SEO Elements I Implement on Every Website and Why They’re Important
When I design websites for my clients, it’s extremely important for me that they will drive passive engagement—making SEO (search engine optimization) a top priority.
I like to say that I’m not only a Squarespace and Showit website designer, but also an SEO strategist.
As someone who worked in the SEO industry at agencies for 3 years, I first hand understand the importance of implementing these elements on my clients’ websites.
SEO encompasses a lot of different things, from keywords to AMP settings, so making sure everything is good to go before turning a website over to a client is a HUGE task!
This is the checklist I go through when optimizing a website for a client—and my opinion on why completing each step is so important.
Resizing Images So They Load Quickly
First, I make sure I resize every image used on my clients’ website to ensure they look amazing while loading as quickly as possible.
Large image files can do a number on websites, delaying load times and even appearing as a blank or gray space instead of the image you uploaded.
This not only increases bounce rate (people immediately navigating away from your website or clicking the “back” button,) but also leaves guests with a bad impression of your brand.
Of course, this can’t happen to my clients on my watch, and is one of the first things I look for as an SEO strategist!
Keep in mind that brand photographers typically provide their clients with huge image files, between 5 and 15MB. Even stock photography websites provide large image files.
The goal is to resize banner images to a maximum of 2500px wide, and compress all your images below 500KB.
File Name and Alt Text Optimization
Google isn’t a person, so it doesn’t see images the way you and I do. Instead, it looks for the file name and alternate text of an image to determine its relevancy.
You can help Google understand that your images are relevant by optimizing both the file name and alternate text of your images to include the keyword you want to rank for (while accurately describing what it is.)
While many business owners pay attention to optimizing image file names, alt text is often overlooked.
However, it’s important for a variety of reasons, including helping vision impaired people understand what the image is. It’s also what websites will showcase to a user if the image does not load on the screen.
Including alternate text helps cover your website’s integrity and professionalism if your images aren’t loading!
Title tags
Title tags are simply the titles of each page. Typically it includes 2-3 elements, including:
Name of the page
Target keyword for the page
Brand name
Sometimes I will combine the first two into one depending on the page and its associated keyword.
This process includes simple keyword research that is built into the website package.
Meta Descriptions for Each Page and Blog Post
The meta description of a page or blog post is what shows up beneath the title on search results and helps Google understand what the page or post is about.
It should always describe the page or post accurately and be between 120 and 150 characters long. Longer meta descriptions typically get cut off in the Google search results.
Oftentimes, I recommend adding your keyword into the page’s meta description. But keep in mind that this information is just for a user and doesn’t directly impact SEO.
It’s important to add a meta description to each page because if you don’t, Google will pull a random sentence from your website’s page or blog post. Sometimes, these don’t make the most sense and can look strange.
When in doubt, always take a moment to add a meta description.
Reviewing Other Squarespace Settings
The settings of your Squarespace website can also impact the SEO.
As a Squarespace and Showit website designer, I always carefully review the Squarespace settings of my clients’ websites, making sure they are also optimized for SEO.
AMP
First, I make sure AMP is enabled. Per Squarespace, AMP “creates lightweight versions of web pages to help them load faster on a mobile device, (and) works with Google to prioritize results in mobile searches.”
In simple terms, AMP helps your blog posts load faster and appear in a better layout on mobile devices, (as well as show up in thumbnails in Google searches to help you get more views.)
SSL
I cover SSL in detail in another blog post, but, in short (as I wrote in said post,) “SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and is vital for ensuring your website is safe for processing and storing users’ information such as credit card numbers and contact information.”
Thankfully, most website builders automatically include this service so it’s not something I need to go out of my way to implement as a website designer.
But it’s still very important to mention since Google slightly punishes websites that are not secure to its users.
Blog Comments
Lastly, I make sure blog comments are turned on on my clients’ websites, because doing so boosts SEO while also giving their audience a chance to connect with them on their blog—asking questions, leaving their own ideas, and more.
As you can see, there is a LOT that goes into making sure any website is optimized for SEO—which is why, sometimes, it’s best to leave it to the pros!
If you are currently looking for a Squarespace and Showit website designer who can handle all of the tough things for you, I’d love to help you out. I have TONS of experience crafting dream websites for my clients, and would love to craft yours, too.
What sets me apart from other designers is my attention to detail when it comes to SEO. Unfortunately, I see so many beautiful websites for incredible coaches and service providers in this online business space whose websites are not optimized.
Yes, a beautiful website is impactful, but it’s just as important to know what’s going on under the surface as it is on top.
For more information about me and my services, you can check out my services page below. I can’t wait to hear from you and learn more about how we can create the website of your dreams!
If you’re looking for a website redesign, I encourage you to check out my services below. I’m always happy to help!
Looking for more Squarespace SEO tips? Check out these blog posts: