Squarespace has proven to be an easy-to-use content management system that can help you create an elegant website fast. That’s a big reason why 1.5% of all websites turn to Squarespace.
One feature that’s been getting a lot of attention is the Squarespace index page.
Keep reading to find out what an index page is, how it works, and how you can use this feature on your site.
What is a Squarespace Index Page?
A Squarespace index page is a page that you create on your website that takes elements from other pages on your site.
A number of people confuse index pages and folders in Squarespace. They are not the same, though they help you design a website.
An index page is an actual page on your website. A folder is used to set up navigation menus to help people use your site. You can learn more here about the differences between index pages and folders.
Types of Index Pages
Index pages are a great design tool to use to easily add a new page that features different pages on your website. There are three types of index pages.
Grid Layout
A grid layout takes images or other elements from your chosen pages and lays them out in a grid. A photographer or web designer may use this layout for a portfolio.
Slideshow
A slideshow layout opens with a full-screen image in the background with a text overlay. A common application of a slideshow index page is a restaurant that wants to highlights the meals like this example.
Stacked Layout
A stacked layout combines web pages to create one scrolling page. Each element is stacked vertically on top of the other.
How to Make an Index Page
Index pages seem complicated because you’re combining pages, but the reality is that they’re very simple to set up.
The first place to start with index pages is your current Squarespace template. Not all templates support index pages, so you want to make sure that your template does before you get to work. If your template does support index pages, you’ll want to check to see what type of layout is supported.
Some templates will support the grid structure, slideshow, or stacked. Templates do not support more than one type of index page.
In your Squarespace Home Menu, click on Pages. You’ll click on the + Icon to add a page and then choose the Index Page option.
Once you have your Squarespace index page added, click on the page settings icon to adjust the settings. This is where you can change the URL slug, page title, and description.
Now you get to build the index page. Add content to the index page like you would with any other page.
Index Pages and SEO
One question that webmasters often ask about index pages is whether or not there’s an impact on SEO. There is a small impact because index pages are a combination of pages that already exist on your site.
You might be concerned about duplicate content, for example, which can cause your site to drop in rankings.
Search spiders are designed to see index pages slightly differently than standard pages, but there’s no real cause for concern. As long as you follow white hat SEO methods, you’ll be fine.
You can start by determining what your main keyword is for that index page. Next, pick a few related keywords that you can use on the page.
When you’re in the settings tab of your index page, you can create your meta description, heading, and URL slug using the main keyword.
Your content should include your main keyword and related keywords. That small step will help search engines learn what your site is about and index it accordingly.
Page Creation Tips
If there’s one downside to using a Squarespace index page, it’s that there is limited flexibility with it. You’re basically given a few options and you have to work within the framework that Squarespace gives you.
That being said, there’s still a number of things that you have to remember before you start designing your Squarespace index page.
Your Brand
An index page is a great feature to use, but you want to make sure that it fits with the rest of your website and your brand.
For example, if your site and your brand rely on a lot of circular imagery, using something like a grid layout wouldn’t fit. It will seem out of place compared to the rest of your site.
The User Experience
Why do you want users to visit your index page? Is it because it looks cool or pretty? What do you want users to do when they get to your index page?
These are important questions you want to ask yourself. Again, an index page is a great feature to use but it needs to be used in a way that fits.
For example, you can have a blog and use an index page to categorize your top content in a grid fashion. Another example is to have multiple products or services. You can use a stacked index page that functions like a brochure that spells out the differences between your products or services.
Build a Great Site Using Squarespace Index Pages
Squarespace is a great way to build a website without having to know how to code. You can take your website’s design one step further by using a Squarespace index page.
Index pages are a unique way to incorporate different elements from pages throughout your site. They can be used to direct visitors to your site’s most important content.
Would you like more great web tips? Check out this article that shows you how you can make videos load faster on your website.
