When & how to focus on backlinks as a Squarespace SEO strategy.jpg

The day has finally come… you’ve realized that you can’t avoid Squarespace SEO any longer and it’s FINALLY time to figure this sh*t out once and for all!

That is music to my ears, welcome to the cool kids club, SEO is a game changer that’s going to blow your mind ;)

When people decide they’re going to Squarespace SEO head on, I tell them this is fantastic news and I fully support their enthusiasm…. but the problem is that most of the time, they aren’t following any kind of plan, let alone a strategic one, and get frustrated and give up.

Squarespace SEO is a massive topic with many different parts of the puzzle to deal with and consider all at once.

As a Squarespace SEO expert, one of the most common questions I get asked is “Where do I begin?”.

This is a totally legit question and I’m always happy to point you in the right direction, because I don’t want to see you spending all your time & efforts on tasks that aren’t going to deliver results.

Which is what inspired this blog post, where we’re going to dive deep into backlinks, the role they play in Squarespace SEO and specifically WHEN you should focus on them.

I’ve already written a whole blog post that explains what backlinks are and why they need to be part of your Squarespace SEO strategy so if you haven’t already, please go read that post first then come back to us here for the rest of this discussion.

Going after backlinks is a huge part of any Squarespace SEO strategy, however it’s more of an advanced strategy that should only be pursued once you’ve covered the basics.

I know many of you might consider yourselves as website owners who are more “creative” than “technical”, which is why it’s so tempting to skip the “hard tech” parts of SEO and leapfrog forward to the backlinks section, cause it feels a lot more fun and like a game. But please don’t make that mistake!

In this blog post, I’m going to tell you when and how to focus on backlinks as part of your Squarespace SEO strategy. I’m tell you what you must do first before you’re ready to dive into this head on, and I’ll also give you all the goods you need to actually do backlinks right :)

So without further ado, let’s get right to it!

I have so many tips to share on the subject that it would have been crazy to put it all in one article! There are many misconceptions about Squarespace SEO which is why I've dedicate so many posts to this topic. Enjoy!

Click to view all posts in the Squarespace SEO Series

Visit my Squarespace SEO page for lots more resources.

When to pursue backlinks for Squarespace SEO

The simple answer to this question is… probably NOT YET! 😂

Jokes aside, backlinks are a key part of every Squarespace SEO strategy but they are an advanced tactic that you should only pursue once you’ve got the basics covered.

As I mentioned in the intro, people are often tempted to dive right into backlinks at the start because it feels way more fun and creative than some of the other parts of SEO.

Many of my clients, blog readers and newsletter subscribers are creatives and business owners who run their own websites and are often tech-adverse, meaning they avoid dealing with the back end of their websites at all cost. They know that they need to figure out SEO and they’ve heard that backlinks are hugely important, so to them it seems like the best place to start - let the tech wait, right?

NOPE, wrong! That would be a major mistake and a guaranteed way to not get the results you want.

So let me say it again: you must first deal with the SEO basics before moving on to backlinks.

“Ok Charlotte, but what are the basics? What do i need to do first?”

Great question, I’m so glad you asked 👏 👏 👏

Step 1: Squarespace SEO settings

First up, you must cover the SEO settings of your Squarespace website. I recommend you begin with what I call the Holy Trinity of Squarespace SEO Settings:

Verify & connect your Squarespace website with Google Search Console
Fill out the Squarespace Site Description
Fill out the SEO descriptions for each page & post on your Squarespace website

This is the absolute first step and once you’ve done these 3 things, you can move on to the other SEO settings of your Squarespace website. I demo (with video tutorials) and go through all of the Squarespace settings that you need to set up for SEO in my online course, Top Squarespace SEO, so go check that out if you want me to hold your hand each step of the way.

Step 2: Audit and optimize existing website content

Moving on to step two where you will audit and optimize your existing website content - that means all the web pages and blog posts that you already have. This post teaches you how to perform a content audit on your website so if you are totally new to this, it’s a great place to start!

Basically in this step, you aren’t reinventing the wheel and instead you are getting the wheel rolling.

Without at doubt, this is the step that people are most tempted to skip because frankly it seems like it’s going to be hella boring. But it’s actually not! Think about it, when was the last time you actually checked out each web page or blog post, reviewed the images and text, thought about the keywords you’ve included, the lead magnets you have and whether or not they are helping grow your email list, all that jazz. From experience I can tell you that my clients revisit their website’s content with fresh eyes and end up giving it a total facelift, which immediately makes them feel better AND jumpstarts the SEO changes.

Don’t skip this steps, it’s worth it I promise.

Step 3: Create strategic, keyword-rich content to fill in any gaps

After you’ve done the (dull but extremely important) audit and realized what kind of content your website is missing, and then you get to create it!

You will create keyword-rich content that targets your ideal audience so that you can attract them to your website and ultimately introduce them to your products/services. It’s all about creating the kind of content that people are looking for, so that you can slay it with keywords and SEO, widen your reach online by showing up higher in online search results.

This is usually done through blogging and it means that you’ll have to plan out an editorial calendar that you will follow over the upcoming weeks/months, but it might also mean building new web pages (e.g., for more detailed descriptions of your services, events, offerings, etc.

