Top Pros and Cons of using Squarespace for your Business

In today’s digital age, having a professional and user-friendly website is essential for any business. Squarespace has emerged as a go-to platform for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and creatives who want to build stunning websites without a steep learning curve. Whether you’re launching a new business or looking to upgrade your current website, Squarespace offers a range of benefits that can help you succeed online.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of using Squarespace and whether it is the right option for your business.

Pros of having a Squarespace Website

High Quality Templates

Squarespace offers a wide range of professionally designed templates that are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of various industries. For example, if you’re a photographer wanting to showcase your portfolio, there are many templates that optimise the use of galleries. Templates are highly customisable, allowing you to create a website that exudes a polished and professional look. Not only that, they are fully responsive ensuring that your website will look fantastic and consistent whether on desktop, tablet or mobile. When you’re not sure where to begin, these are a great way to get started.

E-Commerce Friendly

If you are looking to sell a variety of products or services online, Squarespace offers a comprehensive set of robust e-commerce tools that can truly make a difference. If you are on the Business Plan and above you have full functionality to sell unlimited products, accept donations, and on specific plans benefit from zero transaction fees. Whether you are selling physical products or digital products and services, Squarespace offers seamless functionality to get your business online and selling.

Intuitive Drag and Drop User Interface

With Squarespace’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can effortlessly build and customise your website without needing any prior coding knowledge. This platform is a fantastic option for business owners who want complete control over their website’s design, layout, and content, allowing you to create a unique online presence that truly reflects your brand's identity. Squarespace also offers the ability to add custom code and edit websites if you’re after some more specific functionality and design features.

Built-in SEO Tools

Squarespace offers you a set of built-in SEO tools that are essential for boosting your website's visibility on search engines. These helpful features walk you through the fundamentals of SEO, making it easy to customise your page titles and descriptions, manage sitemaps, and enhance social sharing. For businesses in the UK, this translates to greater exposure both locally and internationally, helping you reach your audience more effectively.

14 Day Free Trial & Domain

Squarespace offers an enticing 14-day free trial, allowing potential users to thoroughly explore its extensive features without any financial commitment. This invaluable period provides a fantastic opportunity for assessing whether Squarespace truly meets your unique website needs and creative goals in a way that aligns perfectly with your vision. When purchasing a Squarespace annual plan you will also have the ability to claim a domain name free of charge for a year.

Mobile Friendly

In today's fast-paced, mobile-driven world, being able to manage your website on the go is more important than ever. Squarespace provides a great mobile app that make it easy for you to edit your site, manage e-commerce orders, and even share updates on your blog—all from wherever you are. This level of flexibility is especially valuable for UK businesses that want to stay connected and responsive to their audience, allowing you to engage with your customers without being stuck at your desktop. Embrace the freedom of managing your online presence at your convenience!

Seamless Third Party Integrations

To get the most out of your website and truly maximise its potential, Squarespace seamlessly integrates with a variety of popular tools such as Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and social media platforms. This hassle-free integrations make it incredibly easy to enhance your site with additional functionality and features that can help you engage your audience, sell products or track your online presence.

24/7 Support & Community Resource

Squarespace offers 24/7 customer support through live chat and email, providing reassurance to users who may encounter issues or have questions during the website creation and management process. As Squarespace is used globally by millions of users, there is an extensive knowledge base, community forums, and regular webinars that are invaluable for both beginners and experienced users.

Cons of using a Squarespace Website

Pricing Compared to Other Web Builders

When compared to other website builders, Squarespace can be perceived as expensive. As there is no free plan, this means that after the 14-day trial, you'll need to choose a paid plan to continue using the service. If you are an individual or small business that has a tight budget, this should be a consideration. However, all website builders do come at a cost.

Learning Curve for Advanced Features

Although it does have an intuitive user-friendly interface, there can still be a learning curve involved in mastering Squarespace, and achieving the desired outcome you’re after. This can be considerable especially when diving into the more advanced features. Users new to website building might find the options overwhelming and confusing.

Shortage of plug-ins

In comparison to other popular website builders, Squarespace lacks the same extensive number of extensions and plugins that many users may require. While this limitation may not pose a significant issue for some users, others may find this inconvenient and frustrating as they are often required to invest extra time and effort to find workarounds to get the necessary features and functionalities they desire for their websites.

Transaction Fees

If you are selling on your Squarespace website you may encounter transaction fees. This is applied if you are on the Business Plan, which may result in eating into your margins. Upgrading to a Commerce Plan helps to avoid these fees but results in a higher monthly cost.

Conclusion

The All-In-One Platform

Squarespace is an excellent option for many entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to build a professional and high-quality website. The use of its strong design templates, user-friendliness, and integrated features, accommodating a variety of needs from simple informational sites to intricate online stores. The platform prioritises design and user experience, alongside solid support and resources, making it a significant player in the website builder market.

However, it’s important to consider these benefits alongside the platform's limitations and associated costs. The learning curve, possible requirements for customisations beyond the available features, and recurring subscription fees may pose challenges for some users.

To conclude, Squarespace combines everything you need to create and maintain an appealing and eye catching website in one platform. From domain registration and hosting to customisable templates and built-in marketing tools, you don’t need to juggle multiple providers. This simplicity allows you to focus on running your business instead of managing technical details.

Still unsure if Squarespace is the right fit for your business? At Draft we specialise in building custom Squarespace websites tailored to your unique business needs. Get in touch today to discuss your goals and find the best solution for your business!