How to Export a Squarespace Site to Static HTML Safely

• Speed and performance: Static files render fast and can be distributed worldwide via a CDN.
• Lower hosting costs: Serve HTML/CSS/JS and images on affordable platforms or use ExFlow’s built-in hosting.
• Security and reliability: No backend or database means a smaller attack surface and fewer maintenance headaches.
• Portability: Your site becomes a self-contained package you can store, version, and deploy anywhere.

• Dynamic features: E-commerce carts, membership logins, comments, and search won’t function natively in static. Plan replacements (third-party forms, search overlays, etc.).
• Ownership and permissions: Ensure you own the content and assets you export, and review the platform’s terms.
• Backups: Keep a full backup of your current site and export bundle. Version control is your friend.
• SEO parity: Aim to maintain URLs, metadata, canonical tags, open graph tags, and structured data.

1. Audit and inventory your site

• List pages, collections, and special templates.
• Note contact forms, newsletter signups, and any custom code injections.
• Capture current analytics and Search Console baseline so you can compare post-migration.

1. Create a staging environment

• Choose a staging subdomain (e.g., static.yourdomain.com) to test the export.
• Keep your production site live until you’ve validated the static build.

1. Export with ExFlow

• Go to https://exflow.site and enter your site URL.
• Configure export options:
• Optional: Host directly on ExFlow or choose a sync target (Git, S3, FTP) for automated deployment.

• S3: Use a dedicated IAM user with least-privilege access to a single bucket; rotate keys.
• Git: Use a deploy key with read/write only on the target repo; avoid personal tokens.
• FTP/SFTP: Create a restricted user scoped to a specific directory.
• Never reuse credentials across services. Store secrets securely and rotate on schedule.

1. Download or auto-sync your export

• Download the ZIP and test locally, or let ExFlow sync to your target host automatically.
• Consider ExFlow Hosting for a fast, streamlined setup with unlimited bandwidth and custom domain support: https://exflow.site

1. Replace dynamic features safely

• Forms: Point forms to a static-friendly processor (e.g., serverless endpoint or a forms API). Wire this up in script.js added via ExFlow’s custom file option.
• Search: Use a client-side search library or third-party search widget fed by your exported content.
• Comments/memberships: Replace with embedded widgets or remove.
• E-commerce: Static export is not ideal for full checkout flows—link to an external cart or store.

1. SEO preservation checklist

• Keep URLs intact wherever possible; set up 301 redirects for any changes.
• Verify canonical tags, meta titles/descriptions, Open Graph/Twitter tags.
• Generate and submit a sitemap.xml; ensure robots.txt is correct.
• Reconnect Google Analytics, Tag Manager, and Search Console on your static domain.

1. Performance and reliability tuning

• Serve via CDN; set long cache-control headers for assets, short for HTML.
• Enable compression (Gzip/Brotli) and HTTP/2/3.
• Add preconnect/prefetch hints for critical domains (fonts, analytics) in your custom head.
• Lazy load images and defer non-critical scripts.

1. Launch with a rollback plan

• Lower DNS TTL beforehand; when ready, switch the apex and www to your static host.
• Keep the old site accessible privately during the transition for quick rollback if needed.

• URL: Your live or staging site URL
• Export CSS Files: Enabled
• Export JS Files: Enabled
• Export Images / Media Files: Enabled
• Export All Pages: Enabled
• Pages with .html extension: Enabled
• Add custom script.js and style.css: Enabled
• Sync target: Choose Git, S3, FTP, or ExFlow Hosting depending on your stack

1. Host on ExFlow

• Easiest route: Choose hosting during export and go live quickly.
• Benefits: Unlimited bandwidth, simple setup, link a custom domain, streamlined updates.
• Learn more: https://exflow.site

1. Host on Amazon S3 with static website hosting

• Create an S3 bucket named for your domain; enable static website hosting.
• Use ExFlow’s S3 sync to deploy your export directly to the bucket.
• Put CloudFront in front for CDN, HTTPS, and caching.

1. Host via Git workflows

• Sync your export to a Git repository using ExFlow.
• Deploy with a static host that reads from your repo.
• Automate builds and rollbacks with branches and PRs.

1. Traditional server via FTP/SFTP

• Provide FTP credentials in ExFlow for direct uploads.
• Ensure your server serves index.html and has proper MIME types and caching.

• Broken relative links: Normalize to root-relative paths (e.g., /about/) during export or post-process with script.js.
• Mixed content warnings: Enforce HTTPS and update all asset URLs to https.
• Missing fonts/icons: Verify font files exported and correct paths; set proper CORS headers if on a CDN.
• Forms doing nothing: Replace action attributes with a working endpoint and add client-side validation/feedback.
• SEO drops: Check 301s, sitemap, and canonical tags; compare coverage in Search Console.
• 404s on trailing slash variants: Configure your host to normalize URLs or provide both index.html and trailing slash routes.

• Cookie consent and privacy: If you track users, keep a compliant banner and policy.
• Accessibility: Preserve alt text, semantic headings, focus states, and color contrast; test with keyboard-only navigation.
• Legal/licensing: Ensure fonts, images, and embeds are licensed for your new hosting setup.

• Fast, complete static export of your Squarespace site
• Optional hosting directly on ExFlow with custom domains and unlimited bandwidth
• Automatic sync to S3, Git, or FTP
• Add custom script.js and style.css to patch, enhance, and integrate tools post-export
• Multiple plans to match your scale and workflow