Your site can display your resume or portfolio, bring in passive income, or just be a space to share what you’re into. It gives people an easy way to connect with you and if it’s done right, they’ll keep coming back.

Let’s walk through the main reasons you might want to build a personal website, how to make it compelling, and a few examples you can follow as inspiration.

What is a personal website used for?

A personal website is the perfect way to show the world who you are and what you care about. Here are four of the most common ways people use their personal websites.

1. Online resume

Your personal brand matters, whether you’re a freelancer or employed full-time. Your website helps make that first impression count. It’s the perfect place to highlight your experience, show off projects, and list out your skills in a way that shows who you are. You can add downloadable files or interactive sections to keep it engaging. It’s more memorable than a PDF, and it gives potential employers or clients a full picture of what you bring to the table.

See our favorite resume website examples

2. Portfolio

If you're a creative, freelancer, or anyone with work you’re proud of, your site can become your digital gallery. Whether it’s writing, design, photography, or something else; you get to show it off your way. Pick a layout that showcases the best parts of your work and add context to highlight your skills and impact. It's your chance to let your style, voice, and expertise really shine through.

See our favorite digital portfolio examples

3. Making money

Thinking about turning your skills or content into extra income? A personal website makes that possible. A website gives you more control over what you share with your audience and the look, pricing, and experience. 

Anyone can add ads to popular site pages to earn from visitor clicks. Content creators can set up member-only web pages to share exclusive content or paywall videos and blog posts. Subject matter experts like coaches and consultants can offer their services. It’s a great way to turn your ideas into an income stream.

Explore more ways to make money from a website

4. Passion projects

Not everything has to be a business. A personal site is also a great place to share your travels, blog about your hobbies, or post information about your wedding and other life events. It’s your creative space to make what you want. Over time, sharing your passion might even help you connect with likeminded people and communities.

Read our tips for promoting a personal website

Personal website examples

When starting your personal website, you don’t have to start from scratch. Here are 9 unique personal website examples to inspire or start your own. Each one is designed with a unique vibe and purpose but can customized to your style and needs.

1. Jenani

If your brand leans into wellness and holistic healing, the Jenani template might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s got a warm, earthy feel that instantly puts people at ease. 

A clear link to book is right in the header, and all services and prices are laid out in a way that makes sense. The FAQ section is organized in an accordion block, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming to visitors. If someone has more questions, they can submit them using the customizable form.

Start with the Jenani template

2. Sidney

Designed with musicians in mind, this short and snappy template gets straight to the point. Big fonts grab your attention right away, and direct links to major streaming platforms make it easy for fans to listen or pre-save your next release. Plus, the background video adds an extra layer of energy to really capture your vibe.

Start with the Sidney template

3. Minoru

This one-page website is bright, friendly, and approachable. The focus of the example site is to help visitors understand this tutor’s teaching style and make them confident in booking a session. The pricing structure is laid out front and center and the testimonials from past students really show what makes his lessons great. 

Whether you’re looking to teach or simply want to share your expertise, this is an example of how you can show up professionally without muting your personality.

Start with the Minoru template

4. Amal

Amal’s website kicks off with a warm, welcoming image that guides visitors down the page to learn more about this dynamic individual. The homepage prominently features contact info, making it easy for anyone to get in touch.

Use an accordion to display your wide range of skills. Links to Facebook, Instagram, and X are right at the bottom of the page, making it easy to stay connected.

Start with the Amal template

5. Quinn

Photography takes center stage on this portfolio site. The artist’s selected works are visible at the top, making it easy to dive in. A biography gives visitors a chance to get to know the artist before exploring some of their big projects and impressive client list. The main goal here is to showcase your talents and accomplishments while making sure visitors feel confident making a booking.

Start with the Quinn template

6. Cami

This website example shows how a full-time employee might use their personal website to show the range of their experience. Each section highlights a different piece of work, giving a peek into the creative process. The blog page provides a spot to share your expertise, and the About section leaves space for your personal story and any awards you’ve earned. It’s all about showing off your skills while giving visitors a sense of who you are.

Start with the Cami template

7. Randi 

Short, sweet, and to the point, this template has one mission of getting you connected with your website visitors. The calming color palette sets the tone and visitors are encouraged to take action—book a consultation in the example, but customizable to your goals—as soon as they arrive. The one-page design has the added benefit of helping you get a website launched quickly, so you can take ownership of your digital space sooner.

Start with the Randi template

8. Carroll

This online resume website showcases the site owner’s unique skills, and it’s as neat and organized as their work. The clean layout paired with a professional color palette makes it feel like a smooth walk through this person’s career journey. The simple, bold design shows you can make an impact even if you aren’t a visual creative. The site also makes it easy for potential employers to reach out via email or LinkedIn. 

Start with the Carroll template

9. Palmera

Blogging takes the spotlight in this airy template. This is a great starting point for someone who just wants to share more about a passion project. Visitors can quickly subscribe for email updates through the newsletter block. The About section highlights the author’s expertise, giving visitors a reason to trust their voice. The website is also flexible enough to accommodate an online shop if you decide to start selling products in the future.

Start with the Palmera template

How to make a compelling personal website

At the heart of any great website is the experience someone has when they visit. You want them to feel welcome, get a clear sense of who you are, and stick around. Here are four ways to make sure your site hits the mark.

1. Know your purpose and your people

First, get clear on why you’re building your site and who it’s for. Are you trying to book more clients? Share your creative work? Promote a cause? When you know your purpose, it’s easier to make decisions about layout, content, and design. And when you know your audience, you can speak directly to them.

2. Make it easy to use

Nobody wants to visit a confusing site. Keep things simple with a clean layout, clear navigation, and mobile-friendly design. Think of it like setting up a cozy space: People should be able to walk in, find what they need, and feel like they’re in the right place. If it’s pleasant and easy to explore, visitors will hang out longer.

3. Create content that feels like you

Your website content is where your voice really shines. Whether it’s your About page, blog posts, or a project breakdown, keep it clear, honest, and engaging. Show your personality, include strong visuals, and write the way you speak. People connect with authenticity and solid content helps them trust you, remember you, and come back for more.

4. Keep it fresh

If your site hasn’t been touched in a year or more, it can start to look and feel a bit abandoned. Regular updates, like posting new work, tweaking your bio, or adding blog content show that you’re active. It keeps your site accurate and relevant, helps with SEO, and gives you more reasons to share your work on social media. Little updates go a long way.

Read on to find out how an organic marketing strategy can work for you and how to customize a strategy to your needs.

Defining organic marketing

Organic marketing refers to any marketing activities for your business that are free and don’t include paid promotion. This covers marketing efforts and strategies you create independently rather than relying on third-party services like paid advertisements, online ads, a marketing agency, or PR services.

Examples of organic marketing

Popular organic marketing methods traditionally cover digital marketing and producing content online. This is also known as content marketing. Here you might use search engine optimization (SEO), high-quality social, video, or blog content, and thought leadership articles to draw your audience to your website. But organic marketing can also include activities in the physical space, such as live events.

The organic marketing channels you use may look different depending on your business and what you offer to customers. Here are some examples.

Website content 

Content types: Blog posts, articles, and SEO

Benefits: Quality website content helps establish you as a thought leader in your industry, as well as improving search rankings and driving inbound leads.

Most beneficial for: All business and website types, but especially topic experts or local business owners

Digital communications

Content types: Email marketing, email drip campaigns, newsletters, and SMS notifications

Benefits: Direct marketing like email campaigns, notifications, and newsletters encourage return visits to your site, help build a loyal following, and nurture warm leads who are interested in buying your products.

Most beneficial for: Small businesses and content creators

Social media

Content types: Videos, static images, live videos, and engagement (replying, messaging customers)

Benefits: Social media marketing is a great way to curate your brand identity and grow your community. Its perks include low barrier to entry, as well as possibility for high engagement—hashtags, trending posts, and engaging content can quickly boost your brand to new audiences.

Most beneficial for: Content creators, creatives, service providers or coaches, and physical goods sellers

Live events and sessions

Content types: In-person events, webinars, and podcast appearances

Benefits: This channel puts a face or voice to your business. Live events and sessions like classes, retreats, or workshops allow customers to build a relationship with your brand and to feel involved with the faces and people behind your products.

Most beneficial for: Content creators, creatives, service providers or coaches, and physical goods sellers

Testimonials and user-generated content

Content types: Reviews, word of mouth, and user-generated content (UGC)

Benefits: Authentic reviews and content coming from existing members of your community give your business a valuable seal of authority. Sharing positive feedback, like reviews, testimonials or customer posts, is a great way to encourage new audiences to support your brand. 

Most beneficial for: Services providers or coaches, physical goods sellers

Organic marketing vs. paid marketing

Organic marketing covers anything outside of paid advertisement and strategies. The difference isn’t necessarily in what’s created, but the marketing tools that you use to get in front of your audience. Paid marketing may rely on third parties, such as social media management companies, a PR agency, paid marketing support, or purchasing digital ads. You can create a social media post or website page and get views and traffic through organic marketing, but also pay for ads that promote the same post or page.

As paid marketing comes out of your business expenses, it’s often best if you’re more advanced in your marketing plans and know what channels and demographics to focus on. If you’re a business owner or content creator who’s just starting out or looking to cut costs, organic marketing is a more cost-effective way of starting.

Learn more about paid marketing strategies

What are the benefits of organic marketing?

In the early stages of your business, organic marketing is a way to build up your audience without spending money on advertising. Organic marketing methods are often highly effective at building long-term trust and relationships with your audience, so a great way to generate a loyal customer base over time.

Remember, you don’t have to use organic marketing on its own. You can use this as a way to see which marketing channels work well with your audience before incorporating paid efforts. Organic marketing channels can also supplement other paid marketing activities should you add them to your marketing strategy down the line.

7 steps to build an organic marketing strategy

No matter what type of business you run, you can create an organic marketing strategy that works for you. Here’s how to develop a strategy and more ways to take advantage of different marketing channels, depending on what fits your situation.

1. Know your audience and competition

Knowing your audience is an essential element of your marketing strategy. Try doing audience and competitor research before launching any campaigns. This can help identify what channels will be most relevant to your customers as well as what strategies are popular with your competition.

For example, a business selling perfume could research the most popular social media channels used by their target demographic to outline where best to promote their products. This could be accompanied with a competitor analysis of other perfume brands on the market, looking at common strategies in marketing to customers.

Read our guide to doing competitor research

2. Make a plan

Once you understand your audience and competitors, it’s time to make a plan. Choose the methods and channels that will make up your marketing strategy. It can be helpful to include specific timelines and objectives in planning stages so you can monitor progress as time goes on.

If you’re a business that offers accounting services, you may plan to concentrate your efforts on increasing your presence on social media like LinkedIn. An actionable plan would be growing social media following on the platform by 25% over the next 6 months with the use of regular posts and engaging written content. You could use any of the methods below to work toward your goal.

Follow our guide to setting clear business goals

3. Build out your website content

Build a blog on your website and upload regular posts covering topics and themes relevant to your audience. You can optimize this for SEO using relevant keywords, ensuring your content is engaging, well-researched, and high quality to attract readers. Optimize your web pages by including keywords in page titles and descriptions and keeping designs user-friendly.

If you’re a business that sells greeting cards, you might consider running a series of weekly blog posts on the best cards to purchase for major holidays, incorporating keywords throughout. Or keep it simple with general updates about you and your business, which will naturally touch on keywords and help you engage site visitors.

4. Send out digital communications 

A regular newsletter or email promotion is a great way to market to subscribers and customers. Consider relevant news you can bring to your subscribers, like a monthly promotion, roundup of bestsellers, or other exclusives.

A business selling knitted goods could send out subscriber-only discounts, such as a 30% off sale for holiday-themed clothing in November and December. Or you could include a peek at how a product gets made in a newsletter, summarizing in the message and linking to a longer blog post on your site.

5. Advertise your brand on social media

One of the most popular ways for brands to market is through social media. Social media accounts can connect you with new audiences through posting relatable and engaging content and replying to customers directly on your channels.

A marketing agency might use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to post day-in-the-life videos of how they work with clients, or informative videos on how their company got started. Creatives and service providers can share their work and expertise, and ecommerce businesses and show off their products and make them shoppable from each platform.

6. Host live events and sessions for audiences local to you

Live events bring your brand offline and into the real world, which can be a great way to meet your customers and build trust in your business. Even if your brand mainly operates in digital spaces, there are ways to harness this, too—digital audiences can be captured through online webinars, podcasts, classes.

A makeup company could host makeup classes in their city to show customers how to apply and use their products. This could include in-person sign ups to other marketing channels, like email or SMS communications, on top of having products available for purchase. A wellness coach might host a retreat or online workshop, or pitch themselves as a guest on a mindfulness podcast.

7. Share testimonials and use UGC

Testimonials are a valuable seal of approval from existing customers. Encourage buyers to write reviews on products or your local business profiles or ask clients for feedback to display on your website. You can automate these requests in email communications or by asking relevant content creators to share their views on your products.

For example, a brand selling vintage gaming software could reshare content from an influencer talking about their products. A hair stylist could highlight client testimonials alongside before and after photos.

Pros and cons of organic marketing

It’s important to consider the pros and cons of taking these strategies onboard before you get started. Organic marketing is ideal for affordable, long-term growth, but that means it can take time to net bigger successes.

Pros of organic marketing

• Low startup costs: One of the biggest pros of organic marketing is that it doesn't require financial investment to start. If you’re a smaller company or creator looking to market your business, it’s a free, easy starting place.

• Long-term growth: The purpose is to build deeper relationships and trust with your audience over time. And unlike paid marketing, which pauses when you stop your spend, organic marketing materials are evergreen.

• Deeper trust: When building relationships with customers, it’s important to make your marketing efforts feel authentic. Organic marketing channels often allow you to tell your story in ways that feel honest to customers. 

Cons of organic marketing

• Slower results: Organic marketing strategies require time and effort to be effective. While paid marketing channels can often reach larger audiences in less time, it may be more challenging to scale organic marketing projects, such as SEO, quickly. 

• Requires content resources: With certain channels, you’ll need to create new content consistently to see results, which requires planning and production time.

• Data measurement challenges: With paid marketing, you can directly tie a sales increase or follower count to ad spend or work by a marketing agency. But it can be harder to tie your own marketing directly to results. You’ll need to observe trends to identify which channels are most effective overall.

With the right approach, it can be one of the most rewarding projects you take on and something you can keep building and growing for years. In this guide, you’ll learn about the different types of gaming websites, how to build one, how to grow an audience, and, ultimately, how to make money from it. 

1. Choose the right type of gaming website

Before you can begin building, you first need to define your website’s purpose. “Gaming” is a massive umbrella, so try to hone in on what you want to achieve.

• Are you a streamer looking to promote your channel and connect with fans?

• Do you want to create an online community for like-minded people to talk about gaming?

• Are you a gaming journalist planning to publish reviews, opinion pieces, or industry commentary?

• Are you an indie developer showcasing your latest title and development updates?

• Do you want to create content about a specific console, genre, or even a single game?

All of these are solid starting points, but in a space as broad as gaming, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities are nearly endless, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Many successful gaming websites fill a gap that nobody else saw.

Clarity here helps everything else fall into place. When you know your focus, it naturally defines your target audience, which in turn influences your site’s tone, layout, content strategy, and overall style.

 2. Build your gaming website

Once you know what kind of gaming site you want to create, it’s time to make it happen. From picking a platform to designing your pages, let’s look at the key steps to build a gaming website that creates a great experience for your visitors.

Choose your platform

Start by choosing the platform you’ll use to build your website. This decision affects everything from how your website looks and functions to how easy it is to build and manage. If you want to do more with your website in the future, like set up content subscriptions or manage a newsletter, choosing a platform with those features now can save you time migrating your site later. Once you’ve chosen your platform, you can begin making tangible progress and start putting the pieces together.

If you’re new to website building, Squarespace offers intuitive drag-and-drop design tools, a real-time visual editor, and professionally designed website templates or an AI website builder to get you started. For more experienced creators, Squarespace offers powerful features like integrated SEO tools, built-in analytics, and content gating. These tools make it easier to understand your audience, expand your content, and earn from your website traffic.

See more ways to make money with a website

Choose your name and domain

With your platform chosen, it’s time to bring your idea to life. This starts with your website’s name, and by extension, its domain.

Your site’s name plays a big role in shaping first impressions. It signals what your website is about and helps set the tone for your brand. Ideally, it should be relevant, easy to remember and spell, and reflective of the content or community you’re building.

Make sure the domain is available before registering it and check its availability on the social media platforms you plan to use, too. If you find yourself making too many compromises, like awkward spellings or adding random characters, it’s probably worth thinking up a different name.

If your site will focus on a specific game, franchise, or platform, be mindful of copyright and trademark rules. Many developers have restrictions on how their IP can be used, especially in domain names. Always double-check usage guidelines so you don’t fall foul of legal issues down the line.

Try the free Business Name Generator

Essential pages

As your site is taking shape, think about its structure. While every gaming website is different, most will benefit from a few essential pages. These should be easy to find and offer the key information visitors are likely to look for.

Here are some key pages to consider including:

• Homepage: This is where most visitors will land, so it should instantly grab attention and clearly show what your site is all about. Use it to highlight your latest content, embed a live stream, or promote upcoming events or updates.

