What Actually Goes Into a Squarespace Website Build?
Squarespace has built its reputation as a go-to platform for DIY website creators and rightfully so.
If you want a clean, functional website up and running in less than two weeks, Squarespace makes that possible without ever writing a line of code. Featuring dozens of customizable templates, easy drag-and-drop design tools, and the option-worthy features for SEO, analytics, ecommerce, and more, it’s no wonder it’s beloved by entrepreneurs and small business owners.
But here’s the thing: While making a Squarespace site may seem easy, constructing a high-performing, design-consistent, and SEO-ready website is anything but; it involves strategy, planning, and an intimate knowledge of what goes into building every time.
As professional Squarespace developers at Squareko, we’ve provided custom Squarespace website design to hundreds of businesses across every sector, so in this article, we’re sharing the precise process behind a professional Squarespace website build from beginning to end.
Why Build a Squarespace Website?
When asked whether Squarespace is good by prospective clients, we reply: absolutely, yes, but only if you desire design flexibility and/or a single location for reliability and scalability.
All in all, Squarespace is more than any other CMS about the mix of power and simplicity. You don’t have to maintain servers, keep plugins up-to-date, or worry about security issues like on WordPress. It's also nicer than Wix to design in, with a much cleaner and more responsive interface. And, in comparison to Webflow, Squarespace doesn’t have that steep learning curve if you’re an entrepreneur who just wants a few results without the technical mumbo jumbo.
Here’s why Squarespace still reigns supreme as our favorite in 2025:
All-in-one platform — hosting, design, analytics, and SEO tools included.
Nothing to maintain — no updates, no downtime, no patching.
Let the design flow — all templates are fully mobile responsive out of the box.
Functionality that scales — from blogs to full ecommerce setups.
24/7 support — Live chat & help when you need it
At Squareko, we've seen Squarespace beat DIY platforms mostly on performance and design flexibility when built correctly.
Squarespace vs. Other Website Builders
Let’s break down how Squarespace compares to the other major CMS options in 2025:
| Platform | Ease of Use | Design Flexibility | Maintenance | SEO Tools | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Automatic | Built-in | Small to mid-size businesses |
| WordPress | ★★ | ★★★★★ | Manual updates & plugins | Strong but plugin-dependent | Developers, content-heavy sites |
| Wix | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | Simple | Good | Personal or small DIY sites |
| Webflow | ★ | ★★★★★ | Manual | Advanced | Agencies & designers |
Squarespace wins for business owners who value time efficiency and brand consistency.
You can build a fully functional, professional website without touching code or, with expert help, create a site that rivals custom-coded projects.
What Actually Goes Into a Squarespace Website Build
A professional Squarespace site involves far more than just picking a template.
Here’s a detailed look at what goes into every successful project.
1. Strategy & Planning
Before any design begins, we define:
Your business goals and ideal audience
Competitor analysis and keyword targets
Content structure and navigation hierarchy
Conversion goals (sales, inquiries, subscriptions)
This stage ensures your site’s design aligns perfectly with your marketing objectives — not just aesthetics.
2. Brand Design & Setup
Once the strategy is set, we craft the visual foundation:
Upload logo and favicon
Set brand color palette and typefaces
Configure site spacing, padding, and global button styles
Choose consistent animations and hover effects
Customize image block and gallery settings
This creates visual harmony across every page, giving your site a polished, cohesive identity.
3. Page Architecture & Content Creation
A Squarespace site typically includes:
Homepage
About / Team page
Services or Product pages
Blog/Insights section
Contact/Inquiry page
For each page, we:
Source and optimize imagery
Write or refine copy with SEO structure
Apply proper heading hierarchy (H1–H3)
Create clear CTAs for conversions
Every layout is designed for clarity, engagement, and mobile responsiveness.
4. Technical Setup & Configuration
Behind the scenes, we handle all the technical essentials:
Domain connection & SSL setup
Navigation structure (primary & footer menus)
404 and legal pages (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
Social media link integration
Cookie banner & GDPR compliance
Site permissions (admin, contributor, editor roles)
This ensures your Squarespace website is secure, compliant, and fully functional from day one.
5. SEO Setup & Performance Optimization
A great design means nothing if your site can’t be found.
