How to Use Squarespace: A No-Nonsense Guide for Beginners

Squarespace is one of the easiest website builders to learn, but that doesn't mean it's intuitive from day one. The interface has changed significantly over the years, and if you're coming from WordPress or another platform, there's definitely a learning curve.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know to get a Squarespace site up and running—from picking a template to publishing your site. No fluff, just the steps that actually matter.

Getting Started: Sign Up and Pick a Template

Head to Squarespace.com and click "Get Started." You'll be prompted to create an account and select a template.

Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial where you can explore the platform, upload content, and experiment with your design without entering payment info. Your trial site stays private until you upgrade to a paid plan.

Here's an important thing most tutorials don't mention: in Squarespace 7.1, templates are basically just starting points. All version 7.1 sites are part of the same template family, so every site has the same features and style options regardless of which template you choose. This means you can customize any 7.1 template to look like any other—the template just determines your starting layout and demo content.

Pick a template that matches your general vibe (portfolio, business, blog, etc.) and don't stress about it too much. You can change everything later.

Understanding the Squarespace Dashboard

Once you've picked a template and named your site, you'll land in the Squarespace editor. The left sidebar is your command center:

To edit any page, click on it in the Pages panel, then click "Edit" to enter the visual editor.

How the Fluid Engine Editor Works

Squarespace's current editor is called Fluid Engine. It's the primary content editor for all version 7.1 sites and operates as a true drag-and-drop system built on a 24-column grid.

Unlike the old "Classic Editor" which used a rigid 12-column system where blocks depended on each other for sizing, Fluid Engine lets you place blocks anywhere on the grid. You can overlap elements, resize freely, and create custom layouts without touching code.

Key features of Fluid Engine:

This last point is huge. With Fluid Engine, you can click the phone icon in the editor to view and edit the mobile version of your page separately. Moving blocks in desktop view doesn't affect mobile, which means you have real control over how your site looks on phones.

Adding and Editing Pages

To add a new page, go to Pages in the left sidebar, click the "+" icon, and choose your page type. You can add:

When you add a layout page, you'll be prompted to choose a pre-built page layout or start blank. Pre-built layouts give you a head start with sections already arranged—you just swap in your own content.

Working with Page Sections

In Squarespace 7.1, pages are built from multiple page sections. Each section is a horizontal band that spans the width of your page.

To add a section, click "Edit" on your page, then click "Add Section" where you want it. You can choose from:

Each section can have its own background color, image, or video. Click the pencil icon on any section to access section settings.

Adding Content Blocks

Blocks are the individual pieces of content within a section. To add one, click "Add Block" in the top-left corner while editing a section. Common block types include:

Once added, blocks appear in the top-left of your section. Drag them to position, resize by pulling the corners, and click to edit content.

Squarespace recommends adding no more than 60 blocks per page to keep load times fast. If you're building content-heavy pages, split them into multiple pages or use summary blocks that link to individual posts.

Styling Your Site

Global styles are controlled in the Design panel under "Site Styles." Here you can set:

Changes made in Site Styles apply across your entire site. For section-specific styling, use the section settings instead.

Setting Up Navigation

Your site's navigation is managed in the Pages panel. Pages in the "Main Navigation" section appear in your header menu. Pages under "Not Linked" are live but don't appear in menus—useful for landing pages or thank-you pages.

To reorganize your navigation, just drag pages up and down in the list. You can also create dropdown menus by dragging pages underneath and slightly to the right of other pages.

Connecting a Domain and Publishing

During your trial, your site lives on a Squarespace subdomain (like yoursite.squarespace.com). To make it live with a custom domain, you'll need to:

  1. Upgrade to a paid plan
  2. Connect or transfer your domain in Settings → Domains

Annual plans include a free custom domain for the first year. After that, domains typically renew at $10-$20/year for common TLDs like .com or .org.

To publish your site, go to Settings → Site Availability and click "Upgrade to Publish." Choose your plan and enter payment info.

Squarespace Pricing Overview

Squarespace pricing ranges from $16 to $99 per month when billed annually. Here's the quick breakdown:

Monthly billing costs significantly more—about 30-40% higher. If you're serious about your site, annual is the way to go.

For a deeper dive into what each plan includes, check out our Squarespace pricing breakdown.

Tips for Squarespace Beginners

After building dozens of sites on Squarespace, here's what I wish someone told me earlier:

  1. Prepare your content first – Have your images, copy, and branding ready before you start building. It makes the whole process 10x faster.
  2. Check mobile view constantly – Click that phone icon after every major change. What looks great on desktop can be a mess on mobile.
  3. Use pre-built sections – Don't reinvent the wheel. The pre-built layouts are well-designed and save hours of work.
  4. Keep it simple – Squarespace templates look best when they're not over-stuffed. White space is your friend.
  5. Don't ignore SEO basics – Add page titles and meta descriptions. Squarespace has built-in SEO tools under Marketing.

When Squarespace Isn't the Right Choice

Squarespace is great for portfolios, small business sites, and simple e-commerce. But it's not for everyone:

For most small businesses and creatives, though, Squarespace hits the sweet spot of design quality and ease of use.

Ready to Start Building?

The best way to learn Squarespace is to just start building. Sign up for the 14-day free trial, pick a template, and start dragging blocks around. You'll have a decent-looking site within a few hours.

If you're comparing options, check out our guides on Squarespace vs Wix and Squarespace vs WordPress to make sure it's the right platform for you.