Choosing the right website platform for your business can be a daunting task. With so many options available, knowing which one is the best fit for your business needs can be challenging. This article will compare the two popular website platforms—Squarespace and WordPress—and show you how to migrate WordPress to Squarespace.

Switching from WordPress to Squarespace offers numerous benefits, such as a user-friendly interface, intuitive design options, and built-in SEO capabilities. With a new Squarespace SEO plugin on the market, we’ll also dispel some of the common misconceptions about Squarespace and why you should consider it for your project or business.

What Is Squarespace?

Squarespace is a website builder that offers an all-in-one platform for building and hosting websites. With Squarespace, you don’t need any coding experience, and you can easily create a professional-looking website using their templates and drag-and-drop editor. Squarespace offers a variety of features, including e-commerce functionality, blogging, and SEO optimisation.

My name is Sam Crawford, an award-winning Squarespace website designer who’s able to create the most stunning Squarespace websites. If you want to learn more about Squarespace, check out my full list of Squarespace web design resources.

What Is WordPress?

WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. The website builder is highly customisable and flexible, making it an excellent option for businesses of all sizes. WordPress offers a vast library of plugins and themes, giving you complete control over the design and functionality of your website.

Overall, WordPress is a great platform if you know how to build a website — as we’ll discuss below, there is a lot you need to consider!

Squarespace vs. WordPress: 5 Key Differences

Before moving from WordPress to Squarespace, it’s important to understand how both options compare.

While both Squarespace and WordPress offer website-building solutions, the two platforms have some key differences based on the following criteria:

• Ease of use

• Customisation

• eCommerce functionality

• Cost

• SEO optimisation

1. Ease of Use

Squarespace is known for its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop editor. Even if you have no experience with website building, you can quickly create a professional-looking website using Squarespace. On the other hand, WordPress has a steeper learning curve and requires more technical knowledge.

2. Customisation

WordPress offers more customisation options than Squarespace, making it an excellent choice for businesses with unique website requirements. With WordPress, you can choose from thousands of free and paid themes and plugins to create a website that meets your specific needs. On the other hand, Squarespace has fewer customisation options, but its templates are designed to be visually appealing and professional-looking.

As you can see from my Squarespace website portfolio, you can customise Squarespace websites, but you often need to be an expert to get this right or utilise some of the design plugins out there.

3. eCommerce Functionality

Squarespace has built-in e-commerce functionality, making it an excellent choice for businesses that want to sell products online. WordPress also offers eCommerce functionality through plugins such as WooCommerce. However, building an eCommerce site on WordPress requires more technical knowledge and customisation.

So, according to our WordPress vs. Squarespace analysis, Squarespace may be a better option if you lack expert web-building knowledge.

4. Cost

Squarespace offers a range of pricing plans, starting at $12 per month. However, if you want to use e-commerce functionality, you’ll need to sign up for a higher plan.

On the other hand, WordPress is free to use, but you’ll need to pay for hosting and a domain name. Additionally, if you want to use premium themes and plugins, you’ll need to pay for those as well.

5. SEO Optimisation

Both Squarespace and WordPress offer SEO optimisation tools to help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Squarespace has built-in SEO optimisation tools, making optimising your website for search engines easy. However it has very little support to ensure you’re following best practices. WordPress also has SEO plugins that you can use to optimise your website for search engines.

Tip: If you want to learn how to rank a Squarespace website and ensure you overcome the SEO limitations of the platform, check out these Squarespace SEO tips, which are an easy way to ensure you’re covered.

That said, why should you consider switching from WordPress to Squarespace? What are the associated perks? Keep reading to find out!

The Benefits of Switching From WordPress to Squarespace

Switching to Squarespace offers several advantages for users seeking a more streamlined website experience, including the following:

• Squarespace’s modern drag-and-drop editor, known as Fluid Engine, allows for easy customisation and page layout adjustments.

• The platform offers a mobile app that allows you to manage your site on the go.

• Squarespace has built-in SEO features and analytics to ensure your site is seen by potential customers across all devices.

Is Squarespace Better Than WordPress?

While WordPress is a popular choice for webmasters due to its flexibility and extensive customisation options, Squarespace is a solid option if you prioritise simplicity and ease of use.

If you’re looking to quickly create a simple website without worrying about technical complexities or content ownership, Squarespace is a better option. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive design tools make it accessible to beginners.

Overall, consider switching from WordPress to Squarespace for a hassle-free website-building experience that allows you to focus more on content creation and less on technical aspects. So, how do you get started with moving your website’s content from WordPress to Squarespace? The next section outlines the preliminary steps before the actual transfer process.

Preparing for the WordPress to Squarespace Migration

Before you begin the migration process, it’s crucial to prepare your content and ensure a seamless transfer.

