Common Questions About Showit, Answered
Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you :)
You may not have known this—but, in addition to working extensively with Squarespace, I am also an experienced Showit website designer!
While it’s not the same as Squarespace, it’s another excellent platform option for designing your dream website. Today, I’m answering common questions that I frequently get from people looking for Showit help.
What is Showit used for?
First and foremost, Showit is a website building platform somewhat like Squarespace, used often by coaches and creatives.
It is known, however, for the incredible amount of creative freedom it offers during its design process compared to other website building platforms, and is best used by experienced website designers (vs. novices just starting out) because of all of the abilities it boasts.
(Trust me—this creative freedom can quickly become overwhelming to the untrained eye.)
With that being said, I personally enjoy using Showit and have used it to create stunning websites for my clients.
Check out a few client Showit websites here:
However, remember that Showit is primarily used by coaches and creatives (or others who invoice clients and customers separately from their website) because there is not a store/ecommerce function currently available through the platform.
(So, if you’re looking to sell physical or digital products via an online shopping cart and checkout experience, I would recommend Squarespace instead.)
Read more: Why I Now Design Showit Websites for Coaches and Creatives
Can I use Showit for free?
Currently, Showit does not offer a free plan. When billed annually, Showit’s pricing plans range from $19/month to $34/month, depending on which features you need.
So, while the investment is not enormous (compared to other hosting platforms, which can run at nearly $200/month,) it is not free to maintain.
If you’re on the fence about using Showit or simply want to try it out before making an investment, fear not—Showit currently offers a 14-day free trial where you can test out all of its features without being charged.
For even less of a commitment, check out demo mode, which allows you to get an inside look at the platform and how it works without even signing up!
What are Showit templates?
While Showit offers complete creative freedom and flexibility in its design platform, where you can drop and drag anything and everything, it also offers a template shop where you can purchase ready-made templates to use on your website.
There are even a variety of free templates available, which you can use if you aren’t looking to invest in a more expensive template just yet, and I definitely recommend doing so over starting with a blank canvas if you aren’t an experienced website designer.
If you’re looking for Showit help while building your website, starting with a free template could be a great starting point to help you get your bearings.
Is Showit part of WordPress?
While Showit and Wordpress are separate entities, select Showit plans can be integrated with Wordpress to get your blog looking exactly the way you want it to.
In other words, no, Showit is not a part of Wordpress—but it can be used with Wordpress.
Think of it like this - Showit is where you design your blog’s main page, your individual posts, and sidebar with placeholders. Basically, the overall aesthetic. Wordpress is where you add the blog post content itself, along with images and categories.
Can you use WordPress plugins on Showit?
Yes! The type of plugin that you can add depends on your Showit subscription.
At the time of writing this, the basic blog subscription includes access to 14 plugins. Here are some common ones:
The advanced blog subscription includes access to 24 plugins. Here are a few of those plugins:
For more info, you can check out this help page on Showit’s website.
How do I link my WordPress blog to Showit?
You will need to first sign up for a Showit account, activate your subscription, and then follow their steps to connecting Wordpress in the backend. Showit support will then send you the login details. Don’t fret, Showit has the details listed out on their website.
Is Showit good for bloggers?
Showit’s higher pricing tiers (one being named “Showit + Basic Blog” and the other “Showit + Advanced Blog”) are great options for bloggers, providing a ton of features and design flexibility.
It should be noted, however, (one of the biggest concerns coming from those seeking Showit help) that Showit’s most basic plan does not include a blog, so you will need to upgrade to plan two or three to utilize that feature.
Does Showit have good SEO?
In one of my previous blog posts, I was asked this same question. Here was my answer to whether Showit is good for SEO: “My short answer is yes—Showit comes with a variety of features that have built-in SEO capabilities, and also work with your SEO strategy to help your website rank on Google.”
However, (as it is with any SEO process,) there is a lot of strategy and work involved in ensuring your Showit website is set up for SEO success.
In other words, being created with Showit isn’t enough to get your website to rank on Google automatically, but Showit provides the resources necessary to make it happen through intentional search engine strategy, such as through purchasing SEO services from your favorite website designer. 😉
Make sense?
And, seriously…if you’re looking for SEO services because you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’re in the right place!
How do I change my SEO in Showit?
If you’re looking to improve your SEO game in Showit, there are several changes you can make that will help you start ranking higher on Google. I recommend taking a peek at this post.
Is Showit a hosting platform?
Yes! Showit is not only a design platform, but also a hosting platform (and extremely similar to Squarespace in this regard.)
You don’t need to use another website host such as GoDaddy, BlueHost, or HostGator for your Showit website, which is great news to business owners looking to keep their process simple and their budgets in check!
Is Showit better than Squarespace?
This is a question that tends to be more personal preference. While there are differences between the two, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. I’ve built dozens of websites between both platforms, and I love them for different reasons.
The one distinction compared to Showit is that inside Squarespace, you can purchase your domain, set up email marketing, create membership sites, and directly access Google Analytics/Google Search Console data.
For more comparisons between Squarespace and Showit, check out this blog post.
Hopefully, this post helped you learn more about Showit, what it’s used for, and how it can be integrated with other platforms such as Wordpress.
If you’re dreaming of using Showit (affiliate link) for your business’s online home and are looking for a done-for-you, stunning, and responsive design, be sure to check out my website design services here. I have tons of experience designing in both Showit and Squarespace, and can even help you decide which platform is right for you.
Until then, happy reading!
Looking for more blogging and SEO tips? Check out these blog posts: