If you're passionate about web design and want to become a Squarespace Designer, this blog post is for you! 

In a world which is becoming increasingly digitised, it is all the more crucial for businesses and individuals to have a strong online presence. One of, if not, the most popular platform for building professional websites is Squarespace. Globally renowned for its user-friendly interface and sleek, contemporary design templates, it revolutionised the world of website design. A big player dominating a field of high and unrelenting digital demand, we think -  in our very unbiased opinions - that becoming a Squarespace Designer is a wise career choice.

Wherever you are on your journey to becoming a professional Squarespace Designer, whether you have been creating websites as a side hustle for a while or you are completely new to the platform but passionate about pursuing this path, we have put together some essential steps to help you kickstart your career as a Squarespace Designer!

Familiarise Yourself with Squarespace

As with any other craft, as a Squarespace Designer you are becoming an expert and point of authority on your tool. As a mechanic knows a car in all of its parts or a seamster/seamstress understands and wields a fabric, so too must you know Squarespace in all its features. 

Spend time familiarising yourself with the platform. Read up about its various capabilities and understand its design philosophy. Beyond learning the theory, put it into practice. Experiment and play around with the platform's tools: adapt templates, customise layouts, add image galleries, explore e-commerce capabilities and get creative with blogging tools. If you are new to the platform, take advantage of the free trial offered. 

Additionally, explore the Squarespace Help Center. There you will find plenty of comprehensive guides complete with helpful video tutorials. We are also pretty sure you could disappear down many YouTube holes of video tutorials that share insights, tips and hacks about the Squarespace platform.

Hone Your Design Skills

Squarespace was designed with the complete novice in mind. A bit like For Dummies, Squarespace took something that is hard to do and created an easy to use platform whereby even the absolute beginner could produce the goods and end up with a working, visually appealing website. This has been at the heart of Squarespace over the past 20 year with its relentless pursuit to keep design at the forefront of its platform.

However, as discussed in a previous blog, 5 Benefits for Hiring A Squarespace Web Designer, unless you have the ability to use custom code, your Squarespace website runs the risk of getting lost in a ginormous crowd of 3.2 million - and growing - other Squarespace websites that all look the same. That is where Squarespace Designers come in.

Design - it is in the job title. Businesses and individuals seek the help of designers like ourselves, to create websites that exude the X Factor and have that extra something something. It is imperative then for a Squarespace Designer to have a good eye for design.

Within all forms of design, there exist fundamental principles that have proven successful over time. Always reliable, they transcend fads, gimmicks and trends. Like Maria advises the children on where to begin with singing, whilst bursting into song in the heart of the Austrian mountains, we recommend you ‘start at the very beginning, a very good place to start’. Return to and study the basic principles of web design. Learn about:

• User Experience (UX) Design Principles - this focuses on creating intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable interactions for users. This involves understanding user needs, employing usability, simplicity, and consistency, and prioritizing accessibility. Clear navigation, feedback, and visual hierarchy enhance the overall experience, ensuring a user-centric and effective design.

• User Interface (UI) - is the vital connection for how we experience using a website, encompassing screens, buttons, and icons, ensuring seamless and enjoyable interactions. Clean, clear and accessible design is paramount to a great website design.

• Colour Theory - in website design this is the study of how colors interact and evoke emotions. It involves selecting harmonious palettes that convey the brand's message and create visual interest. Contrast and balance ensure readability, while accessibility considerations guarantee inclusivity for all users, making for a compelling and effective design.

• Typography - The typeface within a website design refers to the art of selecting, arranging, and styling text. It impacts readability, mood, and overall user experience. Choosing appropriate fonts (whether that’s serif and/or san serif), sizes, and spacing ensures clear communication. Consistency and hierarchy guide users through content, enhancing visual appeal and conveying brand identity effectively

• Layout Composition - With Fluid Engine, there is the ability to work within a column grid system. Grid systems and white space are utilized to maintain structure and enhance readability, guiding user engagement. The consideration of balance, alignment, proximity, and contrast for a harmonious arrangement. Understanding visual hierarchies, negative space, rule of thirds, rule of odds, balance, symmetry are all key.

If you can get to grips with these fundamental concepts, you are laying solid foundations for aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly websites.

As with any industry, it is good practice to keep abreast of current trends. We recommend exploring and analysing the wide range of Squarespace designs available. These are built by their award-winning, in-house design team; pioneers at the forefront of website design. Pay attention to the types of fonts, colours, images and layouts being used. You can see what is ‘hot’ right now and gain inspiration for your own projects.

Websites have a habit of going out of fashion, with styles changing over the years. You can take a timeless, more classic approach to designing a website which will stand up to time. The alternative is to create something very modern and cutting edge, but know that it’ll likely need tweaking over time.

Again, once you know the theory, have a go at putting it into practice. Customise designs, modify layouts, change colour schemes and experiment with typography. Elevate designs with that personalised touch. The more hands-on experience you get, the more your confidence will grow. Your eye for design will sharpen and you will begin to notice that you make design choices quicker and more instinctively

Build Your Portfolio

As with any creative field, in order to establish yourself as a Squarespace Designer, you need to be in possession of a professional portfolio. What is a portfolio? It is a curated collection of your best work. In your case websites. But where to begin?

