A User-Friendly Guide on Squarespace to Shopify Migration

Do you own an active eCommerce business on Squarespace but find that the platform is preventing you from growing, acquiring advanced capabilities, and fully customizing sales? You’re not the only one. Many sellers get started on Squarespace due to its easy setup and beautiful templates, only to find that it can’t quite keep up with the growing complexity of their business. That’s where switching from Squarespace to Shopify becomes a game-changer.

Specifically designed for eCommerce, Shopify provides unparalleled scalability, best-in-class integrations with all the major payment gateways and apps you need, superior SEO functionality, and robust customization options to help you drive conversions and revenue. We’ll explain why Shopify is better than Squarespace in terms of growing an online business, a step-by-step migration process that ensures a minimum of downtime and data loss, essential SEO factors, and post migration advice on succeeding to start your business with the new store immediately.

This guide will help you easily and safely transition, whether you are a small brand looking to scale your business or an established seller seeking smarter tools. Then let’s begin and make your online store all it can be!

Overall Objective 

Shopify was built especially for eCommerce businesses. On the other hand, Squarespace was incepted as a generic website building platform. It integrated eCommerce at a later date to resolve the requirements of the customers.

Third-Party App Store

Shopify has a third-party app store that consists of intelligent software that has an extended feature list. It even assists in optimizing your store. With the help of the apps, it is possible to enhance sales, resolve intricate fulfilment issues, or make subtle changes in the design of the website. As far as Squarespace is considered, it consists of some essential integration. But, it does not have a robust platform for third-party apps like Shopify. 

Ease of customizations

Shopify consists of a liquid code that can help you to add any number of customizations in the store. There is always a possibility to utilize a theme from the Shopify theme store. You can even customize the template or even create a comprehensively custom website that is exceptionally different from the rest. There are endless possibilities with Shopify. It is possible to hire a certified Shopify expert that can assist you to get through your customization goals. While in the case of Squarespace it is mostly for the people who are non-technical. Hence, it becomes intricate and restrictive for it to customize your frontend and backend.

Number of Payment Gateways

Shopify has more than 100 different shopping gateways. While Squarespace has only two. In addition to this, Shopify recently added dynamic checkout buttons that enable you to accept PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay directly through your product pages. 

SEO

We have discussed this topic in detail in the latter part of this write-up. For now, you need to know that Shopify was developed keeping SEO in mind. Certain SEO basics services are right up there on the product listing of Shopify. There are many more options easily available. But, Shopify wins hands down in terms of SEO especially URL mapping and 301 redirects. This way it assists in ensuring that search engines do not crawl the wrong pages.Now, that you have looked at the various pointers that showcase the benefits of Shopify over Squarespace, in the next section, we will discuss the migration steps.

Squarespace to Shopify Migration

Exporting Your Products from Squarespace

The very first step of migration is to export your data from Squarespace. Always keep your Squarespace site live while performing the steps given below:1. Go to Home Menu and click Settings.2. Click on the Advanced options, and then click Import/Export.3. Click Export.4. Select Products from the Export Site menu.5. Click on the Download option. This way, your products will directly get downloaded as a products.csv file.

Exporting Your Content

The next step is to export the content from your website, encompassing text, blogs, and images. Follow the steps given below to achieve this feat.

1. Go to Home Menu on Squarespace, and click Settings. 

2. Click Advanced and then click Import/Export.

3. Click Export.

4. Click on the WordPress icon. Even though you are migrating from Squarespace to Shopify and not WordPress, click on this icon.

5. In case you have multiple blog pages on your site, a “Select Primary Blog” message will appear. Remember, only a single Blog Page can be exported.

6. Opt for a Primary Blog from the drop-down menu and then hit the “Export” option.

7. Wait for some time for the completion of the export process. This might take a few minutes depending on the number of content on your site.

8. Download the exported file.

9. Once the export completes, you will see a Download option. Click on it and save the .xml file to your computer or click Clear to erase the export.

Instigating a Development Store on Shopify

The next step is to register on Shopify and instigate the staging site also known as the development store. This is exactly the place where you can try all the things for your new website. Check out the website look and feel and then signup for a 14-day trial. If you need more time, hire a Shopify expert who can give you complete access to the development store with no expiration date. In case you opt for the signup trial period, after 14 days Shopify fees will be charged to you. Remember, the migration process can take a bit longer to complete. It is completely dependent on the complexity of the migration. Once you have instigated the development store, check all the settings information, and properly set it up.