Don’t forget to include lead magnets and email list opt-ins in all this killer new website content - you want to create content that attracts people to your site so that they can find you easier online, and then get them to join your email list so that you can nurture that relationship and fill them in on all the amazing offerings you have. $$$$

Once all that’s done, you will finally arrive at step four which is the beloved backlinks section! 🎉

By this point, you’ve taken care of your website and now you’re ready to pitch your site/content/offerings to other relevant online platforms and start basking in all of those glorious inbound links.

See what I mean?

You can’t skip the earlier SEO foundation because otherwise you’ll be getting backlinks for a site that isn’t fully equipped or optimized, which is a major misstep.

Now let’s talk about the backlink strategy a little further.

Backlink strategy for Squarespace SEO

This stage is all about identifying and pursuing relevant link building opportunities. You’ll build relationships with other websites, brands/businesses, influencers, etc. in or adjacent to your niche which is a pretty fun part of the process in my opinion. Once you’ve got that list planned out, you’ll then dive into the outreach step and propose different ways you can get backlinks from these other sites. Finally, we’ve got the follow up phase because it’s almost impossible to hit a home run with every backlink pitch you propose LOL!

Let me break this down for you even further:

1. Research backlink opportunities

Ahhhh the research stage, this is the fun part because you’re browsing the ‘net and getting all hyped with the cool opportunities you’re about to create.

Keeping your business, niche & audience in mind, you’re going to research industry influencers, direct competitors, brands/businesses who are doing stuff similar to you, trade groups/chambers of commerce or business associations, etc. You’re looking for websites with high domain authority and a large reach (i.e., audience size) who are already putting out content that would potentially include and link back to you.

During the research stage, focus on RELEVANT opportunities.

Think about the obvious players and places you can go to get backlinks that are going to drive the right kind of traffic your way, but don’t be afraid to get creative and think outside the box either!

2. Build relationships

Here’s my expert advice: don’t pitch for a backlink out of the blue, these should never be random requests that land in people’s inbox unsolicited out of left field!

In step 1 you researched opportunities - now it’s time to build real relationships and get acquainted with these people, brands and publications. In some cases, you will have noticed that a website pumps out a massive amount of content in which case they might be more receptive to a random pitch from you. However, if you want to get some sort of media feature or write a guest post for a smaller niche website, then you have to understand that it’s often just one person running the show and they will be more inclined to say yes to someone that they already know and have some sort of relationship with.

You can “prospect” and build these relationships in real life (e.g., at a conference or local networking event) but it’s also possible to do it online too! Participate in industry conversations, comment on people’s blogs, reply to their social media posts, engage with their newsletters, etc.

3. Pitching and outreach

Now you’re ready to do the fun stuff: actually reaching out to these influencers, brands and online publications to pitch yourself!

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to never send out spammy pitch emails that are obviously copied and pasted from a crappy template. Instead, take the time to make each pitch personalized and relevant to the person you’re sending it to.

If you’re doing cold pitch, the goal is to identify how you can add value to THEM and their audience in a way that also includes a link to YOUR website/content.

There are a few ways to go about this, from the “broken link, use mine instead!” strategy all the way to an interview, media feature, guest post, or something else! The sky’s the limit and I really encourage you to get creative and challenge yourself to come up with a pitch that makes the person receiving it think “this is a no brainer, of course I will say yes”.

4. Follow up

When it comes to pitching, you have to remember that it’s a numbers game. You can’t take rejection personally and you must anticipate that you are going to get a LOT of no’s, not now’s and unanswered pitches - and that’s totally okay!

If people ignore your backlink pitch or tell you “not now”, then make sure you FOLLOW UP with them.

One attempt is rarely enough and don’t forget that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you want to improve your pitching odds, follow up a couple of times. Even a simple “Hey John, checking in to see if you saw this?” can work wonders so don’t be shy!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, here’s when and how to focus on backlinks as part of your Squarespace SEO strategy.

My biggest piece of advice is not to get ahead of yourself and jump straight into backlinks just because it’s the ‘easiest’ or ‘most fun’ part of Squarespace SEO.

Instead, focus on building up a solid foundation before you start pitching your website for backlinks and getting in front of those adjacent online audiences. Get strategic with your Squarespace SEO strategy but follow a plan that naturally builds on itself - it’s the best way to ensure success when you finally go after backlinks.

Now it's your turn to tell me, have you ever pursued backlinks to your website? Is it part of your Squarespace SEO strategy? Have you covered the basics yet or did you jump right into it? What results have you had?

Leave me your questions down in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them. As people are spending more time online than ever before, it’s SO important that your website shows up properly in search results so that you can reach your ideal audience online - backlinks are one of the best ways to get in front of the right people so you should definitely pursue these links but only after you’ve got the basics covered!

If you want more SEO goodness, be sure to check out my Squarespace SEO page for all resources on the topic.

My signature online course, Top Squarespace SEO, will be opening for enrollment again soon - sign up for the TSS waiting list here!

You can also sign up for my newsletter (right here or below), where I often share Squarespace SEO tips, tricks and high-quality exclusive content. I send out emails to my list every Wednesday, mostly focused on Squarespace websites and SEO, and I can guarantee that you’ll find the newsletter topics interesting, entertaining and worth your time. #humblebrag

Finally, shameless plug: hit me up with any specific questions you have about Squarespace SEO and your website because I’m your girl. You can reach out to me directly if you’re interested in working together on your website and we can talk about whether or not you would be a good fit for my consulting and ongoing services. I can’t take on every request to do Squarespace SEO consulting but I do pick a few websites and businesses to work with every month and I’d love for you to be one of them.