The Ultimate Squarespace Website Checklist: 9 Essential Pre-Launch Steps You Can't Afford to Skip
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Looking for a foolproof Squarespace website checklist before you hit that shiny publish button? This guide covers the 9 essential steps every site owner needs to complete for a successful launch. Plus, grab my free Ultimate Squarespace Website Checklist for even more detailed guidance.
You've spent weeks perfecting your site. Your colors are chef's kiss, your copy is dialed AF, and your About page tells your story perfectly. You hit publish, pop the champagne... and then crickets.
Why? Because you skipped the behind-the-scenes setup that actually makes your site findable, functional, and legally legit.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news … but if you're here, you probably already knew that launching a Squarespace website involves more than picking a cool looking template and calling it a day.
The good news? This Squarespace website checklist will save you from the face-palm moments others have experienced. Let's make sure your site launches like the profesh powerhouse it deserves to be.
Want my super-detailed, nothing-left-to-chance website checklist? The one I use with all my $5k+ website clients? Grab it free right here:
01. Secure Your Squarespace Website with HTTPS
HTTPS isn't just for banks and online stores. Google literally penalizes non-secure sites, and visitors see that scary "Not Secure" warning that screams "amateur hour." Plus you really just want to make sure you’re protecting your visitors' data.
How to nail it:
Navigate to Settings > Advanced > SSL
Hit 'Secure' (it's usually already set, but always double-check)
Watch your site instantly become more trustworthy AND rank better
Pro tip: This single step not only protects your site but also improves your Google rankings, as secure sites are favored by search engines. We love to see it.
02. Add a Favicon (Your Tiny Brand Ambassador)
That little icon in browser tabs… it's working harder than you think. Without a custom favicon, you're stuck with Squarespace's default black square.
The easy-peasy setup:
Head to Settings > Browser Icon
Upload your favicon file (16x16 or 32x32 pixels work best)
Watch your brand appear across every open tab
Your favicon is like a tiny billboard that follows your visitors around the internet. Make it count!
Need the step-by-step visual guide? Check out my complete favicon tutorial here.
03. Set Up Your Cookie Banner
Remember when websites were the wild west? Yeah, those days are gone. If you're targeting anyone in the EU (or increasingly, certain U.S. states), you need a cookie banner. It's not optional; it's the law.
Your legal compliance checklist:
Go to Website > Utilities > Website Tools > Cookies and Visitor Data
Enable your cookie banner
Customize the text to match your brand voice (yes, even legal stuff can sound like you!)
Test it in incognito mode to see what visitors experience
TBH, this might feel like overkill if you're just starting out, but trust me – getting a GDPR complaint is NOT the kind of attention you want for your business.
04. Optimize Your Images
I once had a client whose gorgeous site took 15 seconds to load. FIFTEEN. SECONDS. In internet time, that's approximately forever. The culprit? Massive, unoptimized images. 😬
Your image optimization game plan:
Keep images under 500 KB (aim for 250 KB when possible)
Use JPEGs for photos, PNGs for graphics with transparency
Name your files descriptively (not IMG_1234.jpg)
Compress before uploading using tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh
So visitors don't notice when your images load fast, but they DEFINITELY notice when they don't. And Google? It notices everything.
Get the complete guide: How (And Why) To Optimize Your Squarespace Images.
05. Check All Forms (Every. Single. One.)
Forms might seem like a small detail, but when they don't work, you're literally losing business. Your beautiful site could be attracting dream clients who fill out your contact form... and then nothing happens.
They think you're ignoring them. You have no idea they even tried to reach out. It's a conversion nightmare waiting to happen. No thanks.
Your form functionality checklist:
Test each form yourself (yes, actually fill them out)
Verify email notifications arrive in the right inbox
Go into the settings to make sure they’re connected to the correct storage option
Connect to your CRM if you use one (I'm team HoneyBook for CRM and Kit for email marketing)
Set up proper confirmation messages that match your brand voice
Pro tip: Send a test submission from your phone too. Mobile form issues are sneakier than you'd think.
06. Mobile Optimization for Your Squarespace Site
Here's a fun fact: Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. SIX-TY PERCENT. Yet I still see sites that look like abstract art on phones.
