How to Make A Squarespace Website (*that feels like you)
You know that excited feeling when you finally decide to make a website? It’s the best. But then you quickly realize you have no idea where to start, much less how to translate your vision.
Maybe you even picked out the perfect website template and started making some edits. But things are feeling…bland.
Well don’t worry, that’s totally normal! Unless you have a web design background, it’s hard to translate ideas perfectly.
Luckily, there’s a pretty simple to fix. You just need the right system. And that’s exactly what I’m showing you today.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know (step by step) how to confidently make a Squarespace website that feels totally custom and completely on-brand.
Alright, let’s do this.
Table of Contents
Psst, quick heads up that some links in this post may be affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you, but helps me keep the lights on. Thanks for your support!
How to Make A Squarespace Website (general process)
Hit the Create Website button on your dashboard
Choose Squarespace Templates or Blank Template to build from scratch
Check out my library premium creative templates
Start customizing
Click on Pages to create new pages or navigate around
Click Edit to custom any page
Hit publish and buy or connect your domain
Index your site into Google Search Console
Under settings, Marketing, SEO Appearance
If you’re looking for core beginner tips on how to actually use Squarespace, check out this guide.
Now How to Make A Good Squarespace Website (the system)
Don’t Start Yet (clarity first)
I made this mistake FOR YEARS.
I would start with a vague idea of the type of website or template I wanted to create, and then I would just start tinkering and moving things around until it sort of just…felt right.
This is great for exploring, learning a platform and sharpening your design eye, but it’s a terrible way to build a branded website.
So before you even open your site editor, make sure you can confidently answer these questions:
What are your core values and beliefs as a creative?
What's your unique POV (your take on your craft or your world)
Who are you talking to, and why does your work matter to them?
What's your mission and vision (that burning why behind it all?)
After you have this base clarity, define the creative direction for your website and then create a stylescape to visualize your plan.
If you’re suddenly realizing your brand isn’t as figured out as you thought, check out my guide on branding for creatives.
Choose the Right Template
Once you have clarity, then choose a template that most closely matches your brand and creative direction.
Any template can be infinitely edited, but the closer you are to done, the better.
You can also build a site from scratch (which takes more time and design chops) or hire a designer. But since you’re here to learn how to make a site, I’m assuming you want a template.
Look for existing templates that are built for your specific domain. For example, my shop specializes in Squarespace templates for creatives, so I have sites for artists, photographers, writers and more.
Customize Your Template
The tips in this section work for any template (even if you’re building from scratch). This is how to customize your website in Squarespace.
Click the paintbrush (Site Styles)
Customize your fonts, colors and buttons
Add your core pages
Click Pages, select the + icon
Add new sections to each page
Inside the editor, hover until you see a blue line and button for ADD SECTION
Customize each section with elements
Hover around each section to find +ADD BLOCK
Explore more:
➤ My Best Squarespace Design Tips
Optimize. Publish. Index.
Once you have your template looking good (design-wise), it’s time to optimize it with the right keywords, hit publish, and then index it into Google.
How to optimize:
Use the right keywords
Do some SEO
Have good UX
How to publish
Open your site
Click on Subscribe
Follow the steps
(you can buy and connect your custom domain all inside Squarespace during this publishing process)
How to index
Go to your Settings inside your website (the gear icon)
Click on Marketing —> SEO Appearance
Connect to Google Search Console
After you launch, you can shift your focus to growth. The best way to do that is with content. So check out my posts on Squarespace for blogging and how to use Pinterest to drive targeted traffic next.
Alright then, later ✌️