That’s why SEO setup is a major part of every build:
Add site title and meta description
Customize URLs for readability
Add alt text for all images
Submit sitemap to Google Search Console
Configure structured data (where applicable)
Enable AMP for blog posts
Internal linking between core pages
We also implement content-focused SEO, ensuring your copy includes relevant keywords naturally.
6. Ecommerce & Advanced Features (Optional)
If your business sells products or services online, Squarespace’s commerce tools make it simple to scale.
We handle:
Product uploads and SKUs
Payment gateway setup
Custom checkout design
Shipping rates and tax configuration
Abandoned cart recovery
Email notifications and customer login setup
For more advanced needs, we integrate:
Subscriptions and memberships
Digital product delivery
Discount codes and loyalty offers
Every e-commerce setup is optimized for speed, conversion, and ease of management.
7. Custom Code & Enhancements
Squarespace is powerful on its own, but when you want a design that truly stands out, that’s where custom CSS and JS enhancements come in.
We add refinements such as:
Button and hover animations
Unique section transitions
Advanced galleries and sliders
Custom form styling
Dynamic effects via code injections
These subtle touches turn a standard template into a bespoke digital experience.
8. Testing, Launch & Handover
Before launch, every project goes through a full QA process:
Mobile and tablet responsiveness
Cross-browser testing
Form submissions and link validation
Performance speed audit
Once approved, we connect your domain, configure analytics, and provide handover training so you can manage your content confidently post-launch.
Should You Hire a Squarespace Web Designer?
It all depends on how you want to spend some time, your goals, and your comfort level.
If you’re open to experimenting and learning, yes, you can definitely make a functional Squarespace website. But if your focus is on a professional, conversion-optimized, and SEO-ready site, hiring an expert can save you time, frustration, and lost opportunities.
At Squareko, we see new customers after they’ve spent six months battling with the task themselves. We can steep a months-long process in just a couple of weeks and provide you with an amazing-looking website that'll do exactly what it needs to, all the while serving your brand in the long run.
And we always throw in some custom training so you can make simple edits later without having to bug the developers.
Your Next Steps
Determine if Squarespace works best for your business.
Outline your goals and timeline.
Determine whether you want to do it yourself or bring in a professional team, such as Squareko.
Begin your free trial, or schedule a consultation with us to plan for future projects.
Final Thoughts
A website built in Squarespace is a powerful and strategic tool, not just some drag-and-drop construction; there’s an actual process involving branding, strategy, design, and carefully crafted content, along with SEO attention to detail and hours of meticulously tested coding.
Done right, and your site isn’t just a digital presence; it’s the foundation of your business growth.
At Squareko, we are expert Squarespace designers & developers with a focus on beautifully polished websites that do more than just look good; they convert, rank and scale.
Ready to build a Squarespace website that stands out?
Book a free strategy call with our design team and we’ll help you turn your vision into a beautifully built, conversion-ready website.
Schedule a Free Call →
Frequently Asked Questions
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A typical Squarespace site could potentially be built in 2–3 weeks In a professional setting. That includes strategy, design, setup for SEO and testing. DIY builds typically will take longer, and if you’re developing a custom site with extra features or ecommerce, it may take 4–6 weeks to get up and running.
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No, Squarespace is a no-code platform, and it’s designed to be uncluttered. Yet modern professional implementations will often involve some level of custom CSS, JavaScript, and layout tweaks to reach a fully bespoke appearance, along with enhanced interactivity/performance.
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‘Build’ can mean anything from visual elements to strategy, brand setup, content creation (such as SEO), technical setup, and launch testing. At Squareko, we also support ecommerce, structured metadata, and performance tuning to ensure your website looks great and ranks well.
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Yes. The built-in tools provided by Squarespace are pretty solid in my opinion as far SEO, clean URLs, mobile optimization, SSL and sitemap generation. Taken in the context of correct keyword mapping, meta descriptions, image alt tags and structured data a Squarespace site has the potential to perform very well on Google.
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Why, if you’ve got time and a little design know-how, you might even build the website yourself using Squarespace’s templates. But for a conversion-focused, brand-aligned and SEO-prepped website, hiring a Squarespace pro like Squareko means saving time while getting your site built in a way that will be able to grow with your business.
