Is Squarespace Suitable for Blogging?
Blogging has become an integral part of online communication, providing individuals and businesses with a platform to share their thoughts, expertise, and stories with the world. If you’re a content writer, blogging is essential for exercising your writing muscle regularly and showcasing your abilities online.
Aspiring bloggers often seek user-friendly platforms that offer both simplicity and functionality. With WordPress being the industry standard for websites and blogs, is there room for an alternative platform in the blogging sphere?
Among the myriad of platforms available, Squarespace stands out as an attractive option for bloggers seeking a balance of simplicity and functionality. However, while Squarespace offers numerous benefits for bloggers, it also has limitations. So, is Squarespace suitable for blogging?
In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of using Squarespace as a blogging platform and discuss considerations to help you make an informed decision.
The Drawbacks of Blogging on Squarespace Explained
It’s important to acknowledge that while Squarespace offers many benefits for bloggers, it also has limitations. Understanding these drawbacks is crucial for bloggers to decide whether Squarespace is the right platform for their blogging needs.
1) Limited Design Capabilities
While Squarespace offers beautiful templates, bloggers may find the design capabilities limited when it comes to customising the layout of blog posts.
Have you seen a sexy sidebar on your favourite blog that you’d like to recreate? Or do you want to include a featured image above the post title? Think again.
Many free WordPress templates for blogging come with blogging-specific features, such as a sidebar with an about section, tag cloud, etc. Or the ability to change where the featured image appears.
Squarespace is distinctly lacking in this department. You can change the width of your post and add image sections throughout the text. You can even manually create your sidebar. But unlike WordPress, this sidebar will not automatically appear on all your blog posts. So, if you want to change what you have written in the About of this sidebar, you’ll need to edit every blog post manually.
2) Restricted Plugin Options
Unlike WordPress, Squarespace has a limited selection of plugins available for bloggers. This restriction may hinder bloggers who rely on specific plugins for advanced functionality such as social sharing, reading time estimates, or features you can include in the previously mentioned sidebar.
Although there are plugins you can source externally which may cover these gaps in functionality, Squarespace doesn’t include the native library of thousands of plugins which WordPress boasts. As WordPress has been seen as THE blogging platform for a long time, more people have created plugins for WordPress than they have for Squarespace.
3) Pricing Structure
Squarespace operates on a subscription-based pricing model, which may be cost-prohibitive for bloggers on a tight budget, especially those just starting. While Squarespace offers a free trial period, bloggers must eventually commit to a monthly or annual subscription.
However, I don’t see this as a drawback when comparing Squarespace to WordPress for blogging. Although WordPress is a free open-sauce platform, you still need to pay for a domain, hosting and SSL. When you compare competitive hosting for WordPress prices with the annual subscription for Squarespace, WordPress still comes out cheaper. But when you factor in time spent learning the platform, fixing and maintaining plugins, connecting domains and SSL certificates, etc., I think Squarespace starts to take the lead.
Understanding Squarespace’s Blogging Capabilities
Squarespace is not only a website builder but also a robust blogging platform. It offers a range of features designed to streamline the blogging process and enhance the reader experience. Squarespace provides the tools to create and manage a successful blog, from customisable layouts to integrated analytics.
The Benefits of Using Squarespace for Blogging
1) Beautiful Templates
Squarespace offers a variety of professionally designed templates tailored specifically for blogging. Whether you’re a fashion blogger, food enthusiast, or business professional, you’ll find a template that suits your style and effectively showcases your content.
2) Easy-to-Use Editor
Squarespace’s intuitive editor allows you to create and customise blog posts easily. From formatting text and adding images to embedding videos and galleries, the editor provides a seamless experience without the need for coding or technical skills.
3) Integrated SEO Tools
SEO is essential for driving traffic to your blog and increasing visibility online. Squarespace includes built-in SEO tools that enable you to optimise your blog posts for search engines. You can customise meta titles, descriptions, and URLs to improve your blog’s search engine rankings. Check out my post on Squarespace SEO for more information.
4) Mobile Responsiveness
With growing number of users accessing content on mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive blog is crucial. Squarespace ensures that your blog looks great and functions seamlessly across all devices, providing your audience with a consistent and enjoyable reading experience.
Leveraging Squarespace for Blogging Success
1) Content Management
Squarespace offers robust content management capabilities, allowing you to effortlessly organise and categorise your blog posts. You can create tags and categories to help readers navigate your content and discover related topics. You can also write drafts and schedule posts to be published in line with your content schedule.
2) Social Sharing
Sharing your blog posts on social media is essential for expanding your reach and engaging with your audience. Although Squarespace doesn’t come with the same social sharing plugins available in WordPress that allow your readers to share posts on their platforms quickly, Squarespace does integrate seamlessly with popular social media platforms, enabling you to share your content with just a few clicks.
3) Analytics and Insights
Understanding how your audience interacts with your blog is key to refining your content strategy and driving engagement. Squarespace provides built-in analytics that offers valuable insights into visitor behaviour, page views, and referral sources, empowering you to make informed decisions about your blog’s direction.
Considerations for Bloggers
While Squarespace offers numerous benefits for bloggers, it’s essential to consider the platform’s limitations and how they align with your blogging goals and requirements. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:
Content Focus: If your primary focus is creating high-quality content and building an audience, Squarespace’s user-friendly interface and integrated SEO tools may outweigh its design limitations.
Budget constraints: Consider your budget constraints and evaluate whether Squarespace’s pricing structure aligns with your financial resources and long-term blogging goals.
Customisation needs: Assess your customisation needs and determine whether Squarespace’s templates and design capabilities meet your requirements or if you require more flexibility offered by other platforms.
To Sum Up
In conclusion, Squarespace offers a compelling platform for bloggers seeking a balance of simplicity and functionality. Its sleek templates, integrated SEO tools, and user-friendly interface make it an attractive option for creating and managing a blog. However, bloggers must also consider the platform's limitations, including its restricted design capabilities and plugin options.
Ultimately, the suitability of Squarespace as a blogging platform depends on your individual needs, preferences, and budget. By carefully weighing the pros and cons and considering your blogging goals, you can make an informed decision and find the platform that best fits your needs.
Author's Note: This article has been written with the help of ChatGPT, with human oversight and input to ensure quality, coherence and authenticity.
