Is Squarespace or Shopify Best for Your Business?

At first glance, Squarespace and Shopify can seem pretty similar. They were both easy for entrepreneurs to build their online presence and sell their offerings. However, they were initially made for different purposes. Let's dive in.

Squarespace was designed for content-based websites, whereas Shopify was designed so entrepreneurs could make an online store to sell their offerings. Over time, both platforms developed new features that resembled each other and eventually became very similar.

So which platform is best for your business? Let's start by answering these questions:

01. What are you wanting to provide to your clients??

If you are planning on being a service provider and need a place to show off your offerings or relay information, then you might want to look into using Squarespace. If you need a place to sell your products then Shopify is where you will want to set up your online shop.?

02. What features are important to you?

Although both platforms may have similar features that you can use, it's important to look into each of them and decide which ones will work best for your business. For example, if you are planning to have a more content-based website then head over to Squarespace. It has well-designed templates (though always worth investing in a brand designer to customize), it is relatively easy to use, and allows you to show off your content in a professional-looking way.?

If you are wanting to build an online shop through Shopify, it has amazing features for connecting third-party apps, so you can extend your shop's reach, can take payments in multiple different currencies, inventory management options, tax calculation functions, and broader payment gateway options.

03. How are you wanting to connect with your clients?

There are many ways that you can connect with your clients through your site or online shop; that be through visuals, blog posts, an email list, or connecting third-party apps. Figure out what you should prioritize more based on your offerings and decide which platform will work best for you. As stated above, Squarespace has tons of beautifully created templates to choose from to display your offerings while only a few are geared toward selling online. An important way to connect with your clients is through blog posts. Both platforms offer this feature, but Squarespace has much more user-friendly and diverse display options than Shopify.?

We have talked before about “How to Best Optimize Your Email on Your Website”. While both platforms allow you to get email addresses through a third-party extension, there are some key differences. Squarespace has a paid feature that allows you to manage both your site and mailing list all in the same place. This makes it easy to move and upload content to be sent out and to make sure you are staying on brand. Shopify has recently introduced its automation feature, which will send certain emails based on your subscribers’ actions.

The great thing about both platforms is that you can sell on other platforms too, such as Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, etc. However, Shopify allows you to embed a “Buy Button” to any sort of online platform that will allow it. This means your customers will be able to immediately buy your product without even entering your online shop.??

Squarespace and Shopify are great tools to build an online presence. Each comes with similar, yet different features that allow not only you but your customers to have a pleasant experience.?

04. Ready to Get Started?

No matter which one you choose, the good news is that we work in both of them. If you are looking to make implement a cohesive, strategic brand that converts sales, we will partner with you to bring it to life.?

If you are still unsure on which platform is best for you, let's chat! If so, follow this link to fill out our inquiry form and schedule your free discovery call today:?www.launchandco.com/work-with-us