Squarespace Basics: What to Set Up Before You Build Anything
I build Squarespace websites for clients, but I also spend a lot of time fixing sites people have already built themselves.
Some business owners want everything done for them. Others want to understand their website better and feel confident making updates on their own. Both are completely valid.
This series is for anyone building or managing a Squarespace site who wants it to work properly. These are the small setup decisions, shortcuts, and details I wish everyone knew from the start. Not because they replace professional help, but because they make websites clearer, more consistent, and far less frustrating to manage.
Set your site title and basic SEO first
Before you build pages, make sure your site title is filled out properly in your site settings.
This isn’t just a label. It’s one of the things search engines and browsers use to understand what your site is about.
At the same time, check that:
your homepage has a clear page title
you’ve added a site-wide meta description
your key pages have descriptive titles
These are simple fields, but leaving them blank or generic weakens everything else you build on top.
Name pages properly, not just for the menu
Your navigation labels don’t need to match your page titles.
Menus work best when labels are short and easy to scan, but page titles should still clearly describe what the page is about. This helps search engines and gives context to the content on the page itself.
Avoid relying on generic titles without meaning behind them.
Check URLs carefully when duplicating pages
Duplicating pages is a great way to work faster, but it’s also an easy way to create messy URLs without noticing.
Every time you duplicate a page, check that:
the URL is clean and readable
there are no unnecessary numbers or “copy” labels
the URL reflects what the page actually contains
Fixing URLs early avoids issues once a site is live and indexed.
Lock in fonts and colours early
Changing fonts and colours halfway through a build is one of the biggest time drains in Squarespace.
Before you design multiple pages:
choose your primary fonts
set heading and paragraph styles
decide on a core colour palette
Once these are in place, the rest of the site comes together faster and looks far more cohesive.
Design mobile pages as you go
Mobile styling is not a final step.
You should be designing and checking mobile layouts as you build each page, not leaving it all until the end.
The overlay menu usually only needs to be styled once, but every page layout should still be reviewed for mobile spacing, text size, and flow as you go. This habit prevents most mobile layout issues.
Small setup decisions make a big difference
Most Squarespace frustration doesn’t come from the platform itself. It comes from skipping the quiet setup work at the beginning.
Getting these basics right leads to:
fewer fixes later
cleaner page structure
better consistency
a site that feels intentional rather than patched together
If you’re building a Squarespace site, taking the time to set these things up properly will save you far more time than it costs.
Need a hand?
If you’re building your own Squarespace site and parts of this feel overwhelming, that’s completely normal.
Some people want to handle everything themselves. Others want someone to sense-check things, fix what isn’t working, or take parts of it off their plate. There’s no right or wrong approach.
If you need help setting things up properly, fixing issues, or just want a second set of eyes on your site, get in touch. A quick chat is often enough to work out what level of support makes sense.
