If your blog is your bread and butter, you'd better be sure it's baked into a decent website. Being able to categorize posts, lay them out in an easy-to-navigate way, and break up walls of text with eye-catching imagery are all musts to keep readers engaged. (And if your site isn't optimized for search engines, you probably won't even have readers in the first place.)
Squarespace(opens in a new tab) is the go-to website builder for many a blogger thanks to its hundreds of ready-made templates, which feature drag-and-drop page design tools that make it fast and easy to create a beautiful, functional site without a crumb of coding knowledge. Better yet, all of those templates are mobile-optimized for SEO purposes to make it easy for readers to find you. It may not be as full-featured as a platform like WordPress (more on that later), but it's a comprehensive solution for users who prioritize convenience, flexibility, and a hands-off approach to site management.
As we've written before, the hardest part about getting a Squarespace site up and running is really just settling on a template; from website metrics to SSL security(opens in a new tab), ecommerce tools, and video storage, the platform itself takes care of the technical details so you can focus on your passion project. Below, you'll find Mashable's guide to choosing the right Squarespace template for your blog (plus a selection of our current favorites in 2023).
What is a Squarespace template?
A Squarespace template/theme is a pre-made demo website that's meant to serve as a "starting point to help inspire your site's design," according to the platform's support center(opens in a new tab). You're free to keep it mostly as-is or customize it from top to bottom with different content blocks (like text and galleries) and personalized branding elements (like logos, fonts, and colors). Either way, the fact that there are over 230 templates to choose from means there's an extremely slim chance your finished site will wind up looking like anyone else's.
Squarespace versions 7.0 and 7.1 are the two iterations of the platform that are currently in use, and each one treats templates a little differently:
Version 7.0 contains 91 templates that are customized using its classic editor and organized into "families(opens in a new tab)"; every family contains multiple templates with the same underlying structure, rules, and unique style elements (like the Brine family(opens in a new tab)'s parallax scrolling(opens in a new tab) effect, for example). Many Squarespace veterans prefer this version because some of its advanced design capabilities still aren't available in version 7.1, but it can feel inflexible to new users.
Released in early 2020, Version 7.1 scrapped the family categorization and gave all 140-plus of its templates the same basic formatting and features. They're a little more cookie-cutter than version 7.0's templates, but it's way easier to switch between them and you don't run the risk of losing any content when doing so. Version 7.1 sites also have the option of being built with Fluid Engine(opens in a new tab), Squarespace's next-gen content editor, which comes with an intuitive grid system and more flexible mobile layout options.
It's technically possible(opens in a new tab) to move between both versions of Squarespace, but keep in mind that doing so will require a full rebuild and may affect your site's search ranking. (Pro tip: Take advantage of Squarespace's free 14-day trial(opens in a new tab) if you're not sure which one is right for you.)
What kind of blogging tools does Squarespace offer?
Squarespace lets you play around with a slew of features(opens in a new tab) and settings in the back end of your blog no matter which version of the site you're running. That includes:
A built-in commenting system(opens in a new tab) that you can enable or disable
Email campaign(opens in a new tab) integration
AMP formatting(opens in a new tab) for faster loading on mobile
Category/tag(opens in a new tab) support
SEO titles(opens in a new tab) and descriptions(opens in a new tab) for posts
Alternate images(opens in a new tab) for social sharing
Post excerpts(opens in a new tab) for the blog's landing page (which displays them as a list or a grid, depending on your template)
Featured posts(opens in a new tab) and images(opens in a new tab)
Check out Squarespace's blogging guide(opens in a new tab) for tips and best practices on how to utilize these settings effectively.
It's worth mentioning that Squarespace also maintains three apps, two of which are especially relevant for bloggers:
The main Squarespace app(opens in a new tab) lets you write and edit blog posts, update pages, and review your site's analytics on the go.
The Squarespace Unfold app(opens in a new tab) lets you create a Linktree-style Bio Site(opens in a new tab), which you can plop on your social media accounts to direct your followers to your site (This was one of several new tools introduced in the latest Squarespace Refresh(opens in a new tab), its annual product update.)
Both apps are available for iOS and Android, work with both versions of the platform, and come free with your Squarespace subscription(opens in a new tab), which starts at $16 per month on an annual plan.
Squarespace versus WordPress for blogging
The "Squarespace versus WordPress" debate comes up a lot when you start comparing popular website builders: Both have blogging origins that date back to the early 2000s, and while WordPress is more widely used (likely thanks to its free tier), Squarespace is the trendier pick nowadays. There’s no clear-cut winner here, but answering the following questions can make your decision easier:
Do you want a free website? Pick WordPress.
Do you want a super basic website that you can set up within minutes? Pick WordPress.
Do you want an all-in-one package with lots of built-in features and tech support? Pick Squarespace.
Is your blog heavy on visuals? Pick Squarespace.
Are you planning on switching up your blog’s design from time to time? Pick Squarespace (specifically version 7.1).
Are you an expert programmer (or someone who’s willing to hire one) who wants to build a completely custom blog with powerful plugins(opens in a new tab) and premium themes? Pick WordPress.
Check out our deep dive into the pros and cons of each platform if you're still on the fence.
How do you choose a Squarespace template for blogging?
Squarespace's Templates tab(opens in a new tab) lets you sort its library by type, including Online Store, Portfolio, Memberships, Scheduling, One Page, and yes, Blog(opens in a new tab). (You can narrow down your options even further by sorting by topics like Food, Travel, and Fashion.) But just because a template isn't officially categorized as a Blog doesn't mean it won't work as a blog with a little customization; you can technically add a Blog Page(opens in a new tab) to any template with just a few clicks in the back end.
If you're having trouble choosing between templates, Squarespace recommends dialing in on the "specific colors and layouts that appeal to you" rather than focusing on the demo content. That being said, "you may find it easier to start with a design that's already close to how you want your site to appear," it adds. Here's an example:
You can see that the Mérida(opens in a new tab) template (on the left) has a magazine-style layout that lends itself well to blogging right off the shelf, whereas Maca(opens in a new tab) (on the right) will need its ecommerce elements shuffled around or removed to bring its blog page front and center. You can get a great-looking site out of both of them, to be sure, but one will require way more tinkering than the other for this specific purpose.
Keep scrolling to explore nine templates that can work really well for different types of blogs right out of the gate.
Note: Most of our recommendations are from Squarespace version 7.1, but we've sprinkled in a few options from version 7.0 that continue to stand out. Templates have been labeled accordingly.
