USING SQUARESPACE
In the 21st century, no business can survive without having a robust website mechanism. In the earlier days, this used to be very costly as it involved hiring expensive web developers. However, as businesses are diversifying many self-website builders that require little to no coding skills have popped up. Many of them are also available online and Squarespace is one of them.
This website provides three services- website building, blogging and hosting services. This allows all kinds of businesses to create extremely professional websites with their personalised interfaces.
To begin with, users can easily choose among the various templates that fits their portfolio. It can range from clothes, restaurants, shopping to jet skiing, scuba diving and trekking. The “Live Preview” option lets you view what the actual website would look like before the final execution is done. Clicking on the ‘Start with this design’ tab embarks the user’s journey of creating his own website. The personal details have to be entered in the next step to create a free account. After the creation of the free account, Squarespace shows the user an introductory video on the basics of the service provided.
Different parts of the website can be created according to the artistical whims of the user. However, the general layout remains the same to attract the maximum number of eyes to the page. New pages can be added using the navigation panel on the left while new elements can be added using the buttons on the upper right. These elements once added can also be altered. Clicking on the eye icon in the upper left corner enables the users to get a preview of their website.
To make the website appear on the internet, a domain is needed. When ready to publish, clicking on the “Upgrade Now” button gets the user a free custom domain from Squarespace. A plan which best suits the user from among the three options available can be chosen according to their needs and circumstances.
For those who need a basic website, the Standard plan starts at $8 a month and offers 20 web pages, galleries and blogs, 500 GB bandwidth, 2 GB storage and two contributors. The Unlimited plan encompasses unlimited pages, galleries and blogs; unlimited bandwidth and storage; unlimited contributors; and a developer platform for more advanced web developers and starts at $16 a month. The Business plan is designed for businesses that need a fully integrated e-commerce solution. Starting at $24 a month, the Business plan includes an online store with unlimited physical, digital and service products and no transaction fees; inventory tracking, tax, shipping and coupon controls, unlimited pages, storage, bandwidth and contributors and a mobile store and a developer platform.
Though Squarespace offers a very useful platform for businesses to go online in todays scenario and age, a number of factors should be taken care of from the user’s end to grow the business faster online. Firstly, the purpose of the website and its uniqueness should be decided form the beginning. Accordingly, a necessary outline should be drawn. Consistency is very necessary in updating the website to maintain relevance with the customer base. Conciseness of the content should be looked into as an overcrowded website can be a sore eyesight for most. Analytics, SEO, e-commerce, custom domains and social media integrations are taken care from Squarespace’s end, so the user need not worry about that.
Discuss more of such topics at the Business Management College at Amrapali Institute, Haldwani. Amrapali Educational Institute is a top ranked institute in Uttarakhand.