Here are 4 key steps to consider:

• Review your current website structure.

• Optimise your content for SEO.

• Redirect links.

• Back up your site.

1. Review your current website structure.

Before you migrate WordPress to Squarespace, take the time to evaluate your current Squarespace website structure and determine whether you want to maintain the same layout or make adjustments for a refreshed design. Consider the order, organisation, and hierarchy of your pages to ensure a smooth transition and maximum SEO benefits.

2. Optimise your content for SEO.

Before migrating your content from WordPress, it’s essential to optimise it for SEO. Use relevant keywords in titles and meta descriptions, format text appropriately with heading tags, and ensure your content meets SEO requirements. Consider using a comprehensive Squarespace SEO checklist to ensure you cover all necessary elements.

3. Redirect links.

To prevent broken links and maintain a positive user experience, it’s important to redirect your old URLs to the corresponding new URLs on Squarespace (if you’re not using the old domain name). This can be done using 301 redirects, which inform search engines that content has permanently moved to a new location. Set up URL mappings in Squarespace as well after migration to ensure a seamless transition (more on this later).

4. Back up your site.

Always do a backup of your site before moving from WordPress to Squarespace. This includes exporting any data, such as forms or contact information, and storing it safely in case of any issues during the migration process. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

At this point, you’re now ready to embark on the actual transfer process. Keep reading as I walk you through the step-by-step process of migrating to Squarespace.

A 9-Step Guide on How to Migrate WordPress to Squarespace

Having prepared your content and completed the necessary prerequisite steps, it’s time to begin the migration process.

Follow this step-by-step guide to seamlessly migrate from WordPress to Squarespace:

• Get started with Squarespace.

• Choose a Squarespace template and sign up.

• Export your WordPress website.

• Start importing WordPress to Squarespace.

• Review and edit imported content.

• Customise your Squarespace site.

• Transfer WordPress Domain to Squarespace.

• Launch your new Squarespace site.

• Test for broken links.

Step 1. Get started with Squarespace.

If you don’t already own a Squarespace website, create one. Alternatively, jump to step #3 if you already have a website.

Visit the Squarespace website and click on “Get Started.”

• Follow the on-screen instructions to fill out your business details.

The next screen will prompt you to either choose an existing template or create your own. Select the first option, then click the “FINISH” button.

Step 2. Choose a Squarespace template and sign up.

Once you’ve described your business, choose a Squarespace template that best suits your needs. Browse through the available templates and select one that aligns with your desired design and functionality. Consider factors such as the layout, style options, and customisation capabilities.

You can preview a template by hovering your mouse over it and clicking “PREVIEW [TEMPLATE NAME].” To use the template, click “START WITH [TEMPLATE NAME].”

The next screen will prompt you to create a Squarespace account. You can either continue with your Google account or sign up with an email address.

Step 3. Export your WordPress website.

Now that you have a Squarespace website, the next step is to export your content from WordPress into your new website.

To do this, follow these sub-steps:

• Navigate to the WordPress dashboard and select “Tools” >>> “Export.”

• Choose to export all content or filter for specific content types (blog posts, products, etc), categories, or time ranges. This will create an XML file containing your website’s content that you can import into Squarespace.
  

Step 4. Start importing WordPress to Squarespace.

Log into the dashboard of your newly created Squarespace website.

Navigate to “Settings” and select “Import & Export Content” under the “WEBSITE” section. Next, select the “IMPORT” option. 

Choose “WordPress” as the source platform.

Switch to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Add a File.”

Upload the previously exported WordPress XML file and select “BEGIN IMPORT.” Depending on the size of your site, this process may take a few minutes.

Step 5. Review and edit imported content.

Once the import is complete, review and tweak the imported WordPress content, product metadata, and blog pages as necessary.

Note: Squarespace places the imported content in the “Not Linked” section of the Pages panel.

To make edits to the imported pages:

• Click on each page to review its layout and make any adjustments needed.

• Enable the pages by hovering over their names and selecting “Enable" in the module that appears.

Step 6. Customise your Squarespace site.

Now that your content is imported and enabled, you can modify your Squarespace sites to reflect your desired design and branding.

Here are different options for implementing site tweaks:

• Use the style settings of your chosen template to make customisation adjustments. 

• Consider elements such as colours, fonts, images, and layout to create a cohesive and visually appealing website.

• If you need a professional touch to make your website unique, consider hiring a Squarespace website designer.

Step 7. Transfer WordPress Domain to Squarespace.

If you have a domain hosted with WordPress, you can transfer it to Squarespace. Transferring a domain from WordPress to Squarespace allows you to easily manage your website from a single platform.

