Squarespace
Oct 20

Squarespace

I’ve spent some time today playing with Squarespace, since their ads kept appearing my AdSense. While I try not to get too excited about new things (lest my head explode), I’m going to venture a pretty bold statement —

Squarespace is the best content management system I have ever seen within its class (hosted, structured, sans code — TypePad-ish, if you will).

This app is gorgeous in every sense — both in how it looks and in how it performs. It’s put together perfectly — it does everything you expect it to, and even more that you don’t.

A Squarespace site gives you the ability to create about anything except really tightly structured content (a custom relational database model, for instance). It groups functionality in modulles, of which there are about a dozen, from a simple HTML page, to a blog, a photo gallery, a file library, and about anything in between (but no calendar for some reason).

You can group the modules into folders, thus putting logical stuff together. The menu and navigation functionality is as good as I’ve seen it implemented, given that that part of a CMS is always a huge pain to deal with. The user interface is stunning, the Ajax and ActiveX work is so good you don’t even notice it, it has a near-perfect WYSIWYG implementation, and the integrated help is, well, helpful.

The little touches are all over the place:

  • The WYSIWYG functionality is great, but I just knew that I could change it to Markdown if I wanted…and I could. Textile too.

  • You can customize your theme, and preview by launching the site under that theme. You can browse around under your new look, while everyone else sees the old one until you decide to make your switch permanent.

  • When customizing a new layout, you can pick from dozens of page elements to change — from BLOCKQUOTE tags to “Small Object Subtitles” and have full CSS control over them.

  • You can tags IP addresses, indicating if you don’t want to log them, want to mask them to something else, or ban them altogether.

In a nutshell, here’s what Squarespace has accomplished: it has the ability to be exactly what you need, no matter who you are. If you know nothing about code but just know how you want it to look, then you can use WYSIWYG and and the CSS editor. If you a Web ninja, you can use Markdown and write your own CSS.

As I played around with it, I knew I was in love when I started to imagine the Web sites I could build with it. Gadgetopia would bust the bandwidth limits pretty quickly, but I have a dozen other sites in the back of my mind that would fit beautifully in Squarespace.

Now, understand that this isn’t Drupal or eZ publish — there are tradeoffs with having a hosted, turnkey thing. But not many. I’d venture a guess that 80% of informational Web sites (as opposed to, say, ecommerce sites) could live within the Squarespace environment.

Use it for 30 minutes (they have a free trial), and you’ll get the same impression I have: for something this new to be this good means that these guys are going to take over the freaking world one day.

by Deane   October 20, 2005 10:23 PM   |

Comments

by Jeroen,   October 21, 2005 3:08 AM  

Their logo is very similar to Doug Bowman's Stopdesign logo!

by Stacey-Ann,   October 23, 2005 8:46 AM  

I really enjoy using Squarespace myself. I've experimented with several CMSs and tried building my website from scratch using software such as Dreamweaver and http://www.serif.com/webplus/webplus9/ but I had to ask myself how much time I wanted to use to fiddle with the backend and design against how much time I wanted to dedicate to writing and publishing content. The content won and I'm working on that at the moment, all the while knowing that when I'm ready to tweak the design I can do that pretty easily too.

Thanks for your review, it was very easy to read and informative.

by Roy,   October 25, 2005 5:33 PM  

I have two SquareSpace sites, and am very happy with the service. I've only used the basic layouts, but will be looking into customization at some point.

I'm hoping to someday need to up my bandwidth limits, but it hasn't been an issue so far.

http://royjacobsen.squarespace.com - Dispatches from Outland: my observations on Life, the Universe, and Everything. (Not the Douglas Adams book, but the real thing.)

http://rmjacobsen.squarespace.com - Writing, Clear and Simple: I call it a writing blog for non-writers.

by Martin,   October 31, 2005 8:10 AM  

Hi, i must agree with you. I'm looking for a hosting company that can integrate blog(s) with a website...and i think SquareSpace is it! I've just signed up a trial account and fiddling with it...so far it look good! I lost count on how many wow I'd make will fiddling the site layout :P

Currently, I'm using BlogHarbor for my blog (which is good for blogging). I've tried Typepad but not really excited as Squarespace.

The editing on Squarespace is all done on website, no additional WebEditor tools etc. The refresh rate upon changes is very fast...can't complaint at all!

It's really like what it advertise, elegant and professional :P

by David,   November 6, 2005 5:35 PM  

I too have dabbled with several blogging "systems," including Blogger, TypePad (that one is good too), FrontPage, Radio, some API stuff, etc.

Squarespace (my current host for blogging) definately is an up-and-coming system that provides bells and whistles that many of the other "customizable" systems neglect (or didn't think of early enough in their development to include in their foundational code and design).

by melissa,   November 6, 2005 11:14 PM  

I looked at Squarespace and though it was fairly useful... I just came across a couple of Wordpress sites that seemed awfully easy and free... I just looked at ublogg.com... And although it seems to still be in development, for your first-time blogger, it's great!

Take care and happy blogging. ~Mel

by Richard,   November 15, 2005 1:55 PM  

Couldn't agree more. Squarespace is such a fantastic service that I'm really surprised - really - that not more people are raving about it. My own site is www.pharmablawg.com. Building it with Squarespace was a breeze. The thing with Squarespace is that's a quiet little beast with a hell of a lot of roar under the bonnet - which you don't really appreciate until you start experimenting with it. The only thing it lacks is a forum community where users can bounce ideas off one another but that doesn't really matter as support tickets are answered promptly.

by Jan McKenzie,   April 10, 2006 8:53 AM  

I've been using Squarespace since Feb. 06 and apart from agreeing with your accurate review, would like to add a note of thanks for their great support. They get back to you, in a day or less in most cases, are friendly and straight-forward, with no patronizing tech attitude.

