How to Change a Site Title in Squarespace
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Whether you’re updating your business name, or starting a business from scratch, changing your site title is important for establishing your brand identity. Luckily, updating your site title in Squarespace (whether it’s your site title or SEO site title) is pretty straightforward. In this guide, we’ll go over exactly how to do it. Keep reading!
Site title vs SEO site title
Before we tell you how to update your site title and your SEO site title, let’s make sure you know the difference between the two.
A site title is the name of your site, which is often your business name or your own name. The site title is also what visitors see when they land on your website and is usually displayed in the navigation. It might also be displayed in browser tabs, social media shares, or search results depending on your site settings.
The SEO site title is what shows up in search results for your homepage, and it’s usually more detailed than the site title. It often includes important keywords related to your business to help boost your site's visibility online.
How to change your site title in Squarespace
Changing your site title or your SEO site title in Squarespace is a simple way to reflect any changes to your business or establish your new business’s identity. Here's a step-by-step guide to get it done easily.
How to change the site title
If you want to change the site title in Squarespace, here’s how to do it:
In any page of your website, click Edit.
Hover over the navigation and click Edit Site Header.
Click the site title or logo and click the edit icon (pencil).
Enter the site title.
Click Save.
And that’s it, you’ve changed the title!
How to change the site’s SEO title
Here’s how to change your Squarespace site’s SEO title so your site stands out in search engines and attracts the right audience:
Navigate to your site’s Settings.
Click the Marketing tab.
Change your SEO Title Format.
Save your changes.
What’s a good SEO site title format?
A good SEO site title format is pretty straightforward. The best approach is to include the main keywords you want to rank for, along with your business name. This way, search engines and potential visitors can quickly see what your site is about. For example, if you run a dog training business, your SEO site title could be something like: “Your Business Name | Dog Training Services.”
This is the same format that many businesses (including Hubspot, one of the biggest brands that talks about content and SEO).
It’s simple but effective in helping you show up in search results for the right terms. Just keep it short and to the point, aiming for around 30-60 characters so the whole title shows up in search results.
Don’t forget to change your SEO site description
While your site’s title is important, don’t forget to change your site’s SEO description! This also shows up search results for your homepage, right underneath your title. Your site description should be around 50 to 300 characters long and you should optimize it with your site’s keywords without keyword stuffing.
Here’s how to change your SEO site description:
Navigate to your site’s Settings.
Click the Marketing tab.
Change your SEO Title Format.
Save your changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a domain and a site title?
Your domain is the web address people use to get to your site, like “yourbusiness.com.” It’s what people type into the browser to find you online. The site title, on the other hand, is the name of your website, often your name or your business name. It usually appears in your site’s header and is one of the first things your visitors see once they land on your site.
So, while the domain is typically how people search for you, the site title is how you present yourself to them once they’re there. The other difference is a domain has to be completely unique (meaning no one else can have the same domain), while other businesses/people can have the same site title
Does your site name have SEO effects?
Your site name can have some SEO effects, but not as much as your SEO site title or meta tags. The site title helps with branding and tells visitors who you are, but search engines focus more on the behind-the-scenes details like your SEO settings. However, if your site name includes relevant keywords, it can still play a small role in helping search engines understand what your site is about.
What is the difference between a site title and a logo?
Your site title is the name of your website, displayed as text, usually in the header or top section of your site (and in other places). Your logo, on the other hand, is a graphic or image that represents your brand visually.
In Squarespace, you can use a logo instead of a text-only title. However, it is best practice to keep your site title inside the Site Title Field, which will serve as your logo’s alt text.
Will changing my site title immediately be reflected in search results?
Changing your site title doesn’t show up in search results right away. While you’ll see the update on your website as soon as you hit save, search engines need some time to crawl and index your site again. How long this takes can vary. To help speed things along, you might want to submit a recrawl request in Google Search Console as that might help get your changes reflected in search results a bit faster!
What if I want to change my site title back?
You can easily revert to your previous site title and SEO site title by following the same steps you used to change them. Just enter the old title, save your changes, and wait for the changes to be reflected in Google.
What is the difference between a page title and a site title?
A page title is the title you give to a specific page on your website, like an About page or blog. If you don’t give each individual page an SEO title, then the page title will also be what search engines use as the clickable headline in their search results for those pages. So, while your overall site title represents your brand as a whole, the page title zooms in on the content of that particular page.
Want to learn more?
Whether you’re rebranding, updating your business name, or just making a small tweak, the steps to changing your site title are straightforward and can be done in just a few clicks. Hopefully, after reading this article you know exactly how to do it!
But do you need more help? You can learn more about Squarespace, design, copywriting, and more on the blog! Here are some of our favorites!
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