Squarespace is an intuitive website creation platform that doesn’t require coding knowledge to use, with simple editing tools allowing you to make font and color changes with just the click of a button.
Unsplash also provides an extensive library of high-resolution images, so your site will always feature attractive graphics.
Getting Started
Beginning your Squarespace website experience is as straightforward as following onscreen prompts. Squarespace will ask what type of website you would like to create, then suggest templates based on that answer; for instance if blogging is on your mind it might suggest one of its blogging templates while offering you options such as an online store or appointment scheduling feature.
Once you select a template, the platform will take you through an initial tutorial to familiarise you with its editor. It will demonstrate how to move content blocks around, change page layout and add images, text, video and forms – great help for beginners who wish to build their site without hassles! The tutorial is invaluable.
Once you are familiar with the editor, it’s time to begin populating your website with content. You will need an about page, contact page and possibly a blog or portfolio. In addition, some navigational links should also be added and, if applicable, maps as well.
Once your website is finished, it’s time to publish. You have several options when publishing: use your own domain or connect an existing one; create a free Squarespace subdomain; or publish directly using its URL. Anyone with access can see it. But be mindful that after 14 days your trial period ends and once that happens your content will no longer be visible outside your account unless either upgraded to an ongoing subscription plan or decided against publishing.
Choosing a Template
Choose a template is one of the initial steps of creating your website, and selecting a Squarespace template requires consideration of your business needs, goals, and audience. Many business owners make the mistake of selecting something quickly only to discover later it doesn’t meet all their requirements or includes features they don’t want. In addition to considering these factors when making your decision it is also essential to take into account aesthetics of the template to see how well it aligns with your brand identity.
Squarespace provides templates suitable for businesses of every kind and budget, with most customizable to meet individual needs. To narrow your options down further, begin by browsing Squarespace’s template gallery and evaluating their features; once you’ve identified some contenders, start reviewing each template’s details – for instance, what color palettes/fonts it contains/pages it offers; how well it aligns with your brand identity etc.
After choosing a template, you’ll gain access to Squarespace’s website builder toolkit – this means you can experiment with your site by making changes and seeing how they look before committing to publishing them. Please keep in mind that any updates to your website will appear live without selecting “Publish again”, so it is essential that your final version meets with your approval before publishing it.
If you are still unsure about your Squarespace template, sign up for a free trial account to put Squarespace through its paces. After signing up, you’ll have two weeks to create your website and explore Squarespace before activating your subscription plan. During your trial period you will enjoy unlimited storage and editing capabilities with your trial subscription; should you decide to keep it you can pay either monthly or annually depending on your preference.
Creating a Page
Logging into Squarespace will take you through some brief slides on editing and adding pages, so feel free to skip over them; but make sure that you are at least familiar with its basics before continuing.
Once that is completed, you will be taken to the Squarespace dashboard where all aspects of your website can be managed. On the left-hand side is a menu which allows you to add pages, manage existing ones or adjust design/settings settings.
It is essential that every page on your site have an individual Page Title to help visitors and search engines identify what the page is about. Furthermore, using sections allows you to prioritize information by changing font styles or text sizes or colorizing certain words or phrases.
Add a navigation menu if your site does not already feature one; this will enable visitors to move through it easily and quickly. Furthermore, including a Google map will help your customers locate you easily if your physical location requires physical directions.
Once your pages and navigation have been created, the next step should be linking them together. To do this, highlight some text and click the link icon in your editor before choosing which page(s) from the drop-down menu to link with. This will create a link between two pages allowing visitors to visit both instantly with one click.
Adding Content
Content creation on Squarespace websites is straightforward. From pages, blog posts, photos and videos to customized layouts for each page – adding content has never been simpler! Once all the desired pieces have been added you can publish your website and begin earning revenue!
When creating a new page, you must provide basic details about it to assist visitors in finding what they need. It is also crucial to include an informative title and description for every page of your site to help search engines understand what each one covers – this can improve its search engine ranking significantly.
Create anchor links on a Squarespace page to link to other pages within or external to your website by creating anchor links. They’ll appear in the navigation menu and open a new browser tab when clicked, providing quick and easy access. This lets you link between internal pages within your own site or external websites.
Clicking the ‘+ Add Page’ button in the top-right corner will open a pop-up window containing various types of page sections you can use to build your page. There are numerous choices available; take your time exploring them all! You may use gallery blocks, text boxes, image blocks and forms – even video or podcast uploads can add value!
Those on a Squarespace Business or Commerce plan can use Code Injection to add custom HTML and scripts that enable features such as live chat services, domain verification for email service providers, etc. Prior to publishing your website, be sure to test any custom code to ensure it works perfectly.
Publishing Your Site
Once your content and design are in order, it’s time to publish your website for all to view! Before doing this, I advise taking one last look over your site to ensure everything is functioning as planned – this includes making sure all links work and that pages look exactly how desired. Also take note that testing your website on various devices could reveal any issues or potential concerns that might occur.
Based on your needs, you may wish to consider making your site private or password protected. This can be accomplished by visiting Settings > Site Availability and selecting “Password protected site.” However, be mindful that doing this requires paying a subscription to Squarespace.
Squarespace doesn’t currently offer a staging feature, so if you plan on making any substantial updates to existing pages or blog posts, I recommend duplicating and editing in unlinked pages first before editing in live version of website. This will give you time to test out content changes without risking live version of website.
Once your website is ready to go live, all that remains is clicking the Publish button at the top left. From there you can choose whether to publish immediately or schedule it. Alternatively, click View Live link for a glimpse at what your site will look like when published – an ideal way to ensure any last minute bugs or errors don’t slip by unnoticed.
