We've taken a look at several popular web design tools and services in past articles -- but now we're going to take a closer look at one that's often overlooked by beginners who are looking for an easy-to-use platform for their online store. If you have been thinking about starting your own site or even just creating a blog (and not using WordPress), then check out Squarespace, which has quickly become one of our favorite options.
It may seem strange given how many other great choices there are out there, but if you ask me, Squarespace has some real advantages over its competition. It offers tons of features without any complicated configuration tasks, making it ideal for anyone wanting to get started right away. Plus, as someone who used to work in marketing/advertising, I can tell you that Squarespace makes it incredibly simple to create stunning sites that will attract visitors from all around the world.
But what exactly does Squarespace offer, and why should you consider using it instead of another option like Wix, Tumblr, or WordPress? Read on to learn more!
Yes. If you want to build a beautiful, professional-looking site very easily, without having to deal with coding or CSS, then Squarespace is absolutely perfect for you. And because it doesn't require you to use HTML (which requires knowledge of code) or CSS (which requires understanding of layout), it's super straightforward to set up and maintain. You don't need to worry about anything technical - only about coming up with content and images to display on your site.
Plus, since Squarespace is so user friendly, you won't have much trouble getting people interested in buying your products once they start browsing through your site. They'll be able to find everything they need within seconds, no matter where they might live in the world. That means you could potentially reach millions of potential customers worldwide, which would make your brand exponentially stronger than you ever imagined possible.
As far as pricing goes, Squarespace starts off pretty affordable ($12 per month) compared with most competitors. The price increases after 30 days, though, so be sure to sign up before that happens. But for those who do pay $12 per month, they get access to thousands of templates to choose from, plus unlimited storage space for photos and videos.
The best part is that Squarespace also works well for both personal blogs and businesses alike. So whether you plan to run your Etsy shop or sell handmade goods online, you can rest assured knowing that Squarespace will help you turn your dreams into reality.
This isn't the case for every competitor, however. For example, while Weebly allows you to host your entire site on their servers for free, it's still limited to 500MB of data storage. This means that if you upload lots of pictures, videos, or large files, your site will probably crash under heavy traffic loads. In addition, although you can add custom designs to Weebly, you cannot change the colors or fonts unless you go back and edit them yourself.
On the other hand, Wordpress is arguably the easiest way to set up a full-fledged website, especially if you already know how to write code. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can install plugins that allow you to customize nearly any aspect of your site. There's nothing stopping you from adding extra pages, installing new themes, uploading multiple videos and images, etc., depending on your needs. However, if you aren't familiar with writing basic html code, then you might end up spending hours trying to figure things out.
When it comes down to it, the choice between these two platforms depends entirely upon your skill level and experience. If you prefer simplicity, then maybe Wordpress is better suited for you. On the other hand, if you'd rather spend less time learning and more time doing, then Squarespace is definitely superior.
You bet! Squarespace prides itself on offering security and privacy whenever possible. Their Terms & Conditions clearly state that they collect information "only insofar as needed" to provide service to you, and that they never share this info with third parties.
In fact, according to a recent study published by Pew Research Center, 93% of internet users think that websites should protect privacy and security. Given that, it's safe to say that Squarespace takes privacy seriously.
They also keep tabs on how long you stay logged in so that they can send targeted ads based on your interests. While this isn't necessarily bad, it does mean that advertisers are targeting specific groups of people based on age, gender, location, and behavior patterns. To avoid being tracked, simply log out of your account each time you leave your computer idle.
Another thing to note is that Squarespace uses HTTPS encryption, which encrypts all of your sensitive login and credit card details. As such, it ensures that your private information stays secure throughout the process.
Lastly, since Squarespace is owned by Amazon, you can rest assured that you're always protected against malicious attacks. Not only that, but if something were to happen to the company, Amazon guarantees customer support for three years.
That said, there have been times where issues arose with Squarespace, including downtime caused by DDoS attacks. Thankfully, they quickly resolved the issue with minimal impact. Still, it's important to remember that while you're relying on a third party for hosting and infrastructure, you shouldn't expect flawless performance 100%.
Nonetheless, overall, I feel confident saying that Squarespace is extremely reliable.
