How To Connect and Verify Your Squarespace Website with Google Search Console

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of any successful marketing strategy. Thanks to free tools like Google Search Console, it is easy to monitor and optimize your Squarespace website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

I’ve set the foundation of SEO terms you need to know and did an introduction to the basics of Google Search Console. Now, I’m diving into how you can easily connect and verify your Squarespace website with Google Search Console. Don’t worry, it is a very simple process and not overwhelming – even for the SEO beginner.

So without further ado, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to connect and verify your Squarespace website with Google Search Console to improve your SEO strategy.

What is Google Search Console?

To recap, Google Search Console is a free tool from Google, formerly known as Google Webmasters Tools. Google Search Console allows you to track the performance of your website on Google and in Google search results. The data and search query results provided from Google Search Console allow you to tweak and optimize your SEO strategy to continually improve your search result rankings. Google Search Console also confirms that Google can find your website and is done so by easily submitting your sitemap to be crawled.

How to prep your Squarespace website

Connecting and verifying your Squarespace website with Google Search console takes just a few steps. Before I dive into that, there are a few things you want to ensure are in place on your Squarespace website…

• If your site is password protected, you’ll want to remove the site-wide password or any page-specific passwords. Passwords prevent Google from indexing your site.
• If you are using a third-party domain like GoDaddy, ensure that the domain is properly set up and connected. These connections can sometimes take upwards of 72-hours, so be sure to give yourself ample time.
• Ensure that your site is live and not a trial site, as trial sites are hidden from search engines like Google.
• To set up Google Search Console you will need a Google account. If you took advantage of a Google Workspace subscription (formerly G Suite) with your Squarespace website, you are all set! If you’re in need of a Google account, you can create one here.

How to connect Squarespace and Google Search Console

There are a few simple ways that you can connect your Squarespace website to Google Search Console. No method is better than the other, it comes down to personal preference.

Option #1: Connect Through Squarespace Analytics

Once your Squarespace website is fully prepped, it is now time to connect to your Google Search Console account! For this first option, we’re going to start off in the analytics tab of your Squarespace dashboard.

1. In the main dashboard of Squarespace, select Analytics.
2. Once in the analytics dashboard, click Search Keywords.
3. Click Connect on the pop-up in the center of the screen.
4. Log in to the Google account that you want associated with and connected to your site. If you have multiple Google accounts, say personal and business, ensure you select the correct Google account.
5. Review the permissions and then click Allow.
6. Done!

This method can take up to 72-hours to fully connect and see data pulled into both Squarespace and Google Search Console.

Option #2: Connect Through Squarespace Connected Accounts

For this second option, you’ll be connecting directly through Squarespace again and we’ll be heading to the Connected Accounts section.

1. In the main dashboard of Squarespace, select Settings > Connected Accounts.
2. Click Connect Account.
3. Select Search Console.
4. Sign in using your Gmail account.
5. Done!

How easy was that?! Again, you’ll want to wait up to 72-hours to see data pulled into the Search Keywords section of your Squarespace analytics and in Google Search Console.

Adding Your Sitemap to Google Search Console

Now that you’ve connected your Squarespace site to Google Search Console, it is time to add your sitemap. Submitting your sitemap allows Google to see every page on your website that is available for the public to view and access, including URLs and image metadata.

1. Navigate to search.google.com/search-console and ensure that your website is listed in the dropdown in the upper left-hand corner.
2. In the dashboard panel on the left side, select Sitemap.
3. Enter sitemap.xml in the available space after your website address.
4. Click Submit.
5. Done!

Request Indexing of Your Site

You’ve connected your Squarespace website to Google Search Console, added your sitemap, and now it is time to request indexing of your site. Indexing is essentially a nice way to tell Google to add your site to search results.

1. Navigate to search.google.com/search-console and ensure that your website is listed in the dropdown in the upper left-hand corner.
2. In the search bar at the top, paste your full URL (https://yourwebsiteurl.com) and hit enter.
3. Once loaded, click Request Indexing.
4. When indexing is complete, a pop-up will appear to confirm.
5. Done!

There you have it – you’ve connected your Squarespace website with Google Search Console! This free tool will be incredibly valuable as you execute and optimize your website SEO strategy. Have specific questions on any of these processes?