It’s a digital world and we’re all living in it. In 2022 having an online presence is the difference between sailing and sinking your startup. An online presence helps you take up space and stand out from the crowd – with it, you can become a source of information and inspiration.
Not only do businesses need to have a website, though, it also needs to be carefully crafted, curated with design in mind, to reflect your business as well as seamlessly guide users through the full spectrum of the customer journey.
Websites have infinite importance and it goes well beyond advertising. A website can become, and in the digital era, it needs to become, the centre of your company’s identity and relationship with customers and clients. Websites build credibility, they help you become noticed, showcase your brand, increase leads and generate traffic and interest. They also save you and your customer valuable time if well designed, give real-time updates and announcements, and give you the chance to leverage the power of digital marketing.
Building a website can at first seem a daunting task. From fears of having to code and design anxiety, to budgetary concerns and the need to understand your SEO from your APM, it can be a bit overwhelming. But fear not! There are a number of no-code website building tools out there that provide you with all the tools you need to make a beautiful website effortlessly.
While it may seem paradoxical to use a website builder for a creative task, there’s a generation of website building tools that are created with designers and creatives in mind, using a blend of templates, AI and prebuilt layouts to create bespoke curated pages. Choosing the right tool will of course depend on your needs – it all depends on how much creative licence you want, or don’t want, to have and which functionalities are most important to you.
Squarespace is an example of a website builder that can operate across industries and marketplaces with a whole range of functionalities, tools, and creative capabilities available.
Photographer Adrienne Raquel said that with Squarespace, “you can get a professional-looking website without the hassle of creating it.”
Squarespace really stands out for SME businesses who want to have an aesthetic design, room for professional blog posts, ecommerce growth and so on. Its integrated ecosystem of companion products includes email marketing and social media tools, membership systems and appointment scheduling, among others. Everything works seamlessly together to curate the website that will launch your business to the next level. Squarespace comes with a simple interface that’s accessible for even the most novice of website builders. With a vast template catalogue, there’s no need to start from scratch when building a website – removing one of the most common barriers to website development.
Restauranteur, Danny Bowien used Squarespace for his company. He commented: “I want people to visit our website and experience something different because that’s what we do at our restaurant. I wanted it to be democratic and usable. It’s very approachable but it’s also fun.”
The company is headquartered in New York and has a European footing with offices in Dublin. It’s built as a conventional website builder, allowing users to construct websites within the confines of its templates and editor – keeping the process simple and stress-free – with a focus on minimalism.
Founded in 2003, the Squarespace mission is to “help creative ideas succeed”. The platform empowers users to build a brand, share their stories and transact with customers in an impactful online presence. The team of over 1000 employees has been part of the creation of millions of websites thus far.
The company has identified a simple 6-step process to building a website:
- Choose template
- Use the web builder to customize pages, menus and navigation
- Change fonts, images and markings with the built-in style adjustment kit
- Access a preview of your responsive web design on mobile devices
- Create a logo with the free logo maker
- Add a custom domain
Having an online presence is a make or break for businesses in 2022, so it’s worth checking out how Squarespace can help take your online presence to the next level this year. They also offer the chance to access a free trial. Check it out!
