Squarespace Image SEO Optimisation Guide

Learning Objectives

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

1. Make the most of Squarespace's built-in image optimisation features
2. Prepare images properly before uploading to boost SEO performance
3. Read and respond to Core Web Vitals data effectively
4. Handle PageSpeed Insights warnings without panic

Introduction

Your images do more than make your site look good. They directly affect how fast your pages load, which Google cares about when ranking your site. The good news? Squarespace handles most of the technical stuff automatically. But you still need to know how to prepare images properly and spot when things aren't working as they should.

This chapter shows you exactly how to get your images working hard for your SEO, not against it.

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Lessons

Lesson 1: How Squarespace Optimises Your Images

When you upload an image to Squarespace, several things happen behind the scenes:

Step 1: Your image gets converted to WebP format automatically (this makes files smaller without losing quality)

Step 2: Squarespace creates multiple sizes of your image for different screen types

Step 3: Your images get served through Squarespace's CDN, making them load faster worldwide

You don't need to do anything special to activate these features. They're built into every Squarespace 7.1 site and most 7.0 sites.

What this means for you: Upload high-quality images and let Squarespace handle the technical optimisation. Don't pre-compress your images too much, as you'll lose quality when Squarespace processes them again.

Lesson 2: Preparing Images Before Upload

Here's what to do before you upload any image:

Step 1: Start with high-resolution images (at least 1920px wide for full-width images)

Step 2: Keep file sizes reasonable – aim for under 5MB per image

Step 3: Name your files descriptively (use "red-vintage-sofa.jpg" instead of "IMG_1234.jpg")

Step 4: Choose the right format – JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency

Tools that help: Use Photoshop, GIMP, or online tools like TinyPNG to resize images while keeping quality high.

This is the bit most people miss: The filename matters for SEO. Search engines read your filename, so make it count.

Lesson 3: Reading Your Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals show you how real visitors experience your site. Here's how to check them:

Step 1: Open Google Search Console and navigate to the Core Web Vitals report

Step 2: Look for pages marked as "Poor" or "Needs Improvement"

Step 3: Focus on Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – this often relates to image loading

Step 4: Click through to see which specific images are causing problems

When to worry: If your LCP is over 2.5 seconds, you need to act. If it's under 2.5 seconds, you're doing fine.

Quick fix: Large hero images are usually the culprit. Try uploading a smaller version or using a different image entirely.

Lesson 4: Handling PageSpeed Insights Warnings

PageSpeed Insights often throws up scary-looking warnings about images. Here's how to handle them:

Step 1: Run your site through PageSpeed Insights

Step 2: Look at the "Opportunities" section for image-related suggestions

Step 3: Check if these warnings match what you see in Core Web Vitals

Step 4: Focus on fixing issues that appear in both tools

Here's the thing: PageSpeed Insights uses lab data, not real user data. A warning there doesn't always mean your site is actually slow for visitors.

Roll your sleeves up: If Core Web Vitals shows problems AND PageSpeed Insights flags the same issues, that's when you need to take action.

Practice

Try this exercise:

1. Upload a large image to your Squarespace site (anything over 2MB)
2. Wait 48 hours for Google to crawl your site
3. Check your Core Web Vitals report for any changes
4. If you see issues, try uploading a smaller version of the same image
5. Monitor the results over the next week

Document what you find. This gives you a baseline for future image decisions.

FAQs

How do I know if my images are properly optimised for SEO on Squarespace?
Check your Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console. If your pages load in under 2.5 seconds and you're not seeing warnings, your images are working well.

Should PageSpeed Insights warnings about images worry me?
Not always. Check your Core Web Vitals first. If real users aren't experiencing slow loading times, the warnings might not reflect actual problems.

Does alt text help with image SEO on Squarespace?
Absolutely. Add descriptive alt text to every image. Include relevant keywords naturally, but write for humans first.

What's the best image size for Squarespace?
For full-width images, start with 1920px wide. For smaller images, 1200px wide usually works well. Always prioritise quality over tiny file sizes.

Jargon Buster

WebP Conversion: A modern image format that creates smaller files than JPEG or PNG while maintaining quality

CDN (Content Delivery Network): A network of servers worldwide that delivers your images faster by serving them from locations closer to your visitors

Core Web Vitals: Google's measurement of real user experience on your site, including how fast your largest image loads

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): The time it takes for the largest visible element (often an image) to load on your page

Wrap-up

Image optimisation on Squarespace works best when you combine the platform's automatic features with smart preparation on your end. Upload quality images with descriptive names, monitor your Core Web Vitals regularly, and don't panic over every PageSpeed Insights warning.

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Your next step: audit five images on your site right now. Check their filenames, file sizes, and alt text. Update anything that needs improving.

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