How to Customize a Squarespace 7.1 Template to Match Your Branding
Why Template Customization Is More Than Just Aesthetic
Choosing a Squarespace 7.1 template is a great starting point, but leaving it untouched can make your site feel impersonal or generic. Your brand is more than colors and fonts. It's a message, a mood, and a strategy.
Squarespace 7.1 gives you the tools to create a website that feels aligned, intentional, and unique. With the right customization steps, your site can reflect the true personality of your brand and connect with the right audience.
Step 1: Clarify Your Brand Identity Before You Start
Before making any visual changes, get clear on what your brand actually represents. Without this foundation, you’re just styling for the sake of styling. Ask yourself:
What are my brand values?
Who am I trying to reach?
What feelings should my brand evoke?
What three words describe my visual style?
Pro tip: If you're unsure where to start, you might want to check out our Brand Clarity Workbook
Step 2: Use Site Styles to Set the Foundation
Squarespace 7.1 uses a universal Site Styles panel that controls the look and feel across your entire site. This is where the magic starts to happen.
Fonts
Choose no more than two fonts: one for headings and one for body text. Make sure your selections support your tone. (For example, a wellness brand might combine a calm serif for titles with a clean sans serif for paragraphs.)
Colors
Define your brand palette in the color theme section. Stick to a few core colors:
A primary color for buttons and headlines
A secondary color for accents
A neutral background color for readability
Avoid overwhelming the viewer with too many options. Simplicity supports clarity.
Step 3: Replace All Placeholder Imagery With Brand-Specific Visuals
Generic stock photos make your site forgettable. Replace every image with something that feels intentional and connected to your story.
Use:
Brand photography or styled product photos
Graphics that reflect your brand tone
Consistent image filters or styles for a cohesive look
Step 4: Refine Each Layout With Strategy In Mind
Every section of your website should guide the visitor toward a decision. This means you should only keep what supports that journey.
Ask yourself:
What do I want people to do after reading this section?
Is this helping or distracting?
Does this layout highlight my most important content?
Adjust things like spacing, alignment, and content order so your message flows naturally. Update calls to action so they feel custom, not default. (For example, instead of “Learn More,” try “Explore My Work” or “See the Full Process.”)
Remember to update your navigation and footer as well. These often-overlooked areas can either support or confuse your visitor’s journey.
Step 5: Make Sure Your Copy Matches Your Brand Voice
Great visuals catch the eye. Great copy keeps people on the page.
Replace every block of placeholder text with words that sound like you and speak directly to your ideal client. Your copy should be clear, human, and purposeful.
Strong copy helps visitors feel like they’ve found someone who gets them. It answers their unspoken questions and builds trust before they ever hit your contact form.
Keep in mind that good web copy is less about you and more about what you help others achieve.
When your copy matches your brand voice, you build trust faster, create emotional connection, and guide people to take action, all while sounding completely like yourself.
Take your time with this step. And if writing isn’t your zone of genius, consider working with a brand copywriter or using a copywriting framework that helps you express your voice clearly.
Squarespace templates are built to get you started, not to represent your final product. With a clear brand and a few smart customizations, you can turn any 7.1 template into a website that reflects who you are and what you offer.
Your site should feel like a natural extension of your brand. Thoughtful customization helps build trust, communicate value, and convert browsers into buyers.
Here are some of our favourite customer template customizations
Our customers did a fantastic job utilizing our Squarespace template, while applying their own branding and unique personal touch to really make the website work for their brand.
