How to Launch a Squarespace Website Like a Pro (What DIYers Miss!)

Squarespace
Written By Katherine Forbes

About this Squarespace video tutorial

Going live with your Squarespace website might seem as simple as selecting a paid plan and hitting publish—but if you want to do it the right way, there are a few extra steps you don’t want to skip.

As someone who has launched over 250 Squarespace websites, I’ve seen DIYers miss critical steps that can affect SEO, branding, and site functionality. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process I use to launch client websites so you can ensure your site looks polished, runs smoothly, and is properly set up for success.

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction
0:42 - Connecting your domain name
2:53 - Adjusting your favicon
3:32 - Social sharing (social images, site description, SEO)
5:03 - Site availability
5:33 - Connecting your website to Google Search Console
6:51 - Share your websites in the comments!

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    1. Connect Your Domain Name

    One of the first things you need to do when launching a Squarespace website is to make sure your domain name is properly connected.

    How to connect your domain in Squarespace:

    1. Go to Settings > Domains & Email

    2. Choose "Get a New Domain" (if you don’t have one) or "Use a Domain I Own"

    3. If your domain is hosted elsewhere, follow the prompts to connect it manually

    If you’re transferring a domain from another provider, it can take up to 72 hours for your site to go live. If you see a warning like “This site is not private” after connecting your domain, don’t panic—this is normal while the SSL security certificate processes.

    2. Upload Your Favicon (The Small Branding Detail Most DIYers Miss!)

    A favicon is the small icon that appears in the browser tab next to your site title. If you don’t customize it, Squarespace will display its default black box, making your site look unfinished.

    How to update your favicon:

    1. Go to Website > Favicon

    2. Upload a 32x32px or 512x512px logo file (PNG or SVG recommended)

    3. Save changes and refresh your browser to see the update

    Squarespace now allows you to upload a dark mode favicon so it looks good whether your visitors are in light or dark mode.

    3. Set Up Social Sharing Defaults

    Ever shared a website link on Facebook and noticed that a random image or incorrect text appears? That happens when the social sharing settings aren’t optimized.

    How to set your social sharing image and preview text:

    1. Go to Website > Social Sharing

    2. Upload a featured image (1200x630px recommended)

    3. Adjust the preview text to match your brand message

    Go to Marketing > SEO > SEO Appearance to update your site description, which also affects how your site appears in Google search results.

    4. Remove the Trial Password and Make Your Site Public

    If you started your site on a Squarespace free trial, it was likely set to private or password-protected. To go live, you need to make your site public.

    How to remove password protection:

    1. Go to Website > Site Availability

    2. Switch from Private or Password-Protected to Public

    Your site is now fully visible to visitors.

    5. Connect Google Search Console and Submit Your Sitemap

    If you want Google to find and index your website faster, you need to connect Google Search Console and manually submit your sitemap.

    Step 1: Connect Google Search Console in Squarespace

    1. Go to Analytics > Search Keywords

    2. Click “Connect to Google Search Console”

    3. Sign in with your Google account and grant permission

    Step 2: Manually Submit Your Sitemap to Google

    1. Go to search.google.com and select your website

    2. Click “Sitemaps” in the left sidebar

    3. Enter sitemap.xml and click Submit

    Google will automatically find your site over time, but manually submitting your sitemap helps speed up the process so your pages start appearing in search results sooner.

    6. Double-Check Mobile Optimization

    Most Squarespace templates are mobile-friendly, but it’s still a good idea to manually review your site on mobile to catch any layout issues.

    How to preview and adjust mobile design:

    1. Click the Mobile View icon in the Squarespace editor

    2. Scroll through your pages and check for:

      • Text that is too large or cut off

      • Buttons that are hard to click

      • Images that don’t fit properly

    3. Adjust spacing and font sizes if needed

    Mobile visitors often outnumber desktop visitors, so making sure your site looks good on small screens is critical.

    7. Test Contact Forms and Payment Links

    If your site includes a contact form, booking form, or payment links, you’ll want to test them before going live.

    How to test your Squarespace forms:

    1. Go to your live site and fill out a test submission

    2. Check if the form responses land in your inbox

    3. If using Google Sheets or Zapier integrations, verify that data is being sent correctly

    If your form submissions aren’t coming through:

    • Go to Storage settings and confirm your email is connected

    • Check Spam or Promotions folders in your inbox

    8. Run a Final SEO and Performance Check

    Before officially announcing your website launch, take a few minutes to review SEO and performance settings.

    Quick SEO checklist for launch:

    • Add SEO titles and descriptions for all pages (Marketing > SEO)

    • Include alt text on all images for accessibility and SEO

    • Check page URLs for clean, keyword-friendly slugs

    • Ensure internal links are working correctly

    Check Site Speed and Performance:

    • Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test how fast your site loads

    • Remove any unnecessary animations that might slow things down

    • Optimize large images by resizing them before uploading

    Final Thoughts: Launch With Confidence

    Taking the extra time to set up your site properly will make a big difference in how professional and polished it looks.

    If you’ve followed these steps, your Squarespace website is now:

    • Connected to a custom domain

    • Properly branded with a favicon and social sharing settings

    • Indexed in Google Search Console

    • Fully optimized for mobile

    • Ready to capture leads and process payments

    If you’re launching your site soon, let me know in the comments—I’d love to check it out.

    For more Squarespace tutorials, check out my video on SEO best practices to help your new website get found online.

    Watch the full tutorial here →

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    Katherine Forbes

    Katherine Forbes is the founder of Nashville based website and brand design company, Designing the Row. Her client roster has grown to include GRAMMY Nominated & Award Winning Artists, New York Times Best Selling Authors, Film Composers, Reality TV Personalities, & many more! She is known for her clean and simple design style and is recognized as a Squarespace Expert and Squarespace Authorized Trainer. She is also the creator of music community, Music Biz Besties, and teaches digital music marketing as an adjunct professor at ETSU.

    Her work has been featured on Forbes.com and she’s spoken on panels hosted by YELP, the Music Business Association, Women in Music, and many others.

    Katherine believes that "your success depends on you taking action" and she's passionate about motivating and encouraging others to do just that!

    https://www.designingtherow.com
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