Site publication occurs in two ways with Squarespace: private access for site owners/creators or public visibility. Here's what you need to know about managing your site's visibility:

Trial Site Status

• All trial sites remain private by default
• Only visible to site owners and creators
• Won't appear in search engines
• Requires direct link or domain connection for access
• Can add site-wide password for controlled access

Paid Site Publication

1. Check publication status:
   • Go to Home Menu > Settings > Site Availability
   • "Published" status means your site is live
   • Connect payment processor for online stores to enable checkout

Real-time vs. Delayed Changes Changes requiring save to go live:

• Layout Page edits
• Blog posts, events, products
• Page descriptions
• Style and design settings
• Footer content

Immediate changes (after page refresh):

• Gallery section images
• Gallery page content
• Album page tracks
• Navigation menu modifications

Privacy Management

• Keep site private even after upgrading
• Use site-wide password protection
• Remove indexed content via Google Search Console if needed
• Hide pages from search engines through site settings

For Online Stores:

• Must connect payment processor
• Without processor, checkout shows "Checkout is closed" banner
• Connecting processor enables customer purchases

Search Engine Considerations:

• Private sites won't appear in search results
• Can remove indexed content using Google Search Console
• Set search engine visibility in site settings

Remember to verify your publication status regularly through Site Availability settings to ensure desired visibility levels.

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