Your mobile optimization checklist:
Toggle to mobile view (look for that little phone icon)
Check every single page (yes, even your privacy policy)
Adjust spacing, font sizes, and image placement
Test your forms on mobile (they're notorious troublemakers)
See that little blue dot on the phone icon? That's Squarespace's way of saying "Hey, you changed something on desktop; better check mobile!" Listen to the blue dot. The blue dot is your friend.
07. Squarespace SEO Settings
SEO might feel like a mysterious dark art, but your basic Squarespace SEO checklist is actually pretty straightforward. These settings are your foundation for being findable.
Your SEO essentials:
Navigate to Marketing > SEO
Add a brief site description (under 160 characters)
Optimize page titles (under 60 characters, include keywords)
Write compelling meta descriptions (around 155 characters)
Clean up your URLs (no more /page-1 nonsense)
Want to go deeper? Check out my complete Squarespace SEO guide and these quick SEO wins.
08. Double Check AI Crawlers
Take control of your content.
This is newer to the Squarespace website checklist game, but it's important. AI crawlers can scrape your content for training data. Some folks are cool with that, others... not so much.
Your crawler control options:
Go to Settings > Website > Crawlers
Toggle based on your preference
Keep ON if you want to appear in AI-generated snippets
Turn OFF if you want more control over your content usage
The choice is yours, but at least make it consciously.
09. Check Your Squarespace Page URLs
Your URLs are like your website's street addresses:
Would you rather live at "123 Main Street" or "123-main-street-new-page-draft-2-FINAL-reallyFINAL"?
Your URL cleanup checklist:
Review every page's URL slug
Make them descriptive but concise
Use hyphens between words
Remove any numbers or weird variations
Include relevant keywords naturally
Nobody should ever see a URL like yoursite.com/home-1 or /services-copy-2. It's like leaving the tags on your clothes when you head out to a networking event; technically fine, but definitely not profesh.
The Can't-Forget Post-Launch Task
Okay, this technically happens AFTER you launch, but it's so crucial I'm including it here. Consider it your bonus tip.
How to Set Up Your Google Search Console:
Publishing without Google Search Console is like building your dream house but not giving out your address to the post office. No one will know where to find you! Here's your roadmap:
In Squarespace, click Analytics
Select Search Keywords
Click Connect in the pop-up
Log into your Google account
Review permissions and click Allow
Wait 72 hours for data to populate
This tells Google "Hey, we exist!" Without it, you're basically invisible to search engines. Not cute.
Quick Squarespace Website Checklist Recap:
Let's recap what you need to nail before launch:
Enable HTTPS security – Make your site trustworthy
Upload your favicon – Brand those browser tabs
Configure cookie banner – Stay legally compliant
Optimize all images – Speed is everything
Test every form – Don't lose leads to the void
Check mobile responsiveness – Most visitors are on phones
Complete SEO settings – Help Google find you
Manage AI crawlers – Control your content
Clean up page URLs – Make navigation crystal clear
Connect Google Search Console – Get found online (post-launch)
Ready for Your Complete Squarespace Website Checklist?
This blog post gives you the essentials and is more than enough to get you started. And honestly, if you just follow these 9 steps, you'll be ahead of 90% of DIY site launches.
But if you're the type of person who wants to know EVERYTHING – who lives for the details and actually enjoys checking things off a comprehensive list – then my free 10-page Ultimate Squarespace Website Checklist is your new best friend.
What's in the full checklist that's not here?
We're talking 35+ additional checks including:
Custom CSS validation protocols
Squarespace domain settings
Complete accessibility audit steps
Legal compliance beyond cookies (privacy policies, terms, disclaimers)
Typography hierarchy guidelines
Mobile troubleshooting deep-dive
Image optimization exact specs
Fillable worksheets to track your progress
Basically every. single. thing. that could possibly matter
Plus, it comes with fillable workspace sections so you can track your progress and take notes as you go. It's literally the same comprehensive guide I use with my $5k+ design clients.
Consider this blog post your appetizer. The full checklist? That's the whole dang feast. 🥂
Updated monthly with the latest Squarespace features. Current version: May 2025.
