SEO settings for your website
These instructions are for the new Website Builder, which is continuously evolving based on customer feedback. Some details shown here may differ from what you see in-app while we update the KB.
Search engine optimization (SEO) settings help control how your website appears in search results and on social platforms. In beehiiv, you can manage discoverability, metadata, and social previews directly from the Website Builder, no external tools required.
This article explains where to find your SEO settings and how to configure them to improve search visibility, social sharing, and indexing, then wraps up with FAQs.
Where to access your website SEO settings
- From your account dashboard, go to Website > Builder.
- Click the Settings icon in the left panel, then select All general settings.
- Your site settings will open on the General page. From the left panel, click Search Engine Optimization.
Control whether your site is discoverable on the web
At the top of your SEO settings, you’ll see the Discoverable on the web toggle. This option is enabled by default and allows search engines and AI crawlers to index your site.
Keeping this on is recommended if you’re optimizing for growth and visibility, including indexing for search engines and large language models (LLMs).
If you’d prefer to block crawlers entirely, you can toggle this option off.
Adjust your site’s metadata
Metadata helps search engines understand and display your website in search results.
You can customize:
- Meta title: Defaults to your publication name. We recommend keeping this under 70 characters.
- Meta description: Defaults to your publication description. We recommend keeping this under 156 characters.
- Search engine result preview: Shows how your meta title and description may appear in Google search results.
Verify and customize how your site appears on X and Facebook
You can control how your site looks when shared on X (Twitter), Facebook, Bluesky, and other platforms.
The X settings remain separate and include a Username field for your handle.
The Open Graph (Facebook, Bluesky, etc.) settings apply to Facebook, Bluesky, and any other platform that reads Open Graph tags. Available fields:
- Image: The image shown when your site is shared.
- Title: The headline displayed in the social preview.
- Description: The supporting text is shown beneath the title.
- Preview: A live preview showing how your site will appear on X or Facebook. Use the preview to verify your metadata is configured correctly before external crawlers or social platforms fetch it.
Site map overview
Every site created with the beehiiv Website Builder includes an automatically generated site map (.xml file). Site maps help search engines crawl your site more efficiently by providing a structured list of your pages. No setup is required, your site map is created and maintained automatically; simply click the copy icon to use or save it.
SEO metadata vs. footer social links
The SEO settings on this page control how your site appears in search results and when shared as a link on social platforms. They are separate from the social media icon links that appear in your newsletter footer and on your website.
To add or update your footer social links (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others), go to Website > Settings > Socials.
Frequently asked questions about website SEO
How long does it take for SEO changes to appear in search results?
SEO updates don't appear instantly. Search engines need time to recrawl and reindex your site after changes are made. This can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the search engine and your site's activity.
Do I need to submit my sitemap manually?
No. beehiiv automatically generates a sitemap for every website built with the Website Builder. Search engines can discover it on their own, though submitting it manually via tools like Google Search Console can help speed up indexing.
Will turning off 'Discoverable on the web' hide my site completely?
Turning this option off prevents search engines and AI crawlers from indexing your site, but it does not password-protect or restrict direct access. Anyone with the direct URL can still view your site.
Can I set different SEO titles and descriptions for individual pages?
Yes. You can customize SEO titles and descriptions for individual pages in two ways. However, page-level settings will override your site-wide SEO defaults.
- From site settings: Go to your website settings and scroll down to Default Pages to access SEO controls for each page.
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From the Pages panel: Open the Pages panel, click the three dots menu next to a page, and select Settings to edit its SEO details.
Does changing my SEO settings affect email deliverability?
SEO settings don't directly impact email sending or inbox placement. However, improving your website's SEO can help drive higher-quality organic traffic and subscriber growth over time, which can indirectly support deliverability by attracting more engaged readers.
Will SEO changes affect existing links or subscribers?
No. Updating SEO metadata does not change your URLs, subscriber data, or site structure. It only updates how your site is described and previewed by search engines and social platforms.
How do I verify that my Open Graph and Twitter metadata are configured correctly?
Use the built-in Preview in each section (under X and under Open Graph) to see exactly how your title, description, and image will appear when your site is shared. The preview reflects your saved settings and is the fastest way to confirm your metadata looks right before social platforms or external crawlers read it.
If the preview looks correct but a shared link on a social platform still shows old metadata, the platform may have cached a previous version of your page. Cache refresh timelines vary by platform and are outside beehiiv's control.
The metadata configured here controls how your site appears in search results and social link previews. It is separate from the social media links that appear in your newsletter footer and website. To manage those, go to Website > Settings > Socials.