Why Should You Upgrade From Squarespace Version 7.0 to 7.1 Version?
From our perspective, there's no immediate pressure to update your website if you're satisfied with its current state. Fortunately, Squarespace has assured users that they will provide ongoing support for the 7.0 version, alleviating any concerns. Moreover, while 7.1 does introduce alterations to the editing interface, it doesn't significantly contribute new functionalities to the platform.
Squarespace version 7.0
Squarespace's default platform from 2014 until the unveiling of 7.1, which is version 7.0, stands as a Great and viable choice for many individuals.
One compelling reason to stick with 7.0 is that transitioning to 7.1, if you've already built your site on the former, can be quite challenging (essentially requiring a website rebuild). According to Squarespace, they will continue to provide support for this version indefinitely, offering peace of mind for 7.0 users.
Another advantage of Squarespace 7.0 is its static nature. Squarespace no longer introduces additions or modifications to this platform. Consequently, once you've grasped how everything operates, you can count on the stability of your website throughout its lifetime. This is in contrast to 7.1, which undergoes frequent updates that might disorient users with less technical expertise following major changes.
How to Upgrade Squarespace 7.0 to 7.1
There’s no easy upgrade from Squarespace 7.0 to 7.1 because there’s no migration tool provided by Squarespace to move content between the two. Unlike Squarespace 7 which offers new templates while keeping your website intact, Squarespace 7.1 is effectively a whole new system. It might seem like more effort to manage Cross-Platform development, but it has huge benefits regarding flexibility, design choices, and scalability in the long run.
That's because Squarespace 7.1 is built with a more unified structure that deprecated the old method of using multiple template families, which was seen in 7.0. The 2.0 version of the app focuses on a better, more modern, streamlined edit experience and includes features like section-based design, improved mobile responsiveness and more options to configure things without custom code. The new Squarespace version also offers better content management features that help you manage updates to the website down the line more easily.
To do so, begin by assessing the existing website, including its content, layout, and any custom code. As there is no automated method to transfer content, you will have to copy text, images and other elements from the 7.0 site to your new 7.1 website manually. This is a great time to better design your site using the new features available in Squarespace 7.1 improve the user experience. If your website contains advanced customizations, it might be wise to enlist the help of a professional Squarespace developer to ensure a gradual transition with no loss of important functionality.
Ensure this approach is good for your new site before launching the new site you shall check every page, test all links, and optimize with ALL settings for SEO. When you are ready and everything is set up, you can switch your domain to point to your new Squarespace 7.1 site. This process does take some time but, in the end, a more advanced and future-proof environment will be worth the effort in the long run.
Current Squarespace version 7.1
If you’re familiar with Squarespace 7.0, however, you’ll know that 7.1 isn’t 7.0 at all. This is regularly updated with new features, so you will always have access to the latest pages Squarespace has to offer. One notable update is the development of the fluid engine, a big one. There, you can use a 12-column grid system to drag and drop elements to your website without restrictions. The drag-and-drop builder is a little bit harder to design with (and you need to edit your mobile view separately), but it gives you a world of opportunities for how your actual website can look. Although the 7.1 classic editor will still be available until sometime in 2023, it uses a simpler design system and will eventually be deprecated. So, if you decide to go with 7.1, just know that, more than likely, you will have to move any gas to the fluid engine as the classic editor is deprecated. As a Squarespace designer myself, I recommend working with Squarespace 7.1 and building your site on the latest platform version if you can. This option gives you the latest and greatest in features, better design control, and more flexibility with a mobile view. This is especially important for business websites, as many of your audience are most likely using mobile devices to view your site. Once you are prepared to get your Squarespace website up and running, the next most important thing that you will need to do is pick a template. The templates are free and are available on Squarespace. But, considering they're not industry-specific, these free templates will likely require a lot of tweaking to suit your specific business or niche..
Benefits of Upgrading to Squarespace 7.1
Why should you consider upgrading to Squarespace 7.1?
Squarespace 7.1 offers modern tools, performance boosts, and improved user experience. The benefits include:
Enhanced Design Capabilities:
Users can now edit global styles across the entire website effortlessly.
Templates support advanced customizations with section-based layouts.
Improved Mobile Responsiveness:
All templates are mobile-optimized by default, ensuring a better mobile experience.
Faster Page Loading Speeds:
Optimized code reduces load times, improving user experience and SEO.
Upgraded eCommerce Features:
Features like product zoom, advanced filtering, and subscription management boost online store functionality.
Built-In SEO Enhancements:
Advanced tools for meta tags, rich snippets, and Google indexing improve visibility on search engines.
These features position Squarespace 7.1 as the ideal choice for users seeking scalability and performance in their websites.
Common Concerns and FAQs About Upgrading
What are the common questions users ask about upgrading?
