Should You Use Squarespace to Build Your Website as a Small Business Owner
If you clicked on this blog post you probably having been scouring the internet to find the best website builder for your website - which I know if never an easy or fun task to take on.
Maybe you are tired of trying to maintain your confusing Wordpress website and want an easier solution, or maybe you are starting from scratch and want to find the BEST website solution for your small business.
Whatever your case may be, this post is ALL about laying out the reason Squarespace would be a GREAT fit your your business - and also outlining the cases when Squarespace might not be the best solution -
because even though your girl is obsessed with Squarespace, I’m also 100% upfront with its limitations with you all.
So sit back, relax, and read all about the pros and cons of using Squarespace to build your website as a small business owner.
Don’t feel like reading? Then watch the Youtube video below, where I cover EVERYTHING share in this post in video format!
Why You Should Use Squarespace to Build Your Website
Squarespace is one of my favorite website platforms for small business owners that I CONSTANTLY come back to when designing sites for my clients for SO MANY REASONS.
Incredibly customizable and easy to use.
Squarespace is so entirely customizable - basically, if you can dream up the design, you can probably make it (thanks to Squarespace’s Fluid Engine!). They’ve also designed their interface intentionally so that even non-designers/non-developers can easily build a site.
So if you are afraid of having to be “tech-savvy” to build your website - you definitely DO NOT on Squarespace!
Accessible templates you can DIY instantly!
The great thing about Squarespace is you don’t have to start from complete scratch!!! They provide tons of website and page/section templates that you can choose from when building your site, or you can even purchase templates from website designers online that are GORGEOUS and customize with your own branding and business info (and I’ve got a template shop coming soon, so stay tuned!).
These templates are literally built with “plug-and-play” in mind, so you don’t have to worry about making it “look good” - you just have to fill in the blanks!
All-In-One Platform.
Squarespace is what I would consider an all-in-one platform.
It’s not JUST a website page builder - you can also host a website, shop, scheduling system, and even basic membership platform - all in one place!!!
Code Customization Capability.
This is where my nerdy side comes out, but I LOVE that Squarespace allows code to be added to customize your site. This allows you to add cool animations, plugins, and design elements easily to enhance your customer experience - and there are so many free resources online that are easy to follow to help you add this custom code to your own site!
For example, one of my clients needed a rental reservation system built for her site! I built her reservation system from scratch using code, and now her clients use it constantly to instantly share wishlists with her on what they want to rent for events straight from her site!
Great SEO and Blogging Capabilities.
Wordpress has always been known as the “giant” for SEO and blogging, but TBH, Squarespace is just as competitive and in-depth in that world!
I have had multiple clients rank first on Google with their Squarespace websites - so don’t let Wordpress fool you. Squarespace is just as good at SEO!
Great support and community.
Squarespace has incredible support when you are having issues with your website, and there’s also really helpful community forums where you can ask questions and get community feedback - from design to coding to anything else you may need help with!
What Squarespace Isn’t Great At
But alas, Squarespace is not perfect for every single small business *sigh*. Here are a few things that Squarespace is NOT meant for:
Membership Platform.
Although Squarespace does have a Member Areas option, it’s really basic and really truly just meant for a subscription-based content-sharing platform. If you want a more community-based option that is very customizable and gives you the ability to interact more with your members, I would recommend using either a plugin for your Squarespace site or using a membership platform like Mighty Networks to build your membership on.
Complex eCommerce.
Squarespace has a great ecommerce option for smaller businesses, but if you are mostly retail-based, it might not be the best solution for you. There is a limited number of products you can add, the product variations are basic, and the customizability on checkout, delivery options, and more are still fairly limited in comparison with other eCommerce giants like Square and Shopify.
Complex Custom Websites.
If you are planning on building a totally customized website or app that is not mainly just a website that users can shop quickly, read through, or fill out basic information on, then you probably need a more custom solution than what Squarespace can provide.
If you feel like this is you, definitely reach out to a web developer or designer to help guide you to the best platform for your website needs.
Course Platform.
Point blank, Squarespace is NOT the platform for you a build a course on! You can use the member areas option if you would like, but it really isn’t built to host courses at the current moment.
Instead, use a course platform like Kajabi or Teachable to host your course!
So, with all that said, hopefully you have a much clearer idea if Squarespace is the best solution for your small business website, and some options if you need something a little bit different!
