9 Beginner Tip on How to Apply SEO to Your Website?

SquarespaceSEO

Feb 17

TL;DR

Applying SEO to your website is all about using the right keywords, optimizing your content, improving site speed, and keeping things mobile-friendly. Platforms like Squarespace make it easy to get started with SEO settings and responsive designs. With consistent effort (and maybe a little extra guidance), you’ll be climbing those search rankings in no time! 🌟

So, you’ve built a beautiful website—your services are front and center, the design feels so you, and yet… crickets. If you’ve been wondering why your dream clients aren’t finding you online, chances are you need a little SEO magic. But don’t worry, I’m not talking about tech wizardry. Applying SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to your website is easier than you think, especially if you’re using a platform like Squarespace or Wix.

Ready to make search engines your BFF? Let’s break down how to apply SEO to your website in a simple, holistic, wellness-friendly way.

Step 1: Start with Solid Keywords

SEO starts with understanding what your potential clients are searching for. Think about phrases your dream clients might type into Google, like:

“Holistic nutritionist in [your city]”
“Stress-relief massage near me”
“Natural skincare coach”

These are your keywords—the words and phrases you’ll sprinkle throughout your site’s copy, headings, and even image descriptions. For a deeper dive, tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you find the best keywords for your niche.

Step 2: Optimize Each Page’s Title and Description

Your page title and meta description are what show up in search results, so make sure they’re enticing and keyword-rich. Here’s a quick example for a yoga studio website:

Page Title:
“Find Your Zen – Hot Yoga Studio in [City Name]”

Meta Description:
“Looking for a holistic approach to wellness? Join our yoga classes in [City Name] for stress relief, mindfulness, and mobility.”

Pro Tip: Keep your meta descriptions under 160 characters so they don’t get cut off in search results.

Step 3: Create Clear, Keyword-Rich Headings

Headings help both visitors and search engines understand your content better. Use your primary keywords naturally in your headings, but avoid keyword stuffing—it’s not cute, and search engines don’t like it either. Remember to write for human first, then apply keywords.

For example, if you’re a wellness coach offering stress-management services, a blog post heading might be:
“5 Simple Stress-Relief Techniques You Can Try Today”

Pro Tip: Use the heading styles (H1, H2, H3) properly. H1 should be used for the main title, while H2 and H3 are for subheadings and lists. This also boosts accessibility for screen readers.

Step 4: Add Alt Text to Your Images

Alt text describes your images to search engines (and helps with accessibility). Since wellness websites often have beautiful, calming images, this is your chance to optimize them too.

For example, instead of:
“IMG_1234.jpg”,
use:
“Aromatherapy candles for relaxation”

Pro Tip: Keep alt text descriptive but natural, and don’t forget to include relevant keywords where it makes sense.

Step 5: Improve Your Site Speed

A slow website isn’t just frustrating—it can hurt your SEO. Google loves a fast-loading site, and so do your potential clients. Here’s how to give your site a speed boost:

Compress your images before uploading them.
Use SEOspace*, a free SEO plugin that integrates with Squarespace, to help optimize your site.
Limit the number of large files or third-party scripts (like multiple fonts) on your site. Delete any code that isn’t being used anymore.

Pro Tip: Hop over to this blog post, How to Improve Your Website Load Speed in Squarespace to see where you can improve.

Step 6: Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly

Most people these days are browsing on their phones, so a mobile-friendly site is non-negotiable. Squarespace and Wix offer responsive designs, meaning your site automatically adapts to different screen sizes.

Pro Tip: Preview your site on your mobile device to make sure everything looks clean and easy to read.

Step 7: Build Internal and External Links

Links help Google understand what your content is about and how it connects to other valuable content.

Internal links: Link to other pages on your site. For example, if you mention a free guide on your blog, link directly to that guide’s landing page.
External links: Link to reputable, high-authority sites (think research articles or trusted wellness organizations).

Pro Tip: Don’t overdo it. A few well-placed links are better than a page crammed with random links.

Step 8: Submit Your Sitemap to Google

Once your site is optimized, help search engines find it faster by submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console. (Check out this guide on finding your Squarespace sitemap if you’re not sure how to do this!)

Step 9: Create Consistent, High-Quality Content

SEO isn’t just a one-time deal—it’s an ongoing practice. Regularly publishing blog posts, guides, or case studies packed with valuable information will help keep your site fresh and relevant. Plus, it gives you more opportunities to rank for different keywords!

Not sure where to start? Check out Answer Socrates, a free keyword research tool to help you discover questions people are asking on Google about almost any topic, for free.