You've chosen your Squarespace template, added your branding and started bringing your website to life. But before you hit publish, there are a few important things worth checking.
Whether you're creating a website for a small business, launching an online shop or building a portfolio, taking the time to review your website can help you avoid common mistakes and create a better experience for your visitors.
The good news? You don't need to be a web designer or SEO expert to get your website ready.
We've put together this Squarespace website launch checklist to help you prepare your website, improve its usability and make sure you're not overlooking anything important.
1. Check every page of your website
Before launching, go through your website as though you're visiting it for the first time.
It's easy to overlook unfinished sections when you've spent hours working on a design.
Check that:
Every page has a clear purpose.
All placeholder text has been replaced.
Your business name and contact details are correct.
Images are relevant to your business.
Headings are clear and easy to understand.
There aren't any empty sections or unfinished pages.
Pay particular attention to your homepage. Visitors should be able to understand what your business offers within a few seconds.
Tip: Ask someone unfamiliar with your business to look at your homepage and explain what they think you offer. Their first impression can be surprisingly useful.
2. Make sure your website works on mobile
A website might look perfect on your laptop but behave differently on a phone.
Squarespace includes responsive design features, but it's still important to check how your content appears on different screen sizes.
Open your website on a mobile device and look for:
Text that's too small to read comfortably.
Buttons that are difficult to tap.
Images that crop awkwardly.
Large gaps between sections.
Headings that wrap strangely.
Content that extends beyond the edge of the screen.
Don't rely entirely on the mobile preview in the Squarespace editor. Testing your website on an actual phone can help you spot issues you might otherwise miss.
3. Review your website's SEO settings
Search engine optimisation (SEO) helps search engines understand your website and its content.
While SEO is an ongoing process, there are a few basic settings worth reviewing before launch.
Add an SEO title to each page
Your SEO title should describe the content of the page and include relevant keywords where they fit naturally.
For example, a wedding photographer might use:
Wedding Photographer in Kent | Your Business Name
Write SEO descriptions
An SEO description is a short summary of your page that search engines may use in search results.
Focus on explaining what the page offers rather than simply repeating keywords.
Check your URL slugs
Keep your page URLs short, descriptive and easy to understand.
For example:
/wedding-photography
is generally more useful than:
/page-12345
Use clear headings
Each page should have a descriptive main heading (H1), followed by appropriately structured subheadings.
Avoid using headings purely to make text look bigger.
Add image alt text
Write useful descriptions for meaningful images, particularly those showing products, services or important information.
Alt text primarily supports accessibility and can also help search engines understand your images.
Remember: Completing these steps doesn't guarantee your website will appear at the top of Google, but it gives your SEO a stronger foundation.
4. Test every button and link
Broken links can frustrate visitors and make your website feel unfinished.
Before publishing, click through every button, navigation link and important text link on your website.
Make sure they take visitors to the correct destination.
Pay particular attention to your main calls to action, such as:
Contact us
View services
Browse products
Book an appointment
Get a quote
If you've used a website template, double-check that any example links have been replaced with your own.
Don't forget to test links in your footer and mobile navigation too.
5. Make your contact information easy to find
One of the most important jobs of a business website is helping potential customers take the next step.
Whether you want visitors to make an enquiry, book a service or purchase a product, the process should feel straightforward.
Check that your website includes an obvious way to get in touch.
If you're using a contact form, submit a test enquiry to make sure it's working and that you receive the notification.
You should also check that any booking links, email addresses and social media links are correct.
Tip: Don't make visitors search through multiple pages to find out how to contact you. A clear button in your header or homepage can make a big difference.
6. Optimise your website images
Large image files can slow down your website, particularly on mobile connections.
Before launching, review the images you've uploaded.
Where possible:
Resize images to appropriate dimensions.
Compress large files without noticeably reducing quality.
Use clear, high-quality images.
Avoid uploading unnecessarily large files.
Check that images display correctly on desktop and mobile.
You can also review your website's performance using Google's PageSpeed Insights tool.
A fast-loading website creates a better experience for visitors and supports good technical SEO practices.
7. Check your website's accessibility
An accessible website is easier for more people to use, including visitors with visual, motor or cognitive disabilities.
You don't need to be an accessibility specialist to make some meaningful improvements.
