Organise Squarespace navigation and Not linked
Squarespace’s Not linked section keeps pages outside the main navigation; it does not automatically make them private. These pages can still be reached through direct links and can be discoverable in search. Use it for useful secondary destinations, while giving important customer journeys a clear route from the visible site.
Before you start
- List the pages a first-time customer is most likely to need.
- Note existing menu labels and take a screenshot of their order.
- Identify secondary pages that already receive links from buttons or emails.
What to do
Choose a small main menu
Start with the customer’s task rather than your internal organisation. A café might need Menu, Visit and Contact; a service business might need Services, Work and Contact. Use familiar labels and avoid several competing names for the same destination.
Move pages deliberately
In the Pages panel, rearrange pages into the relevant navigation area or Not linked. The available navigation areas vary by Squarespace version and template. Move one item at a time and inspect the result, especially where a dropdown or folder contains several destinations.
Keep secondary pages reachable
A detailed parking guide can sit outside the main menu if the Visit page links to it clearly. A booking confirmation page may have a different role. For every Not linked page, record how a legitimate visitor should reach it and whether it is intentionally public.
Check desktop and mobile routes
Open the published menu on a laptop and a phone. Follow each ordinary navigation link, check the visible label and return using a clear route. Check the footer too: moving a main-menu item does not automatically remove separate links elsewhere on the site.
What to check
- Main-menu labels describe destinations in plain English.
- Useful secondary pages have a clear incoming link.
- Unfinished pages use access controls, not merely Not linked.
Sources and further reading
Platform features can change. Check the provider’s current guidance before changing a live service.