Importing Your Products to Shopify

We have already seen the steps to export your products to a .csv file from Squarespace. Since these two platforms are direct competitors, it is not simple to import your .csv file into Shopify. There are various ways to get your products migrated. It can be done through an automated service being offered by the app store. Alternatively, you can also do it manually by entering small product catalogs. In case you have an extensive product catalog or experience difficulty while importing, we suggest you try an app known as Excelify to automate the import process. 

Importing Your Content to Shopify

You have already exported your XML file that consists of the blogs and content from Squarespace in the second step. The next step is to import these into Shopify. We again recommend you to use Excelify app to effortless complete this process for converting your XML file into a .CSV.

Selecting a Theme

The next step, once you have uploaded all the content to your new site is to select a theme and start previewing how the information will be reflected. The very first thing that you need to check is the Turbo Theme. Although it is a bit more pricey compared to other themes available on Shopify Theme Store, it has a feature list that will come in handy at a later date. 

Change Your Domain Settings

As soon as your new Shopify store has been constructed and tested in the development store environment, it is time to point your domain at Shopify. It is a vital step toward a migration that will retain traffic. Here’s how to do it smoothly:

1. In your Shopify account, select Settings > Domains and select Connect existing domain.
2. Browse your domain and follow the instructions. Shopify will also provide exact DNS records (generally an A record for the root domain and a CNAME for www). 
3. Sign in to your domain registrar (such as GoDaddy or Namecheap) and modify the DNS records as needed.
4. Remove any Dicata Squarespace DNS records and add Shopify’s nameservers if you are transferring the domain completely (we recommend this for ease).
5. Propagation may take 24 to 48 hours — keep your old Squarespace site up and running until then.

Pro Tip:

Use Shopify’s redirects feature to redirect old URLs to new ones. Vigorously test with tools such as Google Search Console to make sure that you are not experiencing any downtime or dead links. It is essential in preserving your SEO value in the transition.

Migration-Specific SEO Things to Keep in Mind

• Create a full map of URLs (old Squarespace URLs – new Shopify URLs).
• Use a 301 redirect to all pages to preserve link juice.
• Update internal links, images, and sitemaps.
• Add your new sitemap to Google Search Console and monitor crawl errors.
• Keep or improve the meta titles, descriptions, and schema markup.

Shopify Post-Migration Optimization

Your work is not done once you have gone live–post-migration optimization will have your store performing better than ever. Many merchants tend to take a temporary hit of traffic or conversions, provided they overlook this step. To make the best of this, here is a handy checklist to follow in 2026:

Technical and Performance Optimization

• Compress images and enable the image optimization built into Shopify.
• Reduce app bloat by uninstalling the ones you don’t use.
• Core Web Vitals (page speed, mobile friendliness) -Test and Optimize.
• Set up applicable analytics (GA4, Shopify Analytics, and conversions tracking).

SEO & Indexing

• Make sure all 301 redirects are in place and working.
• Resubmit the sitemap and use Google Search Console to request reindexing.
• Watch for 404 errors and fix them quickly.
• Enhance product pages with custom descriptions, alt text, and structured data.

Customer Experience & Conversions

• Test the entire buyer journey (browsing, cart, checkout) across multiple devices.
• Update payment, shipping, and tax settings.
• Add trust signals, review apps, and abandoned cart recovery.
• Resync your email/SMS marketing tools, and send a “We’ve Moved!” notification to your customers.

Marketing & Growth Setup

• Install the right apps for SEO, upselling, loyalty, and ads.
• Rebuild or migrate any Facebook/Instagram shops and Google Merchant Center feeds.
• Create automated flows for abandoned carts, post-purchase upselling, and customer retention.

Ongoing Monitoring

Monitor traffic, sales, and rankings for the first 4-6 weeks. Anticipate small changes as search engines recrawl your site. With proper redirects and SEO, most stores recover and often flourish on Shopify.

Specific SEO Considerations to Follow During the Migration Process

While migrating from a Squarespace store that has a considerable amount of traffic and sales, we recommend you to address all your old URLs and product links to ensure that your SEO rankings are retained. 

