WordPress is a robust platform for developing a highly professional website where Squarespace is an online site builder for basic sites. Is one better than the other for your business?
DIY Website with SquareSpace
Your business decided to go the “do-it-yourself” route and made a simple website on Squarespace. Squarespace is no different than Wix and Weebly in that they offer a DIY all-in-one solution.
Your Rent Does Not Support a Local Business
Your SquareSpace website rental fee goes to a company based in New York City. Your website rent does not support a local web design business in your community.
Basic Shared Designs & Functions
With Squarespace, you are using their design templates which are very limited, meaning your website will look like hundreds of other businesses out there. When it comes to bells and whistles, SquareSpace offers fewer functionality options and choices. Your website is going to be pretty basic, and it’s going to stay that way.
Renting a Website
Do you even own your website when it’s all said and done? No, you don’t. If you’re not happy with your website or web developer, you should be able to take all of your hard work and move it somewhere else. This is not the case with Squarespace. Because, you’re just renting your website.
The Termination Without Warning Clause
Did you know Squarespace can terminate your service without warning? It’s in your service agreement. They can delete all of your files. They may email you about deleting your entire website, but they don’t guarantee or promise that they will contact you.
Custom Website with WordPress
WordPress offers endless possibilities for growing your online business or your digital storefront. WordPress websites are visually pleasing, fully functional, and responsive for all devices (phones, tablets, laptops, TVs).
Support Your Local Business
When you hire a local web design company, your website is developed by a professional, and the design and content is yours. You own everything in regard to design and content. And you’re supporting a local business in your community who may need your services or products.
Custom Design and Unique Content
Your WordPress website will be highly customized for your brand and for your visitor’s needs. You have access to each and every single file to customize, edit, or export. With an ever-growing plug-in library, options for functionality and add-ons are endless.
Easiest CMS to Edit
WordPress definitely beats Squarespace with easy to manage tools for editing, expanding, promoting and exporting your site.
What About SEO?
Yes, what about search engine optimization? You need to be able to optimize your website so it will be found in the search engines. How do these two compare? Like night and day.
SquareSpace Misses the Mark
Of all the different DIY website builders available, SquareSpace is the least SEO-friendly on the market. With Squarespace, you cannot edit title tags and meta descriptions for product pages and blog posts. You get stuck with the same duplicate content on those pages and posts. And, you do not have the option to customize your image’s alt tags. This is very bad.
WordPress Outperforms Them All in SEO
WordPress websites offers great tools and plug-ins to help you optimize your website. From friendly page naming to header tag and meta data customization, WordPress plugins will help you optimize your content as you add and save. This is very good.
Before You Get Started…
Before you create a DIY Squarespace website – or if a web developer offers SquareSpace as website option – take a moment to ask yourself:
“Should we rent a basic website that underperforms or should we own a dynamic optimized website that delivers?”
Since a website is an asset for your business, I think the answer is pretty clear. Don’t you?
Full disclaimer: I design and develop websites using self-hosted WordPress software. As a designer, I have a choice. I choose WordPress for my clients.
