Just like photographers have a preference in cameras and golfers have a preference in clubs, business owners and bloggers have a preference in website platforms. And for me, that preference is Squarespace. I'm such a fan of this platform that I not only use it myself, but I highly recommend it to each and every design client I work with. So what's so great about Squarespace and why should you get on board with this platform? Here are 8 reasons.
1 | It's easy on the eyes
As a designer, it only seems fitting to start this list by highlighting the clean, streamlined appearance of each Squarespace site and template. The folks at Squarespace do a fantastic job of designing each template to look beautiful while still maintaining versatility and customization. If you're a blogger or business owner who is just starting out and may not have the funds to invest in a custom designed website, the gorgeous design of Squarespace templates will give you the appearance of a professional from the start. And for those of you who have been in business for years and are looking for a way to streamline all of the bits and pieces of your existing website, the clean design of a Squarespace site can help you create that cohesive, effortless vision that you're seeking.
2 | It's user-friendly
This one is huge, especially for the not-so-technically inclined. Squarespace makes things easy for its users on the backend by utilizing drag-and-drop features, easy-to-insert widgets, and intuitive page layouts. Blog posts are easy to publish, new pages are easy to add, and settings are easy to edit because Squarespace has done a great job making the layout of their user interface intuitive; there's no big learning curve because it just makes sense. I'm exploring more of these features and taking you into the backend of my site in the upcoming weeks, but until then, take advantage of the free 14-day trial that Squarespace offers. Look around the backend of a trial site for yourself . Adding text, images, embeds, and social media links is as simple as hitting a button and choosing an option.
3 | It's compatible across all platforms
In an age where everything is becoming more mobile, it's crucial that business owners and bloggers have a site that appears correctly on tablets and smartphones. Thankfully, Squarespace has you covered; each of their templates is compatible across all platforms. So the next time someone pulls up your site from their iPhone, your website will remain intact and looking just as great as the web version.
4 | It's all inclusive
Who has time and energy to track down a hosting site, buy a domain name, and search for a theme for your website among thousands of random sites and options? Not to mention the frustration and hassle of keeping up with it all and renewing subscriptions and payments to several different sites and companies. With Squarespace, a custom domain name and hosting service are included in your monthly plan; Squarespace does all the work for you. You also have the option of setting up a personal email address that corresponds with your domain name through the Squarespace platform (i.e lauren@elleandcompanydesign.com).
Squarespace forms also easily connect to MailChimp and Google Docs. For Squarespace e-commerce sites, accounting through Xero is available to keep track of finances and sales taxes, and ShipStation makes printing shipping labels and sending shipment notifications a breeze. Everything is all in one convenient, organized place with Squarespace.
5 | It has great support
I've been very impressed with the availability of the Squarespace support team and how quickly they get back in touch with email inquiries. Not only are they quick with response times, but they always have helpful answers and point me in the right direction. Squarespace also offers articles, videos, live chats, and community forums for extra help.
6 | It's affordable
With plans ranging from $8 a month to $24 a month, Squarespace has very affordable prices. Each plan includes 20+ pages and galleries, 2+ contributors, fully intergrated e-commerce, 500+ GB bandwidth, 2+ GB storage, a mobile website and store, a free custom domain, and 24/7 customer support. Not too shabby. For more of their pricing options, click here.
7 | It takes care of the things you shouldn't have to worry about
With Squarespace, you don't have to worry about updating plugins and keeping your site up to date. They do all the legwork for you and keep on top of all of those details. This is especially helpful for those of you who are a one man show and don't have the funds to work with a website developer.
8 | It allows you to easily make changes
You don't have to have any understanding or background in code or HTML to design your site in Squarespace (hallelujah!). If you want to change the header or body text styles or switch up the color for your page links, you simply log in to the backend of your site and make the changes in Squarespace's visual layout editor. Unlike other website and blog platforms, Squarespace allows you to see the changes as you're making them. And for those of you who enjoy coding and have prior coding knowledge, you have the option to do that in Squarespace, too. This platform works with your skillset and meets you where you are.
Are you interested in learning more about the ins and outs of Squarespace? Well, you're in luck! For the next few weeks I'm focusing on different aspects of this platform in a little Friday blog series. So if you have any questions or topics that you would like to see discussed, leave me a comment! I would love to get your feedback.
