Curious about how to start a blog on Squarespace? Whether you're launching a personal journal or a brand-driven content hub, Squarespace offers a sleek, intuitive platform perfect for beginners. This step-by-step guide walks you through setting up and running your blog, with practical tips to help you grow and optimize it.
Getting Started with Squarespace
Before writing your first post, you’ll need a Squarespace account and a design that fits your blog’s purpose. This phase includes selecting a template and preparing the backend.
Choose a Template
- Explore blog-friendly templates: Try “Paloma,” “Skye,” or “Tudor” — among the best Squarespace templates for blogging.
- Preview before selecting: Each template offers unique layout styles for your blog index and posts.
- Mobile-first design: Ensure your blog looks great on all devices.
Create a Squarespace Account
- Go to squarespace.com.
- Click “Get Started” and answer the setup prompts.
- Choose a template and create your account or log in.
How to Set Up a Blog on Squarespace
This is where you create the blogging engine within your chosen Squarespace template.
- From your dashboard, click Pages.
- Select “+” to add a new page, then choose Blog.
- Give your blog a title like “Journal” or “News.”
- Your new blog page is now a collection that stores individual posts.
Publishing Blog Posts on Squarespace
Once your blog is set up, it’s time to start publishing. Here’s how:
- Go to your blog page and click “Add Post.”
- Use the built-in editor to add text, images, videos, or galleries.
- Click the gear icon to add categories and tags.
- Set a publish date or save as draft.
- Click “Publish” when ready.
Understanding Blog Settings in Squarespace
Squarespace provides various blogging tools and settings to manage your content efficiently.
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| URL Slug | Customize your blog post link for better SEO. |
| Excerpt | Add a short summary for blog feeds or social previews. |
| Categories & Tags | Help readers find related content more easily. |
| Enable Comments | Allow or disable reader interaction per post. |
Customizing Blog Layout in Squarespace
You can style your blog index and post pages using the Site Styles editor.
- Adjust fonts and colors: Match your branding under Design → Site Styles.
- Change post display: Choose between grid, list, or carousel layouts.
- Add a sidebar: Some templates support sidebars for categories or search.
Alternative Solution: Elfsight Blog Plugin
While learning how to set up a blog on Squarespace, you might discover that native tools meet most needs—but not all. For those seeking more customization or enhanced usability, the Elfsight Blog plugin offers a powerful alternative. It lets you embed a fully functional blog into your Squarespace website effortlessly, with added design flexibility and control.
Why choose the Elfsight blog widget?
- Quick and Easy Content Creation: Create posts effortlessly with an intuitive editor inspired by Notion. Customize the blog layout, post cards, and individual elements to fit your brand.
- Optimized for Global Reach: With localization for 70+ countries, the widget ensures all elements display correctly worldwide. Plus, each post is fully SEO-optimized for better rankings.
- Unlimited Posts and Customization: Publish as many posts as you want, with support for multiple authors and advanced styling options, including custom CSS.
- Stylish, Modern Design: Choose from adjustable layouts and pre-made templates to create a professional, visually appealing blog.
- Smarter Content with AI Assistance: The built-in AI generator helps craft engaging, structured posts based on your ideas and goals.
For those looking for a flexible, easy-to-manage blog, this plugin offers a seamless way to enhance your website’s content without dealing with complex configurations.
How to Optimize Blog SEO on Squarespace
Squarespace includes built-in tools to help your content rank in search engines.
Update SEO titles and descriptions
- Go to Marketing → SEO.
- Add a relevant SEO title and description for each blog page.
Use SEO-friendly URLs
Edit slugs to include keywords from your title. Keep them short and clear.
Enable AMP
Accelerated Mobile Pages speed up your blog on mobile devices, improving rankings.
Connect Google Search Console
Use Marketing → Google Tools to verify your Squarespace blog with Search Console.
Best Practices to Grow Your Audience
Knowing how to blog on Squarespace is just the beginning—turning your blog into a growing platform requires consistency, promotion, and engagement. Below are key strategies to help you connect with your audience and build long-term visibility.
#1 Post with purpose
Set a realistic publishing schedule and stick to it. Whether it’s once a week or twice a month, consistent content builds trust. Plan your posts around reader interests, seasonal trends, or SEO keywords.
#2 Leverage social sharing
Squarespace makes it easy to connect your blog to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more. Sharing new posts on social media expands your reach and brings in fresh traffic.
#3 Use email to retain visitors
With built-in Email Campaigns, you can automatically notify subscribers when a new post goes live. Offer lead magnets like checklists or eBooks to grow your email list.
#4 Encourage interaction
Enable comments to turn passive readers into active participants. Respond to questions and engage in the conversation to build community and trust.
#5 Track and improve
Squarespace Analytics gives you insights into which posts are most popular, what sources bring in traffic, and how visitors behave. Use this data to refine your content strategy.
#6 Optimize for mobile
More than half of blog traffic comes from mobile devices. Make sure your blog is responsive, loads quickly, and offers a seamless reading experience.
#7 Visuals matter
Incorporate custom graphics, embedded videos, and attention-grabbing cover images. Visually rich content performs better and increases time spent on your blog.
Bonus: Monetize Your Squarespace Blog
Once your blog grows, you can explore ways to earn from it:
- Affiliate marketing: Include affiliate links in relevant posts.
- Sell products: Add a store page to sell digital or physical items.
- Offer memberships: Lock premium content behind a paywall.
Useful Links
Blogging with Squarespace – Learn how to create and manage blog pages, write posts, and organize content using Squarespace's built-in blogging tools.
Categories and Tags – Understand how to use categories and tags to organize your blog posts and improve navigation for your readers.
Styling Blog Pages on Version 7.1 – Customize the appearance of your blog pages, including layout, fonts, and colors, to match your brand.
Adding SEO Descriptions – Learn how to add SEO titles and descriptions to your blog posts to enhance search engine visibility.
Why Doesn't My Site Appear in Google Searches? – Troubleshoot common issues that may prevent your Squarespace site from appearing in search engine results.
90+ Top Plugins to Achieve Your Goals with Squarespace!
Elfsight created dozens of useful plugins to make your website more attractive and boost its performance in so many ways. Try these no-code solutions for free on Squarespace!
Conclusion
Learning how to blog on Squarespace is straightforward thanks to its beginner-friendly tools and customizable features. Whether you're starting a hobby blog or building a full content strategy, this guide helps you launch, manage, and grow your blog effectively. With built-in SEO tools, flexible layouts, and easy publishing, Squarespace gives you everything you need to succeed—just start writing.
