely to earn a click than a list of keywords.
How to set page title and meta description in Squarespace:
Answer the user's question immediately
This is where SEO has changed the most in the last few years. Previously, you might have written a long, winding introduction to keep people on the page. Today, both humans and AI search tools want answers first.
When someone lands on your service page, the first paragraph should confirm they are in the right place. State clearly what the service is, who it is for, and where you operate.
For example, if you are a physio in South Dublin, your opening lines shouldn't be a vague welcome message. They should be specific: "Physiotherapy clinic based in Ranelagh, specialising in sports injuries and back pain. Open late on Tuesdays and Thursdays."
This clarity helps AI tools summarise your page accurately. If a user asks a chatbot, "Is there a physio in Ranelagh open in the evenings?", that clear opening text makes it easy for the AI to give the right answer and cite your website.
Use FAQs to capture long-tail searches
Adding a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to your service pages is one of the highest-value changes you can make on Squarespace.
FAQs are excellent for SEO and AIO because they naturally match the way people type (or speak) into Google. Questions like "How much does a solicitor cost in Ireland?" or "How long does conveyancing take?" are searched constantly.
If you answer these questions directly on your page, you increase your chances of appearing in the "People Also Ask" boxes on Google. Plus, it builds trust with real visitors because you are addressing their concerns before they even have to ask.
Don't let images slow you down
Squarespace is famous for its visual templates, but large images are the silent killer of website speed. If you upload photos straight from your phone or your photographer, they are likely huge files that will make your site load slowly on mobile data.
Since Google prioritises page speed, this can hurt your rankings.
You don't need to be a technical wizard to fix this. Just make it a habit to compress your images before you upload them. There are plenty of free online tools that reduce file size without ruining the quality.
Also, take a moment to add alt text to your images. This is a short description of the image for visually impaired users, but it also helps search engines understand the context of your photos.
Pillar 3: authority and local trust
If structure is your floor plan and content is your furniture, authority is your reputation. It is how Google decides if you are a legitimate business that deserves to be recommended to its users.
For most small businesses in Ireland, you don't need to be famous globally. You just need to prove you are the most relevant, trusted option in your specific area.
Here is how to build that trust using your Squarespace site.
Connect your pages to guide the user
Many Squarespace sites suffer from orphaned pages — pages that exist but have no links pointing to them from other parts of the site. If Google finds a page that isn't linked to anything else, it assumes that page isn't very important.
You should use internal links to connect your site like a spiderweb. A good rule of thumb is that your blog posts shouldn't just be dead ends. If you write a post about "The benefits of tax planning," you should include a link in the text pointing to your main "Tax Services" page.
This does two things. First, it guides the reader to the next logical step (hiring you). Second, it signals to Google which of your pages are the most important money pages.
Be consistent with your location details
If you are a local business — like a plumber in Swords or a dental clinic in Galway — your biggest SEO asset is your location.
To rank in the Map Pack (that block of 3 local business listings that appears at the top of Google search results), you need to be totally consistent with your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP).
Make sure the address in your Squarespace footer matches exactly what is listed on your Google Business Profile. If you are "ABC Ltd" on your website but "ABC Solicitors" on Google Maps, that slight mismatch can confuse search engines about whether you are the same entity.
You should also list the areas you serve on your key pages, but be realistic. A list of 50 towns looks spammy. A genuine sentence like "Based in Dublin 15, serving Blanchardstown, Castleknock, and surrounding areas" is much more effective.
Earn links through real-world relationships
Backlinks (other websites linking to yours) are still a major ranking factor. But you don't need to buy thousands of low-quality links from strangers. In fact, doing that can get you penalised.
For an Irish small business, the best links come from real-world relationships. Think about the people you already know. Do you have suppliers, partners, or business associations you work with? Ask if they can list you on their "Partners" or "Stockists" page.
You should also look at credible local directories. Getting listed in a reputable niche directory or a local chamber of commerce is far more valuable than a generic global directory. These links act as a vote of confidence for your site, telling Google that you are an active part of the local business community.
How to measure Squarespace SEO success without drowning in data
You don’t need to be in analytics every day. In fact, obsessing over daily ranking changes is usually a waste of time because search results naturally fluctuate.
