If you’re in the middle of building a website, or even just thinking about it, it can feel like a bit of a minefield, can’t it? You want it to look professional, feel like you, work smoothly, and actually help people understand what you do… all without getting overwhelmed.

The good news? A platform like Squarespace, you’ve already got a great foundation. This guide is here to help you think through a few key things that make a big difference, whether you’re starting from scratch or giving your current site a bit of a refresh.

1. Start With the Basics

Before diving into the design side of things, it helps to pause and ask yourself a few simple questions:

What’s the main purpose of your website? (e.g. to take bookings, share your portfolio, sell products)
Who’s it for? (What kind of people do you want to visit it?)
What do you want them to do once they land on your homepage?

Answering these will help you stay focused as you design. It’s easy to get caught up in the little details, but clarity will always serve you better than “fancy”.

2. Make It Easy to Navigate

One of the kindest things you can do for your visitors is keep your menu simple and clear. People don’t want to dig around to find what they’re looking for, they’ll likely just give up.

Here are the basics most sites need:

Home
About
Services or Portfolio
Contact
(Optional: FAQs, Blog, Testimonials)

Think: calm, not cluttered.

3. Use Headings That Guide the Reader (and Help You Get Found)

One of the easiest ways to improve your website, both for real people and for search engines, is to make good use of headings. They're not just for making things look tidy (though they definitely help with that). They also play a big role in helping Google understand what your page is about.

Here’s how it works:

H1 is your main page title. You only want one of these per page, and it should be clear and descriptive, something like “Brand Design for Small Businesses” or “Therapy Services in Manchester”. Try to include keywords your ideal client might actually type into Google.
H2s break your content into sections. Think of them as chapter titles. They're great for readers who are skimming and they give structure to your page.
H3s are for sub-points or lists within those sections, useful when you need to break things down even further.
Including clear, natural keywords in your headings (not forced or robotic ones!) can help your site show up when people search for the kind of work you do. It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference over time.

4. Speak Like a Human

Honestly, the best websites sound like real people wrote them. You don’t need to overthink your wording or use “professional” language if that’s not how you’d naturally speak.

Write how you’d explain things to someone over a coffee:

Keep sentences short and clear
Explain how you will help solve their number one concern
Use friendly, welcoming language
Make your buttons helpful (“Book a chat” is far nicer than just “Submit”)

4. Keep Your Design Clean and Calm

Squarespace gives you lots of options, but less is usually more when it comes to layout and styling. A simple, tidy design helps people focus on your content (and avoids decision fatigue).

Some quick tips:

Stick to 1-2 main fonts and 2-3 brand colours
Use images that feel authentic to your work
Leave space between sections so it doesn’t feel cramped

You don’t need to be a designer to make something that feels thoughtful and easy to use.

5. Double Check the Mobile Version

This one’s big! More people are browsing on phones than laptops these days, so always preview your site on mobile while you build.

Make sure:

Text isn’t too tiny
Images load properly
Buttons are easy to tap
Menus aren’t confusing

Squarespace is mobile responsive by default, but it’s still worth a careful look.

6. Help People Know What to Do Next

Once someone’s on your site, what’s the next step you want them to take? Make that really clear. That could be:

Booking a discovery call
Browsing your services
Signing up for your newsletter
Sending a message

You can guide them gently by repeating these prompts on a few different pages, not in a pushy way, just so they don’t miss it.

Need a Bit of Extra Help?

If you're feeling stuck or just want a bit of support bringing it all together, you're not alone. Sometimes having a fresh pair of eyes, or someone to take a few things off your plate, can make the whole process feel a lot lighter.

Feel free to have a browse through my services if you’d like help with your Squarespace site, design, or content. Whether you need a full site build or just guidance, I’m here to help.

Creating a Website That Converts