Top 10 Squarespace Plugin Shops of 2024 to Supercharge Your Website Customisation
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Hey there, website wizard! If you're running your online empire on Squarespace, you're already off to a cracking start. But why settle for 'good' when you can shoot for 'bloomin' marvellous'? That's where Squarespace plugins come in to help take your site from 'meh' to 'magnifique' *chefs kiss*.
In this post, I'm diving into the wonderful world of Squarespace plugin shops. Plugins are little powerhouses of functionality that are like the secret sauce for your digital sandwich, adding flavour, texture, and that je ne sais quoi that'll have your visitors coming back for seconds. So, buckle up, buttercup – we're about to supercharge your website customisation!
Why Use Squarespace Plugins?
Now, you might be thinking, "Hold your horses! Isn't Squarespace already pretty nifty on its own?" Well, you're not wrong, but here's the deal: plugins are like the sprinkles on your digital cupcake. They add that extra bit of magic that can turn a good website into a great one – with each one a powerful tool to take your site to the next level.
For e-commerce enthusiasts and online entrepreneurs, time is money and plugins can save you heaps of both by adding functionality that would otherwise require custom coding or hours of fiddling, providing a great user experience. Whether you're looking to beef up your email marketing game, streamline your checkout process, or add some pizzazz to your product displays, there's likely a plugin out there ready to make your life easier.
Top 10 Squarespace Plugin Shops of 2024
These plugin creators are at the top of their game creating user-friendly, advanced features that you can integrate seamlessly into your own Squarespace website with a simple cut and paste of code. From navigation and footer customisation to incredible design features for text, images and more, each of these plugin shops hold a smörgåsbord of delights for Squarespace sites.
Please note that none of these plugin shops are endorsed by Squarespace. Each plugin, shop or creator has designed and coded these plugins to directly interface with Squarespace for additional functionality but do not claim to have any affiliation with Squarespace.
1. SqSpThemes
The team at SqSpThemes have nailed it when it comes to plugins. Predominantly their plugins are best for e-commerce sites (only because of the functionality that most leans towards e-commerce needs). My favourites are: Lightbox Anything so you can create a pop up from any link that holds additional info (excellent for things like size guides etc) – this plugin also comes with lots of add-ons like upsells and promo mode, Squarespace Sidebar to add a sidebar to your blog posts, and Countdown Timer which is perfect for adding authentic scarcity to help get people off the buying decision fence.
2. Square Websites
Another team that have created plugins that are great for e-commerce in particular as well as and content creators. Not only do they provide plugins, they have also created a Chrome extension which among other things helps you to import and export content across squarespace website (this is a bonus when you consider this is one of the factors that makes people choose Wordpress over Squarespace). My favourite plugins include their best-selling Universal Filter which can be used for blogs posts or ecommerce products, and their Custom Cart Slide Out.
3. Spark Plugin
The team at Spark Plugin have an ingenious way of providing their Squarespace customisations – with an all-in-one plugin. For a monthly fee, you can access all the design and marketing customisations by implementing one piece of code to your site. It's really rather incredible – from button styles and navigation designs to background effects and more, you have eveything you need to take your Squarespace site to the next level.
4. Will Meyers
Will is a Squarespace website designer and developer, who sends really cool emails, so make sure to get on his list. He has a library of over 30 plugins and also runs a membership called "Curious Coder" for those wanting to learn more about code (with access to customisations and discounts on his plugin library). My favourite plugins from Will are Section Loader Supreme (a global moduel that can update across your entire site), Affiliate Link Genie to properly code your affiliate links, and a fabulous Before/ After Slider to easily compare images that have gone through a transformation.
5. Ghost Plugins
Ghose Plugins claim to be the largest resource for Squarespace websites, designers, and agencies. With over 500+ free plugins, Ghost is the largest resource for Squarespace websites – with no account sign up required. They also have some premium plugins like the Confetti Pop Button, a super awesome looking Aiko Testimonial Slider, as well as fun Easy Header Navigation Icons and more!
6. Adlytic Marketing
Designing websites since 2014, the team of Adlytic Marketing have created a variety of plugins that work for the Squarespace 7.0 and newly revamped 7.1 (Note: if you're creating your own Squarepsace website, choose Squarespace 7.1 as this is the most up-to-date platform with access to the fluid engine builder). A few of my 7.1 plugin favourites from Adlytic Marketing are Rotating Words, Age Verification pop up, and Automatic Table of Contents.
7. Square Fresh
Square Fresh is a one-stop Squarespace shop for templates, plugins and more. Here are the plugins that caught my eye – they have some great text effect plugins like Letter Roll, Letter Pop Up and Typewriter, their Mini Desktop Mobile Menu adds a new dimension to a website and the Auto Scroll List looks stylish and edgy!