Let’s look at some of the SEO considerations that you need to look while migrating from Squarespace to Shopify migration. However, before we do that, it is essential to consider this fact that there will be a drop in the SEO rankings for the first few weeks which will slowly recover when you follow the considerations given below.

A 404 error message gets displayed when an internet address cannot be found. Google hates it, and so gives the website a bad score. A 301 redirect is an indefinite redirect from a link to another. This is taken into consideration by Google search algorithms to ensure that the traffic is going to the right location.

Forwarding is changing the old address to the new one. For example, www.old-store.com/ -> www.new-store.com. The only alterations made are the stuff after “www.” and before “/.” 

In case you are using the same-store URL, there is no need for address forwarding instead of that 301 redirects from any relevant links will do the trick.

A redirect is when you take the products and pages from your old site and redirect them to any URL on your new site. For example, www.old-url.com/red-hats.html -> www.new-url.com/shop/collections/red-hats. 

As far as the redirects are concerned, follow the instructions given below to handle them.

1. Take a backup of everything.

2. Find your sitemap on Squarespace by referring to this guide.

3. Convert it into a CSV and download it.

4. Upload the file on Google sheets for safety purposes.

5. Create the SEO redirects. Click here to look at the steps to do it at Shopify.

Next, you have three courses of actions available:

• Forward it to the same page on the new site, i.e., About Page to About Page > Red Shirt to Red Shirt.

• Combine it with another page. This is similar to forwarding it to the same page. Maybe you can combine your About Us page with the Contact page. Alternatively, if you do not wish to have Hoodies but still have Sweaters you can send it to the most similar page.

• Send it to the homepage. Never ignore this; otherwise, it will show a 404 error. Moreover, as we have already mentioned, Google hates 404 errors.

These are some extra steps that you need to consider while migrating to Shopify.

• Scrutinize the new site with Google Search Console (both HTTP & HTTPS) by using this guide.

• Submit an alteration of the address in Google Search Console (GSC) and Bing Webmaster Tools (BWT).

• Make changes in all internal links.

• In case you have migrated any pages automatically, certain internal links might be pointed to the wrong place. Update those. 

• Edit Google Analytics settings and add annotation(s).

• In Google Analytics, check out both your property and view settings and change the domain name to your new domain in the field for the default URL.

Also, do not forget to add an annotation in your Google Analytics views with a note regarding the change in domain name on a specific date you shifted it.

Final Thoughts

Switching from Squarespace to Shopify is a whole lot more than just migrating your content — it’s a strategic shift that sets your business up to grow your audience, increase your conversions, and scale your operations. The process requires careful preparation, but this step-by-step tutorial (along with post-migration cleanup) will protect you against most risks, including SEO declines or downtime.

If you find yourself wanting a bigger platform than Squarespace can offer, 2026 will be the right time to make the change. With Shopify’s robust capabilities, vast ecosystem, and eCommerce-native design, you can run operations effectively and satisfy your customers.

Need an expert? Our team at Elsner is an expert in migrating from Squarespace to Shopify without data loss and with complete SEO protection. Book your free spot and grow your online store with us.

FAQs

What is the duration of the transition between Squarespace and Shopify?

The choice is entirely dependent on the size of your store, the amount of goods you have, and the level of customization you require. Small shops can relocate faster with the help of apps; the bigger ones require professional help.

Will I lose my SEO Ranking during the migration?

Yes, using migration apps like Matrixify/Excelify, or professional services. Some manual verification is required.

Can I transfer my customers & order history?

Yes, using migration apps like Matrixify/Excelify, or professional services. Some manual verification is required.

Is it worth it to employ a Shopify expert to migrate?

Yes, in the case of stores with over 100 products (or complex configurations). Professionals will handle technical features, custom code, redirects, and optimization, saving hours of labor and reducing risk.

What is the cost of migration to Shopify?

Basic Shopify plans cost $29/month. Include the cost of the migration tool ($0–$500+), theme, and professional services if applicable. Many realize ROI quickly through increased sales and productivity gains.

After migration, should I keep my Squarespace site running?

Yes, keep it live until DNS propagation and your redirects are confirmed (usually 48 hours). You can cancel Squarespace afterward.