Will my existing content transfer seamlessly?
Content like blog posts and products can be transferred, but layouts may need adjustment to fit 7.1 templates.
How will upgrading affect my SEO?
Squarespace 7.1 improves SEO with faster page speeds, mobile optimization, and advanced tools. Short-term ranking fluctuations may occur but stabilize with proper setup.
What is the cost of upgrading?
While Squarespace itself doesn’t charge for migration, redesigning your site may involve additional costs if you hire a designer.
How long does the migration take?
A standard migration typically takes 1–2 weeks, depending on site complexity.
Squarespace’s customer support team is available to address any concerns during migration.
SEO Improvements in Squarespace 7.1
How does Squarespace 7.1 enhance SEO performance?
Mobile-First Indexing:
Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites, and 7.1 ensures all templates are optimized for mobile.
Faster Page Speeds:
Improved code reduces load times, which is a critical ranking factor for Google.
Enhanced Meta Settings:
Easily update meta descriptions, alt tags, and headings for better search visibility.
Rich Snippets Support:
7.1 templates integrate schema markup for structured data, improving click-through rates.
Better User Experience:
Simplified navigation and design flexibility enhance engagement and dwell time.
With these tools, Squarespace 7.1 websites are better positioned to rank higher on search engines.
Case Studies or User Testimonials
How have real users benefited from upgrading?
Case Study 1: Design Agency:
A creative agency using Squarespace 7.0 upgraded to 7.1 and saw a 30% increase in page speed and a 20% improvement in mobile traffic.Case Study 2: Online Store:
A clothing brand reported a 15% increase in conversion rates after leveraging 7.1’s advanced eCommerce tools like subscription products and product filtering.User Testimonial:
“Upgrading to 7.1 transformed our website. The templates are sleek, and the SEO tools boosted our Google rankings significantly!”
These examples demonstrate the tangible benefits of upgrading.
Internal and External Linking for Squarespace Websites
Why is linking important for Squarespace websites?
Internal Links:
Improve navigation and help users discover related content on your site.
Example: Link blog posts on “SEO optimization” to service pages.
External Links:
Build credibility by linking to authoritative sources like Squarespace’s tutorials or Google’s SEO guides.
Integrating a solid linking strategy enhances user experience and boosts SEO.
Simplify the process of content updates and management.
Squarespace 7.1 is an updated, more intuitive experience. This upgraded one simplifies the full website management game, making it easy to update your content, add new pages, customize your navigation, and adjust settings on your site.
The vertical aspect of 7.1 is the removal of index pages. These were previously a bit of a pain to put together. In the new version, every single page is exactly that, a single page, and you can fill it with as many sections as you want. Even better, creating pages and adding sections takes a fraction of the time it used to.
Squarespace Templates:
Template selection is an important factor in Squarespace 7.0. Every template has its features, which will directly impact the design of your site.
Example: Some templates I enjoy, such as the Brine template family, support full-width banner images with text overlays, enabling me to set up beautiful index pages. Unfortunately, there are a few Squarespace 7.0 templates that lack this ability and usually require a template switch to Brine.
In Squarespace 7.1, that all changes for the better. Because all of the templates have the same structure and built-in functionality, this removes any uncertainties about which templates offer specific features. The result? A new era of Squarespace design — simplified, efficient template choice (Keep in mind that this is the new 7.1 template, different from existing 7.0 template—templates do not carry over from versions.)
Design Interface:
Squarespace 7.1 introduces substantial changes to the back-end design interface, which may require some adjustment for users familiar with the previous setup.
Here are some notable improvements:
Organized Design Settings: Design settings are now categorized by fonts, colors, buttons, and more, offering a more intuitive and efficient structure compared to 7.0. This means you can access all design settings from a central location, making it easier to fine-tune your site's elements.
Color Themes: The ability to establish color themes for consistent usage throughout your site.
No More Index Pages: In 7.1, single pages can stack to create long, scrolling pages. This eliminates the need for index pages, streamlining the creation of section layouts and enabling full-width banner images within any section.
Enhanced Section Styling: Greater control over the styling of individual page sections.
Built-in Heading 4 Styling: The addition of Heading 4 (h4) styling provides an extra heading option, benefiting both design and SEO. Headings play a role in helping search engines understand and rank your page's content.
However, there are also some downsides to the new 7.1 design interface:
Consistent Fonts: In 7.1, you can't select different fonts for each heading style, although you can adjust their sizes. All heading styles share the same font.
Limited Mobile Customization: 7.1 offers fewer options for customizing mobile designs.
Blog Post Editing: There's no "live" editor to work on your blog post as it will appear; you must use a small pop-up window instead.
No Developer Mode: Developer Mode, an advanced tool for web developers to add extra functionality, is no longer available in Squarespace.