Absolutely yes! Since Squarespace provides a powerful toolkit for building gorgeous sites, it's no wonder that hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs rely on it daily. Whether you're selling t-shirts, jewelry, books, or home decor, you can count on Squarespace to deliver a quality product that looks amazing and sells effortlessly.
And here's the kicker...if you decide to sell directly through Squarespace, you can earn 70% commission on every sale. That means that you'll actually see money faster than you can blink, thanks to the built-in affiliate program. Of course, this percentage drops if you opt to hire someone else to handle sales, but for solo entrepreneurs, it's still excellent incentive to try it out.
To give you an idea of how effective this setup can be, let's compare it to eBay. According to research conducted by Statista, sellers on eBay receive roughly 8 cents for every dollar spent on advertising. Meanwhile, sellers on Squarespace can expect to make 35 cents for every dollar invested in marketing. The difference is clear.
So if you're serious about growing your business, investing in Squarespace is definitely worthwhile.
Yes, definitely! A lot of people underestimate Squarespace when considering whether or not it's appropriate for small businesses. After all, if you're running a single mommy blog, chances are you wouldn't even think twice about paying $100+ per year to host your site. Yet, if you operate a brick-and-mortar storefront, you likely wouldn't hesitate to shell out upwards of $10K annually to rent office space, buy inventory, and cover the costs associated with opening a retail establishment.
That's precisely why Squarespace is so appealing for small businesses. Even though you're putting forth quite a bit of effort upfront (by setting up accounts, ordering supplies, hiring employees, etc.), you won't be stuck dealing with constant headaches due to tech problems. Instead, you'll enjoy peace of mind knowing that you can focus solely on bringing in revenue while your team handles the rest.
For example, if you're a hairstylist operating across town, you can create a salon listing page and begin accepting clients immediately. Once your client base begins to grow, you'll be able to schedule appointments automatically via calendar integration. Then, when your stylists arrive for the appointment, they'll be greeted by an app that lets everyone track progress remotely.
All told, this type of functionality is invaluable for small businesses that struggle to juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously. When you factor in the flexibility to update your site at any moment, the ability to manage multiple teams and projects, and the ease of managing finances, it becomes obvious that Squarespace is tailor made for startups and small businesses everywhere.
If you're looking at building a new site and considering whether or not to purchase your domain through a service like Squarespace, there are many factors that need to be considered. But one thing's for sure -- you can't go wrong by choosing Squarespace as your web hosting provider.
Whether they offer free plans or premium ones, all services offered by Squarespace come in a variety of pricing tiers that suit any budget. And if you want to host more than just a single website on their platform, you'll also have access to professional support from them whenever you need it.
But what about security? Is Squarespace really safe? Are its tools enough to keep hackers away? Or will they eventually break into my account? Let us answer these questions below so you can make an informed decision before signing up for anything!
Yes! Companies large and small trust Squarespace because of how easy it makes everything online. Whether you're setting up a blog, selling products, or even creating a crowdfunding campaign, Squarespace has you covered with simple drag-and-drop options that let you build exactly what you envision without having to know HTML code (or hire someone who does).
There are more than 1 million sites hosted on Squarespace alone, which means that thousands of businesses rely on them every day. Here are some examples of famous brands using Squarespace:
Apple
Amazon
Microsoft
Disneyland
And those aren't the only well-known names using this platform either! Plenty of other major corporations have switched over to Squarespace too, including General Motors, Procter & Gamble, Nike, and Walmart.
The most important question we should ask ourselves here isn't "Are big companies using Squarespace?" but rather, "Who uses Squarespace?" Well, plenty of people do actually. The company boasts more than 100 million monthly active users worldwide, making it one of the top 10 largest SaaS providers around today.
Here are just a few of the biggest websites running on Squarespace right now:
Tumblr
Etsy
Dribbble
Zendesk
Shopify
Strikingly
YouTube
Squarespace itself owns and operates several of these websites themselves, such as Pinterest and Reddit, while others are operated by third parties. So yes, plenty of celebrities, influencers, and everyday internet citizens love using Squarespace for their projects.
