Why Switch from Squarespace 7.0 to 7.1
Squarespace launched 7.1 in July 2020, and since then we have continually seen new features and updates to this version. Although 7.0 is still available, there will be no new features added to this version. Many features are identical in both versions, such as commerce, analytics, SEO, and some page types. However, Squarespace 7.1 has introduced some long-awaited features, automatic mobile adaptability, and faster site-building. Below are a few changes between 7.0 and 7.1:
Templates
You are no longer limited to the template that you choose at the beginning of the site-building process in 7.1; every template shares the same features and options and are completely customizable. Unlike 7.0 where you have to select a template family (each having specific features), all templates on version 7.1 are part of the same template family. Squarespace has many options to start with a framework, or you can begin your design completely from scratch.
Site Style Panel
7.1 has more individual control over color palettes and font choices, with curated or individual element changes possible. You’ll start by choosing your “core” color palette, which is set through custom hex codes, a standard palette provided by Squarespace, or by uploading an image that Squarespace will select colors from.
The style panel features 10 customizable color themes, which you can style individually, such as changing the background color, button colors, image block colors, etc. For quick styling, the themes will automatically give you a variety of options based on your five core site colors set on your “core” palette.
Styling your text is easier, too! Squarespace 7.1 added one more Header and two more Paragraph styles. The text styling bar also has the option to change the font color directly in the text box, which means you no longer need to rely on the set color from the heading and paragraph styles!
Pages and Content
Sections/index pages: In 7.1, you can add sections within a page to customize parts of your content on the same page. Utilizing the sections, also allows you to create a scrolling page with anchor points. The great advantage of sections is they can be easily added and adjusted, moved around, and duplicated on a single page. No more Index Pages are needed!
Banner image: In 7.1, you can add a banner image to any page by adding a section at the top with a background image. In version 7.0, banners were only available in specific templates.
Landing pages: There are no landing pages in 7.1, but we have a code to remove the header and footer of a page to make a landing page.
Spacing: Spacers are the go-to in 7.0 when adjusting margins, but 7.1 has spacing from small, medium, large and custom for the section height and content width. There are also multiple content alignment options. Now you can adjust your content with a click of a button!
Mobile: Unlike in 7.0, you can now view and edit while in mobile view.
How do you switch your sites from 7.0 to 7.1? Well, Squarespace currently does not offer a way to migrate your content between versions. However, we can help you rebuild your site on the 7.1 version. Check out the two examples of sites below that were switched from 7.0 to 7.1.
First, is our own site, which we decided to keep very similar to the 7.0 version, but take advantage of the new features in 7.1.
Hive Site on 7.0
Hive Site on 7.1
Another example is a longtime client, Hearing Health Associates. It was time to refresh and clean up their site, so this one looks a bit different from the original.
Hearing Health Associates Site on 7.0
Hearing Health Associates Site on 7.1
Whether you are looking to change up the look of your site or keep it the same, we can achieve both while still migrating the site to the new Squarespace 7.1 version. Interested in updating your website or need help migrating it to 7.1? Buzz us!
