How to Change Site Title in Squarespace [Site-Wide SEO]
Introduction
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to change site title in Squarespace and set up an effective site-wide meta description. If you are having trouble getting your Squarespace website to show up on Google, optimizing your site-wide site title and SEO meta description can help. These key SEO elements affect how your website appears in search results and can make a strong first impression on potential visitors.
Whether you’re looking to update your homepage title, customize SEO titles for blog posts or product pages, or fine-tune your meta descriptions to include relevant keywords, this guide from a Squarespace SEO expert covers all the essentials. Watch the video below to see each step in action and learn best practices for optimizing your Squarespace site for search engines.
Additionally, I recommend using the SEOSpace plugin, an SEO plugin designed specifically for Squarespace. It scans your pages and provides you with a custom SEO checklist. It will let you know if you are missing any SEO titles and meta descriptions, and will provide instructions on optimizing your website for SEO.
Key Takeaways
Learn how to change the site title in Squarespace to improve brand visibility in search results.
Discover how to create and optimize a site-wide meta description to attract more clicks from search engines.
Find out where to adjust SEO settings for individual pages, blog posts, and product listings on Squarespace.
Get tips on using relevant keywords in your site title and meta descriptions to improve search ranking and clarity for visitors.
The difference between the Squarespace site title and the site-wide SEO title and meta description (aka “website SEO settings”). Where to find both of these site title settings and when you should, or shouldn’t, specficially customize the site SEO title.
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0:02 In this video I want to talk about how to edit the SEO site title in Squarespace. If you've done any googling you may have already found the SEO settings for pages, blogs, and products.
0:14 However, I am going to take a moment to go over that as well. So let's go ahead and talk about where these different SEO settings live.
0:21 If you hover over any of your pages there's a little gear icon and if we click on that we're going to get all of our page settings.
0:28 We have our page title, navigation title, URL. Now on the left here we have additional SEO settings. Your SEO title is going to be your page title unless you change it.
0:40 So if I go ahead and erase this you'll see that it now displays my page title. In most cases you're probably going to want your page title to match your SEO title.
0:49 There aren't that many cases where they need to be different. However, if you do want something specific for search engines, you just add it in here and it'll automatically update.
0:58 Now under these SEO settings we also have this the SEO description. You do want to put something in here. If this is blank, Google will automatically pull content from your website.
1:08 However, it's a missed opportunity. This is a chance to not only include some very specific keywords to help Google understand exactly what this page is, but it's also the very first impression you make when people are looking at or scrolling Google. They're going to see your site title, your page title,
1:26 and your meta description. And if you haven't taken the time to customize this in a way that includes some keywords, is kind of descriptive of what the page is, and hopefully is a little catchy, you're going to miss some opportunities.
1:40 Inside a screen, again you have the option to put in an additional separate SEO title, or you can just leave it as the page title.
1:47 And you definitely want to put a description in here. Coming back to the general tab, the page title, since this can match the SEO title, it's probably going to be a little bit longer than what you want for the navigation.
2:05 There's a certain amount of characters that are recommended for your page title / SEO title, and usually it's more than one word. So you're probably going to want to have a very specific navigation title that's nice and short and fits the heading of your website.
2:17 Keep in mind that changing the navigation title will not affect SEO, right? SEO is going to either pull right from this page title or the specific SEO title you set.
2:29 It will not, it will not look for this navigation title. And then there's the slug. This is the URL associated with the page, and this is an opportunity to place some keywords and help Google find you.
2:40 Find your website. So let's talk about the site title and also where to find these page settings in blog posts and products because they're a little bit different.
2:52 So when we are in this SEO box, you noticed here's your site title. We have our page title and then our site title, and if I'm clicking on this, there's no way to change it.
3:00 can't. So I want to circle back to this in a minute and show you how to change this. In the meantime, I do want to quickly show you how to do these settings on blog posts and on products.
3:10 So we're gonna go ahead and discard this. We're gonna go to our blog. Now you can do these same settings right from that gear icon on that blog page right there.
3:18 So this looks very similar. Or, just so you know, if you are clicked through to this primary blog page, and you have your main blog page on the right and you have your posts on the left, I do want to point out that you can access those same blog page settings from this gear icon.
3:38 And this is going to associate with the main blog page itself. So this looks similar. Now you have the ability to optimize this same kind of SEO on every single blog post, and you absolutely should.
3:51 So we are going to click on the three dots and click on settings. And now we are going to get that same pop-up.
3:57 And under here we have, if we scroll down, we have our URL, which, of course, we want to optimize. And then we have SEO.
4:04 And we have the same settings. So again, the title of the blog post is going to be the SEO title unless you specify, and then I definitely recommend putting a description in here.
4:14 So let's do this one more time for your products, and then we'll move on to the site title.
4:20 So if I go down to the store, same thing, our main store page has that same gear icon.
