Preserving Your SEO When Moving from Squarespace to Framer

Switching your website from Squarespace to Framer? Here's how to protect your SEO and maintain your search rankings during the migration:

• Why SEO Matters: A poorly planned move can lead to broken links, lost rankings, and traffic drops.

• Key Steps:

  1. Do an SEO Audit: Record current keyword rankings, URLs, meta descriptions, and more using tools like Google Analytics and Screaming Frog.

  2. Set Up 301 Redirects: Redirect old Squarespace URLs to new Framer URLs to avoid broken links and preserve rankings.

  3. Transfer Metadata: Move page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags to Framer.

  4. Use Framer’s SEO Tools: Optimize with features like sitemap.xml, robots.txt, and server-side rendering.

  5. Monitor Performance: Use Google Search Console to track rankings, fix broken links, and ensure everything works post-migration.

Quick Tip: Expect a temporary dip in rankings as Google adjusts to your new site structure, but with proper planning, this will recover.

SEO Audit Steps Before Moving

If you're planning to move your site to Framer, it's crucial to conduct an SEO audit beforehand. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition.

Check Current SEO Performance

Start by gathering performance data from Google Search Console and Google Analytics for the past three months. This data will serve as your baseline to measure the success of your migration.

Once you have this data, move on to creating an inventory of your URLs and on-page elements.

Record URLs and Page Data

Tools like Sitebulb or Screaming Frog can help you create a detailed inventory. Include:

• A complete list of URLs, covering subdomains and protocols

• Titles and meta descriptions

• On-page content and headings

• Image alt text

• Structured data markup

This inventory will act as the foundation for your migration checklist.

Build Your Migration Task List

As you prepare for the migration, make sure to maintain the following:

• Analytics Setup: Ensure goal tracking, e-commerce codes, and site search are configured.

• Technical SEO: Check canonical tags and page-speed metrics.

• Content: Verify metadata, fix broken links, and confirm image alt text accuracy.

This preparation will help safeguard your site's SEO performance during the move.

Keep URLs Working with 301 Redirects

When transitioning your site from Squarespace to Framer, keeping your URL structure intact is key to maintaining your site’s SEO performance.

Why URL Structure Is Important

Think of URLs as your website’s addresses. If these addresses change without proper redirects, it can cause problems like:

Setting Up 301 Redirects in Framer

Here’s how to create 301 redirects in Framer:

1. Go to Site Settings → Redirects in your Framer dashboard.

2. Enter the old Squarespace URL in the Old URL field.

3. Match it with the new Framer page by selecting it in the New URL field.

4. Save each redirect to ensure it’s properly applied.

Managing Complex Redirects

Framer supports advanced redirect options using wildcards and placeholders:

• Use * to cover any segment of a URL.

• Use :slug for specific segments.

• Use :n for captured groups.

Finally, don’t forget to transfer your on-page SEO elements to Framer to fully complete the migration.

Move SEO Elements to Framer

Transfer Page Titles and Descriptions

Once redirects are in place, it's time to move your on-page SEO elements to Framer. In the Site Settings within Framer, you can add custom titles and meta descriptions for each page.

Here’s how to get started:

• Document your current metadata:

  • Page titles

  • Meta descriptions

  • Main headings (H1 tags)

• Set up page-level SEO:

  • Create unique, keyword-focused titles

  • Write meta descriptions that grab attention

  • Ensure each page has one H1 heading

  • Use H2 through H6 headings to organize content clearly

Use Framer's SEO Features

Framer offers built-in tools to simplify your optimization efforts:

Additionally, make sure to:

• Add descriptive alt text to all images

• Set video thumbnails (poster images) for better visuals

• Use JSON-LD structured data when needed

• Apply semantic HTML tags for headers and other key elements

Follow U.S. Writing Standards

Use American English (e.g., "optimization"), MM/DD/YYYY for dates, imperial measurements, the dollar sign ($) before amounts, commas for thousands, and periods for decimals.

Check and Track After Moving

Once your redirects and metadata are set, it's time to confirm everything is working smoothly and keep an eye on your site's performance.

Find and Fix Broken Links

After the migration, double-check all links and redirects in Framer to ensure your SEO and user experience stay intact. Use the Coverage report in Google Search Console to run a site audit and investigate any flagged pages with the URL Inspection tool.

For broken internal links, create a 301 redirect from the old URL to the updated path in Framer's Site Settings under the Redirects section. If your navigation links still point to outdated paths, switch them to full URLs instead of relative ones.

Track SEO Results

Keep monitoring your site's performance in Google Search Console. Focus on these key reports:

• Performance report: Tracks clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and average positions.

• Index Coverage report: Helps identify and fix indexing issues.

• Crawl Stats report: Shows how Googlebot interacts with your site.

• URL Inspection tool: Provides indexing status and technical details for specific pages.

Maintain SEO for U.S. Users

To keep your site visible to your American audience:

• Submit your updated sitemap in Google Search Console for quicker crawling and indexing.

• Use tools like Ahrefs to monitor your domain authority and backlink profile.

• Track keyword rankings for U.S.-focused search terms.

Framer takes care of essential SEO elements automatically, like setting up canonical URLs for your homepage, redirecting non-www to www versions, and managing HTTP to HTTPS redirects.

Make SEO reviews a regular part of your routine to protect your rankings.

Conclusion: Complete Your Site Move Successfully

You've checked your site's performance and fixed broken links - now it's time to wrap things up. With your site structure and SEO elements ready, finish the move with these focused actions:

Key Steps to Follow

• Review your current SEO metrics in Google Analytics and Search Console.

• Set up 301 redirects for all existing Squarespace URLs.

• Transfer metadata and header tags, using Framer's SEO tools to optimize.

Looking for Professional Help?

Striking Alchemy provides migration planning, SEO preservation strategies, post-launch optimization, and ongoing technical support tailored to your needs.