Can you have a successful blog on Squarespace?

If you're considering starting your own website, there are many options out there — WordPress is by far the most popular option, but it's not necessarily the best one. While it might seem easier than ever before to set up a website these days, blogging platforms haven't evolved alongside us. Blogging has become so complicated that even experts struggle with how to run them well.

With all this said, Squarespace stands apart from other hosting providers as one of the easiest-to-use platforms for any type of website or blog. Even if you just want something simple to use without much fuss, Squarespace comes highly recommended. Here's why...

Are blogs still relevant in 2021?

Blogs aren't dead yet! In fact, they've never been more important. With people increasingly browsing content via their phones instead of desktops, having a mobile-friendly site is essential. And since Google also now uses post dates to rank websites, having fresh new posts regularly keeps visitors coming back again and again.

It used to be enough to simply write good copy and upload photos on Wordpress sites. But nowadays we need to think about things such as SEO (search engine optimization), which means knowing what keywords to include, using strong titles, ensuring images load quickly, etc. These things take time and effort, especially when it involves learning new skills.

The truth is that Squarespace makes running a blog very easy — both technically and creatively. You don't need to know anything about HTML code because everything is done automatically through templates. It doesn't matter whether you're making a personal portfolio, selling products online, or writing a news story — Squarespace does everything for you.

In addition, unlike Wordpress, Squarespace offers customization features such as custom domains, unlimited subdomains, multiple domain management tools, and social media integrations.

Is 2021 too late to start a blog?

You could argue that anyone who wants to start a blog should already have one running somewhere. The point I'm trying to get at here is that while everyone knows blogs exist, few actually understand what goes into creating one.

I started my first two Squarespace sites in 2014, after struggling to find a decent platform to build upon. Since then I've had several others created on Squarespace, and each time I've seen massive growth thanks to its ease of use. If you're looking to grow your business further in 2021, getting started with Squarespace today would be smart move.

What percentage of bloggers make money?

A lot of bloggers claim to make money off their blog, but only a small number of those actually succeed financially. That being said, Squarespace is a great choice for someone who wants to generate income from their blog. There are plenty of ways to earn cash using Squarespace, including advertising revenue sharing programs, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, premium plans, membership offerings, and more.

But perhaps the biggest benefit of Squarespace as a blogger platform is that it allows you to monetize your work easily. For example, if you have written an article and decide later on that you'd rather share some ad revenue, you can change your pricing plan without needing to hire developers.

This flexibility lets you experiment with different types of ads, track results, and adjust accordingly. On top of that, Squarespace includes analytics built right into every template, giving a detailed breakdown of visitor interaction.

One of the main reasons why most blogs fail is due to poor planning. Most people launch a blog thinking "it'll bring me traffic," but end up failing within weeks/months once readers realize it isn't worth wasting energy on. Having a clear goal helps to ensure success long term.

Having said that, Squarespace is often praised for helping users create beautiful, polished pages, which brings more attention to the actual text itself. Many consider Squarespace to be among the best platforms for developing professional quality content.

Why do most blogs fail?

There are lots of reasons why blogs tend to flop, ranging from bad design choices to lack of audience interest. One common problem, however, tends to stem from the way most people approach web development. They focus primarily on the technical aspects of building a website, whereas focusing on the user experience above all else is key to boosting engagement rates.

According to research conducted by RocketFuel, the average person spends around 30 seconds reading a webpage before moving onto another page. After that, they spend less than 10 minutes per visit. Because of this, Squarespace's homepage designs prioritize information over aesthetic appeal.

On the contrary, Squarespace focuses heavily on aesthetics. Its aim is to provide users with a pleasant viewing experience — meaning that although the overall look may differ greatly between various templates, the fonts, colors, spacing, and layout are consistent no matter where you go.

Because of this, Squarespace is frequently cited as one of the best places to develop aesthetically pleasing blogs. As a result, many creators prefer Squarespace over other companies' solutions, despite the extra costs involved.

So yes, Squarespace is definitely worth checking out if you're interested in setting up a blog. Just remember to keep the following points in mind next time you're deciding on a platform:

Your target market matters. Who do you serve? What problems are they facing? How can you offer value?

Keep your goals in sight. Know exactly why you're launching your blog and stick to that vision.

Write compelling headlines. Readers will judge your entire piece based on your headline alone. Make sure yours grabs their attention immediately.

Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Find inspiration elsewhere. Read widely and watch videos to see how other professionals tackle similar topics. Experiment until you come up with unique ideas of your own.

