Building Your Own Website - Squarespace

Another great option for creating your website is Squarespace. This website builder allows users to create their own unique websites, and it is a great option for non-technical users. Squarespace focuses on providing a simple way to create a unique website without using a professional (and costly) programmer or designer. They provide you with around twenty templates to choose from, and then you are able to customize the site based on your specific needs.

Once you sign up, you are able to create your website for free. When you are ready to publish, you can choose from one of three pricing options that range from $8 to $24 per month. After you have created your website, you will need to have a domain (i.e. the website consumers will use to get to your site: www.yourwebsite.com). Squarespace offers a standard plan, which is a great option for those who only need a basic website. At only $8 per month, you can choose from twenty blogs, galleries and webpages, and you will have a 500GBbandwidth and 2GB of storage. Unlimited, which is the next option,starts at $16 per month and includes unlimited blogs, galleries and pages, as well as unlimited bandwidth and storage. It also provides a developer platform for those who are more advanced. The third option is the business option, which is designed for companies that need an integrated e-commerce solution. This plan begins at $24 per month and includes an online store with unlimited digital, physical and service products (and no transaction fees), as well as inventory tracking and coupon, shipping and tax controls. Each of the three service plans also comes with a mobile-friendly website and 24/7 support for users.

In order to help business owners get started, Squarespace provides the following tips and tricks so users can get the most out of their service:

1. Before actually building your website, it is very useful to create an outline or draft that will allow you to carefully consider the purpose of your website and how you can differentiate your company or business from your competitors. Additionally, you will need to consider how you are going to get all of your content into one site and how you want to organize it. By laying everything out first, you can get a better idea of how you want to express your company's value and purpose. While you're creating this "draft," you should also consider the audience you want to appeal to so you're able to cater your website to a tone your potential customers would appreciate.
2. Be consistent and firmly establish your company's identity. You should create a logo that should appear on your website as well as in your social media. It is important to be consistent with all of your marketing, both in terms of having a specific brand and voice, and also in how frequently you are planning to update your website. You might want to include a blog that you plan to update daily or weekly, or you might just want to create a website that you will only need to update once a year. Either way, make sure that you have a plan and stick with it.
3. Once you have your content mapped out, try to condense it so you only have a few webpages. This will ensure that your website is not too crowded and overwhelming for the user. Try to make it as easy as possible for users to locate necessary information. Oftentimes, a website with only three pages (homepage, about us and either a blog, gallery or store) is sufficient in the beginning. You can always add more components and/or information later.
4. Make sure you link all of your social media channels to your website so users can easily follow you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., and they can also easily find your website if they see you on one of these social media sites.
5. Squarespace provides their users with SEO (search engine optimization), e-commerce, custom domains and social media integration, so make sure you utilize these services. All of this will make it easier for potential customers to find you and hopefully they will start using your services!

Bottom Line:
Squarespace is an easy-to-use website builder that is low-cost and includes plenty of handy features. Try it! You just might like it!

Building Your Own Website: Weebly | WordPress | Godaddy | Squarespace