I originally wrote this in 2019. A lot has changed since then, both in my business and in Squarespace! So I thought I should give it a little refresher.
First up, when I originally wrote this, the title was ‘Why Squarespace IS the best platform to use”. Since then, I have learned a lot. And although I still have a huge love for Squarespace and truly believe it IS the best platform for a lot of businesses, I now know that every business is different and knowing exactly what someone wants their website to achieve for them, now helps me in recommending which platform I feel will serve them best.
I work with Squarespace or WordPress for service-based businesses and recommend Shopify for product-based businesses.
This article is for you if you have been wondering if Squarespace has all the features you will need for your businesses website, both now and in the future as you grow…
Let me just start out this blog by saying, obviously, as I’m a Squarespace designer I am totally biased. However, I am not an affiliate and am certainly not gaining anything financially by outlining my reasons for loving Squarespace!
This post is more for my clients, or (hopefully) future clients, who may want to know more about whether Squarespace can offer them all the features they need for their business.
First of all, Squarespace is SO beautiful!
I mean as a designer being able to work with a program that is so aesthetically pleasing, both in the front end and the back end, just makes my work so much more enjoyable! I’ve messed around in quite a few website builders out there and without a doubt, Squarespace blows them all away in terms of stunning design.
Squarespace used to work off a template system and still does, to some extent. However, a couple of years ago it released Squarespace 7.1, which got rid of the need to choose a template based on features or functionality and instead standardised the features across all “templates”. So now, however you choose to start your design, you will have access to the same features.
Squarespace has also recently released a HUGE change in builder, it’s called Fluid Engine and is, once again, completely changing the way you build and design with Squarespace. This new content editing experience is so new, that many of you may not have access to it within the backend of your Squarespace website yet. However I wanted to mention it as soon it will be rolled out across all sites and become the norm, so it’s good to know where the builder is heading. You can read more about it here.
Despite what you may hear, you can create unique designs
Now, even though creating something truly unique at the beginning might be easier for you if you’re willing to either outsource it to someone like me or invest time in watching a lot of tutorials, once you have the site set up, the maintenance of it can basically be handed over to anyone. Squarespace’s drag and drop feature allows for incredibly easy updating and their intuitive editing features make updating your new Squarespace site a breeze.
Search Engine Optimisation
For anyone who isn’t an SEO expert then Squarespace is honestly such a great option. Search Engine Optimisation is such a complex subject. I mean most of us know we need to identify our keywords and use them within our site’s copy, but it’s all the back-end stuff that Squarespace takes care of for us automatically, that makes it such a good option for us average Joe’s.
SEO helps potential clients find you without you having to spend a cent on advertising! Squarespace has built-in features that will:
• create your site map
• ensure a secure site (SSL certificate)
• create clean HTML and URLs
• offers you a search engine page description area
• is mobile optimised
All of which are things that will greatly affect your ranking in search engines.
Squarespace is fully responsive
This means your site is going to look as incredible on a mobile device as it does on your desktop. This is a good thing as according to the latest stats more than half of all web traffic is now viewed on a mobile!
Squarespace websites are also compatible across all platforms and devices
No more second-guessing what your site is going to look like on your mate’s new android, that’s all taken care of for you.
Plus you can easily integrate all your social media accounts into your new website so people can easily keep up to date with what you’ve been hash tagging on Insta.
Seeing as I’m writing this as a Blog, I should talk about Squarespace and blogging… Squarespace includes all the bells and whistles you’ll need for a great blog. It has advanced commenting features, the ability to schedule posts, AMP support and much more.
The underrated summary block also allows you to highlight your most recent, or most popular blog posts anywhere on your site. (Want to know more about the summary block and how to use it to highlight your blog posts or client testimonials? Comment below and I’ll put together a blog on it!)
Squarespace is also totally secure
Unlike some other popular site builders out there, Squarespace took care of everything when the internet switched over to HTTPS a few years ago, so you know your site is secure. They take care of SSL encryption and take care of all back-ups etc so you can rest assured your content is safe. Squarespace also supports unlimited traffic on their business plans.
e-Commerce and Squarespace work beautifully together!
This point needs a little 2022 update. I still believe if you have a simple eCommerce shop, then Squarespace is a perfect option. However as I have delved into more complex eCommerce websites, I’ve come to see the power of Shopify and to believe you will have a more successful eCommerce business if you go with a tool with more advanced features.
With such an easy platform to use, Squarespace makes keeping your shop up to date with your latest products, quick and easy! There are limitations to what you can achieve with your eCommerce site, so if you have more than 200 products then something like Shopify may be a better option for you, but when you’re just getting started or only have a limited product range, then the ease of use the platform affords you makes it a great pick in my opinion.
And finally…
Squarespace has the most incredible support
Their live chat feature is amazing and there is so much information out there in their online forums and tutorials. So I can guarantee you’ll never be left wondering how to do something, the answer is always a click away. Their all-in-one platform that allows you to design and host your website in one place, as well as their new email marketing feature, makes Squarespace the easy choice for me. And I think most of my clients would agree!
