Your Guide to Squarespace vs Wix SEO

Sep 9

Search engine optimization is a critical component of digital marketing for many small businesses, and the website host you choose can significantly impact your experience and success as you attempt to climb in Google SERPs. Join us for a guide to Squarespace vs Wix SEO to help you choose the right platform for your needs.

Squarespace vs Wix SEO at a glance

On the surface, Squarespace and Wix seem like similar website hosting platforms. Both allow you to create a custom web design and domain name, develop unique email marketing campaigns, and integrate with social media sites and third-party apps to reach your target audience.

But your hosting platform is more than a website builder — it’s also a content management system that offers helpful tools and support to maximize your SEO strategy. Here’s a breakdown of the SEO features you can expect from Squarespace vs Wix:

SEO tools

Both Squarespace and Wix offer all the basic SEO tools, such as on-page customization, mobile optimization, and 301 redirects. However, there’s a big difference between native and third-party features. Squarespace includes a built-in keyword research system, automatic structured data markup, and automated URL canonicalization.

On the other hand, Wix requires integrations with dedicated SEO software to achieve these tasks. Experienced web developers who want unlimited customization and control may benefit from Wix’s advanced plug-ins, but newer users might find them overwhelming.

Ease of use

Squarespace provides a streamlined interface that makes it easy to apply basic SEO to your site without extensive technical knowledge. There’s a smaller learning curve to this software, so it’s ideal for beginners or users who don’t require granular control over every aspect of content management.

Wix SEO is more complex than Squarespace, but it also offers plenty of flexibility for experienced users. If you want greater customization and advanced tools, Wix is the way to go.

Mobile optimization

With Squarespace, every template automatically adjusts to various screen sizes, so you can spend less time manually adapting your content. On the other hand, Wix offers a dedicated mobile editor, allowing for more robust customization. Unfortunately, this can also increase the risk of certain SEO issues if desktop and mobile formats are misaligned.

Content features

If your blog is the heart of your website, Squarespace offers plenty of tools to streamline content creation. Tasks like scheduling, tagging, creating categories, and generating clean URLs are super simple to implement, and built-in AMP support ensures a fast page speed for mobile users. Wix also offers several basic content features, but it relies heavily on third-party apps for advanced services.

What are the pros and cons of Squarespace SEO?

To make an informed decision between Squarespace vs Wix SEO, it’s important to understand where Squarespace shines and where it falls behind.

User-friendly

Squarespace was built for people who want a simple user interface and an easy-to-navigate dashboard. Its whole purpose is to make website design and customization manageable for folks who don’t code. The platform is clean and intuitive, offering hassle-free automations and integrations for everyday use.

Built-in SEO tools

Many essential SEO tools are built right into Squarespace’s software, so it’s easy to generate sitemaps, meta tags, alt text, and other tedious components without the need for external plug-ins and third-party apps. Since so many core features are standardized, the risk of technical SEO malfunctions is lower for Squarespace vs Wix.

High-quality, professional templates

Squarespace’s templates are known for their sleek, polished appearance, prioritizing readability and a great user experience. These aesthetic advantages can indirectly boost your site’s SEO, as readers are more likely to stick around – and return to – clean pages with good typography and visual appeal.

Higher cost for e-commerce tools

While this platform is a dream for content creators, some limitations exist for online retailers. The basic Squarespace pricing plan does not include an online store. The company charges higher monthly prices for e-commerce websites, some of which require retailers to pay additional transaction fees. Additionally, certain advanced tools may be limited compared to a dedicated e-commerce platform like Shopify.

What are the pros and cons of Wix SEO?

Now, let’s explore what Wix brings to the table, as well as the challenges some users face when navigating the platform’s SEO features.

Comprehensive SEO features

Wix doesn’t skimp on SEO tools, offering advanced functions like a personalized SEO checklist and extensive on-page optimization. With tons of integrations, including Semrush, Google Search Console, Mailchimp, and more, you can access high-tech features you won’t find on the Squarespace dashboard.

Flexible e-commerce plans

If your website is more of an online store than a dedicated blog, Wix might be a better choice vs Squarespace. The platform’s flexible plans offer features to enhance the shopping experience, including product galleries, secure checkout, and payment gateway integration.

Extensive customization

Thanks to countless third-party apps and plug-ins, there’s no limit to the site you can create on this platform. Wix Studio, the site’s advanced web design hub, goes beyond the basic Wix Editor to offer more complex templates, AI-powered tools, and seamless collaboration with your team.

Can be overwhelming

With so many tools and features available, Wix can be overwhelming, especially for people without much technical expertise. The company understands that its system may be more complex than some users anticipate. As a Wix customer, you’ll have access to 24/7 phone support to walk you through any problems you encounter.

Grove Brands delivers beautiful, seamless website designs for businesses just like yours

Still not sure how to choose between Squarespace vs Wix for your SEO needs? Both sites offer a free trial to test their tools and features, so you can get hands-on experience before committing. At Grove Brands, we specialize in every aspect of SEO, from research and analysis to content creation and link-building. Contact us today to get started!

Cody Cullen