How to Build a Squarespace Website: A Step-by-Step Guide
With Squarespace, you can easily build a website on your own. The editor is intuitive, the templates look professional, and you can launch your website within a day. Maybe that’s why most self-built Squarespace websites look exactly like that: as if they were made in a day. This is often due to a combination of factors.
As a Squarespace specialist, I regularly work on websites that were built with the best of intentions but where the choices made weren't necessarily the best ones. In this article, I'll show you what to look out for before you get started, so you can build on a solid foundation.
1. Choose your template based on its structure
Most people choose a Squarespace template because it looks nice. That makes sense, but it’s not necessarily practical. After all, you can customize the colors, fonts, and “vibe.” What’s harder to customize is the structure of a template.
All the templates you’ll find on the Squarespace website use the same underlying technology. You can create one template based on another. So it doesn’t really matter which template you choose, but it’s best to pick one whose page layout most closely matches your business. A template designed for a photographer is structured differently than one for a coach. You can customize all of this, but it takes more time and effort.
So when choosing a template, take a look at which pages it includes, how the navigation is structured, and whether the layout of the homepage aligns with what you want to communicate. That’s the easiest way to make things simple for yourself.
2. Don't start with design
This is the most common mistake DIYers make: they jump right into Squarespace and start working with colors, fonts, and images without first thinking about the structure.
A website without a clear structure won’t work, no matter how good it looks. First, decide which pages you need. Think from your website visitor’s perspective: what do they know when they land on your homepage, what do they want to know, and what should they do next? For example, grab a stack of Post-its—with each Post-it representing one page—and use them to create a clear page structure.
Once you've got that figured out, you can move on to the design. Not the other way around.
3. Keep your navigation clear and easy to follow
Many DIY websites have menus that are practically impossible to navigate, sometimes with the most creative names.
The less clear the menu is, the more likely someone is to give up. Keep your main menu concise: no more than 6 to 7 items. And make sure the items have predictable names. They may not be creative, but they’ll be clear.
Less important pages that don't belong in the main menu, such as a privacy policy, should be placed in your footer.
4. Texts Can Make or Break a Project
A common mistake I see on self-built websites: the content focuses mainly on the business owner—how long they’ve been in business, what the process is like, and how passionate they are about their work. That’s understandable, because it’s your business. But your website visitor isn’t looking for your story. They’re looking for a solution to their problem.
So write from your visitor’s perspective. Don’t say, “I’m a certified trauma coach with ten years of experience,” but rather, “For years, you’ve been carrying something with you that’s affecting your life. It doesn’t have to stay that way.” Don’t say, “My program consists of six sessions,” but rather, “After our program, you’ll sleep better, react more calmly, and recognize where your patterns come from.”
The difference lies in the focus: don’t describe what you do or how you do it, but what the other person gets out of it. What changes for your visitor when they work with you? That’s what convinces someone to take the plunge.
5. Mobile doesn't automatically work well
While you're building the desktop version of your website, Squarespace automatically generates the mobile version. But that doesn't mean you don't have to do anything, especially with the Fluid Engine editor.
Therefore, always check the mobile version of each page. You can do this in the Squarespace editor itself, but be sure to check it on your phone as well. Make sure blocks aren’t overlapping or upside down. See how background images are “cropped” on a small screen. Is your text large enough to read comfortably? Adjust these settings as needed.
6. SEO is more than just filling in a page title
Squarespace has built-in SEO options, and they're good enough as a starting point. But most DIYers have no idea exactly what to look for.
For each page, keep the following in mind:
Heading 1 texts
These are the most important text elements for Google. Use no more than one per page and include important keywords in them.
URL Structure
Squarespace automatically generates a URL based on your page title. This isn't always ideal. Make sure your URL consists of no more than 4 to 5 words and includes keywords. Also, be sure to change the URL immediately if you duplicate a page.
Image names and alt text
An image you upload as IMG_4823.jpg doesn't tell Google anything. Rename images before you upload them, and always include alt text. This helps improve your online visibility.
Page Titles vs. Navigation Titles
You can assign two titles to a page in the page settings. The page title appears in your web browser’s tab. The navigation title actually appears in your website’s menu. These can be the same, or they can be different.
Page Titles and Descriptions in the SEO Settings
This is how the page appears in search engines like Google. Include keywords here to increase your chances of being found online.
Check all of these points before you launch your website. You'll find a complete checklist in this blog post.
7. Speed: Don't mess that up
Squarespace actually performs quite well in terms of loading speed. However, a slow website is more often the result of actions that someone has taken without realizing it.
The most common culprits: photos uploaded directly from the camera without being compressed, videos uploaded directly to the website instead of via an external link, and pages filled with animations and moving elements that look nice but add no value.
Compress images before uploading them. Use no more than two fonts. Keep it simple. Every second you save in loading time means a higher percentage of visitors who won’t leave before your page finishes loading.
8. Every page needs a clear follow-up
This is where most DIY websites fall short. They look nice, but by the time the visitor reaches the bottom of the page, they don't know what to do.
What should a visitor do after reading your homepage? What is the call to action? If you don't know, neither does the visitor.
Every page needs one logical next step. Not three buttons side by side with different options, but one clear direction. On your homepage: “View my offerings” or “Schedule a consultation.” On your services page: “Contact us.” On your blog page: a link to a relevant service or the freebie.
Don't think in terms of pages, but in terms of paths. Where is someone coming from, and where do you want them to go?
Do you want to know if your website is heading in the right direction?
I’ve noticed that the points listed above are where people most often go wrong, but these are certainly not the only ones. I’ve compiled a list of the 12 most common mistakes people make when building a Squarespace website on their own in a free download. It’s a checklist you can keep handy while working on your website.
Are you coming to the conclusion that creating a good website isn't as easy as it seemed?
Or do you find that you’re spending way too much time on it? If so, having a new website built might be a better choice—not because you can’t build one yourself, but because you’d be better off spending your time on what you’re good at.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Squarespace is designed for people without a technical background. You don’t need to know how to code to build a functional website. What you do need to invest time in is the strategy behind your website: what pages you need, what you want visitors to do, and how to make sure people can find you on Google.
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That depends on how many pages you need and how quickly you can make decisions about text and images. You can set up a simple four- or five-page website in a weekend. But a website that actually works—with the right structure, a solid SEO foundation, and compelling content—takes most people considerably longer to build.
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Choose a template whose page structure most closely matches your business. Don't focus on colors or the overall feel—you'll be able to customize those anyway. Focus on the layout.
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Squarespace has good built-in SEO features. You can set page titles, meta descriptions, URLs, and alt text. What Squarespace doesn’t do for you is figure out which keywords are relevant to your business and how to incorporate them into your content. That’s still a job for humans.
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Squarespace operates on a subscription basis. Prices vary depending on the plan you choose. You always pay a monthly or annual fee for the platform, separate from any costs associated with having your website built. You can find the current prices on the Squarespace website.
Would you like a discount on your subscription for the first year? If so, please contact us. -
If you find that you’re putting a lot of time into it without getting the results you want, or if you’re unsure whether your website is actually doing what it’s supposed to—namely, converting visitors into customers—you can build it yourself, but your time is valuable too. Sometimes, outsourcing is simply the smarter choice.