• About: Share your story. People like knowing there’s a real person behind the screen, so talk about your passion for gaming, why you started the website, and your goals for it moving forward.

• Content hub: This is the main space for whatever you create. That could be blog posts, game reviews, videos, or stream archives. Make sure it’s easy to browse.

• Shop or support: Create a place to sell your own merch or digital products, like game guides. You can also use this page to accept donations or promote subscription content.

• Contact: Include a way to get in touch. Whether it's a contact form or a direct email link, make it easy for fans, sponsors, and collaborators to reach you.

In addition to dedicated pages, it can also be helpful to feature some of this information on more than one page. Add content blocks like social feeds, mailing list signups, or event schedules to different sections of your site, so you can keep important content visible to visitors wherever they are.

Design your website

You’ve chosen how you’ll build your website and what it’s called. Now it’s time to dive in and start building. This is where your vision finally starts to take shape.

To help you get up and running, use a website template or Squarespace’s Blueprint AI website builder to give your site a polished, professional look right out of the box. 

That said, choosing the right starting point will still make things easier. The best pages and layout for you depends on the kind of site you’re building. Are you creating a visual-heavy site with bold graphics, flashy animations, and embedded streams? Or are you going for a clean, content-first layout that lets your writing take center stage? 

With the basic structure of your site in place, tailor the fonts and color schemes to make the site feel reflective of your brand and personality. And remember: great web design isn’t all flashy graphics and in-your-face visuals. What matters most is usability. Feel free to go bold with your design if that fits your brand, but keep your navigation simple, your content clear, and your site working smoothly across all devices. The goal is to create a space that people enjoy visiting and want to come back to.

3. Grow your gaming website

Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort and smart promotion, your audience will steadily increase. Set clear, measurable goals and choose the right metrics to track them, like visitor count, traffic sources, and time on page. These insights help you track engagement over time and identify what content resonates most, so you can refine your approach going forward.

When it comes to growing traffic, these four strategies are a great place to start.

Publish content regularly

The more content you create, the more chances people have to find you. Each new blog post, video, or stream is another opportunity for someone to discover your site.

Publishing regularly builds momentum, keeps your content fresh and relevant, and helps you sharpen your craft over time. It also keeps your existing audience coming back. The more often they return, the stronger your connection becomes, and the more likely they are to share your content.

Optimize your website for search

One of the most reliable strategies to bring new visitors to your site is via organic search. The SEO process involves using different strategies to ensure your website content is relevant and helpful to your target audience.

That includes clear page titles, descriptions, URLs that include relevant search keywords and page content that’s well-organized. A website builder like Squarespace will include some built-in SEO functionality. If you’re new to SEO, Squarespace AI can also scan your website and make recommendations to improve your site’s search friendliness.

Search engines also prioritize websites that are quick-loading and work well on all screen sizes. Since gaming websites are often heavy on visuals, optimizing your images is essential for site speed. 

Share your content across platforms

Share your content far and wide, especially in places you know your audience will be. This includes mainstream social channels like X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, but also platforms where gamers hang out, like Twitch and Discord.

Think of sharing as a two-way street: You can repurpose content you make for your website for social media and vice versa. Your website should point to your social profiles and your content should direct followers to your website to establish it as a hub for your latest updates and posts.

Build an email list

Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to stay in touch with fans.

Add a signup form to your site, either in the footer or as a pop-up, and encourage visitors to subscribe. That way, whenever something big is happening, you can land directly in your most engaged audience members’ inboxes and keep them in the loop.

4. Start earning from your website

As your audience grows, it’s natural to start thinking of ways to earn money from your content and community. For some, the goal might be to cover basic costs or earn a little on the side. For others, it’s about dreaming bigger: building a steady income stream, growing a personal brand, or even turning your passion into a full-time career.

Here are some of the more popular and time-tested strategies to make money from a gaming website.

• Sell merch: If you’re a popular streamer or you’ve built a strong, recognizable brand, consider selling your own merch, like print on demand clothing or stickers. You could also offer digital products like gaming guides, stream overlays, or custom artwork.

• Offer memberships or premium content: Create a member-only page to post exclusive content behind a paywall or charge for access to premium video and blog collections. 

• Partner with sponsors: As your community grows, brands may reach out to collaborate. Sponsored content and product placement can become great revenue streams and introduce you to new audiences.

• Affiliate links: Earn commission by linking to the gear, games, or platforms you use and recommend. Many gaming companies offer affiliate programs that pay a percentage of each sale made via your link.

• Display ads: Platforms like Google AdSense let you run ads based on impressions or clicks. It’s a fairly hands-off way to earn from a high-traffic website. You can also sell ad space directly to brands if they approach you for a partnership.

• Accept donations: Sometimes, fans just want to show their appreciation. Give fans an easy way to show their support with a donation or crowdfunding section on your website or a tip jar on your social profiles.

Making a living from your gaming website is usually something you build toward over time. However, by deciding on a clear monetization roadmap early, you’ll be ready to execute your strategy when the time comes.

Let’s look at the reasons cause awareness days are crucial to mission-driven organizations and how Squarespace can help you maximize community support with a range of powerful tools. 

Why are charity holidays important for nonprofits?

Cause awareness days are a valuable method for nonprofits to amplify their message, develop their brand, and ultimately, achieve their purpose of making a positive impact. 

• Fundraising potential: While not always the primary goal, awareness days are a great time to double down on fundraising efforts by aligning with the momentum of the day. 

• Increased visibility: Charity holidays can generate buzz on social media and in the press, helping you reach new audiences and expand your visibility. 

• Engagement and action: These days provide opportunities to engage supporters through social media campaigns, events, and fundraising initiatives. 

• Educational opportunities: Use the day to inform the public about the issues your organization addresses, to foster understanding and support. 

• Building community: Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations online or at an event to foster a sense of community and collaboration. 

• Advocacy and change: Use these days to advocate for policy changes and raise awareness about issues that need attention. 

How to leverage cause awareness days on Squarespace

Whether your cause is about health, human rights, the environment, or another movement, mission-driven groups on Squarespace can make the most of awareness days with Donations tools. Add a Donation block to any page of a Squarespace website to collect contributions directly.

1. Connect a payment tool. Navigate to Finance > Payments in your Squarespace account and select Squarespace Payments or another payment option, such as Stripe or PayPal.

2. Add a Donation Block. Edit any page and click Add Block > Donation.

3. Customize your donation settings. Using the editor, set the donation amounts or allow custom donations, add disclaimers, and personalize the style to match your site design. 

4. Start accepting donations. Once your block is set up, visitors can donate directly on your website.

As a bonus step, create a QR code that leads directly to your donations page, so you easily can collect support anywhere. Squarespace automatically sends receipts to donors for their records. You can manage and track donations from the Donations dashboard in your Squarespace account.

Best practices for collecting donations

There are a few best practices around setting up donations on your site. For example, how you ask for contributions can make all the difference in motivating people to participate. 

Storytelling is critical—explain your mission and be transparent and specific about how funds are used. Show the impact donations have on the cause with data, success stories, testimonials, and visuals that illustrate the positive results of your work. Consider conveying a sense of urgency to make visitors pay greater attention to your campaign. 

Here are some other best practices to help you make the most out of cause awareness days:

• Create multiple giving levels so that donating feels accessible for everyone.

• Let community members choose recurring donations to build consistent support for your cause.

• Incentivize visitors to give by offering a small giveaway for donating, like publishing donor names, sending a free sticker, or giving them access to gated content. 

• Allow donors to cover transaction and processing fees, so 100% of the donation goes to your cause. You can enable this option in your donation settings.

• Offer multiple payment options so donors can choose their preferred tool. If you’re using Squarespace Payments, you’ll also have lower fees on ACH payments over $250.

• Engage your community and drive donations with email marketing. Squarespace Email Campaigns includes predesigned templates and AI writing assistance, so you can  quickly create on-brand, high-impact emails for your campaigns.

• Thank donors and update them about progress to make them feel valued and keep them invested in your cause.

• Share links to your donation page across all your online platforms to help your audience find it. Don’t be afraid to share more than once.

Establishing a cause awareness day calendar

It’s a good idea to track all the cause awareness days that can potentially drive donations to your website. You can do that by creating a fundraising calendar for them so you never miss an opportunity to fundraise. Here’s a list of popular awareness days for the rest of 2025 to add to your calendar.

April

• 25: World Malaria Day 

• 30: International Jazz Day 

• Autism Awareness Month

• National Child Abuse Prevention Month

• Donate Life Month

May

• 3: World Press Freedom Day

• 10: World Lupus Day

• 10: World Fair Trade Day

• 12: International Nurses Day

• 17: Endangered Species Day

• 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia

• 22: International Day for Biological Diversity

• 31: World No Tobacco Day

• Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

• Mental Health Awareness Month

June

• 5: World Environment Day

• 8: World Ocean Day

• 12: World Day Against Child Labour

• 14: World Blood Donor Day 

• 20: World Refugee Day

• 21: International Day of Yoga

• 22: World Rainforest Day

• LGBTQ+ Pride Month

• National LGBTQ+ History Month

July

• 11: World PopulationDay

• 18: Nelson Mandela International Day

• 30: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

• National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 

August 

• 9: Indigenous People’s Day

• 12: International Youth Day 

• 17: National Nonprofit Day

• 19: World Humanitarian Day

• 29: International Day Against Nuclear Tests

• Immunization Awareness Month 

September

• 5: International Day of Charity

• 8: International Literacy Day

• 10: World Suicide Prevention Day

• 15: International Day of Democracy 

• 21: International Day of Peace

• 21: World Alzheimer’s Day

• 27: World Tourism Day

• 28: World Rivers Day

• National Suicide Prevention Month

• National Hispanic Heritage Month

October

• 4: World Animal Day

• 4: World Habitat Day

• 5: World Teachers Day

• 10: World Homeless Day

• 10: World Mental Health Day

• 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

• 19: World Values Day

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month

• LGBTQ+ History Month

November

• 13: World Kindness Day

• 16: International Day for Tolerance

• 20: World Children’s Day

• 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

• Military Family Appreciation Month

• Native American Heritage Month

December

• 1: World AIDS Day

• 2: Giving Tuesday

• 3: International Day of People with Disabilities

• 5: International Volunteer Day

• 10: International Human Rights Day

• National Homelessness & Homeless Youth Awareness Month 

QR codes

Make it easy for anyone to reach your site quickly.

• You can now generate and download QR codes for any page on your site, right in Squarespace. 

• Nonprofits can drive in-person donations, restaurants can link to menus, and anyone can turn a moment into a connection. 

• Open Page Settings and toggle on QR code to get started.

1:1 Appointments

Now available from Bio Sites

Monetize your time and let your followers book sessions right from your link in bio with a free Bio Site.

• ​You can now offer paid 1:1 appointments directly through your Bio Site. 

• Add the new 1:1 Appointments section, set your availability and pricing, and link your payment provider.

Learn more about these new products and more on the Squarespace Forum.

In this guide, we’ll explore promising AI business ideas, how to evaluate which ones suit your skills and goals, and what to consider as you turn your idea into a revenue-generating venture. If you want to create a software platform, launch a service for other businesses, or scale an industry-specific solution, this guide will help you think through how to start and grow an AI-centered business.

The current state of AI in business

AI has moved beyond experimentation into widespread adoption. We’re seeing a new category of AI-native businesses built from the ground up, with AI at the core of their offering. From legal assistants to medical imaging startups, these companies aren't just using AI, they're commercializing it.

Businesses are now incorporating AI or building AI-driven businesses for:

• Process automation, like robotic process automation in finance

• Enhanced decision-making, like predictive analytics in supply chains

• Customer personalization, like AI chatbots and recommendation engines

• Content generation and data transformation, like generative AI images and copy

The opportunity is real, and so are the challenges. The field is competitive, and the cost of training or fine-tuning large models can get expensive. The best AI businesses strike a balance between leveraging powerful tools and solving real-world problems.

Foundational AI tools

Before jumping into business ideas, it’s important to understand the core technologies for AI-powered businesses. These tools serve as the foundation for many business ideas: building a chatbot, automating workflows, analyzing images, or creating new forms of content. 

The good news? You don’t need to train a model from scratch. A growing ecosystem of open-source models, third-party APIs, and managed platforms is making it faster, easier, and more cost-effective.

Here are five categories of AI tools and platforms that entrepreneurs can leverage to bring their ideas to life:

• LLMs (Large Language Models): Tools like ChatGPT or open-source options for building chatbots, assistants, and knowledge systems

• Computer vision: Models or platforms for image and video analysis

• Speech and audio: Tools for voice transcription, analysis, and synthesis

• AutoML platforms: Solutions for building machine learning models without extensive expertise

• Vector databases: Tools for fast and scalable similarity search—essential for accurate, context-aware generated text

These tools form a powerful AI toolkit to build a business. But using them requires some technical know-how and a thoughtful approach to your audience, the problem you’re solving, and the value you deliver. With the right combination of technical foundation and business focus, you can turn these capabilities into high-impact products and services.

Consider less technical strategies for earning money with AI

10 AI business ideas to explore

Once you understand the tools available, the next step is imagining how to use them to solve real-world problems. You don’t need to invent the next ChatGPT to build a successful AI business. In fact, many of the most promising opportunities lie in applying existing models to niche markets or underserved industries.

Below are 10 AI startup ideas that span a range of sectors and business models. Each idea reflects how AI can be used to automate processes, enhance services, or create entirely new products. If you're still learning the landscape, think of this list as inspiration to help you spot intersections between your skills, your industry knowledge, and real customer needs.

1. Industry-specific software

Build industry-specific software for sectors like law, healthcare, or construction. If you have an understanding of common challenges in a specific industry, you could create a tool that uses AI to automate repetitive tasks (like form filling, document generation, or scheduling). You could target small-to-medium businesses that lack custom solutions or the resources to build them out themselves.

2. Custom AI agent-as-a-service

Develop AI-powered digital assistants tailored to specific roles, like a sales assistant that helps close leads, or a project manager that tracks tasks across multiple communication and project tools. These agents can be sold as plug-and-play software tools or as white-labeled enterprise solutions. Knowing your niche is key here too. Focus on one type of role or business and consider what tasks would be most helpful to automate.

3. AI training data marketplace

AI models are only as good as the data they’re trained on. This idea involves building a marketplace that collects, curates, and licenses high-quality datasets for specific industries or use cases. For example, you might create a library of annotated medical images or labeled legal documents. You could then charge for access to the library or to specific documents.

4. Automated research and analysis tools

Use AI to read and summarize long reports, extract key data points, or generate briefings. These tools are valuable in law, consulting, finance, or any industry that works with dense documents. 

Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is especially useful here to help increase the accuracy of generated text. RAG can digest and pull from a knowledge base to ensure its output is more accurate to your use case. Note that some widely available tools may offer this already, so consider how you can differentiate yourself. You might highlight your expertise in the field or data security practices, for example.

5. AI for compliance monitoring

Help businesses stay ahead of changing regulations by building tools that analyze contracts, monitor legal updates, and flag potential risks. NLP (natural language processing) makes it easier to sift through complex policy and legal language. Like with other AI business ideas, you’ll likely have more success if you have some experience in a related field. Any technology needs to be applied thoughtfully, and an expert will know what to scan for in complex documents, what constitutes a risk or important update, and other nuances.

6. Synthetic media studio

Create a service or platform that uses AI to generate synthetic voices, avatars, or explainer videos. This has applications in education, training, marketing, and customer support, especially when speed and personalization are priorities. This is another category with existing competition, so it can be helpful to focus on a specific niche and know your competitors well. You should be able to identify what makes you different, whether that’s based on quality, methods, variety, or some other combination of factors.

7. AI tutoring or learning platforms

Build adaptive learning platforms that adjust in real time based on a user’s behavior, level, and goals. You could focus on test prep, language learning, professional development—or a niche subject where traditional e-learning falls short. This is a good option if you already have some online course experience. You can build on an existing course or style of learning platform to create a more personalized version.

8. AI-powered recruiting tools

Use AI to scan resumes, optimize job descriptions, or recommend best-fit candidates. To differentiate yourself in this crowded space, consider focusing on fairness features like bias detection or industry-specific talent pools like, education, law, or healthcare. You’ll need to build a trustworthy reputation to be successful in this space, whether working with applicants or other companies—neither will want to waste their time or money on unproven hiring tools.

9. Predictive maintenance for equipment

Combine AI with online sensor data to monitor equipment health and predict failures before they happen. This could be relevant for monitoring someone’s home if they’re well-connected to smart home devices. It’s also especially relevant for industries like manufacturing, energy, or transportation, where equipment downtime is costly.

10. Creative co-pilots for niche roles

Build AI-powered assistants that support creative or analytical work in specific fields, like a tool for interior designers to generate mockups, or a screenwriting co-pilot that suggests dialogue options. The more tailored the use case, the more valuable the solution.

The best ideas aren’t necessarily the flashiest—they’re the ones that solve real pain points for a specific audience. As you explore these business opportunities, look for gaps in industries you understand or communities you're part of. That insider knowledge combined with the right AI application can give you an edge.

Using AI in your existing business

If you're already running a business, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to incorporate AI. You likely have more assets than you realize: historical customer data, defined workflows, industry knowledge, and an existing customer base. These can all be leveraged to build smarter, faster systems with AI.

