ThinkInsideTheSquare

Send a message to InsidetheSquare
I redesigned my website.
Again.
Yes, this is the second time this year. Apparently some people buy sports cars during a midlife crisis; I apparently rebuild websites.
But this time, I went much further than swapping a font and moving a few sections around. I changed the structure of Inside the Square, retired hundreds of old pages, created new content, changed what I want the site to be known for, and rebuilt the entire thing around where the business is going next.
And while the new design is a lot more fun to look at, this episode isn't about the design.
It's about everything I did behind the scenes so Google wouldn't wake up one morning wondering where my entire website went.
In this episode, I'm talking about the difference between a website refresh and a true redesign, what to check before you launch, what needs to happen immediately afterward, and why your work isn't quite finished when the new site goes live.
And yes, the new Inside the Square is officially live.
It's weird. It's handmade. There are doodles I drew on my kitchen counter, crumpled pieces of paper I photographed, strange little animations, and considerably more personality than the last version.
Maybe considerably more personality than any version I've made before.
Go explore the new site at insidethesquare.co.
And if this redesign has you thinking about what you could do differently with your own Squarespace projects, enrollment for Beyond the Basics is officially open too.
Beyond the Basics is where I teach Squarespace designers how to take the ideas that don't fit neatly into the standard settings and turn them into working solutions with AI — using your Squarespace expertise to direct the process instead of hoping AI magically figures it out.
Use the tools. Trust your judgment. And most importantly, have fun with your Squarespcae website.
Support the show
The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with Squarespace, Inc.

 For a transcript of this episode, along with the links to any resources mentioned, visit insidethesquare.co/podcast

Send a message to InsidetheSquare
Some of the worst website design decisions start with perfectly good advice.
Keep everything above the fold. Make your content scannable. Keep your layouts consistent. Make your buttons stand out. Add more interactivity.
Sound familiar?
In episode 105 of Think Inside the Square, Becca takes a closer look at five common design principles that can make a website less effective when they're treated like rules instead of guidelines.
From overcrowded hero sections to repetitive layouts and animations that compete with the content, we're talking about why context matters more than following every so-called best practice.
In this episode:
Why everything important doesn't need to fit above the fold
The difference between scannable content and content that's too short
Why consistency doesn't have to mean repetition
How too many calls to action can create confusion
When website animations become distractions instead of enhancements
Good design isn't about memorizing more rules. It's about knowing which decisions make sense for the website you're creating.
Resources
Explore more Squarespace design resources and find the episode transcript at https://insidethesquare.co/podcast
About Think Inside the Square
Think Inside the Square is a podcast about thoughtful website design, creative possibilities, and making Squarespace uniquely yours.
Hosted by Becca from Inside the Square.

Support the show
The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with Squarespace, Inc.

 For a transcript of this episode, along with the links to any resources mentioned, visit insidethesquare.co/podcast

Send a message to InsidetheSquare
In this episode of Think Inside the Square, I’m talking about one of the biggest shifts in the way I approach Squarespace projects: start with what the website needs to do, then decide how it should look.
We’ll look at why the names Squarespace gives its features don’t have to determine how you use them, how collections can become surprisingly flexible content systems, and why starting with the platform’s existing structure can save you from hundreds of unnecessary lines of custom JavaScript.
I’ll also share a real project where a portfolio’s SEO description became part of the visible page design with a little AI-assisted coding. Because sometimes the clever workaround is absolutely worth it. And sometimes the smartest thing you can do is use Squarespace exactly the way it was built.
Show notes: insidethesquare.co/podast/104
CHAPTERS
00:00 Building a staff directory in Squarespace
01:55 Start with function, not design
03:06 Why a blog works for more than blogging
05:08 Avoid unnecessary custom code
08:29 How to choose the right Squarespace feature
09:32 A creative portfolio + AI coding workaround
11:35 When to get clever — and when not to

Support the show
The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with Squarespace, Inc.

 For a transcript of this episode, along with the links to any resources mentioned, visit insidethesquare.co/podcast

Send a message to InsidetheSquare
AI has become an essential part of my workflow as a Squarespace designer. So when I came back from maternity leave, I added a new question to every potential client call: How comfortable are you with me using AI as part of this project?
In this episode of Think Inside the Square, we're talking about the awkward part of using AI professionally: disclosure. What should your Squarespace clients know? Do you need to tell them every time AI helps you write CSS or troubleshoot JavaScript? And what happens when a potential client says they don't want AI involved at all?
CHAPTERS
00:00 How I Disclose AI to Clients
01:44 AI in the Squarespace Workflow
04:17 AI Tools vs. Designer Expertise
06:04 When Clients Don't Want AI
07:50 AI, Client Data & Transparency
09:18 Why Your Expertise Still Matters
13:18 Setting AI Boundaries With Clients
Support the show
The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with Squarespace, Inc.

 For a transcript of this episode, along with the links to any resources mentioned, visit insidethesquare.co/podcast

Send a message to InsidetheSquare
Your next web design client might already have an AI-built website.
AI can help someone get surprisingly far into a website project. They can create layouts, generate copy, choose images, and build something they're genuinely excited about.
And then they hit the part where the website actually has to work.
In this episode of Think Inside the Square, I'm talking about what I think is an emerging service opportunity for web designers: taking an AI-built website and getting it across the finish line.
Because the real problem isn't necessarily that an AI-generated website looks like AI. The bigger opportunity is improving the parts AI hasn't finished: functionality, accessibility, responsiveness, maintainability, design judgment, brand personality, and the overall structure of the website.
For Squarespace designers especially, this may mean entering the project much later than we're used to. The client has already started;  our job is to finish it.
In this episode:
Why making a website “look less like AI” shouldn't be the main goal
Why familiar AI design patterns aren't necessarily the biggest problem
How clients are starting website projects differently
What it means to finish an AI-built website
Why designers may start entering projects at the 60–80% mark
How Squarespace can simplify an unnecessarily complicated AI-built setup
Where accessibility, usability, branding, and design judgment still matter
Why this work starts to look more like consulting than traditional website design
If clients are starting to bring AI-built websites into your inbox, I'd love to hear what you're seeing. Email me anytime at hello@insidethesquare.co.

Full episode transcript & resources: insidethesquare.co/podcast

Hire me to build your AI design on Squarespace: insidethesquare.co/hireme

Questions or something interesting happening in your own Squarespace business? hello@insidethesquare.co

The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by Squarespace, Inc.

#SquarespaceDesigner #AIWebDesign #WebDesignBusiness
Support the show
The term "Squarespace" is a trademark of Squarespace, Inc. This content is not affiliated with Squarespace, Inc.

 For a transcript of this episode, along with the links to any resources mentioned, visit insidethesquare.co/podcast