8. Pixel Haze Academy
Not restricted to Squarespace only, Pixel Haze Academy offer plugins, templates and even web design courses on various platforms. Their Squarespace plugins are all affordable and my favourites are the Snow Fall Effect (great for Christmas time vibes), Custom Tooltips which allows a small pop up on a link hover to provide more information, and a relatively cheap Timeline option.
9. Square Paste
From custom codes to stylish templates Square Paste provide a sleek collection which you get lifetime access of each purchase. Plus, you're able to use your digital goods on all of your current and future Squarespace sites. A unique plugin they provide, which I've not yet seen elsewhere, is a Form Logic plugin, which enables you to provide various options in a form depending on the choices already made. Other noteables are the Product Accordion and their Portfolio Filter, Summary Filter and Gallery Filter .
10. SQS Mods
The team behind SQS Mods know their stuff. They have a range of plugins and templates for Squarespace but my favourites are the Text Reveal on Scroll that cleverly reveals text as you scroll the page - this gives a elevated feel to your website; Magic Drop so you can add drop down menus anywhere; Slider to activate a slide in form from any link on your site, and Split Footer to make your footer stand out with a call out box.
11. BONUS I: Peachs ~ Affiliate Centre
If you have your own products that you'd like to offer for affiliate collaboration (meaning if someone recommends your product they get a commission), you can set up an affiliate centre through Peachs. This is the only platform that offers this option for Squarespace (as far as I'm aware). How it works is you sign up through Peachs for your own affiliate dashboard, you can then offer your partners/ affiliates to register for an affiliate account within your Peachs centre, which then provides them with unique links to be able to promote your products whilst earning a commission for their efforts! Winner, winner, chicken dinner ;)
12. BONUS II: SEOSpace
Want to double down on your SEO efforts? Look no further than SEOSpace. This plugin is a Squarespace answer to Yoast for Wordpress (but not run by Squarespace!) and another one-of-a-kind for Squarespace. You can register for a free account to do a site audit, with options to upgrade to different levels for more
How to Choose the Right Plugins for Your Business
Alright, so you're sold on the idea of plugins (and why wouldn't you be?), but now you're facing a buffet of options. How do you choose? Well, my friend, it's time to put on your strategic thinking cap.
First things first, take a good, hard look at your website. What's missing? What tasks are eating up your time? Maybe your email sign-up form is about as exciting as watching paint dry, or perhaps your product galleries could use a bit more oomph. Identify these pain points – they're your plugin shopping list.
Next, consider compatibility. Not all plugins play nicely with each other, so it's worth doing a bit of homework. And let's not forget about the pound signs – while many plugins offer free versions, some of the more robust options might require a bit of investment. But remember, if a plugin can save you time or boost your sales, it might just pay for itself faster than you can say "return on investment".
Installation and Integration Tips
Right, you've chosen your plugins, and you're ready to unleash them on your website. But before you go plugin-crazy, let's talk installation.
The good news is, Squarespace makes adding plugins relatively painless. It usually involves copying and pasting a bit of code into the right spot. But don't let that scare you off – most plugin shops provide step-by-step instructions that even the most tech-phobic among us can follow.
Here's a pro tip: always test your plugins on a duplicate of your live site first. It's like trying on clothes before you buy them – you want to make sure everything fits and looks good before you commit. Luckily this is an easy thing to do with Squarespace – just duplicate your site and use the unpublished version as your testing ground. And if something goes wonky? Don't panic! Most plugin shops offer support to help you iron out any wrinkles.
Also be aware that running multiple plugins from a variety of vendors can cause conflicts, so be sure to test them out first as you add new plugins to you site.
Maximising Plugin Performance
So, you've installed your shiny new plugins. Job done, right? Not so fast! To really get the most bang for your buck, you need to use them strategically.
Take email marketing plugins, for instance. They're not just about slapping a sign-up form on your homepage and calling it a day. Think about how you can use them to segment your list, personalise your messages, and create automated sequences that nurture your leads while you sleep. (And if that sounds like gibberish, don't worry – that's what folks like me are here for!)
Remember, plugins are tools, not magic wands. They work best when they're part of a larger strategy. So take some time to think about how each plugin fits into your overall business goals. A little planning can go a long way in turning those plugins from nice-to-have extras into essential parts of your digital toolkit.
And there you have it – your whistle-stop tour of the Squarespace plugin world! We've covered a lot of ground, from why plugins are the bee's knees to how to choose and use them like a pro.
Remember, the beauty of Squarespace (and the internet in general) is that it's always evolving. New plugins are popping up all the time, each offering new ways to make your website work harder for you. So don't be afraid to experiment, try new things, and find the combination that works best for your unique business. One thing is for sure, these plugins are developed to be user friendly, and provide a seamless integration into your Squarespace template/ website.