My Top 7 Squarespace Design Tricks That Make a Site Instantly More Professional
If you’ve ever looked at a Squarespace site and thought, “Wow, that looks so clean and expensive," but then compared it to your own and thought, “...huh, mine just doesn’t have that it factor,” don't worry — you're not alone.
The difference usually isn’t about spending thousands of dollars. It’s about applying a few simple (but game-changing) design tricks that make your site look polished, elevated, and 100% put-together.
Today, I’m spilling my go-to tricks that can take any Squarespace website from "meh" to "magnifique." Let's dive in:
1. Use Consistent Spacing Across the Entire Site
Nothing screams "DIY" louder than inconsistent padding and margins. Squarespace gives you built-in spacers and padding controls — use them! I like to set a consistent vertical rhythm (e.g., always 80px between sections) and keep inner section padding symmetrical (top, bottom, left, right).
👉 Pro tip: Set your spacers once and duplicate sections to maintain the spacing perfectly.
2. Stick to 2 Fonts (MAX)
One for headlines, one for body copy. That's it. Mixing too many fonts feels chaotic and unprofessional fast. A classic pairing? A strong sans-serif for headings and a clean serif for body text.
👉 Not sure where to start? Squarespace’s built-in font packs already offer beautiful, balanced combos.
3. Limit Your Color Palette to 2–3 Main Colors
More colors = more confusion. Choose 1 primary brand color, 1 neutral, and 1 accent color if you need a pop. Stick to them religiously across buttons, backgrounds, text, and links.
👉 Bonus move: Use different shades of the same color if you need a little more variation without getting messy.
4. Ditch the Default Button Styles
Squarespace’s default buttons are fine, but why settle for fine? Customize the button styles under Design > Buttons — think about using pill-shaped buttons (rounded corners) or adding a subtle border to make them stand out.
👉 Rule of thumb: all primary actions (like “Book Now,” “Contact,” “Shop”) should use the same button style for consistency.
5. Be Ruthless About Image Quality
Blurry, pixelated, or oddly cropped images instantly downgrade your site. Only upload high-resolution images that are correctly sized for web (usually between 1500–2500px wide). And make sure your subject is centered and clear.
👉 Invest in a $30 stock photo bundle or hire a photographer for an hour — seriously, it’s a game-changer.
6. Create a Visual Hierarchy
Everything on your site shouldn’t scream for attention at once. Use different heading sizes, bold sparingly, and vary section backgrounds (light, dark, white) to guide your visitor’s eye naturally through the page.
👉 Tip: Always ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I want the visitor to notice first on this section?”
7. Keep Navigation Short and Sweet
Your navigation should feel like an easy-to-read table of contents, not an encyclopedia.
Stick to 5–7 main links in the top nav. Everything else (like legal pages, privacy policy, etc.) can live in the footer.
👉 Hot tip: Name nav links as clearly as possible. “Work With Me” > “Services.” “Say Hello” > “Contact.”
Wrapping It Up
Professional design isn’t about fancy animations, crazy layouts, or expensive software. It’s about being intentional, consistent, and knowing when less is more.
If you take nothing else from this post, remember this: simplicity wins every time.
Apply even a few of these tricks, and you’ll be amazed how quickly your Squarespace site starts looking polished and high-end — like you hired a whole design agency to do it.
(But secretly? You just got smarter. 😉)
