Squarespace Success Blueprint: Attract, Engage and Convert

WELCOME To Your Squarespace Success Journey!

I’m thrilled to welcome you to this Squarespace course! This course goes beyond building a website - it shows you how to create a powerful tool that attracts traffic, converts visitors, and will help fuel your business growth.

We'll start with unlocking the secret weapon of all high-performing websites: pre-planning. By laying a solid foundation, we'll ensure your Squarespace site is built for success from the start.

Meet Your Squarespace Guide: Lesia Payne

I'm Lesia Payne, a seasoned web pro with over 25 years of experience. I've helped countless businesses just like yours achieve their online goals. Together, we'll unlock the secrets to creating a Squarespace website that attracts your ideal customers and drives growth.

Let’s get started!

Resources:

• Download your personalized workbook: This comprehensive resource includes actionable exercises and valuable tips to reinforce your learning. (attach pdf).

• Access the course guide: Refer to the guide for a complete list of links mentioned throughout the lessons.

*Please use these resources as you progress through the course to maximize your learning and understanding.

Ready to plant the foundation of your Squarespace website?

This lesson is all about building a website that will actively work with your business vision. I'll show you how to define clear business goals and identify your ideal target audience - the foundation for creating a website that attracts the right people to the products and services that can best help them.

You're about to discover...

• Why defining business goals is crucial for website success

• How to identify your top business goals and examples of how to measure their success

• Strategies for pinpointing your ideal target audience

• Techniques for listing out your target audience's problems

• Squarespace features/tools that can be used to help you achieve your business goals

Key takeaway:

• You'll develop a foundational roadmap for your Squarespace website by establishing measurable business goals and understanding exactly who you're trying to reach and how you can best help them.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 2 in Your Workbook: Define your ideal customer, their pain points, and your top three website business goals. This exercise will guide your website planning and content creation.

Use the power of keywords to attract your ideal customers!

This lesson will introduce you to the world of keywords - the language people use to search online. You'll learn how to identify the perfect keywords to reach your target audience, boost your website traffic, and ensure your content is filled with the information your target audience wants to know.

You're about to discover...

• Why keyword research is crucial for attracting your target audience

• The importance of using the "right" keywords to capture website traffic

• How to find your keywords using a free tool

• How to find the top keywords your top competitors are using

Key takeaway:

• You’ll learn the basics of keyword research using a free tool (Google Keyword Planner) to identify high volume keywords to use on your website, social media and other content

A Quick Note About Google Keyword Planner:

• Not everyone will see the option to switch to expert mode. If that happens to you, you may need to start the ad creation process. Don't worry, you won't be charged unless you actively run the ad campaign. To avoid incurring costs, simply pause the campaign immediately after you create it.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 3 in your workbook: Use the provided AI prompt to brainstorm initial keyword ideas, then use Google Keyword Planner to sort by search volume. Create a list of top-performing keywords and write those in your workbook.

NOTE: please watch this lesson even if you already have a domain name.

Confused about domain names?

This quick lesson clears up common misconceptions and helps you choose a domain name that will resonate with your target audience.

You're about to discover...

• Tips about domain names and search engine ranking

• How to choose a domain name that uses your keywords and reflects your brand

Key takeaway:

• Learn tips for selecting a user-friendly and memorable domain name that aligns with your brand and speaks to your target audience.

Resources:

• Complete Lesson 4 in your workbook: Use one or more of the provided domain name generator tools to create your domain name, then use the link provided to purchase and set up your domain in Squarespace.

Ready to plan out a website navigation structure designed for success?

It’s now time to begin planning a navigation structure that will guide your website visitors. Learn how to plan your top navigation, create clear call-to-action buttons, and establish your footer navigation for an exceptional visitor experience.

You're about to discover...

• The importance of user-friendly website navigation and content structure

• How to plan your navigation and pages to meet your goals

• How to name your pages for clarity and clicks

• Best practices for creating call-to-action buttons that get clicks

• Tips for your footer navigation

Key takeaway:

• You'll develop a navigation plan to easily guide your website visitors through your website

Resources:

Complete Lesson 5 in your workbook: Using Figjam and the tips you learned, plan out your top level folder pages and the pages to go under each folder (in the order they will go in).

Let’s explore your dashboard and home menu!

Let’s go through the setup process, including choosing a template, and then go on a tour of your Squarespace dashboard so you’re familiar with all of the many options available.

You're about to discover...

• How to create a new Squarespace account and answer setup questions to find the perfect template for your website

• How to choose your website colors, add your website name and more

• A guided tour of the Squarespace dashboard and options

Key takeaway:

• You'll learn the essential steps for setting up your Squarespace website, from account creation to understanding key areas of the dashboard.

Your mission: create a website that captivates your audience and reflects your brand identity!