Squarespace provides instructions on how to transfer a domain from WordPress to Squarespace. Follow the provided steps to set up your DNS records and ensure a smooth domain transfer process. Note that domain transfers can take up to 15 days, depending on your domain provider, so plan accordingly.

Step 8. Launch your new Squarespace site.

Once you’ve customised your site and transferred your domain, you’re ready to launch your new Squarespace site. Ensure that everything is working as expected and conduct thorough testing to identify any potential issues. When you’re confident in your new site’s functionality and design, remove any site-wide password restrictions to make your site public.

Step 9. Test for broken links.

To ensure a seamless transition and a positive user experience, test for any broken links on your website. Use this freemium Squarespace SEO plugin to identify any URLs that lead to 404 errors. Set up proper URL redirects using Squarespace’s URL Mappings feature to ensure visitors are directed to the correct pages on your new site.

However, your migration isn’t complete yet; the next section walks you through additional things to do after migrating from WordPress to Squarespace.

5 Things to Do After Switching From WordPress to Squarespace

After moving from WordPress to Squarespace, there are several important steps you should take to ensure a smooth transition and make the most of your new platform, and they include the following:

• Set up your navigation.

• Optimise for SEO.

• Set up analytics and tracking.

• Redirect old URLs.

• Test and optimise your website.

1. Set up your navigation.

Review your website’s navigation structure and make any necessary adjustments. Squarespace allows you to create drop-down menus, reorganise pages, and add links to external content. Ensure that your website’s navigation is intuitive and seamless for visitors.

2. Optimise for SEO.

Squarespace has built-in SEO features that can help improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. Take advantage of these features by optimising your page titles, SEO descriptions, headings, and URLs. Conduct keyword research and incorporate relevant keywords into your content to improve organic traffic. You should also opt for a Squarespace SEO plugin for continuous monitoring and optimisation.

3. Set up analytics and tracking.

Squarespace integrates with popular analytics tools like Google Analytics. Set up tracking codes from the Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance, track visitor behaviour, and gain insights into your audience. This data will help you make informed decisions to improve your website’s conversion and ranking on search engines.

4. Redirect old URLs.

To avoid losing traffic and ensure a seamless user experience, set up URL redirects from your old WordPress site to your new Squarespace site if you kept your old domain. Use Squarespace’s URL mapping feature or a third-party plugin to redirect old URLs to their new equivalents. This will help preserve your search engine rankings and prevent visitors from encountering 404 errors.

5. Test and optimise your website.

Once you’ve completed the process of moving from WordPress to Squarespace and the initial setup, thoroughly test your website to ensure everything is functioning as expected. Check for slow-loading pages or other issues that may negatively impact user experience. Regularly monitor and optimise your website to improve performance and engagement.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to successfully transition from WordPress to Squarespace and ensure that your website is fully functional, visually appealing, and optimised for SEO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Squarespace or WordPress better for beginners?

Squarespace is generally considered the better option for beginners, as it offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface with a drag-and-drop editor. WordPress can be more difficult for beginners to use, as it requires some technical knowledge and may involve more setup.

Can I switch from Squarespace to WordPress?

Yes, it’s possible to switch from Squarespace to WordPress. However, it may involve some manual work, such as transferring content and setting up the new site. There are also services available that can assist with the migration process.

Are Squarespace websites less customisable than WordPress websites?

Squarespace websites are customisable to a certain extent, but they may be limited compared to WordPress. WordPress offers a much wider range of customisation options, including the ability to add custom code and modify themes and plugins.

Is Squarespace or WordPress better for SEO?

Both Squarespace and WordPress offer good SEO capabilities, but WordPress may have the edge due to its flexibility and the ability to use SEO plugins such as Yoast. However, Squarespace’s built-in SEO features can also be effective. Resources like the Squarespace SEO checklist are useful for keeping track of your SEO.

Is Squarespace or WordPress more expensive?

Squarespace offers a range of pricing plans starting at $12 per month, while WordPress is free to use but requires a custom domain name and hosting. The cost of hosting and other services can vary widely depending on the site’s specific needs, so it’s important to compare costs carefully.

Conclusion

While the decision to migrate WordPress to Squarespace may be a major one, with careful planning and execution, you can enjoy a seamless transition and improved website experience. Follow the steps outlined in this comprehensive guide to ensure a successful migration while maintaining your SEO rankings. Remember to back up your site, optimise your content for SEO, and test for any broken links.

Your Designer

I’m Sam, an award-winning Squarespace web designer. I have worked with every type of business, building platforms for solo entrepreneurs through to multi-million dollar corporations. If you want to discuss a potential project, you can email me at sam@bycrawford.comorget in touch with me here. Alternatively, you can book a free 15-minute consultation call here.