Start by asking yourself:

• What processes take the most manual time or create bottlenecks? Could AI automate or speed up tasks like responding to emails, sorting files, or generating documents?

• What data do we already have that could train a useful model? Do you have years of customer interactions, transactions, or product usage data that could power predictive analytics or personalization?

• Can we improve customer experience with AI-powered personalization? Could chatbots, recommendation engines, or content generation tools help deliver a more tailored experience?

For example, a small design agency might use an AI-powered project assistant to streamline client communication. A photographer could use AI to auto-tag and organize images, or quickly generate SEO-friendly captions for gallery pages and blog posts. An online store could use customer data to generate personalized product suggestions or automated marketing emails. Even modest AI enhancements can unlock major efficiencies and help your business grow. 

Key considerations when starting an AI business

Starting an AI business has unique challenges. Here are a few to keep in mind:

1. Data access and quality: Do you have access to high-quality, relevant, and diverse datasets? If not, how will you acquire or generate them?

2. Ethics and legal risk: As AI systems generate content or make decisions, you may face questions about intellectual property, bias, or misinformation. Understand the legal and ethical frameworks relevant to your product and sector.

3. Speed of change: What’s innovative today may be table stakes tomorrow. Build agility into your product roadmap, and offer value beyond the AI, such as workflow integration, industry expertise, or brand trust.

4. Differentiation: If you're building on top of general-purpose models, what makes your product better or special? It could be a niche audience, proprietary data, a better user experience, or tight integration with industry tools.

5. Model cost and infrastructure: Using APIs is convenient but can get expensive at scale. Training your own model is even more resource-intensive. Many startups begin with API integrations and explore fine-tuning or open-source models as they scale.

More on cost considerations

AI businesses come with both upfront and ongoing costs that can vary widely. Here’s a breakdown of typical investments:

• Model/API usage: You’ll have pay-as-you-go or subscription fees for the models that power your offering.

• Cloud computing: Hosting your own models requires specialized infrastructure.

• Data acquisition: If you need to buy or label custom data, this can get expensive fast.

• Compliance: In regulated industries, legal review or compliance tooling is a must, and can add up.

• Team: Hiring machine learning engineers, data scientists, subject matter experts, or product managers can be costly but may be necessary.

Start small and validate your product-market fit before investing heavily in infrastructure or team size. Don’t forget to price based on the value you deliver, not just your costs. AI solutions that save businesses time, reduce headcount, or increase revenue can justify premium pricing.

It's an exciting time to start an AI business. But the key to long-term success isn’t just using AI, it’s solving a real problem in a way that delivers lasting value.

If you’re technical, resourceful, and eager to build something bigger than a weekend project, AI can be your greatest leverage. Use this moment to explore where your skills meet a market need, and turn that spark into a scalable, sustainable venture.

Learn more about Squarespace and AI in the AI content hub

Whether you’re a freelance journalist looking to expand your client base or an in-house journalist looking to build your professional brand, building a website is a crucial step to achieving these goals. 

Reasons to have a website as a journalist

Journalists often pick up new assignments or clients because of work they’ve done in the past. Having a hub to display this work is crucial. An online journalism portfolio is also an opportunity to shape your professional story—you decide what work you highlight and how you speak about it.

For journalists, a website can serve multiple purposes.

• Organize your portfolio in one place. Having a website allows you to organize your clips in one place and demonstrate the diversity of your talents. Multimedia journalists can also display their work more efficiently. For example, a website allows photojournalists to curate a gallery of their best work.

• Create a permanent archive of your stories. Keeping an archive of your work gives you control over your output. Digital content is unpredictable. Search engine algorithms change frequently, which can bury your best work. Online articles can be erased if a publication redesigns their website or removes your byline with a content refresh. 

• Signal you’re open to work. A website makes it easy for prospective clients or employers to hire you. You can highlight that you’re available for assignments and specify the kind of work you’re looking for. 

• Demonstrate your niche(s). Maybe you specialize in a specific subject, like culture, healthcare, or politics, or have clips in several niches. A website allows you to show the breadth and depth of your professional experience. 

• Establish you as a subject matter expert. Having a website allows you to promote your expertise. Many journalists also start a blog or newsletter, both of which can be linked to your website.

• Establish your brand. Your work is one part of your brand. By pairing this with a website tailored to your personality, you’re communicating your value system and what you’re like to work with. 

• Signal your professionalism. A smartly designed website conveys that you’re responsible and professional. 

A website is even more essential for freelance journalists. You’re effectively running your own small business, so your website gives you an opportunity to think like an entrepreneur and market yourself to potential clients. If you’re looking for additional work, consider putting together a content strategy centered on your website. This could include launching an email newsletter or a blog, a social media campaign, or soliciting testimonials from past clients to reach potential publishers and underscore the quality of your work.

6 steps to make a website for a journalist 

Journalist websites give you the ability to show off all of your skills while maintaining control over your work. The design of your website will depend on what clips you want to share. For example, someone who works in audio storytelling and print publications might create separate portfolio pages for those formats.

1. Determine your goals 

Consider why you’re launching a website before you start building one. Your goals will dictate the content and feel of your website.

You might be establishing an online presence to generate more freelance work. If you’re in a full-time role, you might want to build your professional reputation to lay the foundation for future full-time opportunities or speaking engagements.

2. Get a domain

A domain name—the URL that people use to visit your website—is part of your brand. Journalists commonly register a domain featuring their byline, since it connects their website to their work and likeness. It’s also good for SEO to incorporate your professional name into your website. That ensures that when people search for your name, your website is one of the first results alongside your live pieces.

See an expert’s guide to SEO for portfolio websites

3. Determine the information you want to include

Before starting to design your website, decide what information you want to share with your audience. Your goals can help guide what you add and prioritize on the page. Common things include:

• A slogan or tagline: Many website homepages have space to summarize yourself. For example, you might say, “I’m a longform journalist who tells deeply reported feature stories” or “I’m a multimedia journalist with a passion for audio storytelling.”

• A brief biography: Include some of your most prominent clients, employers, and career milestones, as well as honors and awards you’ve received. People also often post or link to their resume on their website, particularly if they’re job hunting.

• Photos: Writers often get professional headshots or other photos taken for their website to convey authority and personality.

• Your work: Choose the pieces that illustrate your strengths and areas of expertise. If you want to do more work in a specific niche, highlight more of those pieces.

• Your specialties: Determine what sets you apart as a journalist and emphasize that. This could be your writing or interviewing style, subject expertise, or specific work experience.

• Preferred social media handles: If you maintain professional social media handles, make sure these are prominently displayed. These typically appear in a website’s header or footer and your contact page.

• A call to action: Encourage prospective clients to reach out by including a persuasive call to action somewhere on the website. Common phrases include “Work with me” or “Get in touch” or “Email me.” This could be a decorative button or hyperlinked text.

• A way to contact you: An editor or client should be able to get in touch with you easily if they’d like to connect. Point visitors to your email address or a contact form. Investigative journalists might offer a way to submit anonymous tips.

4. Choose portfolio pieces

Pick the work that shows off your strengths and aligns with your goals for starting a website. For example, if you’re looking to do more interviews, include some of your best conversations.

You can organize your content in different ways:

• Type of content: Separate your work into categories, like longform writing, criticism, feature profiles, reviews, video interviews, and podcasts.

• Publication: Some people opt to share their clips by the outlet or publication, especially if they’ve contributed multiple pieces to a few places.

• Subject matter: For journalists with a niche, sorting by subject matter is a good way to affirm your experience with a topic.

People choose to link to their work in various ways. If you’re confident the online version won’t disappear, share the direct URL. Other options include pairing the link with a PDF copy or a link to the article on an archive site. If your work has appeared in a print magazine, you can also make a PDF and share a link to it. No matter what option you choose, making PDF copies of your articles for your own personal archive is a good idea.

5. Customize the website design

Your website is a chance to reinforce your professional brand. Choose a color palette, fonts, and layouts that convey your personality. Make sure the designs you choose are readable and clear.

Design your page layouts so that they naturally draw attention to what’s most important for a visitor to see. For example, a freelance journalist will want to focus on their portfolio pages, so the copy highlighting their niche and portfolio on the homepage would be bold and high on the page. Someone full-time in-house may want to bring attention to their bio or resume page and feature those links prominently on their homepage.

On a portfolio page, you might link to relevant pieces but add visual interest by highlighting related photos or awards.

6. Add pages

Your website homepage should contain enough information so anyone wondering what you’re about has information at a glance. However, adding pages gives you a chance to tell more of your professional story. Beyond a homepage, bio, and portfolio, what pages you need will depend on your goals.

If you offer journalism-adjacent services, like editing or editorial consulting, you might add another page outlining these options. Other writers might have books to share or promote. Many journalists also provide marketing services, which can be discussed on a separate page.

If you put together a separate page for contact info, consider including an email address rather than simply a contact form. Although the latter offers more privacy, an email feels more direct and gives the sender confidence the message will get to you. You can create a public-facing email that you only use on your website if privacy is a concern. 

4 journalist website examples

It’s helpful to have reference points when starting a website. Below are four Squarespace templates designed for different uses that could apply to a journalist. Use them as a starting point or as inspiration for a customized Blueprint AI design. We also recommend looking at other journalist and writer websites to get an idea of what excites or interests you in others’ designs.

See our favorite portfolio website designs

1. Myhra

The minimalist design allows you to summarize what kind of work you do in a succinct way. On the homepage, there’s space to include a slogan, your services, what differentiates your work, and a short bio. A line of photos adds a pleasing visual element that breaks up the text and gives the site some color. At the top of the homepage, the menu also gives you a chance to display multiple pages and reinforce your services. 

Explore the Myhra template

2. Carroll

Another excellent example of minimalist design, this template is akin to sharing highlights of your resume. The text-only design forces you to zero in on your strengths and best work—and makes getting your site online quick and simple. This template is a good option for someone who does project work and is looking for more clients, especially since the contact and social media accounts are prominent.

Explore the Carroll template

3. Suhama

Suhama’s design centers the work you do and allows you to tell your professional story in a concise way. The structure of the website lets you share biographical info, define what work you’re looking for, and underscore your talents by sharing previous work. This website uses varied font sizes and a simple (but bright) color to convey personality.

Explore the Suhama template

4. Adri

Adri is a good design template for journalists who provide a variety of services. The design is set up to make it easy for clients to work with you, as the link to sign up for an introductory session and newsletter are prominent. Adri also emphasizes results via the use of testimonials and a place to emphasize the impact you’ve had. Alternating between photos and text, with a soft color palette, also shows off your personality.

Explore the Adri template

A clear game plan for scaling your service-based business—and the right tools—can help you overcome those challenges and be the foundation for converting opportunities to revenue and developing stronger client relationships. 

Let’s take a close look at some proven strategies and tools for growing a service business that can help your brand reach the next level and simplify how you manage daily tasks.

1. Choose growth goals and strategies

Understanding where you want to go and how to get there is critical for growing your business. This means setting actionable, measurable goals and creating strategies to achieve them, with clear metrics that show you where you’re succeeding and where you can improve. 

Start by identifying your goals: Let’s say you own a financial consulting business with a focus on estate planning. You’re looking to expand your business and serve a larger base of clients. So, you might set a goal of generating four new leads per month.

In this scenario, you’ll need a marketing strategy to scale your business. Your first move might be testing out some different marketing channels to reach more potential clients. For example, you might try launching a new social media account for your business on a platform you haven’t tried yet, or using paid advertising on websites and social media. This will help you attract new clients looking for consultants with your specialization.

Another strategy might be updating your website to clearly explain your financial planning approach and add some testimonials and case studies. This will show website visitors what makes your consulting business different and earn their trust by showing your previous successes. 

Then, establish a relationship by incentivizing visitors to sign up for your mailing list by offering them a free resource, such as a guide or checklist. That way, you’ve converted those visitors into leads who you can keep in regular contact with via a newsletter, promotions, and other marketing content using email campaigns.

Leaning into what makes your business distinct from others and actively reaching out to your audience will help you stand out from the competition and attract new clients. 

Read our guide to setting clear business goals

2. Optimize your operations

When everything’s running smoothly, it can create momentum that grows your business faster. Look for ways to automate time-consuming tasks that slow you down, like recreating forms for each new client or project. Or see if you can centralize operations into one platform for common daily tasks.

For example, if you’re a wedding planner, you’re likely getting paid by invoice. But rather than use a separate tool to get paid, you can choose an all-in-one solution to manage your business. 

Squarespace Invoices offer a simplified way to securely create, send, and manage all your invoices from a single platform, so you get paid faster. You can easily customize your invoices to match your website styles to create a consistent, branded experience for clients and validate your business, and schedule them to send at a later date if needed. 

And if you tend to invoice for the same set of services, instead of building a new invoice for every client, you can save time by duplicating an existing invoice and editing it to reflect new information before sending it.

To further streamline getting paid, Squarespace Payments integrates directly with your website and invoices to centralize your billing and payments. Rather than switching between invoicing and payments systems, track payments, accept a range of payment methods, and manage all your transactions with one integrated tool.

3. Know your customers

Another essential strategy for growing your business is understanding your clients, so you can build stronger relationships with them that inspire them to keep coming back. 

Split your customer base into two segments to start: new or untapped customers and existing customers. 

New customers

Take stock of untapped customers and what drives them to identify new services tailored to their needs. For a professional home cleaning brand, that might involve reaching out to businesses that typically use janitorial services, such as banks, fitness centers, or office buildings. 

Or, it could mean expanding their range of services to cater to businesses that may not recognize a need for janitorial assistance, such as mobile businesses or short-term construction sites. 

Existing clients

On the other hand, customer retention is just as important as customer acquisition, so understanding your clients also means serving the ones you already have. Retention may even be more important than acquisition: Acquiring a new customer can cost 5 to 25 times more than retaining one​. Meanwhile, a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%. 

While you’re advertising your expanded range of services, don’t forget to target existing customers with those services, too. Or run a survey to check in on their pain points and needs, then use responses to inform new products or service changes. That shows them that you’re tuned into their requests and care that they’re getting everything they expect from you. 

Read an expert’s tips for managing client relationships

4. Polish your customer experience

When customers have a positive experience with your brand, the results can ripple in ways that lead to business growth. For one, it can result in more client testimonials on review sites and your own website, which can convert more clients. Great service also keeps existing customers loyal. 

Three keys to positive client experiences:

1. Personalize service. Identify clients’ specific needs and cater to them to ensure you’re giving them what they want.

2. Gather feedback. There are many ways to do this—automate a follow-up email with Squarespace, field a survey, monitor social media comments, or request a review, among others—to stay on top of client concerns.

3. Respond quickly. When you get feedback, waiting to respond—whether it’s a thank you, an apology, or a solution—can lead customers to believe you’re not concerned with their feelings about your business. Getting back to them promptly makes them feel valued.

One way to ensure a positive customer experience is to make the intake process painless. Intake forms are often the first interaction a client has with your business, so you want to make a good impression right off the bat. A good intake form includes questions about the client and their needs, and helps you:

• Understand client needs

• Determine that a client is a good fit for your services

• Create personalized project proposals for potential clients

• Prep for meetings with clients

On Squarespace, you can customize intake forms to gather all of the upfront details you need and accept documents, images, videos, and other files.

After the client expresses interest in working with you, use the custom proposals tool to help you land the project or create professional contracts to outline project scope, fees, and terms of service. 

5. Turn clients into a sales team

Are you leveraging your clients to generate more business for you? It’s more simple than it might sound, and your clients can benefit, too.

• Keep clients coming back with loyalty programs. 

• Incentivize them to refer friends with discounts and gifts.

• Encourage them to leave reviews on popular platforms.

• Use email marketing to follow up with them and request feedback.

Make sure your rewards, referrals, and reviews programs are easy to understand and participate in. Promote them on your website and other channels, and remember to send thank yous to all those who participate. 

6. Review and refresh your online presence

It’s a good idea to pressure test your website and social media accounts periodically to make sure they’re optimized. These platforms are likely big sources of new leads, so you want to ensure your online presence is doing everything it can to attract more clients.

SEO

Search engine optimization helps people find you when they search online. Ranking higher in search results is ultimately about making sure your online presence speaks to your target customer’s needs. Confirm that your website is still set up for SEO success by:

• Searching for your business and related terms to check your search rankings

• Ensuring your website is user-friendly

• Researching relevant search keywords and weaving them into your web copy

• Making important information and links easy to find on your web pages

Every Squarespace website and online store features built-in SEO features to help you rank higher in search results. You can also take advantage of SEO tools, like AI-generated meta titles and descriptions and image alt text, or add-ons like SEOSpace.

Social media

Consider whether you’re using your brand social media to your advantage. Are you satisfied with your follower count and audience interaction? If you post regularly and encourage engagement, you can build a captive audience to promote your offerings or reach new customers. 

You can also make it easier for followers to jump from your social profile to your website or services. Use linking features in your posts or add a link in bio page to display URLs for appointment booking, content, or your website.

Email marketing

Another effective way to stay top-of-mind with customers and leads is with email marketing. Review your email strategy: Do you send messages infrequently? Do your emails see low interaction from subscribers? 

Return to your goals and consider whether you could use email to achieve them. For example, you might use monthly emails to drive website traffic or automated emails to connect with customers based on their interactions with your site. 

