How to Add Keywords to Squarespace in 2026

Last Updated on February 9, 2026 by Himanshu Rawat

Adding the right keywords to your Squarespace website helps search engines understand your content and show it to the right audience. While Squarespace already includes strong built-in SEO features like clean URLs, mobile-friendly templates, and automatic sitemaps, thoughtful keyword placement is what truly improves visibility and search rankings. In fact, 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, highlighting how essential proper keyword optimization is for attracting relevant visitors to your site.

This guide explains how to add keywords to Squarespace step-by-step, along with practical tips to help your pages rank without over-optimization.

What Are Keywords and Why Are They Important?

Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines like Google when searching for information, products, or services. Common examples include:

•  “handmade jewelry online,”
•  “wedding photographer portfolio,” 
•  “best yoga classes near me.” 

When you add relevant keywords to your Squarespace website, you help search engines understand what each page is about, when it should appear in search results, and who your content is meant for. This connection between search intent and page content makes it easier for the right audience to discover your site.

Used correctly, keywords provide several important SEO benefits:

• Improve your search engine rankings
• Attract visitors who are already interested in what you offer
• Increase clicks, engagement, and conversions
• Strengthen your overall on-page SEO

To get the best results, include keywords naturally in titles, headings, descriptions, and page content instead of repeating the same phrase too often. Focusing on one main keyword along with a few related variations per page helps create clear, helpful content that performs well in search results while still reading smoothly for visitors.

Do Proper Keyword Research Before Adding Keywords to Squarespace

Before adding keywords to your Squarespace website, you need to identify the exact terms your audience is searching for. Choosing the right keywords helps your pages appear in relevant search results and attract visitors who are genuinely interested in your content, services, or products.

Strong keywords usually have steady search volume, low to medium competition, clear relevance, and specific intent. Long-tail phrases often perform best because they match real search behavior and are easier to rank for.

How to Choose the Right Keywords

Focus on one primary keyword per page along with a few related variations. Keep these tips in mind:

• Use specific, descriptive phrases instead of broad single words
• Think about what your ideal visitor would search for
• Match the keyword to the page’s intent (informational, service, or product)

Example: Instead of “photography,” use a targeted phrase like “outdoor family photographer in Austin,” which better reflects real searches and improves ranking potential.

Helpful Keyword Research Tools

• Google Keyword Planner – Search volume and trends
• Ubersuggest – Keyword ideas and competitor insights
• AnswerThePublic – Real user questions and topics
• SEOSpace – Squarespace-focused SEO suggestions

Once you’ve chosen clear, relevant keywords, you’re ready to add them naturally throughout your Squarespace site.

How to Add Keywords to Squarespace (Step-by-Step)

Squarespace doesn’t provide a single keyword field. Instead, keywords should be added naturally across different parts of your website so search engines can clearly understand your content.

Step 1. Add Keywords to Site-Wide SEO Settings

Start by setting your overall site information.

• Go to Settings → Marketing → SEO Appearance
• Write a clear site title that includes your main keyword
• Add a short site description explaining what your website offers
• Keep the wording natural and avoid keyword stuffing

Step 2. Optimize SEO Settings on Individual Pages

Each page should target one unique keyword theme.

• Open a page → Page Settings → SEO
• Write an SEO title starting with your primary keyword
• Add a compelling meta description to encourage clicks
• Edit the URL slug using clear words separated by hyphens

Example: yourdomain.com/add-keywords-squarespace

Step 3. Use Keywords Naturally in Page Content

Visible content is one of the strongest SEO signals.

• Include the main keyword in the H1 heading
• Mention it within the first paragraph
• Use related terms in H2 and H3 subheadings
• Write naturally instead of repeating the same phrase

Always prioritize readability over keyword density.

Step 4. Add Keywords to Images and Media

Image optimization can improve both SEO and accessibility.

• Rename image files with descriptive words before uploading
• Add alt text that explains the image using relevant keywords
• Compress images to maintain fast loading speed
• Avoid generic names like image1.jpg

Step 5. Optimize Blogs, Products, and Other Content

Apply SEO settings to every content type individually.

• Use a unique SEO title and description
• Add keyword-focused headings inside the content
• Apply relevant tags or categories
• Link to related pages with meaningful anchor text

This improves site structure and discoverability.

Step 6. Track Performance in Google Search Console

SEO continues after publishing.

• Submit your Squarespace sitemap to Google Search Console
• Monitor impressions, clicks, and rankings
• Update pages that are underperforming
• Refresh older content with improved keywords

SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-time setup.

Case Studies: How Keywords Improve Squarespace Website Performance

• Fast #1 Ranking with Targeted Keywords
  A Squarespace blog post optimized for ultra-specific, low-competition keywords reached the #1 position on Google within 24 hours. Proper placement in the H1 heading, meta title, description, and introduction helped search engines instantly understand the page’s relevance, resulting in thousands of weekly impressions and a rapid rise in organic clicks.
• From Zero Traffic to Consistent Weekly Leads
  A business website with minimal visibility improved performance by adding high-intent keywords to service pages, product descriptions, and site-wide SEO settings. Within a few weeks, rankings increased and organic visitors began converting into inquiries, eventually generating around 100 qualified leads per week through search alone.

Common Keyword Mistakes to Avoid

When adding keywords to Squarespace, avoid these frequent errors that can weaken your SEO instead of improving it:

• Repeating the same keyword unnaturally: Overusing a keyword in every sentence makes content hard to read and may signal keyword stuffing to search engines. Focus on natural language and include related variations or synonyms instead of forcing repetition.
• Using identical titles on multiple pages: Each page should target a unique topic and keyword. Duplicate SEO titles and descriptions confuse search engines and reduce your chances of ranking for specific searches.
• Ignoring mobile readability and page speed: Most visitors browse on mobile devices. Slow-loading pages, large images, or cluttered layouts can increase bounce rates and negatively affect rankings. Optimizing performance is just as important as adding keywords.
• Forgetting image alt text: Missing or vague alt text means search engines cannot understand what your images represent. Descriptive alt text improves accessibility and provides another opportunity to reinforce page relevance.
• Skipping internal links between related pages: Without internal links, search engines may struggle to discover deeper content on your site. Linking related pages together helps distribute authority, improves navigation, and keeps visitors engaged longer.

Final Thoughts

Adding keywords to Squarespace is simple once you understand where they belong research, site settings, page SEO, content, images, and ongoing tracking. By combining Squarespace’s built‑in SEO features with thoughtful keyword placement, you can steadily improve search visibility and attract the right visitors to your website.

Start with one page, apply these steps carefully, and expand your optimization across the rest of your site for long‑term SEO growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many keywords should I use on a single Squarespace page?

Focus on one primary keyword supported by a few related variations. This keeps the topic clear for search engines and avoids over-optimization.

2. Does Squarespace automatically handle SEO keywords?

Squarespace includes technical SEO features like clean URLs and sitemaps, but you must manually add keywords to titles, headings, content, alt text, and SEO settings.

3. Where should I place keywords in Squarespace?

Add them to the SEO title, meta description, URL, H1 heading, first paragraph, subheadings, and image alt text for the strongest SEO impact.

4. Can keyword stuffing hurt rankings?

Yes. Overusing keywords can reduce readability and harm rankings. Always use keywords naturally in helpful content.

5. How long does SEO results take after adding keywords?

Low-competition keywords may improve within weeks, while competitive ones can take months. Ongoing updates and Search Console tracking help speed results.