4:25 So you could click on that and optimize your main page like you do the other pages. And then let's just talk about how to optimize your individual products because this is in a different location.
4:37 So to optimize your individual products, we're going to click on these three dots and we're going to edit.
4:49 So we're going to actually edit the product itself and if we scroll down, there are some SEO settings at the very bottom here.
4:57 It's under marketing. You'll see this little marketing tab. You can click on this and go straight to it. And we're going to click on edit.
5:05 And now we have the same options as before. So we have our URL, our site, our SEO title.
5:14 So same thing, the product title is going to be the default title unless you put something specific, and then I definitely recommend putting in a specific meta description.
5:20 So now let's talk about how to actually edit and change this site title itself because we have yet to come across that setting.
5:28 So I'm going to go ahead and exit out of this and go back to my main page. Now there's a couple of different ways to do this.
5:36 If we click on the gear icon for the homepage and we know it's the homepage because there's a tiny little house icon right there.
5:43 So let's go ahead and click on that. This is going to look a little bit different than everything else we've edited so far.
5:58 So of course with the homepage, we do have some of the same options with the navigation title, page title, and slug, and then we can come into SEO.
6:06 The difference here is we have a choice to edit website SEO settings, and this is for the whole site.
6:22 If I click on that, now it brings up this marketing tab, which is also under your settings, SEO appearance.
6:32 You can also come to settings, marketing, SEO appearance and have this same thing. Now we have the homepage, and basically right now the SEO title format for the whole website is just the site title.
6:44 So I'm going to show you where to edit your site title in a minute and just like the other pages and posts, your site title will be your default SEO title unless you change it.
7:05 Now we do have a couple of other options here. So if I go to pages, right now the default is the page title and then site title with a dash in the middle.
7:18 So percentage P is page and percentage S is site title. Now I recommend leaving it this way, but you can, of course, change it if you want.
7:31 If we come back to the homepage SEO settings, I would recommend leaving these formats as-is and changing the site title of the whole website itself rather than putting something custom in here.
7:40 But I would recommend leaving it. Definitely do an SEO site description just like the rest of your website. If you don't put something in here, Google is going to come up with its own thing, and it's not necessarily going to be very clear on what you want.
7:50 So to change this site title, let's go ahead and show you where this lives.
7:59 If I click out of here, this is going to be on your header. So, if I click on edit and I hover over header, site title, and logo.
8:17 Now, we click here and I recommend changing your site title here. This will apply across your entire website.
8:32 However, if you want to have a lengthy site title, something longer than what's going to fit in your top header area, put your site title in here so it looks good on your actual website.
8:40 Then go to those SEO settings like we were in before, and this is where your SEO site title might be different than the site title itself.
8:57 So, let's say on this website I don't have a logo. And I'm just displaying Kara Wolf Demo. And maybe I want Google to know that my website site title is Kara Wolf Websites Templates and SEO.
9:00 That is going to be way too long for my header. So that's an example where the site title might be one thing, and then I come into these SEO settings.
9:15 And I'm actually going to erase this and I'm going to put something in, etc. etc. Right?
9:32 So if you have a logo on your website and you're not displaying that site title in the header, I recommend erasing it.
9:40 And just making your site title SEO optimized and leaving this as the default. So the SEO title and the site title are both going to match.
9:50 So that's it for this tutorial. Look down in the description below this video for more tips and tricks, and links to other resources.
Table of Contents
How to Change Site Title in Squarespace
How to Access and Edit SEO Settings for Individual Pages in Squarespace (00:00)
Navigate to any page and click the Gear icon to access the page SEO settings.
In the beginning of the video, you’ll learn how to access and edit SEO settings for individual pages on your Squarespace site. Follow these steps:
1. Locate Page Settings: Go to your Squarespace dashboard and hover over any page. Click on the small gear icon that appears to open the page settings menu.
2. Adjust SEO Title: Under the “SEO” tab, you’ll see options for the SEO title. By default, this matches your page title. You can customize this field to include keywords specific to that page. This SEO title will appear in search results, so it’s an opportunity to make it relevant, engaging, and include a primary keyword.
3. Add a Meta Description: Below the SEO title, there’s a space for the SEO description (meta description). Write a brief, keyword-rich summary of the page content that is 150-160 characters long. This description shows up in search results, providing a first impression to potential visitors, so make sure it’s clear, relevant, and inviting.
4. Save Your Changes: After you’ve set the SEO title and description, save the changes.
Learn more on Squarespace’s official guide on how to add a site title.
How to Edit SEO Settings for Blogs (02:44)
Click on your blog and then “blog content” to view your posts. Hover over the post and click on the three “…” to access the individual blog post SEO settings.
To optimize the SEO settings for your blog posts in Squarespace, start by navigating to your blog page. Here’s how to access the SEO options:
Open Blog Settings: Go to your main blog page and click on the small gear icon next to the blog post you want to edit.
