Boosting SEO with Squarespace CDN Image Delivery

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

1. Understand how Squarespace's CDN works to deliver your images faster
2. Identify the SEO benefits of using CDN for image hosting
3. Apply image optimisation techniques that work with CDN delivery
4. Troubleshoot common image performance issues on your site

Introduction

Your website images need to load quickly for visitors anywhere in the world. Squarespace handles this through its Content Delivery Network (CDN), which stores your images on servers globally and delivers them from the location closest to each visitor.

This chapter shows you how the CDN works, why it matters for your SEO, and how to prepare your images to get the best results. You'll learn practical steps to make your site faster and more search-engine friendly.

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Lessons

How Squarespace CDN Works

When you upload an image to your Squarespace site, it gets stored on multiple servers around the world. Here's what happens when someone visits your site:

Step 1: A visitor loads your webpage
Step 2: Squarespace identifies their location
Step 3: Images load from the server closest to them
Step 4: Your page displays faster than it would from a single server

The system runs automatically. You don't need to set anything up or choose which servers to use.

What this means for you: Your site loads quickly for visitors in London, Sydney, or anywhere else, without you doing extra work.

Why CDN Speed Matters for SEO

Search engines like Google measure how fast your pages load. Sites that load quickly get better search rankings than slow ones.

The CDN helps your SEO in several ways:

• Faster loading times improve your Core Web Vitals scores
• Lower bounce rates as visitors don't leave due to slow loading
• Better user experience signals to search engines that your site is valuable
• Global performance means international visitors get the same fast experience

You can test your site speed using Google PageSpeed Insights to see how the CDN performs for your content.

Preparing Images for CDN Success

The CDN delivers whatever you upload, so starting with optimised images gives you the best results.

Step 1: Resize before uploading

• Set images to the size they'll actually display on your site
• Avoid uploading huge images that get scaled down by CSS
• Use 1920px width maximum for full-width images
• Use 800px width maximum for blog post images

Step 2: Compress without losing quality

• Use tools like TinyPNG or Squarespace's built-in compression
• Aim for file sizes under 200KB for most images
• Choose JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with text

Step 3: Test the results

• Check your page speed after uploading new images
• Compare before and after loading times
• Make adjustments if images still seem slow

This is the bit most people miss: The CDN works brilliantly, but only with images that are already web-ready when you upload them.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: Images load slowly despite using CDN

• Check if your original files are too large
• Compress images further before re-uploading
• Verify you're using appropriate file formats

Problem: Blurry images after compression

• Find the balance between file size and quality
• Try different compression levels
• Consider if the image dimensions match display size

Problem: Inconsistent loading speeds

• Clear your browser cache to test accurately
• Check if some images are much larger than others
• Review whether all images are properly uploaded to Squarespace

Practice

Here's what to do next:

1. Pick three images from your current website
2. Run a speed test using Google PageSpeed Insights and note the score
3. Download and optimise those images using compression tools
4. Replace the original images with your optimised versions
5. Run the speed test again and compare the results

Notice how the CDN delivers your optimised images faster than the originals.

FAQs

How does Squarespace CDN benefit my website?
The CDN stores your images on servers worldwide, so they load faster for visitors regardless of location. This improves user experience and helps your SEO rankings.

What are the common issues users face with image optimisation on Squarespace?
The main challenge is uploading images that are too large or uncompressed. The CDN can only work as well as the files you give it.

Does Squarespace automatically optimise images for SEO?
Squarespace provides some automatic optimisation, but you'll get better results by compressing and resizing images yourself before uploading.

Jargon Buster

Content Delivery Network (CDN) – A system of servers located worldwide that stores and delivers your website content from the location closest to each visitor

Image Compression – Reducing an image's file size while keeping acceptable visual quality, making it load faster

Core Web Vitals – Google's measurements of page loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability that affect search rankings

Wrap-up

Squarespace's CDN automatically speeds up image delivery worldwide, but you get the best results by uploading optimised images. Compress and resize your images before uploading, then test your site speed to see the improvements.

Get a 20% discount on your first Squarespace subscription (annual or monthly).

Roll your sleeves up and optimise your existing images. Your visitors will notice faster loading times, and search engines will reward you with better rankings.

Ready to take your Squarespace skills further? Join our community: https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership