Managing Squarespace Page Titles
TL;DR:
- Three types of page titles serve different purposes: SEO, Page, and Navigation
- SEO titles appear in search results and browser tabs but don't work on homepages
- Page titles show in browser tabs when no SEO title exists
- Navigation titles control what appears in your site menus
- All titles have a 100-character limit for best results
Squarespace gives you three different types of page titles, and each one does something specific. Getting them right makes your site easier to navigate and helps with search rankings.
What Each Title Type Does
SEO Title
This is what shows up in Google search results, browser tabs, and when people share your page on social media. It's your main tool for getting found online.
You'll find the SEO title option in the Pages panel. Click on any page, then hit the SEO tab. Keep it under 100 characters and make it descriptive.
One catch: SEO titles don't work on homepages in Squarespace. The system ignores them completely.
Page Title
When you don't set an SEO title, Squarespace uses the page title for browser tabs and search results instead. This is particularly useful for store pages in version 7.1 and certain templates in version 7.0.
You can edit this in the General tab of your page settings. Same 100-character rule applies here.
Navigation Title
This controls what appears in your site's navigation menu. It can be completely different from your page title, which is handy when you want a shorter menu item.
Edit these directly in the Pages panel by clicking on the Navigation Title field.
Setting Up Your Titles
SEO Titles
You can add SEO titles to regular pages, blog posts, products, portfolio items, and events. The process is the same for all of them – find the item in your Pages panel and look for the SEO settings.
Make these titles descriptive and include relevant keywords. Think about what someone would type into Google to find this page.
Page and Navigation Titles
Keep navigation titles short and clear. Long menu items look messy and can break your site's layout on mobile devices.
Page titles can be longer since they're mainly for behind-the-scenes use, but don't go overboard. Clear and descriptive beats clever every time.
Important Notes
Remember that changing a page title doesn't update the URL slug automatically. You'll need to handle that separately if you want them to match.
For version 7.0 users, some of these options might look different depending on your template. The functionality is the same, but the interface can vary.
FAQs
Can I add SEO titles to blog posts and products?
Yes, all content types support SEO titles. Just open the item and look for the SEO settings tab.
Do SEO titles work on the homepage?
No, Squarespace ignores SEO titles on homepages completely. The site title takes precedence instead.
What's the maximum length for navigation titles?
While there's no hard limit, keep them under 100 characters to ensure they display properly across all devices.
Why isn't my SEO title showing up?
Check if you're looking at the homepage – SEO titles don't work there. Also make sure you've actually saved the changes after entering the title.
Jargon Buster
- SEO Title: The title that appears in search results and browser tabs
- Page Title: The internal title Squarespace uses when no SEO title exists
- Navigation Title: What shows up in your site's menu system
- URL Slug: The part of your web address that comes after the domain name
Wrap-up
Getting your page titles right is one of those small things that makes a big difference. Good SEO titles help people find your site, clear navigation titles help them get around once they're there, and proper page titles keep everything organized behind the scenes.
Take a few minutes to review your current titles. Are they descriptive? Do they make sense to someone who's never seen your site before? If not, it's worth fixing them.
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