Using Squarespace Email Campaigns, you can create emails to welcome new community members, follow up with customers post-service, send discounts and promotions, and more. Predesigned, editable email layouts and Squarespace’s AI writer can help you create effective messages quickly. 

Then, get real-time analytics that give you insight into how your emails are performing, from open rates and click-through rates to conversions. 

7. Partner with other brands

While business growth often entails competing with other brands, partnering with peers who offer complementary services or products can be an overlooked growth strategy. It’s a mutually beneficial agreement that has significant advantages for both parties.

Partnerships might involve running a co-branded giveaway, featuring in each others’ content, or some other crossover between your audiences. These pairings increase brand awareness by giving you an entryway into your partner’s customer base. And partnering with an established, trusted brand can lend credibility to your business.

Collaborating on marketing campaigns can also be more cost-effective, since you’re sharing costs and resources. That reduces your financial risk and gives you room to experiment with new approaches to marketing.

8. Explore expansion opportunities 

Growing your brand means looking at ways to expand what you already do. There are many methods to do this, depending on the type of business you own. For service-based businesses, one important avenue for growth is exploring new markets that you haven’t targeted yet.

That could mean geographic expansion, where you start offering your services in nearby towns or regions. Or it could mean targeting new industries, going from servicing small businesses to catering to larger industries or enterprises.

Another way to expand is by providing services that are complementary to your current offerings. If you’re a landscaping business, that could mean adding pressure washing or driveway sealing to your service menu.

Or maybe it means finding ways to diversify your business. A personal trainer might start recording training videos and selling them on a subscription basis for recurring revenue, or a personal chef could start providing a paid subscription to new recipes and kitchen how-tos. 

Understanding how to grow a small service business requires wearing a lot of hats, from CEO to marketer to customer service rep to administrative assistant. Streamlining your operations can free up time for you to test new strategies and focus on turning your growth vision into a reality.

In this guide, we'll walk through the essential steps to create a booking website that converts visitors into clients while giving you the tools to manage your schedule efficiently.

1. Choose a domain name and website platform

Your domain name is your digital address and should be memorable, relevant to your services, and easy to spell. When selecting a domain name, consider including keywords related to your business or your business name to help clients find you online.

For your website builder, look for one that offers built-in scheduling capabilities or seamless integration with booking tools. The best platforms offer strong booking capabilities while ensuring mobile responsiveness, as many clients will book from their phones. Additional platform features, like professional email marketing tools for communicating with clients, blogging tools, and invoicing and payment integrations can help you run your business from one centralized place. 

Squarespace works with Acuity Scheduling to provide a complete solution that handles both your website and scheduling needs under one roof. With Acuity integrated into your Squarespace account, you can edit your site, manage bookings and payments, and communicate with clients while keeping the details consistent.

2. Define your appointment types and details

Before building your site, clarify what types of appointments you'll offer. This forms the foundation of your booking system. Think about what services you'll provide, how long each appointment type will last, whether you'll offer different session lengths or package options, and how much buffer time you need between appointments.

For instance, if you're a massage therapist, you might offer 30, 60, and 90-minute sessions with a 15-minute buffer between clients. A business consultant might have discovery calls, strategy sessions, and implementation meetings, each with different durations and pricing.

3. Set up your availability

Setting up your availability correctly is crucial for a successful booking system. Create custom schedules for different days of the week, block off vacation time or other unavailable periods, set up buffer times between appointments to prevent burnout, and organize your day by appointment type, such as consultation calls in the morning and client sessions in the afternoon.

This level of customization helps you structure your workday to maximize productivity. You can even take control of your schedule by setting up different appointment types for specific times of day, helping you avoid the constant context-switching that can drain your energy.

When they’re getting started, some business owners block off appointment times to suggest to potential clients that they’re in demand. This can create a sense of urgency or trust that encourages someone to book, but the tactic isn’t a fit for everyone. 

4. Design your site with conversion in mind

Your website design should guide visitors naturally toward booking an appointment. While customizable templates or AI website builders provide a great starting point, customize the elements to reflect your unique brand identity. Use a consistent color palette and fonts that match your brand’s personality and speak to your target audience.

Focus on creating a clean, professional design that builds trust and naturally guides visitors toward a booking. Strategically place booking buttons on every page, establish clear navigation that helps clients find information quickly, and ensure mobile-friendliness for on-the-go bookings.

Remember that your site is your digital storefront, and the visual impression it makes can be as important as the services you offer. A well-designed booking website helps potential clients recognize that you're a legitimate business. On Squarespace, you can also customize the text, layout, font, and colors in your emails and client documents to reflect your website branding to ensure consistency and drive home your professionalism.

5. Create essential pages

While a one-page booking site can work for more established businesses, most service providers benefit from having several key pages. Think of your website as a home base for current and potential clients to learn about your business. Add pages that will help answer questions about your business, build trust in your experience, and set you apart.

• Homepage: Your homepage should feature an overview of your main services, a compelling introduction to you, and a prominent "Book Now" button. 

• Services and pricing: Create a services page with detailed descriptions of what you offer and associated costs or details on how to get custom pricing. This is an opportunity to emphasize your value and guide visitors to the right services.

• Appointment booking: Either on your services page or as a standalone, add an embedded booking calendar so clients can schedule and manage appointments. This is a good place to link cancellation and refund policies too.

• About me: Include an about page showcasing your background, qualifications, and approach to your work. 

• Contact page: Add a contact page with alternative ways to reach you, like a custom contact form and social media accounts. You can also include FAQs here.

Each page should include clear calls-to-action directing visitors to your booking system. Add client testimonials to key pages, like your services and homepage, to provide social proof from satisfied clients that encourages others to book. 

6. Integrate your online booking system

Now it's time to implement the actual booking functionality. With Squarespace and Acuity Scheduling, you can embed your scheduling tool into your website. Add a Scheduling Block and style it to  match your website’s aesthetic. 

Consider connecting your booking system to your social profiles, either through a link or direct booking button, so users can book with you while browsing.

Businesses using Acuity Scheduling save significant time—up to 5 hours per week according to a survey of users. That's nearly 11 extra days per year you can dedicate to growing your business instead of managing appointments.

7. Customize your booking form fields

Your booking intake form collects essential information from clients. Consider what details you need before each appointment, such as basic contact information (name, email, phone), specific questions related to their needs, and any preparation instructions. Health and wellness providers might need medical history or release forms, while creative service providers might want to see project goals or references.

Custom forms can help you make a strong, professional first impression with clients. Prepared with key details, you can deliver a project proposal that wins their business or offer more personalized service to them during their appointment.

Strike a balance between gathering necessary information and keeping the form manageable—too many fields can overwhelm clients and reduce completion rates. Consider creating custom forms for each appointment type, so you're only asking the most relevant questions for each service.

See our intake form guide and examples

8. Set up automated reminders and notifications

Appointment no-shows cost you time and revenue. Automated reminders significantly reduce missed appointments, with 89% of businesses reporting a dramatic decrease in no-shows after implementing reminder systems. These reminders also give clients a quick reference point for what to expect or prepare ahead of their time with you. 

Set up confirmation emails that send immediately after booking with links to important policies and ways to manage their appointment if needed. Then, set up reminder emails or texts for 24 to 48 hours before appointments that include details on how to prepare for their meeting or what to expect. Automate follow-up messages after sessions to thank them for their time, ask for feedback, or share next steps.

You can customize reminder content and timing for different appointment types. These automated communications keep your clients informed and help them remember their commitments. 

9. Integrate payment options

Depending on your business model, you might require deposits, full pre-payment, or payment at the time of service. Decide on your payment policy. This can vary based on your preferences or norms in your industry. Hair salons often offer free booking with payment at the time of service, while a wedding photographer might require a partial deposit or full pre-payment before delivering final photos. 

Pre-payment can reduce no-shows while improving your cash flow. According to Squarespace survey data, 84% of businesses that accept deposits at booking report fewer cancellations and no-shows.

Connect a payment tool that can take multiple payment methods for client convenience. Familiar options that clients trust, like digital wallets, ACH debit, and credit cards, can make them feel more comfortable working with you. Don't forget to set up automatic receipts and confirmation emails.

10. Establish clear policies and launch your site

Before going live, create and publish clear policies that protect both you and your clients. Well-crafted policies for cancellations, refunds, and rescheduling not only protect your business but also build trust and transparency with your customers.

A good cancellation policy should address when clients can cancel without a penalty (typically 24 to 48 hours notice), what penalties apply for late cancellations (such as full charge, 50% fee, or flat-rate fee), and any consequences for repeat no-shows. Consider implementing a "three-strikes" rule for habitual cancellations and clearly outline what happens during unexpected circumstances like illness or emergencies. Don't forget to specify what happens if you need to cancel, such as offering priority rebooking or a full refund.

Your refund policy should outline what forms of refund are available, where they can be processed, what proof is required, and timeframes for processing. Consider offering a satisfaction guarantee with clear steps for requesting refunds or fixes within a specific window (such as 14 days) after service completion.

Make sure to clarify expectations around rescheduling too, both for yourself and your clients. Specify a window for when reschedules are accepted and clear steps for how to do so. If you need to reschedule, communicate as soon as possible, personalize your message, suggest alternatives with clear next steps, and express appreciation for clients' flexibility.

Make these policies visible during the booking process and include them in appointment confirmations. Having official records of communication is incredibly valuable for your business.

When you're ready to launch, test the entire booking flow, then promote your booking site across your social media channels, email signature, and business cards. Consider offering a special promotion to encourage your first bookings.

Managing your booking website after launch

The work doesn't end with launch. Monitor how clients interact with your booking system and make adjustments as needed. Track which services are most popular, note any abandonment during the booking process, collect feedback about the booking experience, and regularly update your availability.

As you establish a smooth booking system, you can turn your attention to marketing yourself to increase your bookings. Use marketing tools like social media and email marketing to stay top-of-mind with potential customers, sending regular business updates and sharing your work. If you have the time, consider developing a content marketing strategy or assessing your website’s SEO, so you’re easier to discover in search engines and local searches. 

A booking website isn't just an appointment calendar—it's a vital business tool that continues to evolve with your services and client needs. By implementing these steps, you'll create a booking website that not only simplifies your schedule management but also creates a professional, branded experience that turns visitors into loyal clients.

Fortunately, humanizing AI text doesn’t have to be stressful or hard. If you’re considering using AI to write website or marketing copy, this primer can give you some tips to help it sound more realistic. 

Remember: As with all AI use, it’s important not to misrepresent how the content was created. While it’s one thing to streamline and emulate your own voice, in certain situations it may be inappropriate to pass off AI-generated text as written by a person. 

What is AI-generated text? 

AI-generated text involves using products powered by artificial intelligence and custom prompts to generate copy. AI writers generate copy using prediction—meaning it constructs each sentence based on its analysis of common language patterns. Article headlines, taglines, blogs, and even poems are just a few of the written formats AI tools can mimic in response to user prompts or queries. 

AI tools can be helpful at the brainstorming phase, especially if you have a clear idea of what you’d like to produce. But while AI can speed up the writing process, it does present a number of pitfalls when it comes to factual research and publishing content. 

Consider the following downsides, which you’ll want to keep in mind when humanizing the content. 

• Risk of inaccuracies: AI tools are trained on vast amounts of data, which may have societal and cultural biases. If the data is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, it could return misleading information. Some well-known tools are also known to “hallucinate,” or make up references, offer inaccurate summaries, and make false claims. 

• Plagiarism and copyright issues: Another concern with AI tools is that they could repurpose or lift writing without authors’ permission. In some cases, AI may not visit the page it claims to summarize and hallucinate instead. 

• Ethical issues and biases: AI tools have raised concerns about copyright, and many experts agree that an overreliance on AI could pose a threat to the livelihood of creatives who make their living creating content. Beyond that, research has shown that people tend to subconsciously adopt automated biases, which can harm those in marginalized groups. 

• Stiff or unnatural phrasing: AI-generated content can mimic different styles of writing and tones of voice, but it still carries the risk of using awkward phrasing, overly technical language, or repetitive patterns that impact content quality.

• SEO concerns: AI tools produce an aggregate of information, however, SEO seeks to amplify helpful, engaging, and unique content. If a web page isn’t helpful or presented in a way that feels current, its search rankings can suffer. 

Benefits of humanizing AI text 

Simply wanting your text to sound human and more like yourself is a good reason to edit it. But there are others, such as wanting to boost engagement. Here are some advantages to making your text sound a little more personal. 

• Boost engagement. Good writing and a distinct tone of voice connects with people and makes them want to engage. If you’re trying to convince people to interact with you or your brand, your writing needs to stand out, and it needs to sound human. 

• Build loyalty. Millennials and Gen Z value brands that feel authentic. It helps build trust and loyalty, which can lead to repeat purchases, recommendations, and useful feedback. Humanizing your text shows people that you genuinely care how they feel and that there’s a real person behind your brand they can trust. 

• Improve SEO. Engaging content gives people a reason to stick around, and often convert. Authentic content with experience and expertise also boosts search engine rankings, which are meaningful when it comes to social shares, getting discovered, and lower bounce rates. 

A human reader can also catch quality issues that an AI tool might not. For example, an SEO expert could identify linking and keyword opportunities. Someone with an editorial eye could improve readability and flow or awkward phrasing and structural suggestions. Some AI tools offer editing or humanizing functionality, but it’s still worth reviewing the AI text personally, as you know your tone and audience best.

Start humanizing AI text in 4 steps 

Now that you know the value of humanizing AI text, it’s time to give it a try. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you get started. 

1. Tell a story 

Nothing captivates quite like a story. If your copy feels stiff or generic, think about the story you’re trying to tell and how you hope to impact the reader. Are you trying to get their attention? Pitch the value of your experience? Get them excited about a product? 

Then, try sprinkling in words or details that genuinely evoke those emotions. If you still feel unsure, consider how you’d voice the things you want to highlight and use that to inspire you.  

2. Tailor the content to your audience 

Content feels bland if it sounds like it was written for everyone. To stand out, try finding ways to show your audience that you get where they’re coming from and who they are. Research can help you get a sense of their values and lifestyle, and it helps to consider your tone and language. The more personal your content feels, the more likely it is to resonate. 

Personal experiences can be helpful to mention as well. Insert your own anecdotes and examples, link to relevant data, or ground your copy in your knowledge. Doing each of these helps your content stand out and feel uniquely valuable and trustworthy compared to something generic. 

Learn how to research buyers and create customer personas

3. Edit for clarity

A great way to keep AI-generated content from sounding robotic: Focus on clarity. Looking for opportunities to avoid jargon helps, as does breaking down any terminology, acronyms, or abbreviations lay people won’t know. Return to your audience research: How would you say this in a conversation with them? Can you edit the copy to sound more natural?

Here are some other things to look out for in AI copywriting. 

• Use active voice. Active voice, or sentences in which the subject performs the action, sound more lively. It also keeps content from sounding ambiguous or getting tied up in prepositional phrases. Watch for “by” phrases, which can indicate passive voice.  

• Keep it simple. Precise vocabulary and correct terminology are powerful tools; so is not being wordy. Long sentences stuffed with obscure or academic-sounding words won’t impress anyone and may confuse readers.

• Check for readability. Check if your copy sounds ambiguous. Ask yourself: “Does this make sense?” “Does this help get across the point that I’m trying to make?” If not, then it’s back to the drawing board. 

• Avoid repetition. Repetitive phrases can drag a text down. Consider reviewing your text and trying to eliminate anything that’s already been said. 

4. Check for commonly used words and phrases 

Last summer, Ars Technica reported that a study found a number of words surged in popularity when language-learning models, or LLMs, were introduced in late 2022. Naturally, words go in and out of style. However, it’s helpful to keep certain “style words” in mind if you don’t want your text to sound stuffy. 

Here are some common words to watch out for. 

• Delve

• Showcasing

• Underscores

• Potential 

• Findings

• Crucial

If you can simplify less conversational words like these, like trading “showcasing” for “shows” or “findings” for “results,” that’s ideal for your reader. That said, LLMs are trained on human-authored text. If these or other “style words” are genuine to your tone and brand, it doesn’t mean you have to cut them entirely. Just be thoughtful about how you’re using them and whether another phrasing might be more clearer for your target reader.

Learn more about Squarespace and AI in our AI content hub

In this guide, you’ll learn how to set effective business goals, break them into actionable steps, track your performance, and adapt along the way so you can make better decisions and drive real growth.

Why setting business goals matters

Setting clear goals gives your business direction. Whether facing a challenge or weighing up a decision, your goals keep your efforts aligned and your priorities in check.

But goal-setting does more than simply provide direction. Defining the right goals brings a range of benefits to your day-to-day operations.

• Clarity and focus: Prioritize what moves your business forward, rather than just reacting to whatever pops up.

• Smarter resource management: Allocate your time, budget, and energy more effectively by focusing them on your goals.

• Motivation and momentum: Keep everyone pulling in the same direction, even when things get tough.

• Decision-making framework: Evaluate opportunities through the lens of your broader vision.

• Measurement of progress: Set benchmarks to measure your business' performance and growth over time.

• Accountability: Create clear expectations for yourself and your collaborators that drive consistent performance.

Examples of business goals

A business will pick its goals based on its industry, size, and circumstances. Here are some of the most common areas to focus on, plus the metrics you can use to gauge success.