New Features:
Squarespace 7.1 offers numerous advantages, but it's important to acknowledge that not all features from Squarespace 7.0 have made their way into this newer version. While many of these features may eventually be integrated into Squarespace 7.1 as the platform continues to evolve and improve, it's helpful to be aware of the feature differences between the two versions if you're considering using Squarespace 7.1 today.
Here's a rundown of some features from Squarespace 7.0 that are not currently available in 7.1:
Parallax Scrolling on Background Images: The beloved parallax scrolling effect on background images is currently missing in 7.1.
Gallery Blocks: In 7.1, there's no direct support for displaying a gallery of images or videos using gallery blocks.
Secondary Navigation: The option to include secondary navigation is absent in 7.1.
Share Buttons: In 7.1, direct share buttons for visitors to share your content to platforms like Pinterest or social media are not yet part of the feature set.
Header Search Function: While 7.1 offers a Search block that can be added to any page, it doesn't support including a search field in your site's navigation bar.
Squarespace App Compatibility: Full compatibility with the Squarespace app for mobile editing is not available in 7.1.
Flexibility:
In moving from Squarespace 7.0 to Squarespace 7.1, a single transition stands out: The end of fixed themes. In the old version, users needed to choose a theme in advance, which limited which design features and layouts were available to them. However, most businesses remain ambiguous with what their website will ultimately look like. Having fixed themes might constrain the kind of energy-free creativity needed to come up with a real solution.
Enter Squarespace 7.1, which frees you from these restrictions. Though you can choose a template to serve as a helpful starting point, there are no creative limits. The appearance of one 7.1 site can be taken up easily by another, allowing for endless potential.
Revolutionary Page Sections:
One game-changer is page sections for Squarespace 7.1. Essentially, it's a total rewrite of the old-style "index page" system in favor of something more natural. There are more options for editable fields on a single page. You can customize widths, colors, backgrounds – whatever your requirements may be.
Long-scrolling pages are all the rage today, and Squarespace 7.1 simplifies this trend. Fewer clicks are needed to access additional content like contact forms or gallery grids, reducing the effort required to navigate a web page. This means web projects no longer need to drag on for months, with seemingly minimal changes.
Effortless Custom code:
For clients seeking a highly specific look or feature, custom coding can be the solution. Squarespace 7.1 offers easy integration of custom CSS, enabling precise adjustments beyond the platform's native customization options.
new page sections feature, you can apply these tweaks exactly where you want them, effortlessly enhancing your site's appearance and functionality.
Should you use 7.0 or Upgrade To 7.1?
The decision between Squarespace 7.0 and 7.1 can be perplexing, often triggered by the persuasive marketing emails promoting the newer version and its Fluid Engine. However, it's important to separate fact from fiction.
The reality is that many small and medium-sized businesses may not be missing out on critical features by sticking with 7.0. There's a common misconception that they must migrate to 7.1 or else face expulsion from the platform. Fortunately, this is far from the truth.
Adding to the confusion, many budding designers, particularly those well-versed in 7.1, tend to present the switch as an absolute necessity.
In the end, the choice comes down to your specific business needs and goals, rather than succumbing to the pressure of marketing messages.
Switch to Squarespace 7.1 if you're:
Launching a new ecommerce site.
Building an online course with chapters and a progress tracker.
Launching a new small business.
Interested in utilizing Fluid Engine for advanced block placement and separate mobile styling.
However, if you're contemplating a site redesign, the decision to migrate or not should be influenced by factors like your goals, budget, site size, and other unique requirements.
In some cases, using the Version of Squarespace 7.0 may be the way to go. This could be applicable if:
You require very advanced functionality that's better supported in 7.0.
Your support staff is well-versed in Squarespace 7.0.
Your business aims to maintain the same overall look but enhance your 7.0 site and SEO content.
For those seeking secondary menu navigation, such as large content sites, multi-audience platforms, and local service businesses, the 7.0 Brine family could be a suitable choice.
However, if the prospect of a site migration merely stems from curiosity and doesn't demonstrate a clear ROI, it might not be worth the investment of time and resources. The key is to make an informed decision that best serves your business goals.
Final Thought: Which is better—Squarespace 7.0 or 7.1?
So should you choose 7.0 or 7.1 — this comes down to you and your needs. Squarespace 7.0 is stable and well supported so if you are already using it and don’t want to change you can stay on with it. Squarespace 7.1, which was released in 2020, is still being updated now and generally offers more flexibility and options for design. The catch is that it is constantly changing and missing some features of 7.0.
Use 7.1 if you're creating a new e-commerce website, developing online courses, or starting a small business. It’s also the option for advanced customization and mobile design. Use 7.0 if you prefer its familiarity, your site requires very advanced functionality, or you are used to the features it has. You should decide based on how complex and how important your project is.
