Hi there! I hope you are enjoying a lovely, relaxing, sugar-comatose day (aka. day after Halloween). The first day of November is always so fun for me. Although I hate the cold (I also hate the 100 degree hot in the middle of Summer, so I’m kind of picky like that), I LOVE the idea of Thanksgiving… and Christmas… and family time… and pumpkin… and cinnamon. Mmm mmm… I could go on and on. Anyone else!?!

Well, today I am writing this from the comfort of my in-laws home while my husband and littles play in the other room. Isn’t entrepreneurship the best?!

Ok. So let’s dive right into it… Today I’m giving you 10 Reasons I use Squarespace vs Wordpress and why I recommend it to my clients as well.

First, a little back story…

I have a bachelors degree in graphic design and have been designing Wordpress websites since 2012. So don’t get me wrong… I really do appreciate the Wordpress platform and all of the techy-coding-genius it offers… but I started noticing a trend with the clients I worked with. JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HATED UPDATING AND MAINTAINING THEIR WEBSITE.

Client after client… It was always one of two things…

1. They were tech-minded (like me! Hey there!) and they loved the idea of Wordpress in all of it’s coding-glory BUT they would spend weeks if not months learning the ins and outs of the platform before they could sufficiently edit and maintain their own site like they wanted. At the end of the day, they were able to run their own site, but were the HOURS and HOURS (and weeks, and months) they spent really learning the platform worth it? What could they have sold… or launched… or developed with that time? Some would say that it was worth it… and if this is you, then YAY! But most would say that it wasn’t worth the time and potential revenue lost.

or 2. They weren’t tech-minded and the coding/backend of Wordpress was constantly leaving them with a headache and a site that didn’t meet their beautiful, dreamy vision. They were constantly needing help with updating and maintaining and if anything more “challenging” needed to be done (i.e. integrating third party applications, implementing security changes or updates, etc), they would need to hire it out… which was costing them even more money when it was all said and done. PLUS the time going back and forth with the designer.

Ugh! I knew there had to be a better way!
(and honestly, I wanted to be able to design a site and then hand it off after training my clients to manage it themselves! Win-win for everyone.)

But then, enter Squarespace.

I discovered Squarespace in 2015 and instantly fell in love. At first I wondered… can this really do all that Wordpress does? And I was a total skeptic. I decided to try it out and build a website for myself.

I did a TON of research and read all the things… Could Squarespace SEO capabilities really compete with Wordpress and the YOAST SEO plugin? Was Squarespace even a reliable company? Would my website have a ton of downtime with Squarespace? I had so many questions because I wanted the BEST for my clients. Was the new kid on the block really good enough?

Well friends, here are 10 things that I discovered about Squarespace that convinced me to make the move for myself along with why I ultimately moved my website design business 100% to the Squarespace platform…

Sandra Houseman Squarespace web designer

+ 01. It's easy to edit, update, and manage yourself.

One of the biggest headaches of having a website professionally designed is your limited knowledge of how to update the content and images yourself. You might find yourself spending hours pulling your hair out to change one section of text. But not With Squarespace! You will be able to experience one of the best user interfaces EVER. And don't worry about having to use any code... Because you are able to actually SEE the changes you are making on your site while you are making them - drag and drop style.

+ 02. It's fully customizable.

Even though Squarespace seems like a "simpler" option over WordPress (and it is!), rest assured that it is still a robust powerhouse able to be fully customized to achieve the look you are after. It doesn't have to look cookie-cutter at all! (Like this site you're on now?? It's a Squarespace site!). Now, full disclosure… some of the awesome things you see on my site are custom coded… but you don’t NEED to know code to have an amazing, and easy to build site.

+ 03. It has robust SEO capabilities.

Squarespace automatically builds SEO into the backend of every site. The thing is… you are still able to add more SEO information into your site as well (page descriptions, image alt tags, etc) to make search engines love you. No need to install a plugin... Just add your keyword phrases in the right spots (or let me do it for you) and you're ready to go!

+ 04. It automatically looks great across all platforms.

Your site will look great on ANY screen from a cell phone to an extra large desktop monitor. No need to worry about how your site looks to your on-the-go clientele! (after all, research shows that over half of the population now views online content from their phone!). And the best part is that you don’t need to do ANYTHING to make this happen… Squarespace does this for you automatically.

+ 05. It's secure.

With Squarespace, you don't have to worry about plugins leaving your site vulnerable to attacks. Your monthly hosting fee includes it ALL, so you can rest assured that your site will still be there - looking awesome - day in and day out. And if anything ever does happen, Squarespace customer service and support team will be there to help you out - at no additional charge.

+ 06. It has an amazing customer support team (at no additional cost).

If you ever have any issues with your site, you are able to quickly and easily get help to guide you through your troubles. But rest assured, making basic edits to your site is SO easy you won't even need this amazing bonus. Unlike WordPress where you have to pay someone (like myself, or your hosting company, or a third part maintenance/backup/security company, etc.) anytime you need support or have a question.

+ 07. E-Commerce is already integrated into your platform!

If you would like to sell programs, packages, or products on your website, you can easily do that with Squarespace - and it's built in with the business plan! No need to install a plugin and configure confusing settings. Squarespace makes receiving payments (or donations) via stripe or PayPal easy! Get reviews… sell products… showcase your stuff…

+ 08. You can easily login with the ESC key.

Never forget how to log into your website again. Just go to your site, press escape, and BAM - you're at your login screen. Easy peasy. And if you have multiple sites… you will be able to access ALL of your Squarespace sites from your main dashboard… SO EASY! (especially if you’re a designer like me! I can see and access all of my client sites from one page!)

+ 09. The cost is all inclusive.

With just one monthly payment, you get everything you need to keep your website up and running... Instead of having to purchase your hosting, buy a template, and plugins, plus pay for added security (and you NEED a security plan with a WordPress site), etc. With Squarespace, you can either pay one annual fee and save, or pay smaller amounts monthly. And no need to string all of these things together like with Wordpress (connect your host to Wordpress, connect your theme to your platform, connect your plugins to your backend… UGH!) - With Squarespace EVERYTHING is already there and ready to go for you.

+ 10. My clients LOVE it!

I have worked with so many clients who have come to me totally overwhelmed with their WordPress website. They can't figure out how to make simple changes... like changing the color of their buttons, shifting text, changing a font or an image, etc., and they are tired of shelling out more money every time they need these changes made. However, once I show them how Squarespace works, their eyes light up and they are sold. (And side note: I’m TOTALLY psyched about my upcoming Squarespace trainings that will take any techy or non-techy and teach them exactly what they need to know to create a stunning website for themselves - no code needed! - on their own terms)… And of course, I'm always here to help when needed.

Well there you have it! Those are my top 10 reasons why I love Squarespace!

I’d love to know if you have a Squarespace website and what you think! (and I am a teacher at heart… so if you’re struggling with anything Squarespace related, drop a comment and maybe I’ll feature your question in a future blog post!)