Why I use Squarespace for web design
I really love Squarespace but you are probably wondering why I choose Squarespace over other platforms, like Wordpress, Wix or Weebly?
Well, since I started using Squarespace back in 2019, it has constantly evolved to respond to user’s needs and I want others to know just how accessible it is in designing beautiful, high converting websites. Now, let’s get down to the nitty gritty…
All-in-one platform
You can do it all with Squarespace--design websites, connect and transfer domains, host your site & so much more! It’s pretty amazing that Squarespace doesn’t place any limits on storage and bandwidth. This makes life so much easier because everything is all in one place. No need to go to other providers or hosters and potentially run into issues.
It’s easy to learn & great to use
Squarespace is a “WYSIWYG” (What You See Is What You Get) editor meaning the ability to drag and drop different content blocks to create web pages is very intuitive and makes designing a site very quick and easy. It’s very convenient to see the changes you’re making to your website as they’re happening.
Another benefit of using Squarespace is that you don’t need to know how to code! (Unless you want to learn CSS to really tailor it – but this isn’t necessary at all!)
If coding isn’t your cup of tea or you never learned it, then this is a great platform for you. If you do know how to code, then that’s great because you can add custom CSS to Squarespace templates to make tweaks and design elements really bespoke. I would only recommend keeping the custom coding to a minimum because Squarespace already has a lot of options so there shouldn’t be a need for a lot of coding.
If like me you want a half way house, as in tweaks and bespoke design elements without the brain taxing code, I use a plugin called Squarekicker, that give me freedom to push the design boundaries with Squarespace in a handy plugin that’s easy to use.
Great customer support
If you run into any trouble or have a question, Squarespace provides support via live chat Mon-Fri and they have 24/7 social media support via twitter as well as email support. I’ve reached out to them before and was so impressed not only by the response time but also by the attention to detail from their Customer Support. I felt they were truly invested and I have always been happy with the outcome.
In-depth knowledge base with video tutorials
This is one of my favourite things about Squarespace. The amount of information they have in their knowledge base is outstanding. I find myself reading the articles in my spare time just so I can know as much as possible about the platform. The video tutorials that accompany the knowledge base articles make everything clearer and easier to understand. I just wish more companies had a knowledge base system as well designed and up-to-date as Squarespace’s.
Social media integration
Connecting your social media accounts with Squarespace is easy and effortless. Your readers will be able to click on either a link or an icon and then be able to find you on any social account you have listed on your site. They will also be able to easily share your content.
I love that clients are able to display their Instagram feed in different areas of their site. The social media integration is amazing because you can automatically share content from your site to your profiles as soon as its published.
Marketing & SEO
There’s a debate going around as to whether Squarespace is good or bad for SEO. Personally, I think it’s brilliant for SEO. You have the ability to manage page descriptions and titles which, if done properly, result in improved organic reach. There is also a section on your pages specifically for SEO titles and SEO descriptions so you can target keywords. It makes SEO easy, all you have to do is fill in the information relevant to your goals.
Free SSL certificates for all Squarespace sites
This is important stuff! SSL is integral to rank high on Google and other search engine providers. It shows potential clients and search engines that your site is secure and can be trusted.
Squarespace creates and renews the certificates on your behalf. To active SSL on your site, just check the SSL (secure) box by navigating to SETTINGS + ADVANCED + SSL.
Compatible across all platforms and devices
Nearly 60% of all website traffic is from mobile devices so having a responsive website is crucial to being successful. I love that Squarespace has a built-in responsive design which gives you the ability to compare your site across different devices (smartphone or tablet) from your desktop. It takes the guess work out of web design, which is a game changer.
Great templates and sleek design
The templates are clean, minimal and agile. With world-class designers creating those templates, a Squarespace website really can help make your idea stand out online. Start with one of the templates and customize it to fit your needs.
Integrated E-Commerce with Stripe & PayPal
Squarespace has integrated e-commerce for Business and Commerce plans. This makes it easy to list and sell products online. All you have to do is connect a payment processor, ( I recommend Stripe) and then you’ll be able to process credit card transactions, accept PayPal, issue refunds, and receive donations.
Summing-up
I hope this shows how ‘best in class’ I think Squarespace is - a fantastic all rounder for advanced designers and coders as well as someone just starting in business who wants to get cracking with building their own website. How many website platforms can do that?
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