Make sure you test your idea thoroughly. Get feedback from friends and family members to check your workflows, usability, functionality, and readability.

Have fun! Don't forget to enjoy yourself along the journey. Writing for the sake of it rarely turns into anything worthwhile.

Now that you've got the basics down, head to the Squarespace website to learn more about what Squarespace has to offer. From starter packages to paid accounts, there's likely something perfect for you. Plus, there's always the chance that you might find something better suited to your needs.

Whether you choose to host your blog directly on Squarespace or opt for another provider, hopefully we helped shed light on why Squarespace is ideal for bloggers. Happy blogging!

You've probably heard of blogging platforms such as WordPress, but there are also other options out there that might appeal to your needs better. For example, Squarespace is one of the most popular choices among web designers looking to create their own website or blog. If this sounds appealing, we'll show you how it works so you can get started.

Let's start by taking a look at what makes Squarespace great option for blogger-friendly sites. Then, let's talk about whether you can actually earn any money through your blog posts. Finally, we'll take a look at some tips and tricks to ensure that your site looks its best.

Note: We're focusing our attention here solely on Squarespace. However, many of these same principles apply to other similar services like Wix.com and SiteLab.io.

Can you make money with a blog on Squarespace?

There are several ways in which people use blogs today. Some want them primarily for sharing information (think news websites), while others just need something simple they can update regularly without much effort. In either case, if you plan to monetize your blog using Squarespace, then you should follow certain guidelines. Here are three things to keep in mind when setting up your new Squarespace blog.

1) Use images sparingly

When creating content for a blog, try not to include too many photos or graphics. It may seem tempting, especially if you're trying to break away from typical text-heavy designs, but squandering space on visual elements isn't going to benefit anyone. On Squarespace, you can upload multiple pictures per page, but only two large ones. That means no Instagram-style grids or full pages of memes. Keep each image under 1MB, and avoid having more than 10 images on the entire page. You can always add more later if necessary.

2) Avoid "clickbait" headlines

Squarespace has its own headline generator tool that lets you pick different types of titles based on factors including length, font size, color scheme, etc. When selecting these templates, be sure to pay close attention to the way they work. Clickbait headlines often feature exaggerated claims or statements designed to attract clicks rather than inform readers. They tend to play into existing biases, stereotypes, and myths. While clickbait headlines aren't inherently bad, they can damage trust between users and brands. Using Squarespace, try sticking to honest headlines instead.

3) Be mindful of spoilers

While writing reviews for movies, video games, books, and TV shows, it's important to remember that revealing major plot twists spoils the experience for everyone else. The same goes for social media posts, online quizzes, and anything else where someone could find themselves invested emotionally in the outcome. Try to limit yourself to vague details until after you finish the activity in question. A little mystery never hurt anybody!

Also, consider avoiding topics that might cause controversy. As the old saying goes, "If all you do every day is watch paint dry, eventually even the dullest job will become interesting." Likewise, don't write about politics, religion, sex, or other controversial issues on public forums. Even though lots of people feel passionately about their views, posting about sensitive subjects on a publicly viewable forum invites haters, trolls, and scammers who might seek to exploit you.

That being said, Squarespace does allow you to publish opinions within your feed—just be aware that doing so comes with additional restrictions. Unlike with regular Facebook comments, Squarespace won’t approve posts containing swearing, insults, or hateful speech. And unlike YouTube videos, you cannot embed your posts directly onto your profile unless you manually enable the feature. Instead, you must link back to your original article on your personal domain first before publishing your opinion elsewhere.

In short, stay informed but remain respectful whenever possible.

Can you make money from a blog on Squarespace?

Yes...and No. There are definitely opportunities available for those willing to put in a bit of work. But because Squarespace operates differently than traditional self-hosted platforms, it takes time to learn everything you need to know. Fortunately, it doesn't cost anything to sign up for Squarespace Premium, which gives you access to premium features, unlimited storage, more bandwidth, advanced analytics tools, and more.

With Squarespace Premium, you can set up email newsletters, promote products via custom links, run Google AdSense ads, display sponsored stories, charge monthly subscriptions, sell items, offer paid plans, accept donations, and more. These offerings are comparable to other subscription-based blog services, meaning that once you understand the basics of running a business on Squarespace, getting income will likely come pretty easy.

