How to Get Your Website Found on Google: 8 Simple Steps

22 Oct 2026 · @Tiamaria.businessbydesign · Gold Coast, Australia

You've got a beautiful new Squarespace website. But when you search for your business on Google… nothing. Or you're buried on page three, behind competitors with older, clunkier sites.

Sound familiar? You're not alone. A great-looking website is only half the job. The other half is helping Google understand who you are, what you do and where you do it.

The good news: you don't need to be technical. Here are 8 simple steps that make a real difference — most of them take less than an hour.

1. Tell Google your website exists

Google Search Console is a free tool that officially introduces your website to Google and shows you which searches people use to find you.

Squarespace makes connecting it easy. In your dashboard, go to Analytics → Search keywords → Connect, then sign in with your Google account and click Allow. That's it. Your search data starts appearing within about three days.

For extra speed, sign in to Google Search Console, click Sitemaps, type sitemap.xml and click Submit. This hands Google a list of every page on your site.

2. Use the words your customers actually search for

Think like a customer who has never heard of you. What would they type into Google? Usually it's what you do + where you do it: "wedding photographer London", "dog groomer Bristol", "yoga classes Brighton".

Give each important page one main keyword, and use it naturally in the page's main heading, the first paragraph and the SEO title. Write for people, not robots — stuffing the same phrase in again and again reads badly and can hurt you.

Quick tip: type your keyword into Google and scroll to "Related searches" at the bottom. These are real searches people make — great ideas for new pages and blog posts.

3. Write titles and descriptions that get clicks

Your SEO title is the blue link people see in Google. The description is the short text underneath. Together, they're your shop window.

In Squarespace, open Pages, click the gear icon next to a page, then the SEO tab.

• Title: keyword + what makes you different + business name. For example: Wedding Photography in London – Relaxed, Natural Photos | Your Studio. Keep it under about 60 characters.

• Description: what you offer, where, and a reason to click. Keep it under about 155 characters.

Give every page its own title and description. If they're all the same, Google can't tell your pages apart.

4. Answer your customers' questions

Google's goal is to show people the most helpful answer. So be that answer.

Write down the five questions customers ask you most often — about prices, process, timings, what's included — and answer them clearly on your website. Use headings to break up the text so it's easy to skim. A page with one photo and a single sentence gives Google almost nothing to work with.

5. Get your photos working for you

Google can't see your photos — it reads their file names and descriptions. And large image files slow your site down.

• Rename before uploading: wedding-photographer-london-church.jpg tells Google far more than IMG_1234.jpg.

• Shrink large files: aim for under 500 KB per image. Free tools like TinyPNG do this in seconds.

• Add alt text: in Squarespace, click the image, then the pencil icon, and write one short sentence describing it. It also helps visitors who use screen readers.

6. Make sure it works beautifully on phones

Most people will find you on their phone, and Google judges your site by its mobile version. Squarespace templates adapt automatically, but it's worth checking: is the text easy to read? Are the buttons easy to tap? Can people find your phone number or "Book now" button straight away?

7. Get on Google Maps with a Business Profile

If you serve a local area, this might be the single most important step. Your Google Business Profile is the box with your name, star rating, map and phone number that appears when someone searches for you — or for "[your service] near me".

Create one free at business.google.com, verify it, and fill in everything: services, opening hours, service area and plenty of real photos. Google itself says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results.

Make sure your business name, address and phone number are written exactly the same everywhere — your website, Google profile and social media.

8. Collect reviews (and make it easy)

Reviews build trust with customers and with Google. According to Google, more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.

Aim for 50+ reviews to build a strong local reputation, and keep going from there. The trick is making it easy:

• Ask right after a job, when your customer is happiest.

• Send your review link directly by text or email.

• Give them a few prompts: which service they had, where they're based, and what they thought of the result. These details make reviews far more useful — to future customers and to Google.

• Reply to every review, good or bad.

One rule: never offer discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews. Google can remove them.

Keep it going: small updates, every month

SEO isn't a one-off job. Google doesn't publish a set schedule, but I recommend a small, genuine update once a month: a new blog post, fresh photos of recent work, a new testimonial, or updated prices and services.

The key word is genuine. Google's freshness systems favour newer content for searches where people expect it. But Google is also clear that changing things just to look "fresh" won't help. Useful, real updates are what count.

Then keep an eye on your progress in Squarespace (Analytics → Search keywords) or Google Search Console. Expect steady growth over three to six months, not overnight jumps.

Want me to take care of it?

Most business owners would rather spend their time running their business than updating their website — and that's exactly where I come in. I offer.

If you have a Squarespace website - Let me help you!

• Website content updates — new photos, testimonials, blog posts, and updates to your text, prices or services.

• SEO updates — Search Console checks, keyword and title improvements, Google Business Profile updates and a monthly progress check.

• Content + SEO package — both together, so your website keeps working hard while you focus on your clients.

Get in touch to find the right option for your business.
hello@tiamariabusinessdesign.com.au or Book an enquiry call