Speed up Squarespace Website Using Your Photos
Are your website’s photos helping or hurting your Squarespace website?
Let’s talk about something that might seem small but actually plays an important role in how well your Squarespace website performs - your photos! They can be used to help your website’s performance, so let’s make sure they do!
There are many factors that influence how well your website ranks on Google, and one of them is your images. That’s right! Your photos can make a big impact on your site's performance, and getting them right can improve your SEO, load speed, user experience , and ultimately help your website rank better on Google!
Here are the 5 tips I use with my clients to help their Squarespace website rank better on Google:
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PHOTO TYPE
When it comes to website images, you want to choose the right file format. Generally, your images should be in PNG or JPG format. Here's the deal: If you don't need a transparent background, opt for JPG because it tends to load faster than PNGs.
GET THE RIGHT PHOTO SIZE
Size matters—both in terms of dimensions and file size. For Squarespace, a good width for your photos is at least 1500px, but no bigger than 2000px. Anything smaller could end up looking blurry, and anything bigger could slow down your website, which can negatively affect your SEO. So, strike a balance!
COMPRESS YOUR IMAGES FOR SPEED
Now that you’ve got the right width, it’s time to think about image file size. Big image files can slow down your website’s loading speed, which is a big SEO no-no. Aim for an image file size between 250kb and 500kb for optimal performance. Here’s a little trick: Squarespace sometimes increases the image size after you upload it (I know, weird, right?). So, I recommend uploading images closer to the 250kb mark to account for that.
How to Compress Your Photos:
If you’re wondering how to compress images (I was totally in your shoes once!), it’s super easy! Head over to a site like TinyJPG. You can simply drag and drop your PNG or JPG files, and it will shrink them down to a smaller size without losing quality. It's a total game changer for site speed!
NAME YOUR IMAGES DESCRIPTIVELY
This one might seem small, but it matters! Before uploading your photos to Squarespace, make sure they have descriptive names. Generic file names like “IMG_5778.jpg” don’t help your SEO at all. Instead, name your images something relevant to the content on the page. For example, since I’m a website designer based in Dayton, OH, I've named this photo "headshot dayton web designer.jpg".
(If you can sneak in an SEO keyword that’s relevant to your business, even better! Extra SEO points!)
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5. DON’T SKIP THE ALT TEXT
Alt text is an often-overlooked, but super important step. After uploading your photos, make sure you fill in the Alt Text field in Squarespace. This helps Google understand what’s in your image (hello, SEO!) and makes your site more accessible for visually impaired visitors, as screen readers can describe your images to them.
Pro tip: Keep your alt text short, descriptive, and to the point. It’s another win for both SEO and accessibility!
EASY STEPS, BIG RESULTS
By following these simple steps, you’ll be giving your website the best chance to rank higher on Google while providing a seamless user experience for all of your visitors. Better photos = better SEO!
Now that you know how to prep your photos, here’s a quick tutorial on how to make photo updates to your Squarespace website!
If you’re ready to spend your precious time providing running & building your business, and less time on the details of web design, I would love to come alongside you in this process.
Reach out! I’d love to chat with you how I can support and encourage you as your Squarespace web designer!
