Your Shiny New Squarespace Website: A No-BS Guide to DIY Updates (Without Ruining Everything)
So you've got this gorgeous new Squarespace site that's strategically designed to convert visitors into clients. It's beautiful. It's on-brand. It's finally DONE.
...and now you need to make updates.
First, take a deep breath. You don't need to panic-email me at midnight (though I appreciate the enthusiasm). This guide will walk you through the changes you should handle yourself, the ones you should probably leave to the pros, and everything in between.
Think of this as your owner's manual for that shiny new digital asset we just built together.
The "Safe Zone" Updates You Can Totally Handle
1. Compress Those Massive Images Slowing Down Your Site
Here's a universal truth I've learned after 9+ years of building websites: clients will upload an 8MB image straight from their DSLR camera and then wonder why their site loads slower than my grandmother sends a text message.
The quick fix:
ALWAYS compress your images before uploading - I recommend TinyJPG or CompressPNG
Aim for file sizes under 500KB (and ideally under 200KB)
For Squarespace specifically: You can also use their built-in image editor to further edit after uploading
Why this matters: Page speed is a major ranking factor for Google. If your beautiful site takes 7 seconds to load, visitors will bounce faster than you can say "where did my leads go?"
2. Make Text Edits Without Triggering the Squarespace Shuffle
Squarespace has a wonderful drag-and-drop editor that sometimes likes to... surprise you. You go in to change one word and suddenly your entire page layout looks like it was designed by a toddler on an espresso bender.
The quick fix:
Make small text changes one section at a time
ALWAYS check both desktop AND mobile views before publishing
If something jumps or shifts, don't panic—use the "undo" button and try again with smaller changes
Pro tip: Schedule these updates when you're not rushed. Nothing creates website disasters quite like trying to make "one quick change" 5 minutes before a client call.
3. Complete Your SEO Checklist for Every New Page
Every time you add new content to your site, you need to help Google understand what it's about. Skip this step and your beautiful new page might as well be invisible.
The complete SEO checklist for new pages:
Page Title (under Page Settings) - Include your main keyword
Meta Description (under Page Settings) - Compelling 1-2 sentence summary with keywords
Image Titles - Rename your images before uploading (e.g., "luxury-beach-house-galveston-tx.jpg")
Alt Text - Describe what's in the image for accessibility and SEO
URL Slug - Keep it short, descriptive, and keyword-rich
Headings - Use H1, H2, H3 tags appropriately with keywords
After making significant updates, resubmit your sitemap to Google Search Console using this format: https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
4. Keep Your Content Fresh for Ongoing SEO Success
Search engines love websites that are regularly updated. It signals that your site is alive, relevant, and worth ranking higher.
Simple ways to keep your site fresh:
Add a new blog post at least monthly (if you have a blog section)
Update your portfolio/case studies with new projects
Refresh testimonials as you receive them
Update service descriptions seasonally if applicable
Remember to apply the full SEO checklist (from #3) to all new content you add.
The "Danger Zone" — Proceed with Caution
5. Enabling/Disabling Pages: The Right Way
Sometimes you need to temporarily disable a page or add a new one. This seems simple but can have surprising SEO implications if done incorrectly.
The safe approach:
To properly disable a page: Use the "Disable" option rather than deleting
When adding new pages: Make sure they're properly linked in your navigation
For seasonal pages: Instead of enabling/disabling repeatedly, consider just updating the content
Important: If you disable a page that was getting traffic, set up a 301 redirect to a relevant alternative page on your site.
6. Understanding Your Analytics (Without Getting a Headache)
Data is useless if you don't know what you're looking at. Squarespace gives you two powerful tools:
Squarespace Analytics shows you:
Which pages people visit most
Where your traffic comes from
How visitors move through your site
What content converts best
Google Analytics & Search Console shows you:
More detailed visitor behavior
Search terms people use to find you
Technical issues Google might see
Ranking positions for keywords
The difference? Squarespace Analytics is great for quick insights, while Google's tools provide deeper data for serious strategy. Check them monthly at minimum.
The "Red Zone" — When to Call in the Pros
7. The Changes You Should Probably Leave to Experts
Look, I get it. It's tempting to tinker. But some changes can significantly impact the strategy and conversion power of your site.
Consider getting professional help for:
Changing the layout/structure of key pages
Adding new sections that weren't in the original design
Modifying your site navigation
Adding complex functionality (forms, bookings, etc.)
Anything involving custom code
Why? Your website isn't just pretty pictures—it's strategically designed to guide visitors toward specific actions. Random changes can disrupt that carefully crafted user journey.
Instead of DIY-ing these bigger changes, consider:
A 60-minute consulting call where we can discuss and implement smaller changes together
A VIP Day for more substantial updates that maintain your site's strategic integrity
Monthly maintenance if you need regular updates
Final Thoughts: Your Website Is a Living Asset
Your website should evolve as your business grows. The key is making purposeful updates that enhance—rather than undermine—its effectiveness.
Remember, you invested in professional design for a reason: to create a strategic online presence that converts visitors into clients. These guidelines will help you maintain that investment while giving you the confidence to make necessary updates yourself.