Why not start by building your own website? Use Squarespace to build your own professional digital home. Your website alone can serve as a live example of your design capabilities and demonstrate your proficiency with the platform.

After establishing your own digital presence, it is then about booking your first client. Our Founder, Dave Hawkins, did his first 8 projects completely free in order to build a portfolio that truly demonstrated what he could do. He specifically sought out friends and businesses that would never be able to afford to pay for a website; his first clients included a charity, an author and a local church. As a result, he came away with a portfolio of work that not only showcased both his design and technical skills but moreover, led to his first paying client.

Once you have a few projects under your belt, you can then get selective and curate a portfolio showcasing your best work! You can steer your portfolio in such a way to align with your business dreams and goals. Whatever projects you choose, make sure to highlight the unique features you incorporated, the challenges you overcame and the positive impact your designs have had on your clients.

It is important to consistently update and refine your portfolio. Life is a continual lesson; you will always be improving as you gain more experience and complete new projects. Learning the creative skills is not a linear process, its more of a spiral process. This is the premise that you learn more about the subject each time the topic is reviewed to continue to expand the knowledge, that in term improves the skill level.

Also, technology and trends are always subject to change. It is in your best interest to keep your portfolio relevant, current and reflective of your growth as a Squarespace designer.

Networking and Marketing Yourself

When starting out as a Squarespace Designer, you are required to wear many hats. Beyond pure web design, you need to dedicate time to other areas of your business. A particularly important area is networking and marketing, as it will boost your visibility and attract clients. If you have the funds to hire a marketing professional upfront that is brilliant. However, if you don’t, we have some ideas to get you started.

One for the introverts! A great way to network is by joining online design communities and social forums. You can participate in discussions, ask questions and share knowledge. Squarespace has its very own designer forum called Squarespace Circle. It is a great place to easily access valuable networking opportunities and keep up to date with the latest industry trends. To become a Circle member, all you need to do is have three paid for subscriptions on your account.

Now for the extroverts! Look out and attend design events, workshops or conferences. These events are brimming with industry professionals and are great occasions to meet like-minded individuals. They can serve as learning opportunities but also offer a chance to connect with potential clients or collaborators.

In our line of work, more often than not there are a few stakeholders involved in getting a project off the ground. We build the website but we work alongside professional photographers who capture the eye-catching shots, copywriters who author the compelling copy and SEO experts who let Google know we have arrived! We cannot emphasise enough how valuable it is to build relationships with complementary professionals. By collaborating on projects it allows you to expand your service offerings. Moreover, by establishing trusted network of connections, you enter a mutually beneficial relationship of referring one and another and reaching new clients.

The obvious one - use social media! It is free and one of the most powerful marketing tools around. Engage with your target audience and share your work on the relevant social media platforms. It is important to be consistent and maintain active social profiles. 

Prospective clients will carry out their due diligence and if you haven’t posted in 3 years they may question whether your business is still active. Cast your net far and wide and sign up to various platforms. Some platforms are vetted therefore being featured on them gives your business credibility. 

In addition, you can create profiles and actively apply for work on freelance platforms and job boards; The Dots, UpWorks and 99 Designs as examples are specifically dedicated to freelancers. Dribble and Behance as examples are helping you showcase a portfolio of work.

By creating all of these profiles and making your presence known all over the internet, you are building up a wealth of backlinks. Backlinks are links from one website to a page on another via anchor text. Google and other prominent search engines view backlinks as ‘votes of confidence’ from the referring website on the relevance, quality and authority of the web page they link to. The more relevant backlinks you have leading to your website, the higher your search engine rankings will climb. Top tip! We suggest creating a spreadsheet of all your online profiles. This way you can easily and regularly keep on top of your profiles, updating them with your latest relevant design projects. 

Reviews, reviews, reviews! Don’t be shy in requesting feedback from satisfied clients. Feature them prominently, centre stage on your website, as well as social media profiles. Positive testimonials act as powerful social proof. They give your work credibility, instilling trust and confidence in potential clients. 

Rather than twiddle your thumbs in between projects, get creative and offer value through content marketing. Share your expertise and insights through blog posts, video tutorials or downloadable resources. It is a great way of establishing yourself as an authority within your field, attracting organic traffic to your website and informing potential clients on the breadth of your services.

Building a strong professional network and gaining visibility takes time and it can be hard. But don’t get disheartened!  As successful actor Tom Hiddleston said “You never know what's around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you've climbed a mountain.” With persistence, dedication and consistency, you can expand your reach and establish yourself as a sought-after Squarespace Designer.

Being a Squarespace Designer is a fantastic career path for those who not only demonstrate a great technical aptitude, but also exhibit creative flair and a keen eye for design. 

Wherever you are on your journey to becoming a Squarespace Designer, we hope this blog has given you some helpful, practical pointers to help you take that next step. Do let us know if there are any particular subjects you would like us to cover or elaborate on in future blogs. 

At Made By Dave, we welcome ideas and suggestions. If you would like to chat with any of the team or would like some advice, don’t hesitate to get in touch - we’d love to help out. Until next time, we wish you all the best with your Squarespace Designer journey! Perhaps see you at the next Circle event? Introverts included!