How to Choose a Squarespace Web Designer for Your Business
Hiring a web designer can feel surprisingly difficult.
A quick Google search brings up freelancers, agencies, Squarespace Experts and low-cost marketplace listings—all promising a professional website. Their portfolios may look impressive, but that does not tell you whether they understand your business, communicate clearly or can build a website that supports your goals.
The right Squarespace web designer should do more than make your site attractive. They should understand your audience, organise your content, create a clear path toward your main call to action and build a website that works properly across different screen sizes.
After working on more than 100 Squarespace websites for businesses across 12+ countries, I have seen what makes a website project run smoothly—and what usually creates problems later.
This guide will help you compare designers confidently, ask better questions and choose someone who can create a website that becomes a useful business asset.
How Do You Choose the Right Squarespace Web Designer?
The short answer is to evaluate five areas:
Relevant portfolio work
Understanding of your business goals
Squarespace-specific technical knowledge
A clearly explained design process
Reliable communication and post-launch support
Do not choose someone based on visual style or price alone. A designer may create beautiful pages but still overlook mobile usability, SEO, conversion paths, integrations or the practical needs of the person who will manage the website after launch.
Your goal is not simply to find a talented designer. It is to find the right designer for your particular business, audience and project.
Start With Your Website Goals
Before comparing designers, get clear about what the website needs to accomplish. Without a defined goal, it is easy to choose someone based only on visual style.
Ask yourself:
Who is the website for?
What should visitors understand within the first few seconds?
What is the main action you want them to take?
Which pages or features are essential?
What is not working on your current website?
For example, a consultant may need a service-led website that generates discovery calls. A restaurant may prioritize menus, reservations, and location details. An online store needs clear product navigation, reliable checkout settings, and a simple path to purchase.
When your goals are clear, you can look for a designer whose experience matches the result you need—not simply the design style you like.
If you are still deciding whether professional help is worthwhile, read Should I Hire a Web Designer to Build My Website or DIY?.
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1. Review the Designer’s Portfolio Carefully
A portfolio is the best place to begin, but do not judge it only by screenshots. Open a few live websites and use them as a potential customer would.
Look at whether the websites are easy to understand, visually consistent, and simple to navigate. Check them on your phone as well as your computer. Important buttons should be easy to find, text should be readable, and the mobile layout should feel intentionally designed.
Also notice whether every project looks nearly identical. A recognizable design style is fine, but a skilled designer should adapt the structure and visual direction to each client’s audience and goals. A law firm, wellness coach, nonprofit, and e-commerce brand should not all receive the same layout with different colors.
Relevant industry experience can help, but it is not always essential. A strong designer who understands customer journeys and asks thoughtful questions can often work successfully across industries.
You can review examples of custom Squarespace projects in the WebGoyat portfolio.
2. Check Their Squarespace Experience
Knowing general web design is useful, but Squarespace has its own tools, settings, strengths, and limitations. Someone who works with the platform regularly can usually build more efficiently and avoid unnecessary workarounds.
A capable Squarespace web designer should be comfortable with:
Squarespace 7.1 and Fluid Engine
Mobile and tablet optimization
Custom CSS and, when appropriate, JavaScript
Forms, scheduling, commerce, and third-party integrations
Domains, redirects, analytics, and foundational SEO settings
Platform knowledge is especially important when your project involves a redesign or migration. Changing page URLs without setting up redirects, removing indexed content carelessly, or overlooking domain records can affect traffic and create launch problems.
Credentials such as Squarespace Circle membership can provide extra context, but they should not replace a portfolio, testimonials, and a clear process. Treat a badge as one signal—not proof that a designer is the right fit for your project.
For a closer look at platform-specific qualifications, see Hire a Squarespace Expert: What to Look For.
3. Look for Strategy, Not Just Attractive Design
A professional website should support a business goal. During an introductory call, pay attention to the questions the designer asks.
Do they ask about your ideal customer, services, competitors, current challenges, and main call to action? Or do they move immediately to colors, fonts, and inspiration websites?
Visual design matters, but it comes after strategy. The designer should think about:
What information visitors need first
How pages should be organized
Where calls to action should appear
What could prevent a visitor from converting
How the site can grow with the business
A strategic designer should also be willing to explain their recommendations. You are hiring their judgment, not only their ability to follow instructions. If a proposed layout creates confusion or adds friction, they should be comfortable suggesting a better option and explaining why.
That conversion-focused thinking can make a meaningful difference even without increasing traffic. These seven ways to improve website conversion rates show what thoughtful structure and user experience can change.
4. Evaluate the Process and Project Scope
A strong portfolio does not guarantee an organized project. Before you hire a Squarespace web designer, ask them to explain what happens from the first payment through launch.
A typical project may include discovery, content collection, design, development, feedback, mobile optimization, SEO setup, testing, and launch. The exact process can vary, but it should be clear.
Your proposal or contract should define:
The pages, features, and integrations included
The project timeline and payment schedule
Who provides the copy, images, and brand assets
How many revision rounds are included
What happens if the scope or timeline changes
This protects both sides. It also prevents a common problem: assuming something is included because it feels like a normal part of a website build.
Ask how feedback will be collected as well. One organized list of comments is much easier to manage than scattered feedback across email, text messages, and calls. If several people are involved, choose one person to gather and approve the final feedback.
5. Confirm Mobile Design, SEO, and Performance
Squarespace provides a responsive foundation, but that does not mean every page will automatically look polished on every screen. Designers still need to review spacing, font sizes, image crops, content order, buttons, menus, and custom code on smaller devices.