• Revenue and profit goals: Total sales, average order value, profit margins, customer acquisition cost

• Audience growth: Website traffic, newsletter subscribers, social media followers

• Brand awareness: Social impressions, post engagement, referral traffic

• Customer retention: Repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value, churn rate

• Operational efficiency: Order fulfillment time, cost per acquisition, customer satisfaction scores

• Product development goals: Number of new product launches, feature adoption rates, customer feedback and reviews

Goals vs. objectives

The terms goals and objectives are often used interchangeably. There’s a subtle but important distinction, though: Goals are broader, long-term outcomes. They’re the bigger-picture result you’re working toward. Objectives are the smaller, specific actions you’ll take to get there. They’re the stepping stones that lead to your goal.

For example, if your goal is to build a larger audience for your blog, you might set these supporting objectives:

• Publish a 2,000-word article every week.

• Revamp your lead magnet, like a downloadable worksheet, to attract more subscribers.

• Reach out to five websites per week about guest blogging opportunities.

• Engage with potential partners or customers at least three times per day.

Combining objectives and goals like this lets you create a powerful roadmap for your business. Keep your big-picture outcome in focus, while clearly defining the everyday steps that will get you there.

Set SMART goals

First coined in 1981, the SMART goals framework has become a classic—and with good reason. It’s one of the simplest and most effective approaches to setting goals.

SMART helps transform vague ideas into clear, actionable plans by ensuring your goal or objective meets five key criteria.

1. Specific: Clearly defines the outcome with no ambiguity.

2. Measurable: Includes concrete criteria to track progress.

3. Achievable: Realistic based on your current situation and resources.

4. Relevant: Aligns with your business’ vision and values.

5. Time-bound: Has a specific deadline.

Let’s say your goal is to improve customer service. That’s a great endpoint to work toward—but as it stands, it isn’t SMART. The only box it checks is relevance.

To make it more effective, you can turn it into a SMART goal. For example: Reduce customer support response time from 8 hours to under 4 hours within the next three months, by streamlining our email support system and adding an FAQ page.

Now, it ticks all five boxes: You’ve defined a clear outcome, set a measurable target, and attached a realistic timeline—all of which make it easier to track progress and make adjustments. Then, you can break that SMART goal into smaller objectives, like setting up a new FAQ page in the next week.

5 steps to set your business goals

It’s one thing to set goals, and another to devise a plan that actually helps you reach them. These five practical steps will set you up for success when setting your business goals.

1. Start with your vision

Before setting goals for the future, it’s essential to understand where you are right now. Ask yourself: Where do I want my business to be in five years? These are your big-picture aspirations that can guide your goals.

Next, take an honest look at your current position. Where are you today? What’s working and what would need to change to get you to your five-year vision?

The gap between where you are now and where you want to be is the ideal place to focus your goals. Connecting the dots between the two helps you set goals that drive you toward your long-term vision.

2. Pick the right goals

When you start thinking about your long-term plans, chances are you’ll have a few ideas spinning around. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything at once.

This raises the critical question: Which goals should I focus on first?

If you can only pick one, start with a goal that delivers the biggest immediate impact. A quick win—whether it saves time, cuts costs, or boosts confidence—can help you build momentum and set the stage to tackle a larger goal.

3. Make it SMART

Now that you’ve chosen what to focus on, it’s time to turn your goal into a SMART one.

• Specific: You’ve already identified what you want to achieve in Step 1. Now, clarify exactly what success looks like. Instead of “boost sales,” be more precise: “increase sales of our new product line.”

• Measurable: Attach a metric to your goal so you can track progress. For example, "increase sales of our new product line by 25%" provides a clear target to aim for.

• Achievable: Research industry benchmarks and analyze your historical performance to set ambitious yet realistic targets. If you’ve managed a 20% increase in sales in the past, aiming for 25% seems a reasonable stretch.

• Relevant: Double-check that this goal directly supports your long-term vision from Step 1. If your five-year plan involves becoming an industry leader, scaling a new product line could be key to achieving this.

• Time-bound: Establish a reasonable timeline for achieving your goal. Make it challenging, but not overwhelming. For example, “increase sales of our new product line by 25% in 9 months.”

4. Build your roadmap

Now that your goal is clearly defined, it’s time to figure out how to get there. Break your goal into manageable, short-term objectives that build toward the overall goal. Create milestones that you can tick off along the way, and regular check-ins to review progress. 

For example, if your goal is to increase sales of your new product line by 25%, you might create supporting objectives like:

• Earn five customer reviews for each new item.

• Partner with an influencer to create a product video.

• Run a small PPC campaign to drive traffic and test sales messaging.

This lets you celebrate small wins and stay motivated while also providing regular opportunities to spot challenges early, adjust your strategy, and keep everything moving in the right direction.

5. Keep yourself accountable

With your goals and strategy in place, the final step is to document everything clearly and share it with relevant partners. That includes outlining expectations, assigning individual responsibilities, and setting up a system for tracking progress. If you’re working on your own, use that time to organize your priorities and where you’re dedicating your time.

This level of clarity creates accountability and transparency across the board. Everyone knows what they’re responsible for, how their contribution fits into the bigger picture, and what success looks like. It ensures no one is left guessing and everyone keeps pulling in the same direction.

Tracking and measuring goal progress

Once your goals are in place, it’s essential to track them consistently. Start by focusing on the right metrics. You don’t need to track everything. Avoid data overload by monitoring only the numbers directly supporting your overall goal. 

Be mindful of leading and lagging indicators—also known as key performance indicators (KPIs). Lagging indicators, like sales or revenue, tell you what’s already happened. Leading indicators, like email sign-ups or website traffic, offer early clues about performance, giving you time to adjust strategy if needed.

You don’t need complex tools to stay organized, either. A simple spreadsheet often does the trick, though built-in analytics tools like Squarespace Analytics can give you deeper insights.

And while numbers obviously matter, don’t overlook qualitative insights. Customer feedback, reviews, and inquiries can reveal just as much about what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

How to adapt based on your performance

Remember, the purpose of setting goals isn’t perfection, it’s to provide direction and help your business grow. If you don’t hit your goal, that’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up. What matters most is how you respond.

In some cases, you’ll need to adjust your strategy. In others, you may realize the goal itself needs to change. Priorities shift, external factors come into play, or new and better opportunities emerge. Knowing when and why to pivot can be just as important as knowing when to stay the course.

Whenever you’re at risk of missing your goal, take time to review the process from start to finish. Was the goal unrealistic? Did circumstances shift? What would you do differently next time? Digest what you’ve learned, then adapt your tactic or revise your goal and move forward.

And if you hit the goal, celebrate the win, but don’t get complacent. There’s still value in reflecting. What worked well and is there anything you could apply to other goals? What could have been even better? Was there any luck involved? Or was the goal simply too easy from the start? All of these insights help you set better goals and make stronger decisions in the future.

Whether you want to show off your engagement photos and share stories about your wedding party or keep it simple, here’s some wedding website inspiration to help you design your own beautiful page.

1. Dario: Personal and informative

The Dario design is a great option if you want your homepage to blend some extra personal touches with the logistical details of your celebration and wedding day. The template has space to share a little bit about your love story and yourselves, as well as a schedule of events, plus separate pages for travel details and registry information.

Preview the Dario wedding website template

2. Soria: Visual-focused

This wedding website template is a simple option with a strong visual impact. Show off photos of yourselves with a full-page opening image and add more favorites below alongside key wedding dates, locations, and times for events. Make it easy for guests to RSVP with a bold button in your header navigation.

Preview the Soria wedding website template

3. Malcolm: Simple and detailed

Start with the Malcolm website template if you prefer to keep key details to their own pages on your wedding website. With this template, you can share the timeline for each event, travel details, and FAQs—like dress code or color scheme—while keeping things neatly organized. If you add a registry page, you can embed your picks from a third-party website so your loved ones can browse in one place.

Preview the Malcolm wedding website template

4. Bleecker: Bright and photo-focused

The Bleecker template is another great option if you want to showcase your personal and engagement photos while sharing your celebration details. This wedding website includes a section at the end of the homepage for a small photo gallery, so you can add some of your favorites from your time together. The registry page is set up so you can share links to everywhere you’re registered, so guests can easily find the perfect gift for the occasion.

Preview the Bleecker wedding website template

5. Lenoix: Bold and elegant

Keep it simple and airy with the Lenoix template. This wedding website puts the key information first and includes large, clear links to everything from travel suggestions to a link to RSVP. Embed your registry on the linked page or keep it simple with a linked button to your preferred site or honeymoon fund.

Preview the Lenoix wedding website template

6. Morena: Minimal and classy

Another simple wedding website option is the Morena template. The homepage is spare and could be a good option if the main purpose of your website is to help direct guests to your digital RSVP link. The template is also a great way to save time on customizing your website. Since the template has limited pre-built image blocks and keeps details to only the most important, you can quickly fill it in and point guests there while you focus on enjoying your engagement and planning the big day.

Preview the Morena wedding website template

7. Rey: One-page website

Want to keep your wedding website to one page? The Rey template’s clean, beautiful design lets you share everything in one go. Start with your date, location details, and a little about yourselves then share registry links and a button to RSVP. The simplicity makes this another great option for couples who want to spend minimal time on creating an event website while focusing on their wedding planning. 

Preview the Rey wedding website template

How to make a great wedding website

To make a wedding website you love, start with your priorities. Is your website a utility—a helpful tool for sharing important details and collecting RSVPs? Or is it an opportunity to build excitement and share your story with your loved ones ahead of your big day? Knowing this will help you decide what to include.

No matter what, the best wedding websites feel personal to the couple. To cover the basics, make sure your wedding website has:

• Event details: Start times, locations, and dress codes for each wedding event

• RSVP information: A link to RSVP or information on where to RSVP and by when

• Need-to-knows: Guest restrictions, venue rules, or accommodation and transportation details

• Registry details: An embedded registry or links to your lists

Once you have those basics covered, you can take the time to personalize. 

• Add custom fields in your RSVP form for dietary restrictions or song requests.

• Include an FAQ page to answer common questions about the day of.

• Create a gallery page to share photos from throughout your relationship.

• Add a page highlighting things to do in your area if some guests will be traveling in.

• Share more about your story or your history with your wedding party members.

Read our full guide to building your wedding website

Attracting clients can be hard work if you don’t know where to begin. One key strategy is creating and offering photography packages. This tactic emphasizes both your skills and the value that you provide to clients. 

This guide will cover how to attract new clients, why you might consider offering photography packages, creating packages, and other key considerations.  

How to get new photography clients 

Every small business owner and entrepreneur goes through the process of acquiring new clients. Even established photographers need to sustain reputation and keep their marketing materials fresh to attract and convert clients. A recent Squarespace survey showed that attracting new customers was one of the most common challenges among entrepreneurs of all types and experience levels.

Below are some of the methods you can try or return to when looking for new photography clients. 

Maintain a brand for your business

Brand building is about leaning into your niche, aesthetic, and what sets you apart from your competitors.

Decide what it is your photography business offers—including specializations that can be purchased as a package—and highlight them. Interested in shooting on film instead of digital? Make that a key feature of your branding. 

Use creative elements like a uniform color palette, promo photos, and past shoots in your marketing materials and online to reinforce your brand and talents. 

Create an effective website 

Potential clients need a place to go to learn about you and decide if you’re a good fit for each other. A website is an important tool to represent your brand and help clients explore your offering.

Your website can feature recent projects, editorials, or sessions with clients. Every photographer has a niche or style they lean into—such as portraiture, lifestyle, or documentary. This is the place to showcase these to your potential new clients. 

Use social media

Websites aren’t the only spot where potential clients will find you. Social media is inherently a visual place. These platforms are perfect to showcase your work and broaden your reach.

Social media can be a bit more playful for photographers looking to expand their client roster. Posts don’t need to rigidly explain your offering, but should show what you can do. Post consistently on whichever channel you choose. Instagram is one of the best platforms for photographers as it offers a way to post, communicate with clients and followers, and broaden your network and potential audience.

Word-of-mouth and referrals 

Word-of-mouth reviews are essential in the success of any business, but especially so for service providers. Ensure you’re asking clients for any referrals or reviews and, if possible, to leave public reviews on high traffic review sites and forums. After you’ve wrapped up your work with them, ask them to recommend you to their friends, family, and colleagues. Some photographers offer discounts or complimentary add-ons to referral clients to encourage bookings.

Promote yourself

Don’t be shy about your hard work. Promote yourself wherever you can, and often. Ensure that the images you post as references and examples of what you can do also serve as a way to promote your business. Repost anyone who tags you on social media and ask to be tagged by clients or peers you work with. Do what you can to generate traffic and keep people interested in your work. 

Make sure you’re optimizing all of your web copy so you can be found via search engines too. Many people begin their research in search first. Give yourself and your business the opportunity to show up in this channel by inserting relevant keywords and adhering to search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. 

Create systems and processes to attract and convert clients

Piquing the interest of potential clients is one thing. Getting them to convert is another. A repeatable system for creating client proposals, answering questions, booking time, and accepting payments will save you time and make it easier for clients to choose you. 
Some tools to put in place include: 

• Content plan: Decide when and how often you post to social channels or send emails. This structure will help you plan ahead or pre-schedule posts. 

• Custom intake forms and booking tools: Use intake forms and booking tools that are user friendly and customizable to your needs. For example, you could update your intake form with a question asking clients to upload inspiration photos. 

• Client proposals: Make sure you have templates to draft client proposals. A great proposal is a professional way to present the value you bring to any project or session and share pricing, packages, and policies. 

• Email marketing and follow-up plan: If your potential client has dropped off somewhere in communication, make sure you have a plan in place to re-engage them via email. 

Why offer photography packages?

Photography packages are a good way to generate sales while giving your clients the flexibility to choose a bundle of services that suits them. They offer your clients a way to book popular sessions or delivered products without extra legwork. Packages should be clear about what’s included so they’re easy to navigate and help a client make a decision.

Other benefits of a photography packages include:

• Less decision making for clients 

• Better understanding of value

• Clear expectations and time management

• Opportunities for upselling (e.g. add-ons)

7 steps to make a photography package that sells

Photography packages should appeal to your clients by making their choices simpler and offering services that complement each other. To have a positive impact on your bottom line, you’ll need to make packages compelling to potential clients. Follow these steps to create a photography package that attracts bookings. 

1. Evaluate your clients’ needs

You’ll likely want to dig through past projects, client requests, and your work to figure out the details of your photography packages. Ask yourself what your clients often want from your work and you as a photographer or what services they often request together.

For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, you might have packages that address preferences across some of the following client needs:

• Time (how long you’ll be shooting photos)

• Second shooter or videography

• Number of edited photos

• Online gallery

• Engagement session

• Wedding album

2. Develop your package ideas

What kind of packages do you want to offer your clients, and how many? A good rule of thumb is to have anywhere from three to five packages available to your clients. Some of the higher-tier packages can include multiple sessions, which will be built into the price. 

Your package tiers can be driven by theme, timing, or deliverables. Return to what your clients need when deciding on what your packages will be. 

In the wedding photography example, you might have a “best for small weddings” starting package with 5 hours of photography, 250 photos in an online gallery, and an engagement session. But your highest-priced package might include 8 hours of shooting time, more photos, and a set of additional services like a printed wedding album, videography, and a second shooter.

3. Ensure variety and specialization

One of the reasons clients will opt-in to a package is because it provides ease of choice and variety. For example, if you’re offering a portrait session, your packages may include a session in a studio or multiple locations. Do you specialize in specific types of portraits that you could bundle into a package? How many edited photos will be delivered?

In each package, give your client the opportunity to see why they might pick one over another and show the value of what you’d be delivering. 

4. Decide on pricing

How you price these packages is important because clients want variety and flexibility in their selection. Consider offering value-based pricing, which offers clients different tiers of pricing based on the elements included.

For example, you may offer four different photography packages with a value-based model: Basic, mid-ter, high-tier, and luxury. Basic tier pricing might cover the essential services you offer and the equipment you need, any location-based details like travel or space rentals, and final photos. Add in some more for your profit margin—aim for 5 to 10% to start—and you have a price for your package. As you add to different tiers, you can increase prices accordingly. 

You may find it helpful to see what other photographers in your area charge for similar services to get a sense of average pricing. Just make sure to factor in experience level and other details when making comparisons. 

Read our guide to pricing products

5. Consider add-on options 

To keep things customizable and personalized, you may want to offer add-ons for packages. That way a client can add services they want without having to choose a package outside of their price range. This can still generate added revenue while offering options within a client’s budget.

For example, your client may want a basic package that offers only a few hours of your time, 100 edited photos, and a link to an online gallery. You can offer a sliding scale of more edited photos for a cost. They could add on 50 or 100 more for extra price. That way they’re still opting into the package that fits their needs overall, but getting additional edits and prints while you still benefit from the upsell.

6. Create and design an easy to read package

It can’t be stressed enough that your packages should be easy to read and understand. Keep them clear, concise, and the price or price range highly visible. Ensure that your pricing is always accurate across touchpoints like client documents, emails, and websites. Keep them visually compelling and consistent with your brand design. 

If you have more space on your web page or client proposal, you could include sample images to illustrate what different packages offer. Or add testimonials from previous clients.

