No business creates a website just for the heck of it. Companies do it to attract more customers, generate new leads, and grow their brand awareness. They also do it to increase sales and conversions. But how do you get people to find your website in the first place? The answer: search engine optimization (SEO).
There are many aspects of SEO to consider here. Some examples are on-page optimization, technical optimization, and even how Google reviews help SEO. But to make sure that your site is—and can be—adequately optimized, you must use the right Content Management System (CMS) or website builder to create your platform from the get-go. For a lot of people, this boils down to a choice of Squarespace or WordPress.
Which one is better for SEO? Each one has its pros and cons. But for businesses looking to leverage SEO, WordPress’ robust built-in SEO systems and ability to add plugins makes it the better choice. That said, Squarespace isn’t a bad option. It still has the essential components of SEO, and its easy-to-use interface makes it an ideal choice for not-so-tech-savvy people who have to ask questions like, “What are keywords?” “What is SSL?” or “What does a parked domain mean?”
The Difference: Squarespace Vs. WordPress
Squarespace and WordPress are both platforms that can help you build a website. However, Squarespace is more of an all-in-one drag-and-drop builder, making it easy to use for people who have very little knowledge about coding and site-building. Squarespace’s design may limit the capabilities of your website to what’s already built-in to a template.
WordPress, on the other hand, is a self-hosted CMS. It gives you more room for customizing your site the way you want it, both in design and functionality. It also comes with a range of plugins and tools to learn SEO that you can add to improve your site’s performance.
SEO Features: Squarespace vs. WordPress
To determine whether Squarespace or WordPress is better for SEO, you have to look at the functionality of each when it comes to critical components. Here is everything you can get (or lack) with Squarespace vs. WordPress.
Headings
Headings don’t just organize ideas for readers. It also makes it easier for search engines to “read” your website. Squarespace only allows up to three heading levels, while WordPress allows up to six. The latter makes it better for sites that want to leverage keywords and idea organization.
Custom URLs
Custom URLs make it easy for you to tell audiences and search engines about your site topic, differentiating it from other sites. Both Squarespace and WordPress support this function.
Meta-Descriptions
Meta-descriptions are short descriptions of what your page is all about, and it’s usually shown in search engine result pages (SERPs). You’ll be at an advantage if you can customize this, which WordPress lets you do site-wide. You can also add meta-descriptions on Squarespace, but it’s limited to main pages only.
Tags
Tags are necessary signals for search engines to figure out the relevant themes in your website. You can add them to photos and include them in titles to attach your keywords. WordPress supports both title tags and image tags site-wide. Meanwhile, Squarespace only allows title tags on main pages, and you can only add captions to photos (not image tags).
Sitemaps
Sitemaps give search engines an overview of your site’s structure, making it easier for Google, Bing, etc., to crawl your links and pages. Squarespace has sitemaps automatically built into the platform, so you don’t have to worry about it. On the other hand, you have to make an XML sitemap with WordPress, which you can do through a number of different plugins.
Mobile Optimization
Search engines like mobile-friendly websites. Your site is automatically optimized for mobile devices when you build it with Squarespace. You can do it with WordPress, too, but it may require a bit of tinkering on your end to do correctly, unless mobile support is automatically provided by your theme or page-builder.
Security
Search engines prefer secure websites (i.e., those on HTTPS) because they can safely redirect their users to them. Squarespace has security features built-in, but WordPress asks you to buy the functionality separately.
So Which Is Better For SEO?
A lot of business and web developers prefer WordPress for SEO purposes. Its customizability and the abundance of tools and plugins make it easier to manipulate to achieve specific SEO goals. That said, Squarespace is also a viable option, especially for people who have no idea about the technical stuff side of website building and SEO. Either way, SEO optimization is a necessary part of any successful business.