Keep in mind that Squarespace offers affiliate marketing programs, allowing affiliates to drive traffic to specific Squarespace domains. Affiliates earn commissions off sales generated from visitors sent to Squarespace domains hosted on their servers. So, for instance, if an affiliate sends someone to the Domain Hosting section of Squarespace, they'd receive a commission for driving that visitor to Squarespace.

However, Squarespace currently prohibits cross promotion between third party businesses and Squarespace domains. Therefore, while affiliates working with Squarespace domains can generate revenue, external companies wishing to advertise on Squarespace domains cannot do so without the company's consent.

So, yes, you can absolutely make money on Squarespace, but it requires patience, persistence, and flexibility.

How do I make my Squarespace blog nice?

Your Squarespace blog provides plenty of customization options for making your content stand out. Whether you decide to stick to standard themes or design your own, it's worth knowing what Squarespace offers for free and how to customize your layout further.

Here are some helpful suggestions for ensuring that your Squarespace blog receives maximum exposure:

Use high quality images. Squarespace recommends uploading your highest resolution files at 300dpi. Also, try adding captions to your images so viewers know exactly what they're seeing.

Avoid excessive scrolling. Scroll down slowly and deliberately. Don't scroll down automatically.

Don't overuse animations. Animations slow load times, annoy browsers, and can distract readers' eyes from the actual content. Limit animated transitions to basic effects like fades and slides.

Write clear concise sentences. Long convoluted sentences sound complicated but fail to convey ideas effectively. Break long paragraphs into shorter segments. Vary sentence lengths to prevent monotony.

Create headings. Headings emphasize key points, provide context, and separate sections of copy. Consider using H tags, subheadings, bold formatting, bullet lists, numbered lists, block quotes, hyperlinks, and italics.

Format tables clearly. Tables present data visually and can enhance flow. Make sure to indent table cells correctly.

Be consistent throughout. Consistency helps keep your audience comfortable, engaged, and interested in reading your content. Take care to maintain uniformity across all visuals, fonts, colors, spacing, line heights, and alignment.

Always proofread. Proofreading ensures accuracy and clarity, improves overall readability, and reduces frustration due to typos.

Take advantage of Squarespace's editing capabilities. Once published, you can edit individual entries using Squarespace Edit Mode. Editing allows you to add, delete, modify, rearrange, and replace parts of your entry. Afterward, simply save changes to your draft and continue developing.

The good news is that Squarespace recently released an editor called Squarespace Notes. With Squarespace Notes, you can log notes, highlight words, type reminders, brainstorm ideas, and record audio. Think of it like Evernote or One Note, except integrated right inside your browser.

How do I style a blog post on Squarespace?

Now that you've got a handle on what Squarespace offers for building your own blog, learning how to organize your content, and maximizing reader engagement, it's time to focus on styling. Thankfully, Squarespace includes dozens of prebuilt layouts for various purposes and situations, so you don't necessarily need to worry about designing every single piece of your blog from scratch.

For starters, check out the following examples offered by Squarespace:

Casual Blogs: Designed specifically for individuals wanting to share casual updates, Squarespace Casual puts emphasis on simplicity, ease of navigation, and aesthetics. Browse through a variety of colorful theme packages built around a range of styles.

Creative Blogs: Offering a clean aesthetic with subtle shades of blue, green, and purple, Squarespace Creative focuses on helping creative professionals produce polished projects quickly and efficiently. Explore a variety of theme packs suited for photographers, graphic artists, writers, and more.

Lifestyle Blogs: Focusing on a modern lifestyle with vibrant hues and unique patterns, Squarespace Lifestyle emphasizes practicality and functionality. Check out a number of curated theme groups ranging from foodies to travel enthusiasts.

Starting a website is hard enough, but starting one that's attractive, functional, and professional is even more difficult.

To help ease the process of setting up a new site with Squarespace, we spoke to its creator Matt Galligan about how he built his own Squarspace-powered blog (which now has over 500k readers) and what makes it so easy to use.

If you're just getting started or want some tips from someone who knows their way around Squarespace already, this article should give you all the info you need to know!

How do I customize my blog layout on Squarespace?

When designing any page, including blogs, there are three main things that you'll see at play: The grid, colors, and fonts. You can change these settings by clicking on "Customize" next to the title of each section.

You may also notice other options pop up as well depending upon which elements you select. For example, if you click on the "Fonts & Colors" option under the header menu, you can choose between different font types, sizes, and styles.

The grid is pretty self explanatory — it lays out content according to certain rules such as column widths. To edit these columns, simply hover over them and drag left or right until they align where you'd like them to go. If you don't want to rearrange everything yourself, you can always create a brand new template and import your existing posts into it instead.

