Why I Only Build Squarespace Sites for My Clients
I used to build client sites on other platforms, and now I only build sites using this design-driven, user-friendly, performance-focused solution. Here are the reasons I recommend Squarespace as a preferred solution for creative entrepreneurs who operate in visual-first industries.
1. It’s An All-in-One Solution with a Short Learning Curve
Squarespace is a self-contained platform that works seamlessly and is fully managed from top to bottom. This means there’s never any need to update software, plugins, or widgets; patch security vulnerabilities; or worry that changing one component might break something else. It also means there’s rarely any need to investigate or pay for third-party apps or plugins since most functionality is native to Squarespace.
Squarespace was designed for the ‘DYI’ user, so great care and thought was put into making it as intuitive as possible. Having said that, if you’re not tech savvy, of course there is a learning curve, but it is less of a learning curve as compared to their competition (I’ve been there, done that, and the difference is night and day). Once you get the hang of it, you won’t have to hire out each time you want to update the site, which also translates into cost-savings.
2. Award-Winning Templates and Layouts, No Code Required
As a designer who works primarily with artists and other creative entrepreneurs who operate within visual-first industries, I truly appreciate the value Squarespace has placed on award-winning design. The overall aesthetic of templates and layouts is clean and minimalistic, which keeps the focus squarely on the artwork, and everything incorporates cutting-edge UI/UX best practices, so users will have an outstanding experience.
This makes it difficult to mess things up if you’re less confident about your design skills, and yet, it’s also possible to achieve a fair amount of customization, with or without code, should you want to achieve advanced customization. I do not know how to code, and even I have been able to successfully install special coding to achieve certain features.
3. Built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
One of the biggest concerns for small business owners is SEO. Making sure their site is ranking well with search engines, and that their site is attracting a steady flow of traffic. Squarespace has developed a structure that allows site descriptions, page titles, custom URLs, search-friendly formatting, and other key elements to be managed easily by ‘newbies.’
It does entail additional work, so this step often gets overlooked, but once it’s in place, the difference in traffic is notable. In addition, each site also generates a sitemap automatically that helps Google crawl, understand, and rank a website. It’s a far cry from other tools on the market, and it empowers users to take a consistent hands-on approach.
4. Built-In Security Feature
Have you ever visited a site that your browser flags as “not secure?” That’s because the site does not have SSL installed. Squarespace offers free SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates for all Squarespace Domains and third-party domains connected and pointing to a Squarespace site.
This simply means that they’ve made this security feature a standard component of their offer, and all you have to do is turn it on (enable the feature) behind the hood. Most platforms charge an add on for this feature, and require a separate tool installation. Not Squarespace. With SSL enabled, your website visitors will enjoy a secure connection on every page.
5 Performance-Focused
Squarespace has built-in analytic tools to help you evaluate your site’s performance every step of the way. I find the stats helpful to identifying where site traffic is coming from (social media, searches, etc.) and to understanding what kind of content is attracting the most visitors. I can also see where visitors are located in the world, and what kind of technology they’re using to view the site. More and more, site visitors are using mobile, and the stats confirm that! Also, Squarespace makes it easy to connect Google Analytics for anyone who wants even more sophisticated and customized reporting. It’s highly recommended, but not essential.
6. Sites Look Great on Every Screen
Today, it’s critical that websites perform across any device and screen size. Every Squarespace template includes a unique mobile experience that matches the overall style of the website, so content will look great on every device, every time. They’ve also made it easy to preview and customize mobile and tablet views (usually a few minor edits are required, but they’ve made it easy to preview any changes as you go).
7. Comprehensive E-Commerce Solutions
Squarespace offers 3 levels of e-commerce solutions, so you can start where you are, and upgrade as you go. It gives Shopify a run for it’s money, but having said that, if your business is e-commerce centric, AND you have a multitude of products, you may be better served elsewhere. For my most of clients, who are interested in selling limited numbers of original works, art prints or other hand-crafted items, Squarespace offers more than they usually require.
In addition, Squarespace offers integrations with several print-on-demand services, including Printful, all of which include drop shipping. This means your customers can buy museum-quality giclée prints of your work (printed on archival, acid-free paper) through your Squarespace store while Printful takes care of printing, packing, and shipping the orders for you. What’s not to like?
8. Around-the-Clock Award-Winning Support
A caveat: You won’t get customer service team on the phone with Squarespace, but the Customer Care team at Squarespace is top notch, and responds to email and chat messages seven days a week, 24-hours a day. They’ve also won several awards for outstanding customer support. Squarespace also has a comprehensive instructional library, should you need to look something up. I’ve relied on all of the above, and haven’t been disappointed yet.
9. A Solid Reputation
Squarespace launched in 2003 and has grown steadily since, gaining over a million customers over the years. It is a well-funded and well-regarded company, so they aren’t going anywhere. You may have seen the news, the company made its Wall Street debut in May of 2021, and Squarespace stocks have since jumped nearly 25%, all of which means they’re in a great position to continue making their products even more valuable for users like us well into the future.
If you’re wondering how Squarespace compares to some of the pother popular platforms and choices, I wrote a couple of blog posts that include more information about that, with side by side comparisons. Here you go!
Compare Squarespace and Wix
Compare Squarespace and Wordpress
Compare Squarespace and Etsy
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Have you tried Squarespace? Do you have questions? Leave a comment below.