This lesson will explore Squarespace “Styles”, so that you can transform your website into an attractive and professional brand statement. I’ll be giving you pro tips on typography, color theory, and button design so that you can create a user-friendly and impactful website presence.

You're about to discover...

• The power of brand consistency

• An introduction to Squarespace Styles

• Professional design tips for choosing fonts and font sizes

Key takeaway:

• You'll gain the skills to customize fonts within Squarespace Styles, creating a cohesive brand identity and resulting in a website that strengthens your brand and resonates with your target audience.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 7 in your workbook: Watch Parts 1 & 2 for lesson 7, then document your chosen brand fonts, colors, and style preferences for H1, H2, and other headings.

Your mission: use colours that best reflect your brand

This lesson is the second part of our styles exploration, where you’ll learn expert tips on color theory and button design.

You're about to discover...

• How to easily choose color palettes

• How to select colors for emotion and impact

• How to check for color accessibility

• Designing visually appealing call to action buttons

Key takeaway:

• You'll gain the skills to customize colors and buttons within Squarespace Styles, resulting in a website that strengthens your brand and resonates with your target audience.

Craft captivating web pages that stand out on any device!

This lesson unlocks the power of Squarespace Fluid Engine, the revolutionary editing interface that greatly simplifies website creation. You will learn how to design attractive and responsive pages in record time.

You're about to discover...

• How to design for mobile first and create pages that look stunning on mobile devices

• The magic of the mobile responsive grid

• How to use Fluid Engine features like a pro

• Keyboard shortcuts that save you time

Key takeaway:

• You'll master the mobile-first approach using Squarespace Fluid Engine, ensuring your website delivers a flawless experience across all devices (phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops).

Elevate your website's performance and search engine visibility with expertly optimized images.

This lesson will guide you through essential image optimization techniques to enhance your Squarespace website's speed, user experience, and search engine ranking. Learn how to reduce image file sizes without sacrificing quality and the importance of adding alt text and descriptive file names to images.

You're about to discover...

• Understanding how website speed factors into search engine ranking

• Tools for measuring website speed

• Effective image compression techniques without sacrificing quality

• Finding and using Squarespace Stock Photography

• The importance of descriptive file names and alt text for SEO

Key takeaway:

• By mastering image optimization, you'll significantly improve your website's loading speed, enhance user experience, and boost your search engine rankings.

Resources: See lesson 10 in your workbook for additional tips!

Learn how to quickly copy and paste blocks between sections on the same page without having to save out your entire section!

This lesson dives into the world of copywriting: the art of crafting compelling website content that attracts and engages visitors and drives results.

You'll learn how to write for both search engines and users, optimizing your website for both SEO and usability.

You're about to discover...

• Core principles of writing clear and concise website copy that’s easily scanned by viewers

• Proven formatting techniques

• How to ensure your copy is search engine friendly

• Tips on using AI to generate content

Key takeaway:

• You'll gain the essential skills for writing website content that is informative, engaging, and optimized for website visitors and search engines

Resources:

See lesson 11 in your workbook for AI prompts to kickstart your website content creation!

Master the art of crafting a powerful first impression with a homepage that converts.

You're about to discover...

• The significance of your homepage in attracting and engaging website visitors

• Understanding the "8-second rule" and its impact on first impressions

• Tips to creating a visually appealing homepage

• How to create call to action buttons that actually get clicked

• Tips for optimizing your homepage for conversions

• Pitfalls to avoid

Key takeaway:

• By the end of this lesson, you'll have the skills to design a homepage that not only looks great but also drives results for your business.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 12 in your workbook: Use the AI prompt provided to create compelling content for your home page that speaks direct to your target audience

In this lesson, you'll learn how to translate your website's information architecture into effective page layouts. Discover essential page editing techniques, time-saving shortcuts, and best practices for creating engaging content.

You're about to discover...

• How to structure your website's pages for optimal user experience

• Essential page editing tools and features within Squarespace

• Tips for creating clear and compelling page layouts

• The importance of consistent design elements across your website

• Time-saving techniques for efficient page creation

Key takeaway:

• By the end of this lesson, you'll have the skills to build a strong foundation for your website's internal pages, ensuring a seamless user experience and consistent branding.

Master the art of creating visually appealing and informative content blocks.

This lesson explores essential Squarespace blocks to help you build dynamic and engaging pages. Learn how to effectively use image blocks, text blocks, and other key elements to create a visually appealing user experience.

You're about to discover...

• How to use image blocks to enhance visual appeal

• The power of text blocks in conveying your message effectively

• Tips for combining images and text for maximum impact

• Techniques for creating strong calls to action

Key takeaway:

• By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to create engaging content blocks that captivate your audience and drive conversions.

Discover the power of Squarespace Collections to effortlessly organize and showcase your content.