7. Feature them on your website

Make sure you’re prominently promoting and featuring any photography packages on your website. Select a website template that’s optimized for photographs and your portfolio. Consider adding a new page section or new page that’s exclusively focused on photography packages.

On the same page, add a prominent button or form that points visitors to get in touch or book a meeting so they’re incentivized to reach out when you’re top of mind. 

Photography is often personal. Try to meet your clients over video, phone, or in person instead of emailing back and forth. Sometimes meeting potential clients to understand their needs can push a sale across the finish line. A more direct meeting style makes for smoother communication, helps you connect, and can make it easier to understand their vision and whether you’ll work well together. 

Example photography packages

Example photography packages for portrait photographers may look like the following. These packages might be beneficial for someone who shoots individual portraits or headshots, couples, and family shoots. You’d ideally share a short description and title for each, depending on the draw of each package and the type of client you think it’s best for.
Package one: 

• Cost: $500

• One person

• One location

• One hour

• 50 edited photos

Package two: 

• Cost: $750

• One to two people

• Up to two locations

• Two hours 

• 100 edited photos

• Online gallery 

Package three: 

• Cost: $1,000

• One to five people

• Up to two locations

• Three hours

• 250 edited photos

• Online gallery

Add-on options: 

• 50 additional edited photos: $150

• 100 additional edited photos: $200

• 200 additional edited photo: $250

• Online gallery: $25

The secret sauce to building a successful crowdfunding campaign is community. Combining crowdfunding with a deep personal connection to your audience, customers, and clients can help you run a successful campaign and test product-market fit. 

Here’s what you need to know about crowdfunding, its pros and cons, and how to raise money for your next project.

What is crowdfunding? 

Crowdfunding is a way for people, brands, and organizations to mobilize their communities to help fund a business, initiative, cause, or project of any size. Crowdfunded projects come in all types and sizes, such as an app that makes food delivery easier, a new line of ethically produced t-shirts, or even something as small as a new piece of camera equipment or a limited print run for a zine.

Today, many people set up crowdfunding projects online through crowdfunding sites. Others choose to crowdfund on their own websites or social media profiles to have more ownership over the fundraising campaign and funds. These platforms help you to tap your community and similar-minded individuals to help build excitement and get your funding flowing.

4 types of crowdfunding

The four main types of crowdfunding are rewards-based, straightforward donations, peer-to-peer lending, equity-based. 

1. Rewards-based crowdfunding

This type of crowdfunding is similar to a preorder or loyalty system. Funders visit your donation page and pledge a certain amount of money in exchange for a reward related to your project. 

For example, if you’re fundraising to launch a new mobile food delivery app, a $50 donation might get someone a reward of 20% off their first order. Or maybe you’re fundraising to open a new restaurant—a $100 donation could receive guaranteed reservations during opening month, and a $10,000 donation might reward food and drink credits on every visit for the first six months.

Rewards entice people to donate by making them feel like they are getting value in return for their support. They’re also an effective way of testing which product features resonate most with your audience and which fall flat.

2. Straightforward donations

Many supporters are happy to fund a project without receiving a reward or return because they believe in your mission and want to support it. While donations are commonly associated with nonprofit organizations or causes, they also apply to startups, new products, events, and most scenarios related to crowdfunding. 

If you’re considering asking for straightforward donations, be authentic, direct, and transparent about how you plan to use the funds. Lean into your story so that donors feels good about contributing.

3. Peer-to-peer lending

Peer-to-peer lending is an alternative to a traditional bank loan. Instead of getting a single, large loan from a bank, you get smaller loans from your friends, community, or strangers you connect with on a lending platform. The lender still gets interest, but often at a lower rate than a bank.

These loans are generally best for newer startups, individuals with lower credit ratings, or businesses with outside-of-the-box ideas that don’t align with traditional bank loans.

4. Equity-based crowdfunding

Equity crowdfunding gives contributors a stake in your project. This method is ideal if you want to launch a business and lets the public acquire unlisted shares. These shares aren’t available on the stock market, they’re stakes that a limited number of individuals own and can be traded outside of a formal exchange. 

Equity funding is ideal when you need to raise large contributions. To ensure this method is ethical, it’s often subject to government monitoring and regulation to control how much money can be raised and invested.

Read our guide to asking for donations

Pros and cons of crowdfunding

Like any type of fundraising, crowdfunding comes with a range of benefits and potential obstacles. The following list of pros and cons should help you determine if it’s right for your project.

Pros of crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a good option if you have a supportive community to tap into, and can help you promote and test new concepts. 

• Engage your community: Crowdfunding helps you mobilize your community and their networks to amplify and fund your project.

• Testing: Use crowdfunding to test messaging, marketing, and new product ideas and  see what resonates before your project or product goes live.

• Marketing: You’re not only raising money, you’re also building awareness for your project. The people who help fund it now have a stake in its success and will likely help promote it. You’re building a team of supporters, advocates, and amplifiers.

• Independence and control: Unlike many types of traditional fundraising, crowdfunding can give you more control over your business, how you run it, and who has a say or stake in it.

• Build your audience organically: By helping finance your project, funders are showing you that they’re likely your target audience and you can use them to inform a contact, newsletter subscriber, or customer list down the line. 

• Press and storytelling: Crowdfunding creates an opportunity to amplify your product story to a larger audience. Even if someone decides not to contribute to funding, they might help get press for your story or spread the word in other ways.

Cons of crowdfunding 

One of the biggest challenges of crowdfunding is that it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it fundraising method. You’ll need to promote your project regularly, provide updates, and have the bandwidth to support campaign rewards afterward.

• More competition: Crowdfunding makes fundraising widely accessible, so you’ll need to stand out. Build a proposal that appeals to your community and emphasizes the value and story behind your goal.

• Risk of not hitting goals: It’s possible that you’ll fall short of your fundraising goal. Make sure you have a plan on how to proceed, like where you’ll find the remaining funds or how you’ll refund supporters. Some platforms will only transfer funds to you if you meet your goal, so you won’t have to worry about refunds. 

• High volume of work and preparation: Allocate the right resources to building a compelling campaign and marketing it to the right people. Remember that you’ll also want to provide updates and dedicate resources to fulfilling any rewards.

How to set up a successful crowdfunding campaign

If you want to give crowdfunding a try, some upfront research and preparation will help you run a smooth and successful campaign. Don’t be afraid to start small and add stretch goals as you go, or adapt strategies if you’re not getting the results you want.

1. Set your goals, budget, and type of crowdfunding 

Before setting up your crowdfunding campaign, zero in on what you hope to accomplish. Are you aiming to fund your entire project or just a part of it? Establishing specific and achievable goals will help you communicate a clear finish line and milestones for your fundraiser, which encourages people to support you. That will also help you determine how much you need to raise to make that goal a reality.

From there, you can decide how much you want to crowdfund. Some people might only raise part of what they need from crowdfunding, while others might use crowdfunding to cover all costs. What’s realistic depends on your full budget and community. 

Finally, choose which type of crowdfunding to use. Pick the method best suited for your target audience and the size of your crowdfunding goal. For example, equity funding might make sense for a new business, but donation or rewards-based methods will be a better fit for most smaller projects.

2. Choose a crowdfunding platform

Be honest and practical about your project’s needs and select the platform best equipped to meet them. Consider how you plan to reach your audience, where you’ll direct them to contribute, and how rules around fundraising work on different platforms.

For example, you can add a Donation block to a Squarespace website to raise money toward any goal. This gives you creative control over the donation page and messaging. Since it’s built into your website, visitors can also explore to get to know your brand and story better. 

If your audience primarily finds you through social media, you could consider adding a crowdfunding campaign to the link in bio page on your social profiles. Bio Sites has an option to raise money directly from your link in bio, but you could also direct people to your website donation page from there.

With many platforms, crowdfunding is all or nothing: At the beginning of the campaign, you set the minimum amount of money you need to fund the project, and if you reach it, your project gets funded. Some platforms, like Squarespace and Bio Sites, allow you to get funding from anyone who pledges. You may also be able to extend the deadline if you don’t meet it. Make sure this is all clear before you get started.

3. Make a marketing and promotion plan

A solid marketing plan ensures the right people learn about your project, help fund it, and spread the word. First, identify your target audience and what resonates with them. Then, develop a story around what makes your project stand out. What problem does it solve and how? What value does it provide to your audience? 

Once you lock in your messaging, build a promotional plan. Research where you can best reach your audience. Are they active on social media? If so, what platforms? Do you have an email newsletter? If so, it’s time to use it. Who are potential amplifiers and how can you reach them to help spread the word?

4. Engage with your supporters and keep them updated

Staying in touch with supporters is not only the right thing to do, it helps retain their support. Keeping supporters updated makes them feel like part of your journey and helps to assure them that their money is being put to good use. 

This can be as simple as sending a newsletter with funding and project updates. If you have the time, you could run an occasional video call or Q&A session. Throughout the process, be sure to express your gratitude.

5. End the campaign and fulfill rewards

Crowdfunding campaigns generally last around 30 days. In most cases, your crowdfunding platform will arrange the payments from investors to you.

For equity-based crowdfunding, the platform will generally arrange share certificates or convertible notes for your investors.  

If you choose to do rewards-based crowdfunding, it’s time to fulfill them. Make a plan from the start about how you’ll follow up and distribute rewards, and proactively communicate with supporters about timelines for receipt.

Don’t forget to factor in any processing or administration fees you may incur from your platform, and make sure you’re on top of any tax implications so they don’t creep up on you during tax season.

Stay in touch with your supporters

Launching a crowdfunding campaign isn’t a one-and-done deal. Whether you’re using it to fund a new business or just a one-off project, it’s a best practice to stay in touch with your supporters afterward. 

Start with an update on what your crowdfunding campaign achieved and how you’re using the funds. From there, you can continue to send business updates. Building and maintaining these relationships can lead to continued rounds of funding for future projects or products and can also help sustain a community of people who will support your business and ensure it continues to grow.  

Candles are also personal and unique in material and scent. That makes them a perfect product to tailor to niche buying audiences. Making candles is an opportunity to add your creative stamp and turn a project into a business by selling online or at markets and fairs.

This guide will help you understand what types of candles you can sell, the steps to making the most out of your candle selling business, and important tips to keep in mind before starting. 

Types of candles to sell

Candles are made using a variety of different materials and scents. This variety is beneficial for anyone thinking of making candles to sell. You can mix and match to develop a unique set of scents and wax types based on the style and shape of your candles, intended use, and materials costs. Here are a few of the most popular types of candles to choose from.

Scented or aromatherapy candles 

Scented candles are one of the most popular types of candles, often used to make a space smell a certain way. Some of the leading scents worldwide are vanilla, rose, citrus, and lavender. Candles made with any type of wax can be scented or unscented, but the type of wax can impact a scent’s strength.

Candles with scents are also used for aromatherapy. For example, lavender is a calming scent that’s often used to aid in relaxation. Citrus is used to freshen up an environment or promote an uplifting mood. 

Soy candles

Soy candles are made from soybeans, which is an eco-friendly alternative to other candle types. They have a slower burn time so they last a little bit longer than other candle types. A couple things to watch out for with soy candles: They don’t hold fragrances as well and they can be a bit erratic with temperature, leading to uneven wax melting. 

Beeswax

Beeswax candles are one of the oldest candle types. Beeswax is formed during the honey-making process and it’s entirely natural. If you’re looking for a vegan option, beeswax wouldn’t be for you. They have a slightly sweet, honeyed smell, which can impact any added scents, and are generally a more consistent wax option. 

Paraffin

Many candles use paraffin wax. It’s an inexpensive, oil-based option that can both hold a fragrance and color well. If you’re looking to make decorative, artistic candles in a variety of colors, paraffin is a good wax type for you. Paraffin candles have flexible melt points that make them compatible with any container type, from votives to freestanding candles.

Coconut wax

Coconut wax is a newer wax type that’s similar to paraffin wax, with the environmental benefits of soy wax. It isn’t oil-based, and is a natural, vegan option for eco-conscious makers and buyers. It has the added benefit of being able to hold color and fragrance in a similar way to paraffin. 

12 steps to make candles to sell 

Now that we’ve gone through the different types of candles you can make and sell, let’s get into how to start your candle making business and stand out from competitors. 

1. Conduct market research to identify your differentiators

Conduct research on the other brands or makers in your segment to better understand what they offer and how you can differentiate yourself. For example, if a number of candlemakers targeting the same audience offer similar fragrances, like rose or gardenia, try branching out to something unexpected to offer your buyer a different option. 

Begin by understanding the candle market at-large and where your products will fit for your target buyer. There are four different segments you may want to sit in.

• Solo selling: Candles you sell online or at craft fairs and markets. Often small batches, slightly more expensive because of their one-of-a-kind, unique nature. 

• Mass market: Largely inexpensive, everyday candles found at bigger retailers. They can be all shapes and sizes, but stay priced relatively low. 

• Mid-market: Slightly more expensive options found at select retailers. 

• Upmarket or prestige: A growing segment with niche targets within. This segment is usually pricier because it’s handmade, often sold in small batches, contains different scents or trendy fragrances, and is positioned as a premium option.

Figure out where you’d like your product to fit. If you’re thinking of selling your products primarily online and at craft fairs or are just starting out, the first option may be best for you. If you’re thinking of expanding out into a bigger business with brand storytelling that’s integral to the candles you make, consider the upmarket option. You can identify competitors to compare to from there.

This is also a good time to consider the price of your candles. This can largely depend on how many you’re making, the time it takes to produce them, and what top competitors are charging for similar items. 

Read our guide to competitor research

2. Select materials and design

There are a number of different types of candles you can choose from: beeswax, paraffin, coconut, soy, and more. It may help to test out a few. Is there a material you prefer handling? Consider which one, from your market research, might last the longest and be something a buyer will want to purchase. Is one better for the scents you want to work with or your mission or budget?

You’ll also want to consider the design and shape of your candles. Some of them are:

• Tapered

• Votive or tea lights

• Ball 

• Decorative, artistic

• Pillar

• Floating

Remember you’ll also need to choose materials for packaging, fragrance, containers, wicks, and candle molds.

3. Choose scented or unscented

Consider if you want to add fragrance to your candle. If you’ve selected a candle type that doesn’t hold a scent as well (soy or beeswax) then you may need to forgo scents or anticipate having weaker ones. If you’re going to go the scent route for your candles, you’ll need to source additional materials like fragrance oils. 

This will also require a little more product development time for you to find the right fragrance levels and combinations.

4. Source your materials 

When you’re ready to make your candles, you’ll need the following: 

• Wax 

• Wicks

• Molds

• Vessels (to hold the candle)

• Fragrance (optional)

You can get many of these materials in bulk from wholesalers. But we recommend testing samples before you place a bulk order to ensure the different materials work well together and the candles burn well over time. It’s also important to work with a wholesaler that you find trustworthy and reliable to ensure you get quality materials on time.

5. Take product photos

Strong product photos can help you get the attention of online buyers or purchasers from retail stores. You can pay a professional to take photos of your candles or consider taking them yourself. 

Try to emphasize your aesthetic, brand, and the candle in photos with good lighting and a neutral background. It can be beneficial to show the candle set up in a home to help customers envision how they’d fit into their own lives. Make sure to keep your photos consistent and crisp across products.

Get tips for shooting product photography

6. Name your business and create a brand identity

No matter where you’re selling your candle, a strong brand identity and a memorable name are impactful selling tools.

Name your business and build out a brand from there. Consider your target customer and your values—if your brand was a person who embodied those things, how would they speak, how would you describe their personality? This can set the tone for your brand voice and visual identity.

Buyers want to feel like they’re participating in something, joining a community—they want to connect to the items they purchase and the brand they’re getting it from. Creating a strong brand identity is one way to differentiate your business from the rest of the pack in your market segment. That connection can keep people coming back for more products. 

Read our guide to creating a brand personality

7. Register your business and get insurance

You may need to register your candle business and get the necessary permits or licenses required to sell in your location. You will need to set up your business as a sole proprietor or limited liability company (LLC), which can be beneficial for liability concerns or keeping your finances organized.

You may also need insurance to protect your business and materials. We recommend speaking with legal and insurance professionals and consulting local small business organizations for the most up to date advice on your individual situation.

8. Create a website  

Every business can benefit from having some kind of web presence. When you’re ready to make your website, you can pick from a template, use AI, or even get a professional website designer to help you out. Use all of the information you’ve amassed from research and building out your brand identity, to create a digital space that reflects your brand and that your buyers want to make a purchase from.

Your online store or website should contain: 

• About page

• Product pages

• Contact page

• Shipping and returns information

Some optional information to include on your website about your candle business may include business news, new product news, and an up-to-date list of stockists or markets where you sell in person. 

9. Make a business plan

Define your candle selling strategy with a business plan. This plan will be your guide to your entire business. While it’s likely to shift over time, particularly when you exceed your initial goals, it sets the foundation for how you’d like to sell your candles and grow your business. 

Your business plan should include the following: 

• Overall goals for the brand: For example, sell X number of candles in a year

• Sub-goals that ladder up to your overarching one: For example, sell X candles online and X through in-person through retailers in the first six months

• Organizational structure: Is it just you or will you have employees?

