Understanding Google SEO Emails and Console Errors (for Squarespace Users)

Jan 21

TL;DR

Google’s SEO emails and Search Console reports can feel like a flurry of mysterious messages. But don’t worry—many of them don’t require action. Let’s break down the most common errors and what they mean for your Squarespace site. Spoiler alert: Squarespace’s built-in SEO tools already handle most of these for you.

Google sends automated alerts about your site’s SEO to help you improve visibility. While some issues require fixes, others are just informational and can be safely ignored. Below is a friendly guide to the most common messages and whether you need to act.

Mobile-First Indexing Enabled: You’re Good to Go!

If you get an email saying mobile-first indexing is enabled, it means Google is prioritizing the mobile version of your site for ranking purposes. This is fantastic news—most web traffic comes from mobile users, so Google is giving you a thumbs-up for mobile-friendliness.

Good news for Squarespace users: All Squarespace sites are fully responsive by default. You don’t need to create a separate mobile version, so you can ignore this message and keep doing your thing.

Mobile Usability Issues: What to Do

Google might alert you to mobile usability problems, such as:

Clickable elements too close together
Text too small to read

This often happens if your design includes very small buttons or tightly spaced links. If you see these errors, consider tweaking your page layout using Squarespace’s built-in style editor to make things easier to tap and read.

Robots.txt or Index Coverage Issues: No Action Needed

Squarespace automatically handles your site’s robots.txt file, which tells search engines which pages to ignore. When Google flags certain pages as restricted by robots.txt, it’s usually nothing to worry about. These are internal pages or duplicates (like /config/ and /api/) that shouldn’t be indexed.

You don’t need to do anything—Squarespace’s robots.txt file follows best SEO practices to keep your site streamlined.

Page Crawled but Not Indexed: Totally Normal

If a page is crawled but not indexed, it’s because it has a noindex tag. Squarespace adds noindex tags to certain pages like /cart and /checkout by default, so they don’t appear in search results. This is intentional, and you don’t need to change anything.

Alternate Page with Canonical Tag: Avoiding Duplicate Content

If Google mentions an alternate page with a proper canonical tag (e.g., example.com/home), it means Squarespace has already told Google to index the main version of the page (example.com). Nothing for you to do here—Squarespace has got it covered.

HTML Improvements: Informational Only

HTML improvement suggestions from Google are just that—suggestions. Squarespace’s templates already follow SEO best practices, so you can safely ignore these unless you want to dive deep into customizations.

Crawl Errors: When to Worry (and When Not to)

Common crawl errors include:

404 Page Not Found: This happens when a page is deleted or its URL changes without a redirect. Fix it by setting up a 301 or 302 redirect in your Squarespace settings.
Soft 404 Errors: Sometimes Google thinks a page is broken when it’s not. Check for confusing phrases like “not available” or “does not exist” and rephrase if needed.
Redirect Errors: If your site’s HTTP version redirects to HTTPS or your www version redirects correctly, you can safely ignore these alerts.

Discovered but Not Indexed

This means Google found the page but hasn’t crawled it yet. It usually resolves on its own, so give it some time. If the page remains unindexed after a few weeks, request a manual indexing through Google Search Console.

Deceptive Behavior Warning: How to Fix It

If Google flags your site for deceptive behavior, it may mean there’s spammy or malicious content. Here’s how to handle it:

Verify your site with Google Search Console.
Check for suspicious content and remove it.
Follow Google’s steps to request a review.

Third-Party SEO Tools: Why They Might Confuse You

Using tools like SEMrush, Moz, or Ahrefs? Keep in mind, these tools are designed for custom-coded sites, so they may not fully understand how Squarespace handles SEO. Their suggestions are often over-cautious or irrelevant. Trust Squarespace’s built-in SEO features and Google’s own Search Console for accurate insights.