The truth about Squarespace website templates (and what to do instead)
TL;DR: Squarespace website templates look amazing and can be so alluring, but the truth is, they can be frustrating to customise and often end up looking nothing like the original demo that you fell in love with. If you want the same professional, stylish vibe but without the DIY nightmare, a semi-custom Squarespace website gives you all the beauty and the strategy (so it actually works to help you grow your business), without you having to lift a finger.
So, you’ve decided Squarespace is your ride-or-die website platform. And you’re not wrong. It’s clean, it’s stylish and it’s built for service-based businesses and small shops that want a professional, functional website without needing a full-time website developer (Need more convincing? Read: How do you know if Squarespace is the right website platform for your business?).
And now you’ve been eyeing up all those gorgeous Squarespace website templates. You know, the ones that make you think, “If I just buy this, my website will look like that.” But here’s the truth: it probably won’t. Let’s talk about why.
What are Squarespace website templates?
Squarespace website templates are basically ready-made website designs. They come with pre-styled pages, layouts and fonts so that you can plug in your content and go live quickly, without the expense of a bespoke website designer (or at least, that’s the dream you’re sold).
They’re brilliant for DIYers who love design, have the time to tinker with CSS and don’t mind figuring things out as they go. But for business owners who are juggling clients, marketing, money, life and the school run? That “easy to setup website template” can spiral into a month-long nightmare that leaves you feeling disappointed and burned out.
I’ve been designing websites for over 20 years and I’ve seen every template under the sun. The good, the bad and the confusing. But it’s not actually the templates that are the problem; it’s knowing how to make them work for your brand and for your business.
Why everyone loves templates (and when they make sense)
Let’s be honest - Squarespace website templates are tempting. There are some beautiful ones out there. They look polished. They’re affordable. And they make you feel like you’re this close to having a professional website. For brand new businesses or hobbyists, they can be a great option.
They’re quick to set up, you can getaway without coding, they have professionally designed layouts and they’re an affordable way to get online fast.
But there’s a catch. (There’s always a catch.)
When the dream starts to crumble
You fall in love with a stunning Squarespace template demo website, so you excitedly hit purchase and you start replacing the demo content with your own. But somehow, 2 weeks in, it doesn’t look anywhere near as good as the demo and you’re still tweaking and adjusting.
The fonts you’re using don’t look right.
Your brand colours suddenly feel off, like they’re all in the wrong place.
Your photos don’t fit properly and they’re cropped all wrong.
And the layout? Suddenly it’s weirdly clunky and you can’t figure out why.
What was meant to be an easy, affordable way to get your new website up and running, now feels like a full-time job. You’ve wasted days, maybe weeks, trying to get it right, but it still looks off.
All those big hopes of launching a website that launches your business into the next phase? Gone. You were sold the dream, but it didn’t really pay off.
And chances are, you’ll battle on with that DIY template for a year or two until you can’t stand it anymore… and that’s when most business owners finally call in for help.
In my experience working with small business owners across the UK, most start with a template and end up redoing their website within two years, because once their business grows, they realise their website hasn’t grown with them.
The smarter alternative: Semi-custom Squarespace websites
This is where my approach comes in.
You still get the beauty, ease and affordability of a Squarespace template, but with the brains of an experienced, strategic website designer that can turn it into a conversion-focused, totally on brand, perfect for you website.
Here’s how it works:
You pick your favourite design from my collection of templates - one that totally fits your vibe and aesthetic. You’ll send me all of your content and we’ll jump on a video call to talk through your content, your business goals and what you want and need from your new website. Then I take it, rework it, and turn it into your website - all in just 48 hours.
That means:
Your branding, your colours, your fonts, and your content - all styled to perfection.
Every section strategically laid out in line with your unique business goals, be it to drive leads, convert sales or grow your mailing list. Whatever you need it to do, I’ll make it happen.
No faffing, no fiddling, no “why isn’t this looking how it should?!” moments.
You get a gorgeous, functional, totally-you website, without the DIY headache. I’ll even setup the domain and launch if for you too. Did I mention this would all be done in just 2 days?
Why it works
Because it’s the best of both worlds. You get:
✅ The affordability of a Squarespace template
✅ The polish and strategy of a professional website designer
✅ A website that actually works for your business
✅ Online within just 48 hours
This is exactly what I do through my 2-Day Launch service - semi-custom Squarespace websites built around your business goals, done and dusted in just two days.
It’s fast, it’s strategic, and it’s everything you hoped your DIY template would be (and then some).
How to know if you’re ready to upgrade
You’re ready if:
You’ve outgrown your DIY website (or never quite finished one!)
You’re embarrassed to send people your link
You’re short on time but ready to feel proud of your website again
You want a website that actually gets you clients
You’re done wasting time trying to “figure it out”
You want structure, support and a website designer who understands small business (and gets the mum juggle!)
If that’s you - it’s time to ditch the template chaos and step into the pro league.
What to do next
Stop trying to wrestle a Squarespace template into something it was never designed to be. Let’s take that same gorgeous aesthetic you loved and turn it into a strategic, scroll-stopping website that does your business justice.
Learn more about The 2-Day Launch - your semi-custom Squarespace website, ready to launch in just two days.
FAQ: All about Squarespace templates
What are Squarespace website templates?
Squarespace website templates are pre-designed website layouts that give you a quick starting point for your website design. The pages are built and ready, and you then replace the demo content with your own. They’re flexible, easy to edit, and ideal for new businesses.
What’s the difference between a Squarespace template and a semi-custom website?
A Squarespace template is DIY - you do all the setup, design, content and launching. A semi-custom website is professionally built for you, using a template as the foundation. This means a professional website designer will customise the template inline with your brand and business goals. It will be strategically built and everything will look perfectly in place and drive more conversions. It will be setup for SEO success and launched for you, with a full how-to guide that shows you how to edit and update it once it’s live.
How do I make my Squarespace template look professional?
Focus on consistent branding - cohesive fonts, colours and imagery. Keep spacing and alignment clean, and don’t overload pages with text. Try to use smaller paragraphs with clear headers. Or, save yourself the time and let a pro handle it.
Are Squarespace templates good for service-based businesses?
Yes. Squarespace is perfect for service-based businesses. It’s easy to manage, easy to update and has all of the feature you will need. But to stand out (and convert visitors into clients), you’ll want a strategic layout that focused on your clients and your goals.
Is Squarespace good for SEO?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: Squarespace comes with a lot of built-in SEO goodness - things like clean code, mobile-friendly design, SSL security, and customisable meta titles and descriptions. That said, good SEO still requires good strategy. I optimise every website I design for Google and AI, but I also teach my clients how to keep climbing those rankings. So, if you’ve heard that Squarespace is “bad for SEO”, rest assured that’s a total myth.
About the author
Written by Jen at Studio Emm | Squarespace Website Designer, UK-based but working with clients worldwide.
Jen is the founder of Studio Emm, a Squarespace design studio specialising in semi-custom Squarespace websites for ambitious, female-led businesses. With 20 years of design experience, she helps small business owners go from DIY chaos to high-converting, high-confidence websites they’re proud to show off.