Squarespace Metadata Options
TL;DR:
- Metadata shows extra details like author names, dates, categories, and tags on your content
- Visitors can click metadata to filter your content (like viewing all posts by one author)
- Display options differ between Squarespace 7.1 and 7.0
- You can control what metadata shows and how it looks
- Some templates don't display all metadata types
Metadata in Squarespace gives your content useful context. It shows details like who wrote a blog post, when it was published, what category it belongs to, and what tags you've added. This helps visitors understand and navigate your content better.
When someone clicks on an author's name or a category tag, they'll see a filtered view of all your content matching that criteria. It's a simple way to help people find related content without building complex navigation.
What Metadata You Can Display
The metadata available depends on your Squarespace version and the type of page you're working with.
Squarespace 7.1 options:
- Author names on blog pages
- Publication dates on blog pages
- Location details on event pages
- Categories and tags on all collection pages
Squarespace 7.0 options:
- Author names and dates on blog pages
- Source URLs in blog settings
- Like counts (if enabled)
- Categories and tags
Keep in mind that not all templates display every type of metadata. Some templates might show author names but hide publication dates, or vice versa.
Adding and Customising Metadata
You add metadata when creating or editing individual pieces of content. For a blog post, you'll see fields for author, categories, and tags in the post editor. For events, you can add location details and other relevant information.
The metadata that appears on your live site depends on what you've filled in and what your template chooses to display. You can't force a template to show metadata it wasn't designed to display, but you can often hide metadata elements you don't want.
Styling Your Metadata
Squarespace gives you some control over how metadata looks on your site. In your site styles, look for settings related to:
- Meta colour (changes the text colour of metadata)
- Meta fonts (changes the font family or size)
- Overall text styling that affects metadata display
The exact styling options available depend on your template. Some templates give you detailed control over metadata appearance, while others keep it simple with basic colour and font options.
Making Metadata Work for You
Think about what information actually helps your visitors. If you're a solo blogger, showing author names might be unnecessary. If you publish infrequently, dates might not add much value.
Categories and tags are most useful when you have enough content to make filtering worthwhile. A handful of blog posts doesn't need complex categorisation, but a large content library benefits from good organisation.
Consider your template's metadata display when choosing what to fill in. There's no point spending time on metadata your template won't show.
FAQs
Can I hide specific metadata elements?
Yes, most templates let you control which metadata appears. Look in your site styles or template settings for options to show or hide elements like author names or publication dates.
Does metadata help with SEO?
Metadata can support SEO by providing structured information about your content. Search engines use this context to better understand and index your pages.
Why doesn't my metadata appear on some pages?
Your template controls what metadata displays and where. Some templates show metadata on blog post pages but not on the main blog listing, or vice versa.
Can I add custom metadata fields?
Squarespace limits you to the built-in metadata fields. You can't create entirely custom metadata, but you can use tags creatively to add extra categorisation.
Jargon Buster
Metadata: Information about your content, like who wrote it, when it was published, and what topics it covers.
Collection: Squarespace's term for content types like blogs, events, or products.
Template: The design framework that controls how your site looks and what features it includes.
Wrap-up
Metadata helps visitors navigate your content and understand what they're looking at. The key is using it thoughtfully rather than filling in every field because you can.
Focus on the metadata that genuinely helps your audience. If you're not sure what's useful, look at how people actually use your site and what they're trying to find.
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