Now that the summer break’s winding down (for those of us up north of the equator), it’s a good time to get clear on what you actually want to move the needle on before the end of the year. I’m hearing the same handful of targets from designers and small business owners: - Finally revamping the website - Giving SEO some proper attention - Getting consistent on social media - Training AI content so it sounds like you - Pressing the big scary red button and taking the site live Those are the big hitters. But maybe your autumn focus is something else entirely. What’s the one thing that, if you nailed it before Christmas, would make the biggest difference to your business? Drop it in the comments. I’m curious to see what’s coming up for everyone. I will get back to everyone who leaves a comment with a series of tips and a personalised plan. Cheers, Elwyn

This Google indexing slip-up is surprisingly common for Squarespace users, and I’ve seen it sink great websites before they’ve even had a chance to shine. You can have the best design, the sharpest copy, and the perfect call-to-action… but if Google doesn’t know your site exists, no one’s going to find it. The good news is, the fix is simple: submit your sitemap to Google Search Console and make sure it’s working. Without this, Google is essentially wandering around in the dark, possibly skipping over your most important pages. I’ve lost count of the number of site owners who assume Squarespace handles this automatically. It doesn’t. The process is straightforward once you know where to look. First, grab your sitemap URL (simply add /sitemap.xml to the end of your domain in most cases). Then, head to Google Search Console, verify your site, and paste that sitemap link in. From there, keep an eye on the status—errors or “couldn’t fetch” messages are a sign you need to tweak something. Most importantly, resubmit your sitemap every time you make major changes to your site. This is how you tell Google, “Here’s my content, and I want you to show it.” Without it, you risk staying invisible while competitors move ahead. 1. Finding and submitting your Squarespace sitemap is essential if you want Google to index your pages quickly and accurately 2. Google Search Console isn’t set-and-forget—regular checks keep your site discoverable 3. Resubmitting your sitemap after major updates ensures your newest content gets found faster

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: we have been working hard over the Xmas break to built a free companion app for pro web designers, brand designers, and beginners. We will be building on this regularly, but you can already find the following: - Colour palettes - Icons - Textures and patterns - CSS & Custom Code These libraries have been built from the ground-up to support Squarespace. All assets are completely free to use, no login required. EXAMPLE: Here's a color palette inspired by snowy, wintery days. Perfect for your next Squarespace, web design or branding project. View the library here: https://easeltools.com I’ll be running a series of tutorials to get the most out of these assets very soon. Enjoy 😊 Cheers, Elwyn

I've built over 3,000 websites, and here's what I can tell you with absolute certainty: Minimalist design works. Especially for small businesses. Here’s why: 🧠 Clearer Focus = Better Decisions Too much on the page? Visitors freeze. Clean design = clear next steps. ⚡ Loads Faster Less clutter means faster pages. Faster pages = better SEO + fewer drop-offs. 📱 Mobile-First Friendly Minimalist layouts adapt better on phones—where most traffic happens now. 💷 Cheaper to Build & Easier to Maintain Fewer moving parts = faster launches + less maintenance overhead. If your site is trying to do too much, it’s probably doing nothing well. 👉 Want to improve conversions on your site without a full rebuild? Start by removing one thing from your homepage that doesn’t serve a clear purpose. Comment below: What’s one thing on your homepage you know could go? Let’s tidy things up!