• Product offering: What you plan to sell and what makes them unique

• Market research and analysis: Your competitors, prospective buyers, and audience

• Where you’re going to sell: Stocking at local retailers and brick-and-mortar stores vs. big-box retailers or online and at in-person markets or pop-ups

• Logistics: Suppliers, inventory storage, or order fulfillment partners

• Budget: What you’ve committed upfront to the business, and anticipated cash flow based on materials and sales goals

See our guide for creating a business plan

10. Make an order fulfillment plan

If you’re selling and shipping your own candles, you need to consider how you’re going to get them to your customers and how much the shipping fees are going to cost. 

You can do self-fulfillment, where you oversee the entire fulfillment process from packing to shipping. It gives you a lot of flexibility, but it can also become a longer, more laborious process if you’re getting a lot of orders.

Another option is dropshipping, which will outsource your inventory and shipping logistics to a third party. But that gives you less control over each order and your inventory management. 

11. Develop a marketing plan

Marketing your candle business is essential to its success. There are a number of online and offline channels you can tap into to reach your audience. Use your market research to select ones that are best for you and your desired buyer. 

• Social media: Selling your candles doesn’t just mean on a website or in person. Social media is great to cultivate a buying audience and keep them engaged. You can try social commerce integrations on platforms like Instagram or Facebook, or you can simply drive traffic to your website for buyers to make their picks.

• Email marketing: Connect directly with your customers. Send email updates or newsletters to share promotions or interesting information about your business right to your customers’ inboxes. This will keep you top of mind and drive traffic back to your website.

• Partner with other businesses: Broaden your customer reach by partnering with similar businesses or brands. Consider doing a collaboration with a brand and creating a signature, one-of-a-kind candle for the partnership.

• Giveaways and contests: Build brand awareness by giving away free products or a bundle of candles. You can partner with other businesses for a joint giveaway to reach a larger audience.

When making your marketing plans, pay attention to seasonal trends. Candles tend to sell well during holiday gifting periods. You’ll also develop a sense of your peak sales seasons over time based on your own sales data. Keep these peak periods in mind so you have the marketing and inventory to support higher sales. 

12. Adjust strategy as you go

You’re equipped with everything you need to do to start selling your candles. As you start seeing the revenue come in, always go back to your initial business plans and goals to see if they’re working. If not, adjust your methods or goals as needed. 

For example, you may find that you benefit from branching out into a different social media platform or approaching different physical retailers. Use your performance data to identify where it would be most beneficial to pivot.

There have been significant advancements in technology to help with manual data management and storytelling, including artificial intelligence (AI) analytics. AI analytics is a broad set of solutions designed to help users understand specific data sets. Like other data processing tools and resources, AI analytics is meant to help inform users and help them take actionable steps. 

This guide will break down what you need to know about AI analytics, including some of the benefits and challenges of these tools, how they differ from traditional analytics, and the best way to use them to your advantage. 

What is AI analytics? 

AI analytics is a set of data analytics that uses artificial intelligence to extract and process data. It uses systems like machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP) and specific data mining techniques and strategies to gather information and process it for a user faster than one human could. 

AI analytics is especially beneficial for handling extremely large volumes of data. It’s meant to sift through whatever data it’s fed (e.g., customer sales information) and turn its predictions and analysis into a tidy model, chart, or spreadsheet of all the relevant information you need. 

How does AI analytics work?

AI analytics works relatively similarly to any other data collection and processing technique. It’s simply faster and has the ability to predict and sort information due to AI technology. 

To use AI analytics, you’ll need to have the raw data available to process and an end output in mind. For example, a small business owner needs to understand the performance of their paid ad marketing efforts. They’ll need to organize that data somewhat before feeding the information to the AI analytics tool. Like any other AI tool, you’ll also need to give it a task or prompt so it understands what to do with the data you’re feeding it.

Once that’s complete and the information is in the system, the tool will then process it and identify any patterns or predictions that would be useful to the query. 

AI analytics vs. traditional analytics tools

Traditional analytics and AI analytics both use technology to better understand specific sets of data. A key thread distinguishing traditional vs. AI analytics is which data gets used: real-time or old. Consider these other key differences between the two data strategies. 

1. Forecasting: In traditional data analytics, old data is often used to create future models. Rather than basing predictions on old information, AI analytics can use current data and algorithms to forecast anything from customer behavior to market changes.

2. Insights: Traditional data uses old information (e.g. what happened in the quarter a year ago) to understand what the story might be now. AI analytics can use real-time data that can potentially allow you to make faster, immediate decisions.

3. Scale: AI analytics are designed to scale and handle vast amounts of information. Traditional data strategies often don’t, and while they do use technology to process and present data, there’s still a human element to it that can slow it down. 

4. Automation: Automation is one of AI’s essential appeals. Traditional data analytics requires human intervention to complete tasks. AI analytics can automate many tasks, which helps to reduce labor or time investment. 

What are the different types of AI analytics?

For AI to work well in any capacity, you must provide it with a very specific task. AI needs to have clear parameters around it to be effective. There are three different types of AI analytics that you can use: descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive.

1. Descriptive

Descriptive AI is useful to understand what past data can tell you about historical trends. This is useful for compiling sales numbers from the past to understand where you’ve exceeded or fallen short on goals. 

This type of AI will take whatever information you’ve collected and put similar data points together to identify patterns. 

2. Predictive

Predictive AI is essential to forecasting. This AI type relies on data to help generate new models and data stories about what could happen next. However, AI analytics algorithms can identify new events or possibilities based on trends that the technology can find and produce. 

This type of AI is incredibly useful to better understand customer buying behavior, particularly targeting those who are likely to be repeat buyers. 

3. Prescriptive

Prescriptive AI tells you what the outcome should be based on your data set. Rather than just make a prediction, like the previous AI type, prescriptive AI will use both old and real-time data to suggest the best possible action or option based on what it predicts will happen. 

GPS apps do this already to recommend you the best routes. For ecommerce, this could be useful to assess productivity or customer service strategies, or even marketing or sales plans. 

How small businesses and entrepreneurs can use AI analytics tools

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, AI analytics provides you with an opportunity to understand how well your business is doing, what might need to shift to achieve your goals, and any future predictions that are useful to help you prepare now. 

1. Customer behavior and insights: Knowing behaviors and buying trends helps you better serve your customers and optimize your conversions and sales. Use data and trends from AI analytics to get underneath their buying habits, like when they spend and purchase history, to uncover product bundle ideas or ideal promotion periods. Use website traffic to identify popular products or topics.

2. Inventory management: AI analytics are very good at helping you keep tabs on what you have available to sell. For future planning, especially if you sell more during peak buying seasons like the holidays, AI analytics can help you prepare your inventory so you’re not under- or overstocked. 

3. Website: AI analytics can help you optimize your online store. AI can review website traffic to quickly illustrate how customers travel through your site, like where your customers go, how long they stay on a page, and at what point they exit. Data pulled from AI analytics can even help you create better, more engaging copy for your website if you find visitors are skipping over buttons or exiting pages quickly.

Benefits and challenges of AI analytics

AI is both an established and emerging technology. New advancements and iterations are constantly available. There are many examples of AI working smoothly for many of our day-to-day needs. It benefits small business owners and entrepreneurs of all kinds, automating and streamlining tasks that free up more time for others. However, there are a number of challenges or risks that can come with using AI. It’s important to understand both. 

Benefits of AI analytics

The majority of the benefits of using AI for data analytics are centered on efficiency—whether time, output, or financial.

• Speed: AI is fast. It can take an incredible amount of data and process it and present its findings in a timeframe a person couldn’t.

• Efficiency: Because AI is so quick to look at large swaths of data, it can also be more efficient for your business overall. Its sole use is to quickly free up more time—including for the person who’d normally do your data analysis—identify gaps, and recommend improvements. 

• Cost-savings: AI analytics can be a cost-saving tool. From automations and reducing service fees to identifying gaps and waste in the data it processes, AI is a good way to find ways to save money. 

Challenges of AI data analytics

Concerns around using AI for data analytics are similar to concerns about AI tools generally, centered on accuracy and the potential for missed nuances.

• Bias: AI doesn’t understand nuance the way that we do. If your data is biased in any way, the AI output will reflect that. That’s why it’s valuable to have a person to organize and check any data and results.

• Accuracy: Data inaccuracies can occur with AI, which can leave errors in your results. Ensure you’re double checking the prompt or type of AI analytics you’re using, your desired outcome, and the data’s accuracy.

• Ethics: There are a lot of ethical considerations when it comes to AI. Sometimes an AI tool is trained on incomplete, inaccurate, or biased data.  With a significant amount of data being fed into an AI tool, there are also legal and security risks, especially when it comes to customer information. Be mindful of using quality tools, checking assumptions, and securing your data. 

Learn more about Squarespace and AI in the AI content hub

But SEO doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’re new to working on SEO, on-page optimization is a good place to start before moving on to advanced practices. Here’s a breakdown of what on-page SEO is, how it can help your website, and a step-by-step list of techniques to use.

Understanding on-page SEO

On-page search engine optimization (SEO) is a set of digital marketing techniques that help your site appear higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves optimizing the content on your web pages to improve their visibility in search results. One of the main tactics is incorporating keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for into specific areas on your webpage.

On-page SEO is one of the three main SEO branches, which include technical and off-page SEO. The three practices work cohesively, so it’s ideal to cover each when possible. 

Why on-page SEO is important

On-page SEO is important because it helps improve your rankings in search engines. The higher your ranking, the more likely people can find your site when browsing. This helps people who are interested in what you’re offering find your products, content, or services, increasing organic traffic and helping you grow.

Think of it as another advertising tool. Many searchers don’t make it past page 1 of SERP and higher ranked sites are often seen as more trustworthy and prominent than lower ranking sites. On-page SEO can also connect you with customers in your area by surfacing your website in local search results, adding another visibility boost to your business.

Another reason why on-page SEO is important is that it ensures your site correctly communicates what you do. Refining your pages to better rank in search ensures the words, phrases, layout, and description of your webpages match the search intent and interest of your target customers, creating a better user experience (UX).

What are the different categories of on-page SEO?

On-page SEO is a broad term that covers different methods and parts of a website. Here’s a breakdown of website sections and tactics that fall into this category.

Title tags

Also known as a meta title, this is the headline of a page that appears on SERPs and one of the main things that audiences will see when browsing. Title tags briefly tell both visitors and search engines about the content of a page prior to visiting, and is a great tool to reel in audiences and help them choose to click on your website. It’s a good practice to include a relevant keyword here if it fits naturally.

Meta descriptions

This is a page summary that appears under the title tag in SERPs and expands on what the content of your page is. It’s typically limited to 160 characters to fit within the preview on search engines, but can sometimes be calculated in megapixels depending on your preferred search engine. Use this space to highlight the key points of your page and encourage searchers to click through to your page.

Learn more about writing meta titles and descriptions

Header tags

These are headlines and subsection titles that break up and label the text on your page. Though all are relevant for SEO, the most prominent title for SERP ranking is your H1 title, otherwise known as your headline. From there, titles are labelled as H2, H3 and so on.

For example, the H1 on this page is the article title, “Understanding On-page SEO” is an H2, and this section is an H3. The higher up the title is, the more relevant it is to impacting your search results. 

Internal linking

Internal linking is the practice of adding links to navigate from one page to another within your site. This is helpful from a UX perspective as it helps visitors to move from one relevant page to another and keeps them browsing your site for longer. For SEO, it shows search engines which pages are related.

Image optimization

This is about ensuring the images on your webpage can be understood when someone can’t view an image and by search engines. Search engines can’t view the images on your pages like your visitors typically would, so they rely on alt text descriptions on your webpage to categorize imagery. 

It’s important to make your alt text as descriptive as you can without becoming too lengthy. Whilst it will not be visually present on your webpage, audiences will be able to read this via screen readers.

Also consider image size and type. If an image file size is too big, it may slow the load speed of your site. Consider compressing large image files where possible to aid load speed without losing out on quality and limiting large animated images. If you have the means to produce original imagery rather than stock photos, it’s worth exploring, as this can aid ranking in image searches.

Read our guide to optimizing images for your website

URL structure

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and is the address of your webpage. Visitors access your website via a page URL which is found through a search engine, internal link or backlink, or by typing the address into a browser directly.

Adding keywords to your URL helps explain your page content to search engines and users, as well as reflecting where the page sits in your website. For example, squarespace.com/pricing helps search engines categorize the page as a plan pricing page and makes the page content clear for browsers before they even click through.

Keyword optimization

Keyword optimization involves finding phrases, words and language relevant to what your target audience is searching for and including them on your web pages. This helps those searching for keywords used on your pages find your website easier in SERPs.

Keywords can be found using third-party keyword research tools or thinking around how your audience is typically browsing. On-page optimization involves using your target keywords in strategic places, such as your headers, main body text, and in your title tags, as well as including them in text across the page where possible.

While good to prioritize, it’s important to avoid keyword stuffing. This is the practice of overusing keywords to aid higher ranking in SERPs. Using specific keywords where possible as well as synonyms and phrasing alternatives that are semantically the same can optimize your pages while keeping text fluid and natural. That’ll keep pages readable for visitors and avoid search engine penalties from overusing keywords.

Learn how to find keywords for your website

Quality, well-structured content

This relates to the information and longer body text that sits on your page. It’s important to create content that’s designed to be compelling to your audience. This involves making sure your content is grammatically correct, relevant to the search intent of your viewers, and as advanced as is appropriate for your audience. It should be organized in a clear way that addresses their priorities.

This is useful to visitors as this will ensure they find engaging information that speaks to their interests or needs. That will aid in extending dwell time, the time spent by a user viewing a page. If your site information is found useful by audiences, it will also encourage visitors to return. Pages with increased visits helps SEO, as it signals to search engines that your site is an authority on your chosen topic.

User experience

User experience considers the ease, smoothness, and accessibility of use for visitors to your site. It includes many factors, but the following are some of the most important.

• Page speed: This measures how quickly a page and its respective elements load on all devices, the primary being mobile and web. If load speed is too slow, users may be more likely to exit your site and find it difficult to use. This affects dwell time, which can negatively impact your site’s ranking.

• Mobile friendliness: This is how well your site functions when visited on a mobile device. If you are building your web page in desktop format only, page elements may appear in the wrong dimensions when visited on a phone or alternative format. This could make text unclear or links inaccessible if only optimized for computer or tablet viewing.

• Navigation: Navigation covers your visitors’ ability to move from one part of your website to another. Your site or webpage’s internal navigation includes your primary site navigation bar as well as internal links to other pages on your site. If your page navigation is unclear or pages are incorrectly linked, it can cause user churn and negatively affect your rankings.

Optimize on-page SEO in 8 steps

If you’re ready to start implementing SEO strategies into your website, it’s best to implement step by step. Start with one page and work through each step below based on the content on the page.

1. Pick your page

It’s useful to start page by page when incorporating SEO into your site. Pick a webpage, then decide what you want to communicate, the target audience, and what you want someone to do after viewing the page. You may find it helpful to make a list of the pages on your website and rank them by priority, either based on traffic or importance to your website goals. 

For example, it’ll make sense for many people to start with their homepage. Your homepage is meant to offer an overview to your audience and likely direct them to browse your store, services, or content or learn more about you. This can help guide the rest of your optimizations.

2. Find your keywords

Decide the keywords that will be used on your page. These can be sourced using a keyword research tool. Here you can see competitive pages currently ranking in SERP, and get an idea as to whether the content of your page can outrank what is ranking currently. If not, look for alternative keywords that might be more achievable for your business.

If you don’t have access to a keyword research tool, try brainstorming phrases that someone would search to find what you’re offering and look at which terms competitors rank for. If major corporations are taking up most top spots in a SERP, it’s a good sign you might want to look for a less competitive keyword option.

3. Write or update your content

You may find it easier to start with the core content of the page and let that inform the rest of your on-page SEO strategy. When writing your content, ensure your target keyword is present in your H1 title to aid higher ranking. Incorporate your keywords naturally throughout the rest of your body text, making sure it is present in the first 100 words.

Add your relevant H2s, H3s, and further headings using both primary and secondary keywords where applicable. Make sure your content is both valuable and unique for readers, and that it matches their search intent—what they’re looking to get out of visiting the page.

It may also be useful to check your content against other pages ranking for your chosen keyword. For example, if competitor content has a compelling and friendly tone, you can mirror this to meet the expectations of your audience.

4. Add and optimize your images

Add any original or stock imagery to your site and review your alt descriptions. Make sure these are clear, descriptive, and incorporate your target keywords where relevant or applicable. Good alt text is brief and avoids details that are irrelevant to the context an image provides. 

Check that your images are sized appropriately for your website and the space you’ve allotted for it. Poor quality images can make your website look less professional, but large files can slow down page speeds. 

5. Write your URL slug

A URL slug is the text that comes after the main domain and slash in a web address, like squarespace.com/blog. Write a slug that incorporates your keyword and identifies your website structure when possible. For example if you’re writing a page that will appear on a blog internal to your website, you could use a URL slug that reflects your site hierarchy. On this page, squarespace.com/blog/on-page-seo indicates that this page lives on the website’s blog and is focused on on-page SEO as a topic.

Keep your URL slug short and simple. Avoid using overly long phrasing and special characters so that your URL looks neat and is easier to remember. If your URL is formatted correctly, search engines may automatically create breadcrumbs that will appear in SERP, which can point more traffic to your site.

