# Squarespace SEO for ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI search

> Squarespace and AI search: what the AI crawler checkbox blocks, the llms.txt setting, code injection for JSON-LD, and the automatic sitemap.

Canonical page: https://getrankroot.com/builders/squarespace · Website builder · checked 2026-10-18

What Squarespace's own documentation says about how AI crawlers see sites built with it, and the exact settings for robots.txt, llms.txt, structured data and the sitemap.

## How Squarespace delivers pages to crawlers

**Not documented** (Not documented: check yourself)

Squarespace's help center and AI visibility page don't say how pages are rendered for crawlers. Check yourself: open a published page, use View Page Source, and search for a sentence from the page. RankRoot's free audit runs the same check.

Why it matters: many AI crawlers don't run JavaScript. If your text only appears after scripts run, they may see an empty page.

## What we found on 8 Squarespace sites we track

Average AI visibility score 75/100 · 38% only show page text after JavaScript runs · 75% have no llms.txt (crawl up to 2026-10-18).

## Make your content readable without JavaScript

1. Run the [free audit](https://getrankroot.com/#scan) on your live domain, or view the page source and search for your headline text.
2. Squarespace says your content, listings, blog posts and events are marked up by default for search engines, and a sitemap is generated automatically.

## robots.txt: let AI search crawlers in

1. Squarespace's help center doesn't describe editing `robots.txt` directly. The control it documents is a checkbox: **Settings** > **Crawlers** > **Block known artificial intelligence crawlers**.
2. It's unchecked by default. Checking it adds 26 crawlers to robots.txt, including GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, Applebot-Extended, CCBot and DuckAssistBot. Squarespace says more may be added over time.
3. The list doesn't include OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot or Claude-SearchBot, which are the crawlers behind ChatGPT search, Perplexity and Claude answers. It does include DuckAssistBot, which DuckDuckGo uses for its AI answers.
4. Squarespace says you can't exclude specific pages from AI crawlers, and checking the box doesn't remove content that was already collected.
5. Open `yourdomain.com/robots.txt` to see the result.

## Add llms.txt

1. Write the file with the [llms.txt generator](https://getrankroot.com/tools/llms-txt-generator).
2. Open the **SEO/AI Visibility** panel, click **SEO Settings**, then the **LLMS.txt** tab. The file is off by default; paste your text into the field and save. Squarespace says this works on version 7.1 sites.
3. Squarespace's article doesn't state the URL, so open `yourdomain.com/llms.txt` to confirm it's live, then check it with the [llms.txt validator](https://getrankroot.com/tools/llms-txt-validator).

## Add JSON-LD and head code

1. Site-wide: open the **Code Injection** panel and paste your JSON-LD `<script type="application/ld+json">` block into the **Header** field. It's injected into the `<head>` of every page.
2. One page: in the **Pages** panel click the page's gear icon > **Advanced** > **Page Header Code Injection**.
3. Code injection is available on Core, Plus and Advanced plans and some legacy plans. Checkout pages don't support it.

## Sitemap

1. Squarespace generates and links `sitemap.xml` automatically. Open `yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml` to see it.
2. Submit it in Google Search Console.

## Common mistakes

- Ticking "Block known artificial intelligence crawlers" and assuming it only affects training. It also blocks DuckAssistBot (DuckDuckGo's AI answers) and Applebot-Extended, among others.
- Assuming the checkbox removes you from ChatGPT search. OAI-SearchBot isn't on Squarespace's list.
- Adding code injection on a plan that doesn't include it.
- Saving an llms.txt and never checking the live URL.

## FAQ

### Can I edit robots.txt on Squarespace?

Squarespace's help center only documents the Crawlers checkbox (Settings > Crawlers > Block known artificial intelligence crawlers). It doesn't describe editing the file directly.

### Does blocking AI crawlers on Squarespace remove me from ChatGPT?

The checkbox blocks GPTBot, OpenAI's training crawler, but OAI-SearchBot, which ChatGPT search uses, isn't on Squarespace's list. Check your live robots.txt to see exactly what's blocked.

### Does Squarespace support llms.txt?

Yes, on version 7.1 sites: SEO/AI Visibility > SEO Settings > LLMS.txt tab. It's off until you add text and save.

### How do I add JSON-LD to Squarespace?

Paste a <script type="application/ld+json"> block into Code Injection > Header (site-wide) or a page's Advanced > Page Header Code Injection. Requires a Core, Plus or Advanced plan.

## Sources

- [Squarespace Help: Hiding your site from search engines and AI crawlers (read 2026-10-18)](https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022347072-Hiding-your-site-from-search-engines-and-AI-crawlers)
- [Squarespace Help: Create an llms.txt file (read 2026-10-18)](https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/47434125611277-Create-an-llms-txt-file)
- [Squarespace Help: Using code injection (read 2026-10-18)](https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205815908-Using-code-injection)
- [Squarespace: AI visibility (default markup and sitemap) (read 2026-10-18)](https://www.squarespace.com/ai-visibility)

RankRoot is not affiliated with Squarespace. Check a live site: https://getrankroot.com/ or `GET https://getrankroot.com/api/audit?url=example.com`. Other builders: https://getrankroot.com/builders.md