How to Customize Squarespace Website Templates
Listen—I LOVE Squarespace and all the templates it has to offer, but there is also something major to be said for the importance of making sure your website encompasses your unique brand.
The good news?
You can customize Squarespace templates in order to give them your brand’s unique touch without building a website from scratch, whether the template is free or paid—even if you’re not a professional Squarespace website designer.
Today, I’m covering how you can totally customize Squarespace templates in order to give your business a professional online presence.
Change colors to match your brand
One of the easiest and most effective ways to customize Squarespace templates is to change the colors on the template to match your business’s branding.
You can easily do this in the “design” section of your Squarespace website, customizing everything from button colors to overlays.
If you aren’t sure of your brand’s HEX color codes (such as the ones in your logo or brand photos,) you can find them easily using free online tools such as Color Zilla to grab color codes from any image, including both PNGs and JPEGs.
Change the website fonts and size of text
Fonts can change the look of your website drastically, so choosing one that expresses your brand personality and matches your logo, if possible, is extremely important.
You can set specific fonts as default on your website under the “design” section, and alter the default sizing there, as well.
A great rule of thumb is mixing and matching sans serif fonts with serif fonts to separate types of text.
For example, if you use serif headings, use sans serif body text (or vice versa.)
This gives your website a sophisticated and professional look, and makes it easier to read—especially for visitors scrolling on their phone.
Update your website navigation to show most important pages for your business
Just as you don’t have to use the default colors and fonts that come with your template, you don’t have to include the pages already provided in your navigation.
This is one of my top recommendations if you want to truly customize your website because it allows you to showcase exactly what you want at the top of your website in the order that you choose.
I recommend having at least your “about,” “services/products,” and “contact” pages in the top navigation of your website. (You can save the bottom navigation for things like your privacy policy or resources.)
Read more on this topic:
Swap out template images with your own
This is not only important for branding, but for legal purposes, as well.
Your Squarespace template will likely come with images, but some templates (especially those purchased through a third party website) do not allow for the commercial use of the images that come with the template—so you will need to swap out those images with your own.
I recommend having your own professional photos taken if possible, but you can also use free or paid stock images that mesh well with your branding.
(Psst...I wrote a whole post about where to find great stock photos if you need some direction!)
Quality is truly key here—so be sure you’re using photos that enhance your website’s content, not distract from it.
Find icons, patterns, and textures to add to your website
One of my favorite pieces of advice to give people looking to truly customize Squarespace templates with a unique look is to do some browsing and find interesting icons, patterns, and textures to add to their website.
(Of course, be sure you have the right to use these images before adding them to your Squarespace site.)
This is a step most people don’t think about, and can really add something extra to your website.
Add your logo and favicon
Adding a logo is, of course, a widely-known method of customizing any website, adding professionality, branding, and a personal touch to an online space.
Your logo should encompass the most important aspects of your brand, including the colors, fonts, and (if applicable,) icons that relate to your business.
You don’t necessarily need to shell out thousands for a professional design when you’re just getting started. Canva works just fine, and even offers a free plan!
Make sure your logo is visible in the header and footer of your website so it can be seen on all pages at all times.
You can also customize Squarespace templates by adding a favicon (the little icon on an open browser tab) to your website.
It should be small, simple, and square or circular, incorporating some aspect of your logo (whether it’s the color, font, or something else.)
[Advanced] Add CSS or insert plugins
Lastly, if you are more advanced in the website-building space, you can also customize Squarespace templates by adding CSS (custom code) or plugins to them.
There are thousands of CSS templates/plugins out there, from mobile navigation themes to aesthetic timers. (I wrote a blog post on where to find some amazing ones here.)
These practices are definitely geared toward more experienced website builders, but there are also a variety of classes you can take on CSS implementation (some of which I detail in the aforementioned blog post!)
Ready to customize Squarespace templates using these methods? If so, leave me a comment down below letting me know what you are excited to try first!
However, if you aren’t looking to go the DIY route and want a done-for-you, expertly-designed website up and running for your business ASAP, I can also help you with that! I am a Squarespace website designer who knows how to make any business or brand look its best online, and I want to work with you next.
You can check out the services I offer below in order to learn more about exactly what I do. I’m a Squarespace/Showit website designer and SEO strategist for powerhouse coaches & creatives—and I would love to help you take your brand to the next level online.
Until then, happy reading!
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