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It can be daunting to choose among the templates Squarespace has to offer. Here we’ll take a look at how to choose a template for your website and the TWO major pitfalls to avoid.

You can watch the video, or keep reading for more:

Squarespace Templates

If you are building a Squarespace website in 2021, you’ll be on version 7.1 of Squarespace. In this version, templates work a little differently than in older versions. If you built a site prior to 2020 and used Squarespace 7.0, the template dictated the functionality of your site. Different template families (like Brine, Bedford, and Skye) each had different features. Some had pages that allowed you to create full-width sections, some had built-in sidebars, and some had special gallery features. Choosing a template meant choosing the particular functions you wanted for your website.

In Squarespace 7.1, all the templates have the exact same functionality. So you can choose any template and create any other template from it. When you are looking for a template for your business, you can start with aesthetics - fonts, colors, and page layouts. If you already have a brand, it’s simple to switch out your fonts and colors. If you don’t already have branding, you can take a look at the Squarespace templates and see what resonates. Think about whether you want a white, minimal look or something colorful, as well as what type of fonts (serif, san serif, a combo) you’d prefer. Next, when you have some contenders, take a look at the pages inside each template. If there are page types similar to what you’ll be using on your own site, these templated pages can save a lot of time. But don’t worry if you don’t see the exact pages you want to create - you can always start with a blank page and build your own.

In 7.1 it’s less important which particular template you choose, but more about how much time you can save by choosing a template that best aligns with your finished website. However, there are a couple of important pitfalls to avoid.

Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Default Section Theme Colors

Some templates, like Noll have a default color theme. This can be handy if you want to use a background color on most of your page sections. However, if you were planning to use mostly white backgrounds, choosing Noll would mean that you'd need to edit the section theme color each time you add a new section to a page. This isn't the end of the world, but it can be a time sink and get annoying pretty quickly.

2. Page Type for the Home Page

Other templates, like Beaumont have a specific page type for the template homepage. Beaumont features a gallery homepage which means that if you build and style your homepage and then decide you don't want a gallery there, you'll have to rebuild the entire homepage. (Ask me how I know.) So if you choose a template with a different page type for the homepage, really consider if that's the page type you want before you build it out.

Other Considerations

Although the built-in Squarespace templates are beautiful, many of them are lacking a solid website strategy and offer more in terms of looks than usability. If you want a more strategic website, you may want to hire a Squarespace designer to review your website after your DIY build, or you may want to consider a third-party Squarespace template that is designed to convert.