Start by checking:
Colour contrast: Make sure text is easy to read against its background.
Font sizes: Avoid using very small text.
Link descriptions: Use meaningful wording instead of vague phrases such as "click here".
Image alt text: Describe informative images.
Headings: Organise your content logically.
Keyboard navigation: Check whether you can navigate your website without a mouse.
Accessibility is something to keep improving over time, but it's worth considering from the beginning rather than treating it as an afterthought.
8. Add your essential business and legal information
Depending on your business and where you operate, you may need to include certain information on your website.
For example, this might include:
A privacy policy.
Cookie information and appropriate consent controls.
Terms and conditions.
Refund and returns information for online shops.
Relevant business contact and identification details.
The requirements will vary depending on your location, business structure and how you collect or process customer information.
If you're using analytics, advertising tools or other services that set cookies, make sure your cookie setup meets the rules that apply to your business.
For online shops, it's also worth checking your shipping, payment and returns information before accepting orders.
9. Connect your domain and check your website settings
When you're ready to launch, you'll need to choose a Squarespace subscription and make your website publicly accessible.
If you haven't already, you'll also need to connect or register your custom domain.
Before announcing your launch, check that:
Your chosen domain points to the correct website.
Your website is publicly accessible.
Your SSL certificate is working.
Your browser tab displays the correct site title and favicon.
Your social sharing image and information are set up.
Your website's language and regional settings are correct.
If you've used a free Squarespace template, remember that the template itself may be free, but a paid Squarespace subscription is required to publish your website.
10. Set up Google Search Console
Once your website is live, it's worth connecting it to Google Search Console.
Google Search Console is a free tool that helps you understand how your website appears in Google Search.
You can use it to:
Check whether Google has indexed your pages.
Submit your website's sitemap.
Identify certain indexing problems.
See which search queries bring visitors to your website.
Monitor your website's search performance over time.
Squarespace automatically generates a sitemap for your website, which is typically available at:
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
You can submit this sitemap through Google Search Console to help Google discover your pages.
It's important to remember that submitting a sitemap doesn't guarantee immediate indexing or rankings.
It can take time for a new website to appear in search results, so don't worry if your pages aren't visible straight away.
Squarespace website launch checklist: Quick summary
Before you publish, make sure you've completed these 10 essential checks:
Review every page and replace placeholder content.
Test your website on mobile devices.
Complete your basic SEO settings.
Check every button and link.
Test your contact forms and enquiry options.
Optimise your website images.
Review your website's accessibility.
Add relevant business and legal information.
Connect your domain and check your website settings.
Set up Google Search Console.
You don't need a completely perfect website to launch. However, completing these checks can help you feel more confident that your website is ready for visitors.
Frequently asked questions
How do I publish my Squarespace website?
To publish a Squarespace website, you'll need to choose a paid subscription, ensure your website is set to public and connect your preferred domain if you're using one.
How long does it take for a Squarespace website to appear on Google?
There isn't a fixed timeframe. Google may discover and index new pages within days, but it can sometimes take several weeks or longer. Submitting a sitemap through Google Search Console can help with discovery, but doesn't guarantee indexing.
Does Squarespace automatically optimise my website for SEO?
Squarespace includes several built-in SEO features, such as automatically generated sitemaps and editable SEO settings. However, you'll still need to optimise your page content, headings, images and other important elements yourself.
Do I need Google Analytics before launching?
No, Google Analytics isn't essential for launching a website. However, setting up analytics can help you understand how visitors find and interact with your website. Make sure your analytics and cookie consent setup complies with applicable privacy requirements.
Can I make changes to my Squarespace website after launching?
Yes. You can continue updating your website after it's published, including editing text, changing images, adding pages and updating your products or services.
Haven't started building your Squarespace website yet?
If you're still in the planning stages, choosing the right website template is a great place to begin.
At Template Twist, we offer a collection of free Squarespace website templates designed for small businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs.
Whether you're creating a photography portfolio, launching a coaching business, offering virtual assistant services or opening an online shop, you can start with a professionally designed layout and make it your own.
Our templates are customisable, so you can update the colours, fonts, images and content to reflect your brand.
Start with a free Squarespace template and build your website at your own pace.