This comprehensive topic is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Understanding Collections and Creating Engaging Content

Part 2: Learn about summary blocks and how to use them to create events and portfolios

Part 1: You're about to discover...

• Explore how to create and manage various types of content using Squarespace Collections

• Discover how to categorize your blog posts and use the blogs section for creating other types of user friendly content

• Use different layouts, styles, and images to showcase your content effectively

Key takeaway:

By the end of this part, you'll have a well-structured content foundation ready to be showcased on your website.

By completing both parts 1 & 2 of this topic, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of Collections and Summary Blocks, enabling you to effectively organize and showcase your content on your Squarespace website.

Transform your organized content into captivating displays using Squarespace Summary Blocks.

This lesson will teach you how to use Summary Blocks to create visually appealing and informative events and portfolios. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to create dynamic and interactive content experiences for your website visitors.

You're about to discover...

• Learn how to use Summary Blocks to create visually appealing and interactive displays of your content

• Use categories and tags to organize and display your content effectively

• Learn how to effectively use the design tab and design intuitive displays that easily guide visitors through your content

Key takeaway:

Master the art of using Summary Blocks to create engaging and interactive content for your events or portfolio.

Resources: Complete Lesson 16 workbook exercises for additional definitions, tips, examples, and best practices on using Summary Blocks effectively.

Master the art of selling online with Squarespace E-Commerce!

NOTE: Even if you're not selling physical products, please watch this lesson. Many of the principles and techniques discussed, such as creating compelling product descriptions, and optimizing checkout processes, can be applied to selling digital products like courses, ebooks, or online services.

This lesson equips you with the knowledge and tools to create an online store using Squarespace. Learn everything from setting up your store and creating compelling landing pages to optimizing product details and checkouts for a seamless customer experience.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to setup ecommerce for:

• Physical products (including setting up variants, product images, shipping, taxes)

You're about to discover...

• Essential steps for setting up your Squarespace Commerce store

• How to highlight key product features and variants

• Creating product descriptions that engage potential buyers

• Tips for creating high-converting product landing pages

• Choosing product layouts and designs

Key takeaway:

• You'll gain the essential skills to manage your Squarespace store effectively, including product management, page creation, and product optimization.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 17 workbook exercises for AI-driven product descriptions and to explore recommended image tools.

Ensure a smooth checkout experience for your customers by setting up efficient shipping options. This lesson covers everything from creating shipping zones to calculating rates. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a fully functional shipping system in place, ensuring a smooth shipping experience for your customers.

You're about to discover...

• How to set up flat rate and weight-based shipping options

Notes:

• Please skip this lesson if you’re not shipping physical products

• If you're using a print-on-demand service, be sure to consult their guidelines for integrating shipping with Squarespace.

Resources:

Review lesson 18 in your workbook for Squarespace shipping apps and tools that will help!

Discover how to sell your digital products or services through your Squarespace store. Learn to set up product listings, manage digital downloads, and optimize the customer checkout experience. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a seamless online store ready to generate revenue.

You're about to discover...

• Master the art of creating compelling product descriptions for digital goods

• Set up secure and efficient digital delivery methods

• Optimize your checkout settings for a smooth customer experience

By following these steps, you'll be equipped to successfully sell your digital products or services.

Resources:

Review lesson 19 in your workbook for ideas of digital products you’ll be able to sell with Squarespace!

Discover the power of email marketing and learn how to effortlessly capture leads.

This lesson will equip you with the essential tools and knowledge to build a thriving email list. You'll learn how to create high-converting opt-in areas and pages in Squarespace, empowering you to effectively capture leads.

You're about to discover...

• The importance of opt-in pages and lead magnets for lead generation

• How to create emails, attach your free offers and automate the entire process

• Tips for designing high-converting opt-in forms that encourage sign-ups.

• Leveraging Squarespace's built-in CRM for efficient lead management

Key takeaway:

• By the end of this lesson, you'll have a solid foundation for building your first email marketing campaign and the essentials needed for growing your subscriber base.

Resources: Review Lesson 20 Workbook Activities: Learn how to convert Word documents into PDFs or download PDFs from Canva, brainstorm effective calls to action for your lead magnets and more!

Transform website visitors into subscribers with strategic opt-in placement and design.

This lesson will teach you how to create irresistible opt-in experiences on your Squarespace website. Discover effective placement strategies, design captivating announcement bars, and build high-converting landing pages.

You're about to discover...

• How to strategically place opt-in sections throughout your website

• The art of creating compelling announcement bars

• Designing high-converting landing pages for lead capture

Key takeaway:

• By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to create a seamless lead capture experience that grows your email list and drives business growth.

Resources:

Complete Lesson 21 workbook exercises for practical guidance on opt-in placement, announcement bar uses, and landing page compliance.