10 Good Reasons to Hire a Squarespace Web Designer
As an artist, your website is your online portfolio, your storefront, and your digital representation to the world. It's essential to make sure that it looks professional, engaging, and easy to use. That's where a Squarespace web designer comes in. Here are ten reasons why you should consider hiring a Squarespace web designer for your website.
1. Custom Design
Squarespace web designers specialize in creating custom designs that reflect your brand and aesthetic. They can work with you to create a unique website that also stands out from the crowd and showcases your artwork in the best possible light.
A professional designer/art director can also help you develop a distinctive vision for any professional photography you may choose to undertake for your website and social media, and also recommend photographers within their own network who can help you achieve the vision you want.
If you don’t have a specific vision for your site, enlist the help of a designer whose work calls out to you. Ask questions about the collaboration process so you understand how the project will unfold, and how best to arrive at a vision for your site that is in sync with your work and how you’d like to present yourself in the online world. These conversations may involve talk about your values, your career or business goals and what inspires you. This can (and should be) be a fun process that will help your designer establish a foundation for the work ahead.
2. Mobile-Friendly Design
It almost seems like overkill to mention this today, but there really are a lot of sites out there that have been around for years and are ready for an overhaul. More and more people are browsing the web on their mobile devices, and this one thing can have potential new visitors clicking away in seconds, never to come back. So, if this is you, it may be time to pull the plug and begin dreaming and planning for a sleek new site that better reflects where you are today. Squarespace web designers understand the importance of mobile-friendly design and can ensure that your website looks great on any device.
3. User-Friendly Interface
Artists need a website that's easy to use by the owner as well as the intended audience. I’m always intrigued by artist’s websites, and I’m often dismayed to find that as beautiful as someone’s work is, sometimes there is a lack of attention to layout, design and typography. Presenting your work in the online space is very different than presenting your work online, so the overall look and feel of your ‘digital home’ should be an experience in itself.
A lot of DIY sites share a common approach, which is to add everything but the kitchen sink to a layout/design. This can quickly get visually overwhelming and chaotic, which prevents visitors from taking the next logical step, and even clicking away. Fear of white space is real!
The second thing that often happens is a lack of attention to content organization, so that navigating a site quickly becomes confusing (for example, ‘where do I go to find…X?”).
Squarespace web designers can create a user-friendly interface that's intuitive, clear in presentation and easy to navigate, making it easy for visitors to find and enjoy your artwork and take the next step, whether that is to inquire, make a purchase or sign up for your emails.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
There is so much value in DIY’ing your own website, so I won’t ever knock that, but one of the things that usually gets overlooked or that falls by the wayside, is basic SEO optimization. How do I know this? Because when I first starting designing and building websites, I wasn’t aware of this important prep work!
Once I figured out how important this step is to the overall effectiveness of a site, i began learning as much as I could about it, and I encourage any website owner to do the same. Would you like free search traffic landing on your site day in and day out? Yes. We all would! That’s where basic SEO comes in. Study a range of tutorials, or invest in expert help.
A Squarespace web designer can help ensure that your website is optimized for search engines. They can help you choose the right keywords, create meta descriptions, and optimize your images and content for SEO, which can help increase your website's visibility and drive more traffic to your site over the long term.
5. E-commerce Integration
Many artists sell their artwork online. A Squarespace web designer can help you integrate e-commerce functionality into your website, making it easy for visitors to purchase your work directly on your site. If you’re thinking, “I’ve already got a shop on Etsy” this comparison of Squarespace and Etsy may be worth a look.
Also, this is one area where the investment in working with a pro will pay off in spades. Consider fun stuff like shop-related customer service items that can have an impact on your success.
Why reinvent the wheel, when you can lean on someone else to help you figure out some of these things if it’s all new to you. You’ll not only save time and money in the long run, but you may also avoid difficult exchanges with disgruntled clients. Wouldn’t it be nicer to wow your site visitors from day one instead?
6. Portfolio Showcase
As an illustration artist, your portfolio is your most valuable asset. Sometimes, as artists, it’s difficult to take a step back and get the kind of perspective can’t see the forest for the trees.
Working with a professional art director or designer can bring another set of eyes to alternative ways to present your work, all of which also have to do with how you want to position your work as an artist.
A Squarespace web designer can help you create a stunning portfolio showcase that highlights your best work and helps you stand out from the competition.
7. Blog Integration
Blogging is an excellent way to showcase your personality, engage with your audience, and share your creative process. There are a few technical/functional blog-related things that are slightly more complex than setting up a regular web page, so again, it helps to have help in this area.
Come to the process prepared with your questions and your wish list! A Squarespace web designer can help you integrate a blog into your website, making it easy for you to create and share content with your audience.
8. Social Media Integration
Social media is an essential tool for any artist, allowing you to reach a wider audience and connect with fans and followers. Integrating social media into your website strategically is a sound decision that will make it easy for visitors to follow you and share your work on their own social media channels.
9. Professionalism
As a professional artist, it's essential to present a professional image to your audience. A Squarespace web designer can help you create a website that looks and feels professional, helping you build credibility and establish yourself as a leader in your field.
It also doesn’t hurt if you’re ready to start commanding higher prices in the marketplace, and want to be seen as a leader in your niche.
10. Ongoing Support
Building a website is just the beginning. A Squarespace web designer can provide ongoing support and maintenance, ensuring that your website is always up-to-date, secure, and functioning properly. If you like to take a more hands-on approach to your website, that’s great, but inevitably you’ll have questions along the way, and it’s nice to have someone you can check in with for a quick question or referral. Designers like their work to look good well after they’re done working on the site, so there is also a bit of self-interest involved, but most designers I know prioritize building long-term business relationships with their customers. So, it’s a win-win.
In conclusion, hiring a Squarespace web designer can be an excellent investment for illustration artists looking to take their online presence to the next level. With custom design, mobile-friendly design, user-friendly interface, search engine optimization, e-commerce integration, portfolio showcase, blog integration, social media integration, professionalism, and ongoing support, a Squarespace web designer can help you create a website that's beautiful, functional, and effective.
Is a new website in your future? Would you like more information on my services? View my portfolio, or contact me directly to see if we’re a good fit, and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Should we work together, you’ll benefit from a 20% discount on your first year of Squarespace! (I’m a proud member of Squarespace Circle).
