Why Squarespace is Better for SEO /
You might already know that we are huge fans of Squarespace, but did you know that unlike WordPress, Squarespace does not need any SEO plugins? We’re going to explore this topic in this blog, however if you’re interested in learning about some of the other pros and cons of each platform, see our live recorded discussion with the ladies from Herd It Here Creative.
If you’ve created a WordPress website before, you’ll probably be familiar with the Yoast SEO plugin – the most frequently downloaded SEO plugin for WordPress websites. In a nutshell, Yoast helps to optimise your website for search engines. And while Yoast does have its uses, its important you’re aware of its limitations too…
If you don’t know a lot about SEO, then you can accidentally make some big SEO mistakes with Yoast. Yoast only lets you enter one keyword, and then it might tell you that your focus keyword doesn’t appear frequently enough in the text. Yoast’s algorithm relies on keywords density, which is particularly annoying as it does not recognise variations of words. This can sometimes lead to accidental keyword stuffing, a big SEO no-no. Google used to have the same algorithm, but this is now out-dated, and they now use far more sophisticated measures. The key is to use natural language and write for humans, not for SEO!
It would be biased to not mention some of Yoast’s positives as well so here we go…
Yoast is a user friendly and accessible tool. Yoast has a traffic light system – red indicates you have some work to do, yellow means things are improving but not optimal, and green indicates you’re on track for SEO success! Yoast also works well with other platforms, it is easy to write and share descriptions and titles for your new post that are customised for Twitter and Facebook.
I promise we’re not just obsessed with Squarespace, but Squarespace websites don’t need Yoast in order to have a website performing well within search engines! In fact, Squarespace has no plugins at all, as all features are built in.
This is because of a number of reasons, for example unlike WordPress, Squarespace does not automatically create a sitemap. Sitemaps allow your website to be a lot more ‘searchable’ for search engines, and also provides users with more accurate search results.
When Squarespace first launched, they were not SEO-friendly, however they have since upped their game. Squarespace has admirable social media integration, which helps search engines take into account shares and engagement and regard your website as valid.
Squarespace also allows you to add code yourself, which can be the difference between the top or second space on Google. We know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but this is something we can help you with if you’re really wanting to boost your SEO!
Optimising your WordPress site for SEO doesn’t just require downloading Yoast; there is also work required within the plugin. So while Yoast is a must-have for WordPress websites to make them as search engine-friendly as possible, we are strong believers that using Squarespace works wonders for SEO, without the need to download any plugins.
The EQuerry / Co specialise in equestrian marketing, so drop us a message if your equine business’ website could do with some love!