6. Add internal links and manage navigation

Check any internal links to this page for bounce backs or other errors. Then, review any internal links present on the webpage. Are there links to pages you could add to help visitors find information they need? Could you replace any links or move a link to help guide someone to the next page? Make sure all pages are linked correctly in your header and footer navigation too.

7. Review your title tag and meta description

Make sure these are clear, keyword optimized, and click-worthy to entice visitors to your site. Depending on the amount of characters available, your title tag may also reflect your site structure and hierarchy separated by lines for clarity (e.g., Jane Writer I Blog I My Technology Writing). 

Make sure that your title tag and meta description doesn’t exceed the recommended maximum characters. To review this, many SEO applications allow you to preview how these elements will appear in search to prevent overrunning text. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 60 characters or less for titles and 160 or less for meta descriptions.

8. Perform final checks and publish your content

Review the final layout of your webpage and ensure your content is accessible across mobile and web browsers. We recommend creating a checklist of items to review on each web page before publishing for consistency. Where possible, your target keyword should be present across the following elements of your page.

• URL

• Title tag

• Meta description

• H1 header

• Image names and alt text

• Incorporated into body text

After implementing on-page SEO techniques it’s useful to review your strategy and monitor results over time to ensure your practices are working. Remember, SEO is a long game. Changes can take a few months to take effect and algorithms change regularly. It’s advisable to look at your SEO rankings routinely even if you rank highly in search.  If you’re still feeling stuck, consider bringing on an SEO specialist for further improvement.

Getting your message to stand out can feel like a daunting task. That's where strategic direct marketing comes in—a way to market to customers one-to-one that’s perfect for a modern-day business owner.

Understanding direct marketing

Direct marketing cuts through the noise by speaking directly to your potential customers, encouraging an immediate response rather than hoping they'll remember you and seek you out. It's the digital equivalent of walking up to someone at a party instead of hoping they'll notice you from across the room.

Direct marketing vs. indirect marketing: Why it matters

Direct marketing is that friend who tells you exactly what they want: "Hey, click this link for 20% off your first purchase!" Indirect marketing, on the other hand, is more like planting seeds: "Just letting you know we’re here and all we offer, in case you need us someday."

Direct marketing offers a targeted approach that speaks to specific individuals rather than broad audiences. It asks for clear, immediate action, leaving no ambiguity about the next steps you want them to take. 

Depending on the form of your direct marketing, this allows you to personalize what messages someone gets and when. For example, you can make sure someone who recently bought from you gets a follow-up about your newest products in a few months or someone who abandons their cart gets a reminder email with a discount offer. By personalizing the conversation, direct marketing can create a stronger connection with potential customers.

4 common direct marketing channels

You'll find direct marketing strategies across various channels, including email campaigns, targeted SMS messages, personalized social media ads, and even traditional physical mail. Which you choose to use depends on your target customer and what they’ll likely respond to.

1. Email marketing: Email marketing is still one of the best ways to reach customers directly. Automation tools can help you trigger personalized messages at opportune times for conversion.

2. SMS marketing: SMS marketing offers unparalleled immediacy. But it’s important to respect that access to customers  by offering genuine value and quality over quantity. 

3. Social direct marketing: Social media platforms have added tools for more direct marketing, like broadcast groups, “close friends” posting, targeted messaging, and more.

4. Messenger apps: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other chat apps now support business messaging. Like SMS marketing, it’s important to ensure your messages don’t feel like spam to customers.

Pros and cons of direct marketing

Successful direct marketing can help you get deeper insight into your customers while delivering them the benefits of personalized marketing. But strong direct marketing requires good data, otherwise customers might disengage from your messaging.

Advantages of direct marketing

At its best, direct marketing can be a win for you and your customers. It offers you better data and sales opportunities and gives customers marketing that makes them feel valued.

1. Clear data: Direct marketing gives you concrete data on responses, engagement, and conversions, which can help you shape future marketing or business plans.

2. Micro-targeting: Instead of paying to reach everyone—including people who might never buy from you—direct marketing lets you focus on your most likely customers.

3. Beneficial personalization: When it’s done right, personalization can increase engagement and create higher conversion rates by delivering the right message or recommendation at the right time.

4. Testing opportunities: You can test different messages or offers with small customer segments before going all-in. That’ll save money and ensure you get the most effective message out in the long run.

5. Quick results: Unlike SEO, which takes longer to show results, direct marketing can trigger sales or new leads within days.

Disadvantages of direct marketing

However, good direct marketing requires time and planning, and the quality of your marketing can impact perceptions of your brand.

1. Spam risk: Poor execution can make your brand look overeager or intrusive, which can push consumers to unsubscribe from messaging lists they previously opted into.

2. Data limitations: Quality direct marketing requires good customer data—something that a lot of small businesses struggle to collect and maintain effectively.

3. Diminishing impact: As direct marketing channels get more crowded, standing out may require increasingly creative approaches.

4. Time commitment: Creating personalized, targeted campaigns requires time and creative energy that might stretch small teams or solo entrepreneurs thin.

7 steps to make a direct marketing plan

Direct marketing could be a good fit for your business if you can define exactly who would value your product, your offering doesn't require heavy research before purchase, you can clearly articulate the specific action you want prospects to take, you have systems to track campaign results, and you can create genuine value through your offers. 

Here’s how to create a strategic approach to direct marketing that can yield significant results. Break it into manageable chunks with the steps below.

1. Set clear targets

Begin with concrete objectives for your overall marketing strategy and each type of outreach you send. The more specific your goal, the easier it is to design your campaign and measure success. Being clear with your targets will help eliminate ambiguity and help focus your marketing efforts where they'll have the greatest impact.

2. Know your people

Effective direct marketing requires understanding who your customers are and what motivates them. Consider what specific problems keep them up at night, what language they use to describe these challenges, and when they're most receptive to solutions. What previous solutions have they tried and found lacking, and how can you solve the problem for them? 

Small businesses have a distinct advantage. All of your direct customer interactions provide rich insights about your most likely customers. These personal connections offer invaluable information about customer needs and preferences that can inform your targeted campaigns.

To get started, list your top 20% of customers by value, identify their common characteristics, and create a simple ideal customer profile based on these patterns.

3. Choose channels that match your audience's habits

Select platforms based on customer behavior, not personal preference. If your customers are glued to their phones, SMS might be ideal. If they research extensively before buying, email sequences could nurture them effectively. If they're concentrated in specific neighborhoods, direct mail might create a standout impact. 

Start with mastering one channel before adding others. A focused approach with one channel often outperforms scattered efforts across many. This concentrated effort will allow you to develop expertise in one area before expanding your reach.

4. Craft messages that inspire action

The best direct marketing messages lead with the customer's problem, not your solution. Your messaging should speak directly to customer needs while making the desired action obvious and compelling.

Create a genuine sense of urgency, and focus on concrete benefits instead of abstract features. Include a crystal-clear next step, and remember that every word must earn its place, especially in SMS and email subject lines where brevity rules. 

For example, a florist in a college town might send a message that says, “Need a last-minute graduation gift? Get $5 off local delivery for bouquets this weekend with code GRAD5,” then link their storefront. The offer provides a solution to a problem at a timely moment and directs subscribers to their store with an incentive to spend.

5. Implement privacy-first practices

Responsible data handling isn't just ethical, it's expected and often required by messaging services. Make subscriber consent transparent and optional: Provide one-click unsubscribe options in every communication; document your data collection, storage, and usage policies; implement appropriate security measures for customer information; and stay current on privacy regulations affecting your market. 

Treating customer data with respect builds the trust that’s necessary for direct marketing to succeed, and it protects your business from potential compliance issues.

6. Test systematically

Direct marketing's secret weapon is its testability. Test one element of a message at a time for clear insights, ensure sample sizes are large enough to be statistically valid, and document everything. This means recording what doesn't work, prioritizing tests that inform your most consequential decisions, and developing a continuous testing calendar. 

For example, if you’re testing the body copy of an email, avoid testing a change to the images or call to action copy at the same time, since any of them could impact clicks and conversions from your email. 

Even one-person businesses can implement simple A/B tests using user-friendly marketing tools, like Squarespace Email Campaigns. This testing approach removes guesswork and builds a foundation of reliable data for decision-making.

7. Analyze results

Look beyond surface metrics to understand the story your campaign data tells. Consider why certain segments responded better than others and whether timing significantly impacted response rates. It’s also important to look at which messages generated not just clicks, but actual conversions and how customer acquisition cost compares across channels. 

Use these insights to continue refining your approach, creating a virtuous cycle of improvement that increases effectiveness over time.

Evolving your marketing over time

As your direct marketing sophistication grows, you can consider trying some advanced strategies. These more advanced techniques can build on your foundational knowledge while increasing the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

• Set up more complex automations: With automation tools, you can create behavior-based sequences that send automated messages based on how recipients interacted with previous messages or your website. 

• Coordinate across channels: Multi-channel coordination can strengthen your impact if you thoughtfully sequence touchpoints across different direct channels. But this requires you to have a good workflow and understanding of your messaging for each platform.

• Explore predictive analytics: Try using past response data to identify which prospects are most likely to convert, so you can focus resources on high-probability targets. You’ll need a long window of data to make these predictions.

Remember, the most successful entrepreneurs don't choose between direct marketing and brand building—it’s just one piece of the puzzle. They use direct marketing's immediate feedback to inform their longer-term strategies, creating an overall marketing approach that's both immediately profitable and sustainably growing.

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The new AI SEO Tool gives you automatic access to professional SEO, so you can attract more visitors and grow your brand. 

• The AI SEO Tool scans your website’s page titles, descriptions, and image alt text, and recommends optimized copy to help you improve them in a click. 

• Strong website SEO increases the chances that people will find you when they search online. To get started, go to Settings, click Marketing, and select SEO Appearance.

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Learn more about these new products and more on the Squarespace Forum.

The content you create and how you share it is part of your content marketing strategy. Content marketing isn't explicitly sales-oriented, but offers original ideas that provide value and show your expertise. A content marketing strategy is more than just a schedule of when to post something. Through text, videos, and photos, you can convey your values and brand and what makes your business special.

Here's how to develop and execute a content strategy tailored to your unique business and goals, and then adjust it as needed over time. 

What is a content marketing strategy?

A content marketing strategy is a blueprint for the content you create for your business and how to distribute it. This strategy should align with and complement the goals of your overall business strategy. 

Content marketing strategy for a small business requires you to consider multiple factors, including:

• Your goals: Content plans will differ depending on your goals. A hair stylist who wants more customers might want to create photo-heavy social media posts that show their client work, while a marketer who wants more speaking engagements might create content that demonstrates their expertise.

• Your audience: This identifies who you’re trying to reach with your content. It should align with your brand’s ideal audience or customer. Audiences can vary from channel to channel. 

• Kinds of content you're creating: In your strategy, go into detail about specific content types. Common ones include photo essays, behind-the-scenes videos, or blogs about your process. No matter what you choose, make sure this is high-quality content.

• Distribution channels: There are many ways to distribute content, including via email, social media, and your website. A content strategy addresses which channels you plan to use and what kind of content you'll share on them.

• Schedule of content: A content calendar is a vital part of your content strategy. This is a detailed outline of when and where you plan on sharing your content.

• How to measure success: Once you settle on what kind of content to create, you can determine which metrics to track. Growing businesses might track milestones like number of customers or sales increases. Content creators might measure video views or engagement.

Entrepreneurs frequently develop a content strategy for a specific channel—for example, an email newsletter or a specific social media platform—as well as a broader content strategy for their business. 

Types of content in content marketing 

There's no one right way to do content marketing. You can focus on one type of content or produce a mix of content and space it out over time. For example, you might post on social media daily but share a video only once a month. 

Content falls into a few main categories, including:

• Written content: Articles based on interviews with subject matter experts, case studies about successful customers, blogs detailing insights into work you've produced or targeting SEO keywords, newsletters about topics related to your business

• Video: Behind-the-scenes or process clips, an explainer video demonstrating your expertise in a certain area, a montage of business-related photos set to music

• Photographs/graphics: Infographics, a photo essay of an event, photo storytelling alongside an article

• Social media content: A photo with a long caption, a photo carousel with text overlaid from a story, demo or recap videos, user-generated content

• Podcasts: Interviews, Q&As, shorter conversations that can be repurposed for video

You can often cross-post content across multiple marketing channels. For example, you might distribute a podcast as a video as well as audio, or post snippets of your interview on social media. Repurposing content is another smart strategy. A case study or article can be excerpted on graphics and shared as a photo carousel or turned into a video script. Tools like Unfold make it easy to create social media content.

Do you need a content marketing strategy?

Even if you start with one type of content or marketing channel, content marketing offers an invaluable opportunity to direct the narrative around your business and raise awareness of your brand. A content marketing strategy offers multiple benefits to growing businesses.

• It helps you stay organized. As a busy business owner, it can be easy to lose track of the content you have or want to share. And planning content on the fly is difficult. A content marketing strategy offers a detailed framework to maintain consistency. 

• You can build your brand. Original content is an excellent way to communicate your values and mission. Both of these things are part of your brand and inform how people view your business. 

• Identify new audiences or business opportunities. It's not uncommon for businesses to discover new potential revenue streams when making content marketing plans. For example, you might uncover a need your audience has or discover a new audience altogether.

• You can establish yourself as a thought leader. Creating thoughtful content lets you share your expertise. Being known as a thought leader can open up other ways to promote or grow your business, such as guest posts, podcast appearances, courses, or live events. 

9 steps to create a content marketing strategy

Developing a content marketing strategy can feel like a big undertaking. But you’re probably already sharing some content. A strategy is just a way to attach goals and systems to the process. Breaking it down into individual steps can make defining and reaching your goals more manageable.

1. Set your goals. These should be specific to the content you're planning to produce, and reflect both short-term and long-term goals. Focus on what feels achievable and in line with your business goals. You can add or subtract once you start posting content. 

2. Identify your audience. Determining who you’re communicating with will guide your content. For example, your audience might respond better to short text posts or videos rather than lengthy blogs. The part of your audience you’re speaking to also matters. For potential customers, you might want to create content that speaks more about your business offerings or unique expertise.

3. Determine your areas of focus. Your content should be in a niche that speaks most directly to your areas of expertise. If you're an editor, you might offer writing tips, while a wedding photographer might discuss how best to capture various moments of the day. Becoming known as an expert in a specific area can help your business grow.

4. Choose content types and topics. Focus on doing one or two kinds of content well. You can always scale up if you have the capacity to take on more. The topics should align with your niches and goals. Content that feels random or like it strays from your core brand can confuse audiences.

5. Set metrics to track. The content and goals you focus on will dictate the metrics you track. If you're focusing on audience engagement, time spent watching a video clip is a key indicator. Success for a blog might mean pageviews or shares.

6. Decide distribution methods. Determine the channel that makes sense for your business. If you're a writer, a text-based newsletter might make sense, while graphic designers will likely want a visual-heavy platform. 

7. Create a content calendar. Releasing content on a steady basis is crucial. This keeps your business top of mind for potential customers and opens opportunities to attract new ones. A calendar will help you stay on track with content production and sharing.

8. Start creating content. Now it's time to share your knowledge and expertise with your audience. Consider creating a month or two of content in advance, so you're not scrambling to fill slots at the last minute. This is a common practice with content that takes longer to produce, such as podcasts or videos.

9. Measure success. Once you've started sharing content and gathering reactions, you can adjust your strategy accordingly. Set aside weekly and monthly time to review your goals and metrics. How are you tracking over time? Do any of your goals or metrics need to be adjusted or changed? Perhaps you realize that the pace of content creation isn't realistic, or your audience isn't watching videos. 

How to engage with your content’s audience 

Communication is a two-way street, and people will relate to your brand and business if they feel as though they’re part of a community. Consider creating content that gives you space to connect with your audience personally, or setting aside time to respond to comments.

• Hold a live Q&A. Many social media channels make it easy to go live on video and take follower questions. Be sure to advertise this session in advance so people know when to arrive or send questions in advance.

• Comment on your social media posts. This is one of the easiest ways to engage with your audience. Your comments don't have to be extensive. For example, if someone shares your post or left a comment, simply respond by saying "Thank you!" along with an emoji. 

• Share posts by other people. Another easy way to engage with your audience is to share the content they produce on your own channels. Adding your own comment or insight along with a share deepens your expertise and can also help build community.

• Offer exclusive content. Rewarding your loyal followers with exclusives. This could be a subscriber-only chat or newsletter. If you sell goods or services, sharing an occasional discount or coupon is also a nice gesture.

Tips for content engagement

Engaging with your audience is about building a positive association with you and your brand. Find ways to make the experience feel fun and natural—your enjoyment will come through in your tone.

• Focus on one or two channels. Content engagement is more time-consuming than you might think. Focus your time on the channels most relevant to your business and community. 

• Be authentic. Although your content might be on behalf of a business, be personable and genuine. Content marketing is meant to be a soft sales tool by design, so try and stay away from jargon.

• Keep your tone neutral-to-positive. Not every comment on your content is going to be positive. This can sting, but try not to take it personally. If you decide to respond, avoid being accusatory or defensive. Acknowledge what the commenter said and engage with them thoughtfully. 

Remember, content strategy and growth is a marathon, not a sprint. You'll risk stress or burnout if you try to create or share too much content at once. Do what you can with the time you have.