Another plus is the low cost of their three-tier system, with options for added bandwidth and storage space. If like me, your paying in English pounds, the price is cut by more than a third since they charge in the U.S. dollar.

The only draw back to Squarespace is the time you might spend customizing your site and adding pages. It they added a larger section of initial templates it might never end for those with no CSS dreams.

Though starting as a blog, I'm developing into a larger site, thanks in part for the ease and flexibility of Squarespace.

I would like a calendar module and site search engine provided by them. I understand these will be future features

by Deane,   April 10, 2006 3:23 PM  

I actually unleashed it on a Web novice to create a site for her husband's contracting company. The results have been mixed.

It's certainly better than FrontPage, but it's not for the complete novice either. She has problems with image uploading, and the WYSIWYG editor doesn't let her drag the images like she wants. There are some usability issues with it.

Your mileage may vary, and let me again reinforce that my opinion of Squarespace being amazing hasn't changed -- but it's unrealistic to think a complete Web newbie is going to get decent results with it, as with anything.

by Mike Power,   April 24, 2006 12:07 PM  

I've been using Squarespace for over two years and I thoroughly agree with the review here. If anything SS hid their light under a bushel. Most people come to it as a blogging platform but it is in its power as a CMS that it comes alive. I have no doubt that blogging will evolve into much more of a CMS based activity. People need static pages and galleries and html pages and so on, as apps like Wordpress are realizing by adding some of these functions.

There are some issues. No FTP uploading, no forum (an easily rectifiable mistake which for some reason persists) and no search function yet ( a particular failing I believe), although I believe Anthony is working on it.

I'm not sure what the last commenter meant about difficulties uploading images. If you use the integral editor (I don't, I use a remote editor) uplading and inserting images is a snip. Browse, upload, insert file name done! In addition, the remote editor, Ecto, allows for drag and drop image insertion and uploading.

One more important thing. Unlike my Typepad and Blogger lately and even my own server, my Squarespace site has never been down in two years!

by Nick and Dana,   July 17, 2006 11:27 AM  

I first encountered squarespace while googleing blog software to put my first podcast online with. i was using blogger, but i yearned for something a little more complex- wordpress was out of the question because I diddnt have the money for aweb host, and typepad was just a little too complex to get a template together. then i stumbled across squarespace- and i've been happy ever since. my first podcast is long gone- and- with the launch of my couple cast on friday morning- I've come back to my first true love, squarespace. All in all, i give squarespace two thumbs up, exceptional service, exceptional reliability and amazing results

by Andrew Shanley,   August 2, 2006 3:48 PM  

I am about as techno-challenged as a guy can be, and, with just a couple of questions answered quickly by support, I was up and running in a couple of hours! Unbelievable.

by Jonas,   August 13, 2006 6:05 PM  

I don't know if Squarespace will "Take over the World", but I do know it is a very good service. I tried it for three weeks, just puttering with it from time to time. I then realized I was hooked.

Creating a Web/Blog site is new to me and I have been trying various formats and attempting to create something which will appeal to me and possibly others, too?

I have found the Mozilla Composer which come with the Mozilla Browser has been the greatest help so far. It allows me to create pages and entries at my leisure and move them into the Squarespace site flawlessly.

I will have to agree that Squarespace and it's creator will make a big bang in the web world. The "Pinky and the Brain" theory is a little grandiose.

Good stuff on this site.

Jonas

by Danny,   August 30, 2006 4:45 AM  

I tried Suarespace for a few days and upgrade to the basic pack almost instantly. It provides me the best value at the web today.

I started with Blogger and toke also a Typepad account, but Squarespace is far most the best in class. I have no problem with paying a premium because of the easy-of-use and the great support they offer.

Big thumb up !

Danny - Marketing.Lounge

http://dvanhove.squarespace.com/

by Anthony,   January 3, 2007 11:53 AM  

I've been using it for more than a year now and can thoroughly recommend it. A tad slow at times but incredibly versatile for what it is and amazingly easy to use. Their support is pretty efficient too.

by Marc,   February 12, 2007 5:03 AM  

I tried it tested it and I use it for more than 1 and 1/2 year. I tested most of the other solutions (Blogger, WordPress,...) and there is nothing else like Squarespace. It has a blogging service, but it's much more.

by John,   February 16, 2007 8:47 PM  

I just read an interview with Anthony dated 9/13/04 when he was still in college. His take on blogging in the last line "I think the blog will go by the wayside in the face of simple publishing platforms, but remain an element of those platforms." From the above comments, blogging is still King and its empire is growing.

This is also apparent on his current web site in the tools offered. Most are to facilitate the blogger. He does know how to follow the market rather than his cloudy crystal ball.

by NanGile,   May 12, 2007 11:14 AM  

I just signed up and am a Boomer Puter Wannabe with NO skills.
So far Im just using the free trial... But IM DOING IT! ITs AMAZINGLY SIMPLE... I love this and as a soon to be millionaire bloggin boomer, I will REFER REFER REFER! (Thats a referral, Im not a hemperific smoking boomer) Nan

by Jorge,   July 3, 2007 4:50 PM  

I just signed up and It looks great although I would like it even better if they had more templates available. Some with 3 columns would be great. Is anyone aware of any template sites that provide css for squarespace?

by Kieran,   July 17, 2007 8:59 PM  

Running squarespace for my website, love it so far but they need a 3 column layout or an easier way to edit CSS.

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