Building your first Squarespace website: A complete guide to get started

Building your first Squarespace website: A complete guide to get started

By Michael Thompson

March 16, 2025 at 11:08 AM

Setting up your first Squarespace site involves three main steps: building site structure, adding content, and styling your design.

Create Your Site Structure

  1. Add pages to navigation:
  • Click "+" next to Main Navigation in Pages panel
  • Choose page type or select from predefined layouts
  • Enter page title and press Enter
  • Set your preferred page as homepage
  1. Edit site header:
  • Click Edit in site preview
  • Hover over header and select Edit Site Header
  • Add logo, social icons, call-to-action button, or cart icon

Add Your Content

  1. Using Blocks:
  • Open Pages panel and select page
  • Click Edit
  • Click "+" to add section (if empty)
  • Choose and add blocks for text, images, or buttons
  • Drag blocks to organize content
  1. For Collection Pages (Blog, Store, Events):
  • Create landing page
  • Add individual items (posts, products, events)
  • Organize with categories and tags
  • Enable interaction features like comments
  1. Blog Management:
  • Add posts via "+" in Blog page
  • Include title and content
  • Schedule or publish immediately
  • Enable email subscriptions
  1. Online Store Setup:
  • Add products to Shop page
  • Connect payment processor
  • Configure shipping options
  • Set up tax settings
  • Customize checkout experience

Style Your Site

  1. Site-wide styling:
  • Open Site Styles panel
  • Choose fonts and sizes
  • Select color palette
  • Add animations
  • Adjust spacing
  1. Section customization:
  • Hover over section
  • Click pencil icon
  • Modify layout and background
  • Save changes
  1. Create style guide (optional):
  • Document brand colors (HEX codes)
  • List approved fonts
  • Include logo variations
  • Define layout specifications
  • Set image guidelines

Before Publishing:

  • Review website launch checklist
  • Upgrade to paid plan
  • Test all functionality
  • Ensure mobile responsiveness

Remember to save changes regularly and preview your site across different devices before launching.

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