Business owners love using Squarespace because it gives them complete control over their entire website. You don't have to worry about writing complex code, installing plugins, or learning complicated coding languages to get things done. Instead, you simply select from dozens of prebuilt templates that give you a clean way to create beautiful designs quickly.
You'll find hundreds of themes available within the Squarespace app itself, giving you endless customization opportunities depending on what type of project you're working on. If you'd prefer to take advantage of advanced features like SEO optimization, custom CSS stylesheets, and responsive layouts, then you can always install extensions onto your site later on.
Another great feature to mention is that each template offers unlimited storage space. This is pretty impressive since most competitors charge extra fees for additional gigabytes of data. Plus, unlike WordPress or Wix, you won't ever run into issues where your website gets stuck behind a paid plan limit. Simply upgrade to a higher tier once you hit your cap and move forward unhindered.
It goes beyond just being able to customize your own design though. You can add social media feeds to your homepage, embed videos directly inside pages, set up automatic backups of your content automatically, and much more. There are literally hundreds of different ways to improve functionality on a Squarespace page based on your needs.
So why would anyone choose another platform instead of Squarespace? For starters, it's probably easier to edit text and images manually. While that might be fine for personal blogs, it becomes very difficult when you start dealing with larger quantities of files. Also, if you decide to switch platforms down the line, migrating your existing content across could prove challenging.
On average, Squarespace takes between 30 minutes and two hours to fully configure. That's longer than some competitor apps, like WordPress, which usually require less than 20 minutes. It depends on the size of your website and the number of elements you try to insert on it, however.
Also, although Squarespace provides excellent customer support, it doesn't offer 24/7 live chat support like Google Sheets. In fact, it's impossible to talk to someone via phone unless you've signed up for a premium subscription first. This may seem like a minor issue, but it adds a layer of uncertainty for customers trying to solve problems outside of work hours.
Lastly, it costs $9 per month to operate a Squarespace website. Compare this to Wix ($4), Weebly ($5), or Tumblr ($8) and you can see that Squarespace charges quite a bit more for similar functionality. However, you can still save money by purchasing annual subscriptions for certain hosts.
According to Statcounter, nearly 70% of all websites currently run on Squarespace. Nowadays, it seems like everyone wants to launch a digital storefront or product catalog somewhere on the Web. So naturally, there are millions upon millions of Squarespacesites out there, serving as both inspiration and competition for your next venture.
That said, it's hard to pinpoint exact numbers. Some experts estimate that 80% of startups use Squarespace exclusively, whereas others say that almost 90% of them use it. Either way, it's clear that Squarespace dominates the market when it comes to ecommerce sites.
Still unsure about whether or not Squarespace is right for you? Check out our guide to comparing Squarespace Vs Wordpress to learn more about the differences between the two. Then read our article explaining why you shouldn't buy your domains through GoDaddy anymore to learn more about why you should consider switching registrars.
Finally, if you're thinking about launching a startup yourself, check out our post detailing the best places to sell stuff online to help you figure out where you should put your store.
Squarespace
What do I get if I buy into Squarespace? In addition to having access to an easy-to-use drag-and-drop page editor (which will also help you build SEO optimized pages), you'll have access to all sorts of features including social media management tools, email marketing services, analytics tracking, online store creation, etc.
The best part about using Squarespace in order to create websites is that they offer a free trial period so you can test everything out before committing yourself to paying monthly fees. So, what exactly does Squarespace include? Read on to find out more...
Domain Name – $15/year ($5 per year)
Hosting – Free
Site Builder – $10/month
Email Hosting - $6/month
Analytics & Reporting Tools – Free
Social Media Management Toolkit – $20/month
Online Store Creation – $12/month
Video Production Kit – $14/month
WordPress Integration – $16/month
Custom Domain Registration – $8/year
(Note: If you want to register a.com or other TLD name from Squarespace, then each additional top level domain costs between $0.50-$1.00).
So, let’
If you're looking into building a new website or blog on your own without paying an agency fee and don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for a domain name, then one option might be Squarespace. But how much does it really cost? Is there any reason not to just go with something else like WordPress or Wix that costs less? Let's take a look at some pros and cons of Squarespace as well as what other options exist if you choose not to invest in Squarespace.