Ask whether mobile optimization is included in the project and request examples of live sites you can test.
You should also understand what the designer means by “SEO included.” Foundational website SEO often covers page titles, meta descriptions, heading structure, clean URLs, image alt text, internal links, redirects, and search engine connection. Keyword research, content writing, backlink building, and ongoing SEO campaigns are usually separate services.
Be cautious if someone guarantees a number-one Google ranking. No web designer controls Google’s results. A designer can build a technically sound, well-structured foundation, but rankings also depend on competition, content quality, authority, search intent, and time.
Performance matters too. Large images, excessive animations, and poorly added third-party scripts can slow a website down. Ask how images and custom features will be optimized without weakening the design.
6. Plan for Launch and Life After Launch
A website project is not complete when the final page is approved. The launch and handoff should be part of the plan from the beginning.
Confirm who will connect the domain, test the forms, check links, set up redirects, and transfer ownership. You should own the website, domain, written content, and accounts created for your business unless your contract clearly states otherwise.
Ask what happens after launch. Some designers provide a short support period, recorded tutorials, a live training call, or an optional maintenance plan. At minimum, you should understand how to update common content such as text, images, blog posts, products, and team details.
Squarespace is a strong option for many small businesses partly because owners can manage routine updates without relying on a developer. The site should therefore be organized in a way that remains practical after the designer leaves.
If you are still comparing platforms, Squarespace vs. WordPress for Service Businesses explains the trade-offs in everyday business terms.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Squarespace Web Designer
You do not need to conduct a long interview. These questions will reveal most of what you need to know:
Can you show me two or three relevant Squarespace websites you designed?
What is included in the fee, and what would cost extra?
How do you handle mobile design, foundational SEO, and testing?
What do you need from me, and how will we manage feedback?
What happens at launch, and what support or training is included afterward?
Good answers should be specific. If every response is vague, ask for the details in writing before paying a deposit.
Red Flags to Watch For
Most project problems leave clues before the contract is signed. Slow replies are not always a concern—good designers can be busy—but unclear or evasive communication is different.
Be cautious if a designer:
Cannot show live Squarespace client work
Offers no written scope, timeline, or revision policy
Ignores mobile design, SEO, accessibility, or launch planning
Is unclear about website ownership and account access
Guarantees a specific Google position or instant business results
Another red flag is a quote that seems unusually low without explaining what is excluded. It may cover only template setup while leaving you responsible for strategy, copy, mobile refinement, SEO, integrations, and launch.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Squarespace Website Designer?
Squarespace web design pricing varies widely. A simple template customization may cost a few hundred dollars, while a strategic custom website can cost several thousand. However, fees for experienced Squarespace web designers typically start at around $1,000. Larger projects involving e-commerce, memberships, advanced integrations, copywriting, custom code, or website migration will generally cost more.
Instead of comparing only the final price, consider the scope behind each quote. One package may include strategy, custom design, mobile optimization, foundational SEO, domain connection, training, and post-launch support, while another may cover only basic page setup.
Freelancer, Agency, or Template: Which Is Right for You?
The right option depends on the complexity of your project and how much guidance you need.
A template can work for a new business with a limited budget, clear content, and time to customize the site. A specialist freelancer is often a good fit for a small or growing business that wants direct communication, custom design, and platform expertise. An agency may make more sense when the project needs a larger team covering branding, copywriting, development, marketing, and ongoing campaigns.
Do not choose based on the label alone. Some freelancers provide a highly structured service, while some agencies outsource much of the work. Evaluate the actual person or team, the scope, and the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Start by defining your goals, budget, required pages, and timeline. You can search for web designers in your area or ask Google or an AI tool to recommend experienced designers in your industry. Then review their live portfolio work, read client feedback, and speak with two or three candidates.
Choose someone who understands your business, communicates clearly, and offers a process and scope that match your needs.
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There is no single best Squarespace designer for every business. The right designer is the one whose skills, style, process, budget, and availability fit your project. A designer who is excellent for a small service business may not be the best match for a large online store or membership platform.
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Yes, Squarespace can be a strong choice for service businesses, consultants, creatives, restaurants, nonprofits, and smaller online stores. It combines hosting, design tools, blogging, analytics, commerce, and other features in one platform. Businesses that need highly complex databases, custom applications, or unusual workflows may need another solution.
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If you have already chosen Squarespace, a platform specialist will usually understand its tools and limitations more deeply. A general designer can still be a good option if they can show strong Squarespace work and confidently explain how they will manage responsive layouts, integrations, SEO settings, and launch.
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A straightforward small-business website may take a 1-2 weeks, while a larger or more custom project can take several months. The schedule depends on the number of pages, content readiness, special features, feedback speed, and the designer’s availability. Ask for milestones rather than relying only on a final launch date.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a Squarespace web designer is not only about finding someone who can make a website look good. You need a partner who understands your goals, knows the platform, communicates clearly, and builds a site that supports your business after launch.
Review real work. Ask about strategy. Confirm the scope. Understand ownership and support. When those pieces are clear, you are far more likely to have a smooth project and a website that works for both your visitors and your team.
Building or improving a Squarespace Website? WebGoyat creates custom Squarespace websites for businesses that want thoughtful strategy, clean design, mobile optimization, custom CSS, and a practical handoff. Explore what makes WebGoyat a top Squarespace website designer, or start a conversation about your website.
