Building Your First Squarespace Website: A Step-by-Step Guide
Before You Build Your Squarespace Website
Before opening Squarespace, gather:
Your logo
Brand colors
Website copy
Images
Domain name ideas
A list of required pages
Build your Squarespace site in 10 easy steps
Welcome to our tutorial series! Here you’ll get a guide with essential steps to start a brand new Squarespace website on version 7.1. This guide will include helpful links, videos and more. To begin building a site, we’ll create the page structure, add content, and then set the site styles. Essentially, you’re adding walls and rooms, then filling it with furniture and choosing brands, colors and accents.
Step 1: Create an account or log in at Squarespace.com (top right corner).
- On the Squarespace homepage note that any available discounts will appear in the top announcement bar or on the pricing page. Next, click Get Started in the top right where you’ll be taken to the template store. This store will display the most recent version of 7.1 templates. For older templates on version 7.0, open the link here.Step 2: Some of you may see a questionnaire, this can be filled out or you can click I’m just browsing at the top right. Tip: Filling this out simply allows Squarespace to filter templates based on the info you enter.
Step 3: Carefully browse the templates (use the Type filter for added accuracy). Choose a template that looks closest to your design endgame. Keep in mind that the only difference between these templates is the layout of the content added and the color palettes. You can customize any template but this guide is to help you build from a template (minimal work). To preview a template before activating it, hover and click Preview Template Name.
Use the device view toggles to the top left to see what the template can look like across different device types.
Use the back key to view other templates or click ‘Start with this design’ to choose the current template you’re viewing.
Some may ask, should You Use Squarespace Blueprint AI? This is fully up to how you want to start. The blueprint AI tool will effectively create a DIY template for you to customize. It’s a great option if you want to start with a more customized templates, specific page types and color theme. If you aren’t familiar with AI and don’t know what to expect, this isn’t the best option. Either option you choose, customization is pivotal. Squarespace does not allow in their terms of service for you to use their demo content on your live site. This means all copy should be replaced with your own (or AI generated text) and all demo images should be replaced with your own or Unsplash image.
Check out our tips on Squarespace and AI for more.
Step 4: Once you choose the template, add a site title in the design wizard and then click Website > Pages to view the available demo pages. You can choose to use the demo pages by clicking on them or delete the pages by hovering and clicking the red trash can icon.
Step 5: Starting with the home page click Edit and begin filling in content.
To edit a block, click on it and select the pencil icon or double-click on the block.
To add new sections, click Add Section while hovering between sections.
To change the section background color click Edit Section (right) and select Colors to choose a new color theme. Each color theme has one section background color. You can use different themes for each section/page.
If you have a section with a background image, you can click Edit Section and select Background > Replace to choose a new image. Since you’re just starting out, you may not have your own copy/images so click Browse Stock Images to explore free images from Squarespace’s Unsplash collection. Choose Upload File to add images from your device. Tip: Be sure to have pop-ups enabled on your browser/device for this step.
Step 6: You can highlight any demo text and replace it with your own while keeping the placement of the text block. Double-click into the block, highlight and delete or type new text. If you are pasting in text from another tool/platform we recommend pasting it in as plain text using the T-clipboard icon on the text-editor bar. Squarespace has great text formatting tips here.
Tip: Be sure to click Save often to prevent lost content.
Steps 5 & 6 should be taken to customize all demo pages that you’ll use. Building the homepage first is like building your foundation. Let your visitors know who you are, what you do and how to contact you.
Step 7: Create content on your page using the Edit > Add Block option. To edit any block, double-click the block and its settings panel will open. With the new fluid engine editor available on 7.1 sites, you can have more control over your page layout. Overlap blocks to create text over images, add multiple text blocks to use different headings in one place and even create shapely designs for an eye-popping design. See a full guide on adding blocks here.
Step 8: Pages panel and page settings is an important part of building your site. The pages panel allows you to add folders, links and organize your main navigation/header. You can use the page settings by clicking the settings/gear icon next to a page. Use this to add SEO titles and descriptions to each page increasing your sites visibility; customize your URL slug, and social sharing images. Learn more about using page settings here. Tip: It is best to set up your page settings prior to making your site live. This ensures that indexing with search engines is not delayed.
Step 9: Custom domains! If you haven’t already you should connect or register your custom domain. A custom domain acts as a keyword for your site and makes it easier to share your site with others.
- Register a Squarespace Domain
Not sure if you should transfer or connect your domain? We recommend transferring so that all of your website related tools are managed in one place. However, if you prefer to keep your provider for lower prices, a 60-day lock is in place or for their interface, you can still connect your third-party domain to Squarespace with a few easy steps. Keep in mind that connecting your domain may require edits to your DNS settings and takes up to 72hrs to complete. Transferring your domain can take up to 15 days to complete depending on your original provider.
Need more help with your domain? Purchase a domain service with us here!Step 10: YOU MADE IT! Once you’ve added your pages, placed content within those pages, set up your site for indexing, you are ready to go live. Do a once over to check your copy for formatting or grammar mistakes. Make sure you’ve edited the layout of your mobile content as well.
Common Squarespace Mistakes Beginners Make
Choosing a template before planning content
Launching without SEO titles and descriptions
Forgetting to check mobile layouts
Using too many fonts
Publishing placeholder text
Ignoring contact forms and calls-to-action
While Squarespace makes it possible to build a website yourself, many business owners prefer professional assistance with:
custom design
SEO setup
domain configuration
redesigns
ecommerce setup
Learn more about our Squarespace website design services.
Link to your Squarespace service page.
FAQ
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This varies per project. A full custom website build can take several weeks. A one page site can take 3-5 days. You and I can discuss a timeline during our consultation and agree based on the needs.
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Definitely! Code is not required to build a detailed and user-friendly website on Squarespace. They offer a variety of features that allow you to engage with your customers just as much as you inform them.
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If you are using Squarespace’s template store, take advantage of the filter and choose the template that best matches your business needs. The most popular 7.1 template is Crosby.
If you want the DIY approach but can’t find a suitable template, checkout my template store.
If you’re looking for someone to start a site for you from scratch OR get overwhelmed during the process, view my services and schedule a consultation. -
While you don’t need a custom domain to have a site, its recommended for a professional appearance. All Squarespace sites automatically get a built-in URL assigned to them which you can customize in your Settings > Domains & Email > Domain panel. This will look like myurl.squarespace.com. You can later register a domain or if you have a domain with another platform, connect/transfer it to your Squarespace site. Not sure how? I offer domain and email services here.