HBO uses Squarespace as its primary web hosting platform for all sites (including their main site). When I asked around within my network about which platforms they would recommend people start with, Squarespace was by far the most popular answer. It doesn't hurt that HBO has been around since 1972, but even smaller companies have used Squarespace successfully over time.
There aren't many disadvantages to using Squarespace, especially compared to similar services like Wordpress, Weebly, or Shopify. There's no free plan either, unlike those three services mentioned above. If you do decide to purchase a premium account ($10/month), you can get unlimited pages, domains, emails, etc., although you will need to upgrade to a higher tier after 12 months unless you cancel before then.
I've personally never had any issues with Squarespace. However, there were a few times where I needed support from them because I wasn't able to figure out a solution on my own. The only real complaint I have against them is that sometimes they give you a generic error message rather than telling you exactly why the problem occurred. For example, "Your custom CSS code contains syntax errors" isn't very helpful!
The most common complaints about Squarespace revolve around the difficulty in setting up themes and templates. While most users seem to agree that it takes longer than expected to create a theme, the biggest issue seems to be finding someone who knows how to set up the template properly. This is probably due to the fact that Squarespace itself offers dozens of different ways to design a page, meaning it may be hard to find someone who understands all of these nuances. In addition, creating a template requires knowledge of HTML and CSS, two languages that are often confusing to beginners. These factors make it harder to navigate through the process and understand what you need to do next.
Even though Squarespace makes it easy to build a website, it also seems to make it more challenging to maintain once you launch. You'll likely run across several problems along the way, such as having trouble uploading images to your server or receiving email notifications from third-party apps. Overall, you may spend more time troubleshooting than actually designing the content.
In comparison, WordPress' interface is easier to use and allows anyone familiar with basic HTML and CSS to easily edit existing posts, pages, and widgets. With WordPress, you can customize everything yourself while still getting access to thousands of plugins and themes available online.
While Squarespace is great for personal websites, it could prove problematic for businesses. A lot of larger brands prefer to work directly with developers instead of hiring agencies to handle things like SEO and marketing. That means that you'd be working closely with someone from Squarespace during the entire project. Even though this person may know his stuff, he may not be knowledgeable enough about SEO best practices to help you reach your target audience.
Another big factor is that Squarespace limits what kind of functionality you can add to your website. They limit you to adding elements like forms, galleries, sliders, and videos. A lot of designers opt to avoid Squarespace altogether because they feel limited by the tool.
Ultimately, whether or not Squarespace is right for you depends largely upon your experience level and preferences. If you're willing to put forth the effort to learn the ropes, then it can definitely lead to success. Just keep in mind that it will require patience and perseverance.
One last thing to consider is pricing. The cheapest paid version of Squarespace is $12 per month, whereas the lowest priced service we looked at is Shopify, which starts at $29 per month. Compare that to the $5 per month price tag for WordPress and you can see that Squarespace is way more expensive.
However, if you're already invested in Squarespace, then it's unlikely you'll switch. So, if you're going to stick with Squarespace regardless of the fees, then you should check out our guide to making money off of your Squarespace store.
Squarespace
While many people think about websites like Facebook or Twitter when they hear "websites," most businesses are actually using them to market their products and services.
A website can serve as a virtual storefront where customers can browse through your inventory, learn more about you and buy things from you via online payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal, etc...
The best way to build a successful website is to make sure you have all the right tools available to create whatever type of site you need.
Many web hosting companies offer free trial accounts so you can see whether it would work for you before committing to a long term contract.
But what happens if you decide you'd rather not use a third party service provider (like a web host) but instead do everything yourself? That means learning HTML/CSS code, creating pages manually, uploading files manually, updating content manually…it could get very tedious!
Enter Squarespace which allows users to easily set up a professional-looking website with no coding knowledge required.
In addition, Squarespace offers great features including unlimited email addresses per account, analytics software, social media integration, RSS feeds, blogging capabilities, shopping carts, easy photo uploads, automatic backups, SEO optimization, etc…you name it - Squarespace has got it covered.
So now let's talk pricing.
Hosting Plans: $15 / month ($99 / year)
Email Accounts: Unlimited (starting at 3 GB storage space)
Storage Space: 10GB+
SEO Optimization: Yes
Domain Management: No
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.