Edit SEO Title: In the settings menu, you’ll see fields for the title and URL. By default, the SEO title will match your blog post title, but you can customize it here for search engines. I like to optimize my blog post titles for SEO; therefore, I don’t normally need a different SEO title. However, you have the option for unique cases. By default, it will pull from your page/post title.
Add SEO Description: Scroll down to the SEO section. Add a unique and descriptive meta description that includes your primary keyword. This description will appear in search engine results, so make it clear and engaging to encourage clicks. Keep this to 150-160 characters.
Save Changes: Once you’ve added your SEO title and description, save the settings. Repeat these steps for each blog post, or the top 5 posts that you are currently focusing on.
How to Edit SEO Settings for Products (04:20)
Hover over a product and click on the “…” to edit your product. Scroll down the page to find the SEO settings.
If you’re selling products on your Squarespace site, optimizing each product’s SEO settings can help attract more traffic. Here’s how to do it:
Go to the Product Page: Navigate to the store page and select the product you’d like to optimize. Click on the three dots next to the product and choose “Edit.”
Scroll to Marketing Settings: Within the product editor, scroll to the bottom and find the “Marketing” tab. This is where the SEO options for your product are located.
Add SEO Title and Description: Like blog posts, you can customize the product title and add an SEO description under the marketing section. Include your primary keyword here.
Save Changes: Once the title and description are set, save your changes.
Pro-Tip: If your products all have a similar “keyword”, just focus on optimizing the main collections page instead of individual products.
How to Edit the Website SEO Site Title (05:19)
To edit the site-wide SEO title, find your homepage and click on the Gear icon. Choose “edit website SEO settings”. You can also find this option from the general settings menu.
The site title is crucial for SEO as it appears in search results and impacts how search engines understand your site. This is different then the site title you edit from the header. Update your site title first. If it’s too long to display in your header (if you aren’t using a logo), then you can keep the site title short and create a custom SEO site title that is different.
Follow these steps to change your Squarespace site title:
Access Homepage Settings: From your main page, click the gear icon next to the homepage. This will open a new set of options for your site’s SEO.
Navigate to SEO Settings: In the homepage settings menu, go to the SEO tab and click on “Edit Website SEO Settings.” This option takes you to the overall site SEO settings.
Update Site Title: In the SEO appearance section, you’ll see an option labeled “Site Title.” Here, you can add or edit the site title to reflect your business name, keywords, or brand identity. The site title you enter here will be the default title used across your entire website.
Save and Apply: Once you’ve customized your site title, save the changes. This updated title will now appear in search results, giving visitors a clear understanding of your brand and offerings.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your blog posts, products, and site title are optimized for SEO, helping your Squarespace site rank better in local and relevant searches. If you are looking for more help, check out my guide on Squarespace SEO for beginners.
Conclusion
Knowing how to change the site title in Squarespace, along with setting SEO titles and meta descriptions, is key to optimizing your site for search engines. These simple steps can make a big difference in how your site appears in search results and will help you rank higher for your primary keywords. Customizing these elements for pages, blog posts, and products is the first step in optimizing your Squarespace website for SEO. If you get stuck, feel free to reach out to me. As a certified Squarespace SEO specialist, I can help you optimize these areas of your website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the site title in Squarespace?
To change your site title in Squarespace, start by navigating to your homepage settings. Click the gear icon next to the homepage in your site editor, then go to the SEO tab and choose “Edit Website SEO Settings.” This will bring you to the option to update your site title for the entire website. Adding relevant keywords to your Squarespace site title can improve your search visibility, as it helps search engines understand what your site is about.
Alternatively, you can also edit your site title in Squarespace by clicking “edit” from any page and hovering over the “header”. Click on the pencil icon next to the site title or logo. This will be your site title and SEO site title unless you override it with an SEO site title from the SEO settings.
How do I remove a site title from Squarespace?
To remove the site title from your Squarespace header, go to “Design” and select “Site Styles.” Here, you’ll find an option to hide the site title Squarespace displays in the header, depending on your template. Remember, even if you hide it from view, it’s still beneficial to keep your Squarespace site title updated in the SEO settings to help search engines properly index your website.
How do I change the URL name of my Squarespace website?
In Squarespace, to change your site’s URL, go to “Settings” and select “Domains.” Here, you can add a custom domain by purchasing through Squarespace or connecting an existing one. If you’re using a Squarespace subdomain, such as “yoursite.squarespace.com,” you can also update that here. Having a custom URL along with a well-optimized Squarespace site title is critical for creating a professional look and optimizing SEO.
What is the site title?
The site title in Squarespace is the primary name for your website, which appears in the browser, search engine results, and sometimes in the header. The site title Squarespace settings provide an opportunity to incorporate keywords, helping search engines and users understand your website’s purpose. A well-crafted Squarespace site title reinforces your brand and boosts visibility in search results, making it an essential element of your site’s SEO setup.
