The secret to a great website isn't the platform, but the design work that goes into it. In this post, I'll show you how to use #Squarespace to design unique websites with lots of personality, even though it's a platform that works with...

Although I personally use Squarespace for this website, I recognize that it has its pros and cons, just like any other platform. The key is to understand your personal needs as the one-woman show behind your business, as well as the needs of your website as a platform for marketing, communication, and sales.

One of the criticisms I see most often about Squarespace is that its sites are built using templates, as if that meant there could be no design work involved... or as if Squarespace were the only platform that uses templates. And that, quite simply, isn't true.

If you take a template, apply it to your website, and leave it as is... of course it’s going to look generic! Templates should be a starting point, not the final result. And this is true no matter what platform you use.

Because here's the reality: even if you start with a template, as long as there's solid web design and branding work behind it, you'll get good results—no matter which platform you use.

WordPress uses templates, and that doesn't mean websites built on this platform are inferior.

In my case, I’ve specialized in web design and development on Squarespace since 2017, and I can honestly say that you can create websites with original and expressive designs on this platform, which also has the advantage of being very user-friendly.

What matters is the design

Everything else is just a means to an end.

If you’re not clear on your brand values, your target audience, or the communication strategy you want to implement on your website, no tool can fix that for you.

But if you have a clear vision for your website and know which elements to highlight so that your site truly reflects your brand and personality, then you’ll end up with a strategic, functional, and unique website… and it doesn’t matter whether you build it using a drag-and-dropinterface ,custom code, or a combination of both (and both approaches work equally well on WordPress and Squarespace).

The advantage of Squarespace in this regard is that WordPress templates often have limitations on the elements you can customize without touching the code. With Squarespace, it’s much easier to customize a template because there are plenty of options you can change with just a click, if you don’t know how (or don’t want to) mess with the code. And if you’re not in DIY mode and want to achieve even more with your site, you can hire a designer who specializes in Squarespace to create a completely original and functional website for you.

Some examples

Since one of the most common criticisms I hear about Squarespace is that sites on this platform all look alike, I want to show you some examples of very distinctive websites built on this platform.

As you can see, each website perfectly reflects the specific brand it was designed for. Some of these sites even use the same starting templates—and you wouldn't even notice!

Why? Because there’s a lot of design work behind it—it goes beyond just changing the font and colors—and the result is completely different.

(Click on the images to view the full-size screenshot)

Made Vibrant

This is Caroline's website—she's a designer, letterer, and artist whose work I absolutely love. If you don't know her, I highly recommend checking her out :)

Elle & Company

The design of this website is nothing like the one I just showed you. It’s minimalist, with pastel colors and plenty of white space. The designer behind Elle & Company is Lauren, and her blog has recently become a go-to resource for brand design and Squarespace.

Think Creative Collective

This is a website with resources for creative entrepreneurs. They offer several courses, including a free one on automating processes for your business.

Eat with Zest

This is a blog about nutrition, healthy living, and recipes. The design is very fresh and colorful.

Ampers and Design Studio

This design studio's website features an online store, vibrant colors, and brush-style fonts that give it a personal, handmade feel.

Broad and Main Design

This is the website of a brand and web designer. It has a very delicate, fresh, and feminine look.

Conclusion

Always remember that, regardless of the platform you choose, what will set your site apart from the rest is the web design and branding work behind it. To achieve this, it’s essential that you have a well-defined brand, know your audience well, and have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish with your digital space.

I hope that after seeing all these examples, you no longer think that Squarespace can't be used to design websites with a lot of personality that don't look like anyone else's.

I'll be waiting for your comments to hear what you think of them ;)

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