It took me several minutes to figure out exactly how to design the perfect homepage because Squarespace doesn't provide many helpful tutorials or guides. Luckily, I found the answer was really simple once I got going. It's best to experiment and try doing something similar to what you want before actually making changes.

Once you've settled on a design, you can save it by selecting "Save As New Template." Then, when creating pages within that specific template, you can add sections using whatever title you chose earlier.

How do you make your Squarespace look better?

While customizing layouts isn't too complicated, changing the color scheme might take some time to get used to. Since most people aren't designers themselves, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out how to pick colors that both match your branding and compliment the overall vibe of your page.

This is especially true if you're looking to revamp your entire website without having to hire anyone else. Fortunately, Squarespace offers two handy tools called Color Picker and Visual Builder. With these features, you can quickly find matching shades, swatches, palettes, and gradients based off real life photos. They come in particularly useful if you plan on working with multiple colors throughout your designs.

Color Picker allows users to search through millions of images uploaded onto Squarespace's servers. Once selected, you can view different samples of said image along with its hex code, RGB values, and LAB channels. In addition, you can adjust the opacity levels for each channel individually.

Visual Builder works similarly to Color Picker except it only displays pre-made templates for various industries and categories. After choosing whichever suits your needs, you can then browse through hundreds of combinations to decide on a final palette. Additionally, you can apply filters to further narrow down your choices.

I'm not much of a designer myself, but I managed to pull together a few basic principles after playing around with both apps. My tip would be to stick to simpler themes and avoid anything overly complex. Also, consider keeping your background white unless otherwise specified. That being said, there are plenty of great ways to incorporate colorful backgrounds into your designs if you're feeling adventurous.

Is blogging still worth it in 2021?

Blogging hasn't been dead since forever. But while writing longform pieces on topics related to politics, tech, and culture seems less relevant than ever, publishing short bits of information online does have value. And thanks to Google's algorithm updates, those small posts can sometimes rank higher in searches.

In 2020, I wrote about why blogging is important despite declining traffic numbers. One reason I gave was that blogging helps build community, which drives engagement. Just think back to how Twitter and Facebook work and ask yourself whether you prefer reading articles written by strangers or interacting directly with authors.

As far as Squarespace itself goes, it's definitely not the easiest service to use. However, the company's focus on user experience means that you shouldn't struggle to understand how it functions. Plus, it gives power to everyday writers rather than professionals who spend countless hours crafting unique webpages.

Since Squarespace's editor automatically formats every post for optimal readability, you won't have to worry about missing out on formatting details like proper usage of lists, quotes, links, etc... Not only that, but they're often easier to navigate compared to lengthy Word documents.

Also, unlike Medium, which relies heavily on third-party services, Squarespace lets users publish original articles straight onto their websites. So, if you write primarily for yourself, Squarespace could prove beneficial.

With that being said, Squarespace lacks a lot of social media functionality, which can detract from its appeal for brands. On top of that, Squarespace charges extra per month for premium plans. These shortcomings aside, Squarespace remains a solid alternative to WordPress if you're looking for a full featured platform.

Is it a good idea to start a blog in 2021?

There's no denying that Squarespace is a robust tool capable of powering high quality sites. However, Squarespace wasn't designed specifically for blogging. Instead, it focuses on building ecommerce stores and personal portfolios.

Because of this, Squarespace might not be ideal for everyone. Thankfully, it's possible to transform Squarespace into a fully functioning blog using plugins, widgets, and extensions.

One popular plugin for Squarespace is WPML. It automatically translates your posts into dozens of languages and enables visitors to leave comments in foreign dialects. Other notable ones include Wix Blog Manager, Pressy Content Management System, Jetpack SEO Ultimate, and Yoast SEO Premium Plugin.

Although I wouldn't recommend using them exclusively, these tools serve as excellent alternatives to traditional backend management systems that require technical expertise.

Despite the fact that blogging is increasingly becoming obsolete, there are tons of reasons why you should continue pursuing it. Whether it's developing relationships with potential clients, expanding your network, helping others succeed, or sharing knowledge with the world, blogging can bring positive results regardless of which industry you operate in.

And while Squarespace certainly isn't the cheapest option, it might benefit you financially if you eventually grow big enough to generate revenue.

Matt Galligan runs A List Apart, an independent publication dedicated to bringing smart ideas to life. He also cofounded Canva, a free graphic design app available worldwide.