But you do need a routine. I recommend checking two specific things once a month to make sure your effort is actually turning into business.
Use Search Console to find opportunities, not just track vanity metrics
Most people open Google Search Console just to see if their graph is going up. That makes you feel good, but it doesn't give you anything to do.
Instead, I look for queries where you are sitting on the second search results page (positions 11–20). These are your "striking distance" keywords. Google likes the page enough to rank it, but not enough to put it on page one yet.
If you find a service page ranking at position 12 for a valuable term, that is your priority for the month. Go back to that page and tighten the copy, add a better FAQ section, or build a few internal links to it. That small push is often enough to bump you onto page one, which is where the traffic is.
How to check average position per query in Google Search Controle:
Use Google Analytics to see if the traffic is actually valuable
Traffic is useless if it doesn't convert. When you look at Google Analytics (GA4), you want to ignore the total number of hits and look at how people behave once they arrive.
You should pay close attention to your engagement rate on mobile versus desktop. I often see Irish business sites that convert well on laptops but fail miserably on phones because the "Contact Us" button pushes halfway down the page or the menu is fiddly.
If your mobile traffic is high but your engagement is low, you don't have an SEO problem; you have a user experience problem. Fixing that will do more for your bottom line than writing ten new blog posts.
How to check mobile vs desktop engagement rate in GA4:
Frequently asked questions about Squarespace SEO
Can a Squarespace site actually rank as well as WordPress?
Yes. For the vast majority of small businesses, the platform is not the limiting factor. The difference usually comes down to the quality of your content, your site structure, and your local reputation. If you aren't ranking, switching to WordPress rarely fixes the problem unless you also fix the fundamentals of how you talk about your business.
Do I really need a blog to rank in Ireland?
Not necessarily. A blog helps, but only if it is used strategically. You are better off having five really strong service pages and three helpful guides (like "How much does a wedding photographer cost?") than 50 generic blog posts that nobody reads.
Think of your blog posts as support beams for your main services.
How long does it take to see improvements from SEO?
SEO is a compound interest game. After making structural fixes — like cleaning up URLs and rewriting titles — you might see movement in 4–8 weeks. But ranking for competitive terms in a busy market like Dublin usually takes 3–6 months of consistent effort.
Should I create separate pages for every location I serve (e.g. Dublin 1, Dublin 2...)?
I generally advise my clients against this. In the past, creating dozens of location pages was a common tactic, but today Google often views these as low-quality doorway pages, especially if the content is identical on every page. You are better off having a section about your service areas on your homepage or main "Services" page, or creating specific location pages only if you have a physical office or truly unique services in that area.
Can I use AI to write my content?
You can use AI to help you draft ideas, structure headings, or tidy up your grammar. But be careful about copy-pasting AI text directly. It often sounds generic and lacks the specific local knowledge that helps you rank. Use it as a junior assistant, not the author.
Why isn't my new page showing up in Google yet?
If you just published a page, it won't appear instantly. Google has to crawl it first. You can speed this up by using the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to request indexing. But if it has been weeks and it still isn't showing, check your page settings to ensure you haven't accidentally switched on the "Hide from Search Results" toggle.
Next steps for your Squarespace SEO
Squarespace SEO works best when you focus on a few high-impact changes and let them compound over time. You don't need to do everything on this list this weekend.
If you only do three things after reading this guide, make them these:
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Audit your top 3 pages: Look at your homepage and your two main service pages. Does each one have a single, clear job?
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Speak clearly: Check your page titles and headings. Do they match what your customers actually type into Google (e.g., "Accountant in Dublin 2") or are they generic (e.g., "Welcome" or "Services")?
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Get local: Ensure your address and service areas are listed consistently on your website footer and your Google Business Profile.
Need a hand with the heavy lifting?
If your Squarespace site looks the part but isn't bringing in consistent enquiries, I can help you fix the foundations without turning it into a massive project.
I’m a Dublin-based SEO consultant who works with Irish small businesses to turn "silent" websites into lead generators.
I offer a focused Squarespace SEO audit and plan. We look at the pages that matter most to your bottom line, identify why they aren't ranking, and give you a clear, prioritised list of fixes — or I can just go in and fix them for you.
