What to Include on Your Squarespace Homepage
A Conversion-Focused Checklist
Your Squarespace homepage is more than just your site’s front door, it’s your digital storefront, your pitch, and often your only chance to make a memorable first impression.
Within seconds of landing on your website, a visitor will decide whether to stay, explore, and possibly become a customer, or move on. That’s why your homepage needs to work hard. It should not only reflect your brand identity, but also clearly communicate your value and guide visitors towards meaningful action. While Squarespace gives you the tools to build something beautiful with ease, it’s the strategy behind the layout, messaging, and flow that will ultimately turn browsers into buyers.
Why Your Homepage Is the Most Important Page on Your Site
The homepage typically draws the highest volume of traffic, making it the most important page on your website. It’s the anchor for your brand and the central point from which visitors explore further. Whether someone has clicked through from a search result, a paid ad, or your Instagram profile, this is where their journey begins. If the experience feels unclear, cluttered, or uninspiring, they won’t stick around. Attention is a scarce currency online, and your Squarespace homepage must earn it quickly.
The Link Between Homepage Design and Conversions on Squarespace
Although Squarespace is celebrated for its clean, stylish templates, visual appeal alone doesn’t guarantee results. Conversion-driven design depends on clarity, hierarchy, and intention. From how your content is structured to where your call-to-action buttons sit, every detail influences whether a visitor continues scrolling or decides to leave. Even small touches, such as headline wording, image choice, or the contrast of a button, can impact the success of your homepage. That’s why good design isn’t just aesthetic, it’s functional.
First Impressions Matter: Above-the-Fold Essentials
The upper section of your homepage, known as the “above-the-fold” area, deserves special attention. This is where first impressions are formed and where your core message must immediately land. A strong headline here should focus on the benefit to the visitor, not just an introduction to your business. Think of it as a promise: what transformation or solution can you deliver? Paired with a concise subhead line that adds clarity and context, this top section should act as a hook that draws the user deeper into your site. Reinforce this messaging visually with a bold image or short video that genuinely represents your work, values, or ideal client lifestyle, something more authentic than stock photography.
Navigation That Guides, Not Distracts
Your site’s navigation should guide rather than overwhelm. It’s tempting to link to every page you’ve created, but a focused, streamlined menu performs better. Stick to the essentials, typically no more than five or six items, and place anything secondary in the footer or a dropdown. Squarespace supports both fixed sticky headers and scroll-based navigation, so choose the format that best suits your content volume. Sticky headers are great for mobile users who need quick access to key pages, while a scroll-to-explore structure can enhance storytelling for more visual or editorial homepages.
Strategic Use of Call-to-Action Buttons
Call-to-action buttons are where your Squarespace homepage earns its keep. Strategically placing these at multiple points, at the top, middle, and bottom of the page, gives visitors several opportunities to engage, no matter how far they scroll. But the wording of these CTAs matters just as much as their placement. Aim for clear, energetic language that highlights outcomes. Instead of the generic “Click Here” or “Learn More,” go for something action-oriented like “Start My Project,” “See Our Portfolio,” or “Book a Free Consultation.” This kind of language gives direction while reinforcing value.
Showcasing What You Offer: Clearly and Quickly
When presenting your services or products, don’t feel pressured to show everything. Focus on your core offerings, the ones that bring the most value or are most relevant to your audience. Create sections that are easy to scan, pairing headings with short explanations and visuals where appropriate. The aim is to help users understand what you offer without overwhelming them. Frame features as benefits: rather than saying your sites are “mobile optimised,” say they “look stunning on any device.” It’s about painting a picture of the outcome, not just listing technical specs.
Trust Signals That Build Instant Credibility
Establishing credibility quickly is essential, and few things are as effective as a genuine testimonial. Place one or two carefully chosen client quotes near your CTAs to lend social proof at key decision points. Avoid overly polished soundbites, instead, opt for real voices that describe the results they’ve seen from working with you. Supplement this with visual trust signals such as partner logos, press mentions, or certifications. Placed neatly in a horizontal row, ideally in muted tones to avoid visual clutter, these subtle cues help build trust without disrupting flow.
Social proof doesn’t stop at testimonials. If you’ve worked with recognisable clients, showcase their logos. If you’re active on Instagram, consider embedding a curated feed that reflects your brand’s aesthetic and results. Squarespace offers tools like Gallery and Quote Blocks that make this easy to implement while keeping your layout elegant. And if you have full case studies or project highlights, consider linking to them directly from your homepage in an interactive carousel or summary block.
About You: But Keep It Short and Strategic
Don’t forget to include a short introduction about yourself or your business. Keep it brief, just a few warm, authentic lines that offer insight into who you are and why you do what you do. This is not the place for your full CV; instead, it’s a chance to create connection. Link to a more detailed ‘About’ page for those who want to learn more, using phrasing like “Discover the story behind the brand” or “Meet the team” to invite exploration.
Visual Hierarchy and Content Flow That Keeps People Scrolling
The flow of your Squarespace homepage should feel seamless from top to bottom. Use a clear visual hierarchy with headings, spacing, and scroll cues that gently nudge visitors down the page. Alternate between text and images to keep the rhythm engaging and avoid fatigue. Interactive elements like accordions can help condense more detailed content while keeping the layout clean. The goal is to maintain a steady pace that feels dynamic, not chaotic.
Mobile Optimisation: A Must These Days
Given the dominance of mobile browsing, your homepage must be optimised for smaller screens. Text should be legible, buttons should be spaced for thumbs, and the load time needs to be fast. Use Squarespace’s built-in mobile preview to catch any layout issues and regularly test on real devices. A beautiful homepage that doesn't perform on mobile is, simply put, a missed opportunity.
Footer Functionality That Supports the Journey
Your footer might not seem glamorous, but it serves a practical purpose. It’s your final chance to provide direction to visitors who’ve made it to the end of the page. Include links to your most important pages, your contact information, a simple CTA, and, if appropriate, a newsletter signup with an enticing benefit. Legal pages such as Privacy and Terms should also be linked here, quietly contributing to your credibility.
Conversion Tracking and Performance Monitoring
Finally, you’ll want to ensure your Squarespace homepage is doing its job. Use Squarespace’s built-in analytics or integrate Google Analytics to track key actions such as clicks on CTAs, form submissions, and scroll depth. With this data, you can make informed tweaks over time. You can even test different versions of headlines, button styles or image placements by cloning your homepage and running light-touch A/B tests.
Final Thoughts
At its best, a homepage is more than just aesthetically pleasing, it’s purposeful, strategic, and engineered for conversion. Every image, every sentence, every interaction should serve to build trust, deliver clarity, and guide visitors towards becoming clients.
If building or refining your homepage feels like a daunting task, you're not alone. At N1 Digital, we help business owners just like you create websites that not only look stunning but perform where it matters most. If you're feeling unsure about where to start, or simply want the peace of mind that comes with a professionally designed homepage, get in touch for a free consultation. Let’s talk about crafting a Squarespace website that works as hard as you do.
